Catherine & Theodore · Grémio Literário
Catherine and Theodore were married in Lisbon on a warm October evening, beginning with a candlelit ceremony at Igreja dos Cardais, one of the city's most striking azulejo-tiled churches, before moving to Grémio Literário for the reception. Founded in the nineteenth century as a private literary society, Grémio Literário is one of Lisbon's most storied buildings, with red damask salons, gilt-framed oil paintings, and a winding staircase lined floor to ceiling in blue and white tiles.
It is a venue that rewards a documentary approach: every room had its own atmosphere, from the green-walled library where the couple posed quietly together, to the chandelier-lit dining room where the evening unfolded over candlelight and a string of personal touches, among them a wedding cake styled with fruit and buttercream piping and a custom headpiece by Dipetsa.
The day was published in Vogue Australia Weddings, a fitting home for a wedding that moved easily between old-world Lisbon architecture and a genuinely editorial sensibility. We photograph a maximum of ten weddings per year, which means a building with this much history gets the full creative attention it deserves.
Read what catherine said about her day with us
“Savannah and Rui were such a dream to work with. As an American bride planning a wedding in Lisbon from afar, their helpfulness and determination to get what I wanted for the wedding was forever memorable to me and my family.
In particular for American brides, Sav and Rui are an incredible asset. Sav is from the US and Rui is Portuguese, so together, they are a perfect bridge for destination brides navigating Portuguese culture.
Weddings are stressful. Planning can easily become overwhelming. Building a great team of vendors around you will help significantly. Savannah and Rui were always - always - willing to help us out with great advice and recommendations. Communication was easy, clear and timely.
At my wedding, Sav and Rui work well together as a team, were flexible and captured every important moment with such care, making us feel completely at ease. The photos are everything we hoped for. We couldn’t be happier with our memories on film as well as Super 8! Memories for a lifetime.
Thank you Sav&Rui!”
— Catherine & Theodore
PUBLISHED IN VOGUE AUSTRALIA WEDDINGS
The Super 8 Film · Grémio Literário, Lisbon
There is a reason Super 8 suits a wedding inside Grémio Literário, a nineteenth-century literary society in the heart of Lisbon: the format's warm grain and unpredictable light leaks feel as period-appropriate as the gilded mirrors and red damask walls that surrounded Catherine and Theodore all evening. Where the photographs hold the architecture and the editorial detail still, the Super 8 film catches the looser, faster moments, the candlelit toasts, the laughter between courses, the walk down that azulejo-tiled staircase, with the same nostalgic texture that made this Lisbon wedding feel timeless rather than simply documented.
Vendor Credits
Photographer ⎜ The Lopes Photography thelopesphotography.com
Ceremony Venue ⎜ Convento dos Cardais conventodoscardaes.com
Reception Venue ⎜ Grémio Literário gremioliterario.pt
Planning & Décor ⎜ Tudo é Festa tudoefesta.pt
Florals ⎜ Magdala Flores instagram.com/magdalaflores
Bridal Gown ⎜ Aesling Bride (aesling.com) via The Sentimentalist thesentimentalistatl.com
Bridal Headpiece & Accessories ⎜ Dipetsa dipetsa.com
Engagement & Wedding Rings ⎜ Highland Diamond highlanddiamond.com
Reception Dress ⎜ Hill House Home hillhousehome.com
Stationery ⎜ Simply Put Paper simplyputpaper.com
Bridal Shoes ⎜ Vintage Ferragamo ferragamo.com
Groom's Attire ⎜ Bonobos bonobos.com
Groom's Watch ⎜ Rolex rolex.com
Groom's Shoes ⎜ Allen Edmonds allenedmonds.com
Getting Ready Venue ⎜ Flora Chiado Apartments instagram.com/florachiadoapartments
Hair ⎜ Let's Hair letshair.com
DJ ⎜ Bernardo Vaz instagram.com/bernardovaz__
Ceremony Musicians ⎜ Quarteto Opus28 (instagram.com/quarteto.opus28) with Anna Setton (instagram.com/annasetton) & K. Santandreu (instagram.com/ksantandreu)
Cocktail Hour Music ⎜ Carol Sonaoda (instagram.com/carolsonaoda) & Manel Ferreira (instagram.com/manelferreiramusic)
Catering ⎜ Casa da Comida casadacomida.pt
Audiovisual ⎜ Boost Sound (instagram.com/boostsound) & F. Magrinelli (instagram.com/fmagrinelli)
Photobooth ⎜ Smile Box Photobooths instagram.com/smileboxphotobooths
Videography ⎜ Look Imaginary lookimaginary.com
Planning a Wedding at Grémio Literário? Questions We're Often Asked
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Yes. Grémio Literário is a private members' club in central Lisbon, and couples typically hold the ceremony itself at a separate church or civil venue nearby. As The Lopes Photography, we have photographed weddings that combine its salons with a church ceremony just a short drive away.
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October is one of the best months for a Lisbon wedding, with warm afternoons, softer light, and far less heat and humidity than summer. Catherine and Theodore's wedding took advantage of exactly this kind of late-afternoon and evening light.
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Yes. International couples regularly choose Lisbon for a destination wedding, often pairing a legal ceremony at home with a symbolic or religious ceremony in Portugal. Historic venues such as Grémio Literário and nearby churches make for a striking backdrop for guests traveling from abroad.
If you are planning a wedding at Grémio Literário or another historic venue in Lisbon, we would love to hear from you. See more of our work on our Lisbon wedding photographer page.
