Uta + Will’s wedding – November 26, 2010

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While everyone was hitting the stores for Black Friday, Uta and Will decided to get married.  Their celebration is not my smallest wedding ever (that honor goes to Melissa and Craig’s wedding where I was the witness!) but it’s close. There were less than twenty people gathered at the little chapel on the campus of St. Alban’s, including Rev. Hundley, the organist and me, but the warm little sanctuary turned out to be the perfect spot for a family-only wedding. Uta beamed as she walked down the aisle on the arm of her dad while Will looked a teensy bit nervous before she made her appearance. I was originally told there would be no photos allowed but since it was such a small crowd I got permission to stay in the back and capture the joy. My favorite part of the short day was wandering around the grounds of the National Cathedral with the couple after the ceremony. It was getting colder and dark but the two of them didn’t seem to mind. As I was editing the photos it seemed like I had a lot of kissing shots. I think that captures the two of them perfectly. Will couldn’t stop kissing his bride. After the portraits, we headed to Columbia Country Club for a lovely family dinner and a Power Point slide show that was a joint effort between both sets of parents, documenting where Uta and Will came from, how they met and how their lives are now intertwined.

Christine + Ted’s wedding – October 23, 2010

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I remember very clearly the first phone call I had from Christine. I was scouting River Farm for the April wedding of Lesley and Chris when she called. It was a gorgeous day and I found a bench overlooking the Potomac River and she proceeded to tell me about her plans. And it was a glorious day in October for Ted and Christine’s Baltimore wedding. The theme of the day was sort of the clash between Baltimore where she grew up and St. Louis where Ted is from. That was reflected in the programs and particularly in the beer served at the reception and the one must have photo was the bride and groom with their respective hometown beers! The ceremony was in the beautiful and historical Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in downtown Baltimore. I think the only ones not crying were Ted and Christine…I saw Mom, Dad and Grandma with tears. That actually continued during the reception with Christine’s sister Ali crying during the toasts and eventually even Christine was tearing up as well. One part of the evening that seemed to have half the audience crying was the couple’s first dance which was the song “Landslide” sung by Christine’s sister Ali. There’s really not much better than a wedding with a lot of happy tears. The reception was at a private home in Baltimore County that belongs to a family friend of Christine’s. The house itself was stunning and the big tent in the backyard was intimate and perfect for the rocking reception. And as always, it was a pleasure to work with Katherine Frey as my second shooter.

Thanks to the fabulous Elizabeth Duncan for a) sending Christine and Ted my way in the first place and b) making sure everything ran smoothly in both the planning of the day and the wedding itself. Check out Elizabeth’s new venture: Elizabeth Duncan Events. And I just want to mention that Christine’s gardenia bouquet made by florist Phillipa Tarrant was beautiful and smelled amazing. Unfortunately the flowers turn brown very quickly which is why they aren’t generally in bouquets but while it lasted it was gorgeous.

Ashley + Michael’s wedding – St. Regis Hotel, Washington, DC – October 16, 2010

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Ashley + Michael’s wedding turned out to be a bit of a reunion for me. Michael had been a groomsman for Lindsay + Chris’ wedding a couple years ago and I was so pleased that he and Ashley chose me to be their photographer. It was great seeing familiar faces among the bridal party and the guests. And in a repeat of Lindsay + Chris’ wedding, I was again working with the fabulous Toni Sandys.

They were married at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria, the same church that Ashley’s parents were married in. It’s really nice when there’s a sentimental attachment to the church and a family history. I particularly liked the photos of the two of them after the ceremony in the limo—in some the reflection of the church is visible in the car windows.

For the second time in two weeks I was at the St. Regis, a beautiful hotel with an elegant lobby just right for romantic photos! I really like the Vanity Fair-ish bridal party shots we did there. Thanks Lindsay for styling! I also got a chance to explore the hotel restaurant Adour, which has very cool round mirrors in its entryway and a see-through wine cellar which also made for some interesting and different couple portraits.

The reception was wonderfully romantic with large red roses at each place setting. After a funny toast by Ashley’s dad that pulled out her high school letterman’s jacket and her blankey (!) the party kicked into high gear and by the time Toni and I left, the dance floor was packed. We did manage to get Ashley and Michael outside for some night streets scenes in front of the hotel and a lovely dip photo in the driveway.

The vendors who made their day beautiful:

St. Regis Hotel

Music: Cherry Blossom Strings

Coordinator: Terri Eaves at Bash

Flowers: Multiflor

DJ: DJ D-Mac

Erika + Christian’s wedding – October 10, 2010

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It was a gorgeous day for a memorable wedding date. I spent 10-10-10 with Erika and Christian at their lovely wedding at Belle Haven Country Club in Alexandria. I got to spend more time with Erika than I do with most of my brides. We did a fabulous bridal portrait shoot about a month before the wedding at Oxon Hill Manor. I loved having time to focus on making really interesting portraits—something that I don’t always get time to do on the wedding date. Since the bridal gown was under wraps until Christian saw her at their first look on the big day, I wasn’t able to blog the photos until now. But I had a few I really liked so I’m including them here. And talk about bling! Take a look at Erika’s wedding band. Wow.

There were a few highlights of their wedding day in my mind. Before the ceremony, Erika’s mother had a prayer for her daughter than included the girls in the bridal party laying hands on her. Everyone was crying by the time it was over and of course, it made for some wonderful photos. I also loved Erika’s dance with all the important men in her life in lieu of the traditional father-daughter dance. Everyone kept cutting in until she ended up with her new husband! And one of my favorite photos was the late evening balcony shot of the two of them. I admit, I stole if from my friend Michael Connor and I believe in giving credit where it’s due. Holding the light behind them and shooting with me the whole day was the fabulous Ricky Carioti. And I got to work with one of my fav DJs Aaron who kept the party rocking!

Those who helped make the day special:

Hair and Makeup: CityGirl Salon De Belleza – Mara Fontanez

Flowers: Floral Specialties

Wedding and Reception: Belle Haven Country Club

Videographer: 5 Star Media Productions

DJ: Aaron at Chris Laich Music Services

Cake: Cheesecake Etc.

Stephanie + Martin’s wedding – October 9, 2010

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Stephanie and I never got a chance to meet in person before her wedding day. But she was very clear with me about what she wanted from her photos. She wanted me to do what I do and capture the day. The really good news for me is that she and Martin are an adorable couple and there were several unusual (at least for me) events during the day to make it even more interesting. I have shot at Ft. Belvoir before but don’t have a lot of military wedding experience so it was fun for me. They were married in the little gazebo in front of the club and even though the temperatures were in the 70s the fall colors of the flowers and the bridesmaid’s dresses reminded everyone that it was an October wedding. As the couple was introduced into the reception they came through an archway of swords. In order to enter the room they had to stop at the final crossed swords and kiss. What Stephanie didn’t know is that she was about to be swatted on the backside with one of those swords. And with that, she was welcomed as a military wife. After a very rocking reception, Stephanie and Martin expected to walk down the street to their hotel at the Officers’ Club. Instead they were surprised with a horse-drawn carriage. I was pleasantly surprised as well to see that it was lit all over with LED lights which made it much easier to photograph since it was dark outside. Those turned out to be some of my favorite photos of the day.

Some of the vendors who make the day special:

The Officers’ Club- www.belvoirmwr.com

Music and Video- www.directentertainment.com

Amy + Justin’s wedding – September 25, 2010

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I’ve been looking forward to Amy + Justin’s wedding for a long time. It was my first St. Regis Hotel experience and I was not disappointed. They had both their ceremony and reception there and it was a perfect day for an intimate outdoor ceremony on the terrace. Amy’s tears started early in the day when she and Justin first saw each other in the hotel suite and they continued during the ceremony and I’m pretty sure I saw a couple from Justin as well. They are such a sweet couple together and their emotions were very close to the surface.

From their first look we strolled to Lafayette Park for some White House photos and then back for the ceremony. All the wonderful details of the day added to the elegance of the wedding and the venue. I loved the signature cocktail named after the couple’s dog and the lighting of the ballroom made for wonderful photos. And as a special treat the hotel had the champagne opened by using a sabre (not a big one but still…) which I had never seen before! And the lobby there is to die for.

I was happy to be working with the wonderful Katherine Frey (again—many times this fall!) and Jessica Brown from Simply Chic Events did a fabulous job as always!

Others making the day special were:

Haydee Gomez at the St. Regis Hotel

Hair: K.C. Felton

Makeup: Isabella Bastien

Flowers by Phillipa Tarrant Floral Design

DJ: Aaron from Chris Laich Music Services We love Aaron–this was one of several we’ve done together this year!)

Lighting: John Farr Lighting Design

Kerry + Danny’s wedding – September 18, 2010

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I knew as soon as I met Kerry and Danny that I wanted to photograph their wedding. And not just because it was going to be in Potomac! They are so adorable together and have a wonderful energy and were really excited about having me photograph their day for them. We didn’t do an engagement shoot but I did get to spend time with them as we met over details for the wedding and I knew it was going to be a blast.

By the time I arrived at Kerry’s parents house the place was buzzing with family and kids and bridesmaids. There’s something that’s kind of special about getting ready in the house you grew up in. I was thrilled to be shooting with Michael Connor again and he got to spend time with Danny and the boys at the church before the service. Special gifts for the groom included a Jose Canseco bat and a couple Shake Weights. That made for some pretty humorous photos on the bus ride back to Potomac.

The church service was sweet and funny and especially lovely when the groom’s sister sang at the opening and closing of the ceremony. The priest also added some humor joking about the very large Catholic families both bride and groom come from. I believe it’s 10 siblings for Kerry’s mom and 11 for Danny’s dad. If that’s not right, it’s close. And it also explains the extended family group shots after the ceremony of 75 people each. I think it wins the award for my largest group shots that didn’t include everyone attending On our way back to Potomac we commandeered Bethesda Row for some group shots and then headed to the  Bolger Center for the reception. A few highlights night for me were the father-daughter dance, the brother of the groom toast and being sandwiched danced by two of Danny’s friends right before I left. Actually, I don’t think the last one was a highlight—more like a first time for me. Kerry’s dad had been very ill about a year ago and when they danced together, there were few dry eyes in the house. As I was shooting I noticed the whole family crying at the side of the dance floor and it’s one of my favorite moments on the night. And the groom’s brother’s toast was a standout—lots of inside baseball stuff but the first time I’ve heard “The Wire” referenced at a wedding. And Danny’s parents reaction to the speech also made some lovely photos.

And I was happy that I had a few minutes at the reception to catch up with Kristina and John whose wedding led Kerry and Danny to me in the first place. Gotta love that Gonzaga connection.

The people and places making their day special:

Ceremony: Annunciation Catholic Church

Reception: Annette Fulmore at the Bolger Center in Potomac, MD

Florist: Tierra Floral Design

Dee Jay: Brendan Kelley

Cake: Marry Cakes by the Sea

Christine + Michael’s wedding – The Fairmont Hotel

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I’ve got some restrictions on what I can show from Christine + Michael’s lovely wedding at Holy Rosary Church and the Fairmont Hotel but I wanted to share some of Christine’s portraits. They had a very small bridal party so we had time built into the schedule to do a half hour session with just the bride in the lobby of the hotel. She had a pretty reception venue with lots of natural light. It was a gorgeous day but we did everything inside and just had fun with it. It was a treat for me because I usually grab my bride portraits before we leave the hotel or they wait until later in the day when I’m doing the couple solo photos. I loved her big poufy blush-colored dress. She looked like a princess and we did several shots that maximized the volume of the dress. So allow a little extra time for a nice bridal portrait–you won’t regret it!

Anna + Tim’s wedding – Columbia Country Club

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Anna and Tim’s Labor Day Sunday wedding was part two of my double header weekend. It was another glorious day as Anna and her bridesmaids walked from her parents house to the church. We were under very tight restrictions at the church (no photos basically) but with the help of  my second shooter the wonderful Jonathan Newton, we managed to make a few photos from the balcony. But the rest of the day made up for the lack of photos at the church. The reception at Columbia Country Club was gorgeous. I loved the big chandelier in the ballroom and the backdrop of the golf course for the group photos. And the party was very high energy, with a particularly raucous garter toss. It was a first for me to see the groom wearing at various points in the day both the veil and the garter.

One very cute detail from the wedding were the red Adironack chairs.  There were little red chairs as card holders at the tables and a large one was on display in the lobby of the club. Anna and Tim met as students at Dickinson College where there are red Adirondack chairs all over the campus. At the very end of the evening Tim and his groomsmen dragged the big chair outside so I could make a romantic portrait of the happy couple sitting together. You don’t see much of the chair but I liked the resulting photo!

And as a final note, I realized as I was editing the photos that I shot more vertical photos at this wedding than I think I ever have before. I guess that’s what happens when the groom is at least a foot taller than the bride (and she was wearing killer heels!).

And some of the folks who made it a great day:

Christ Episcopal Church, Kensington, Maryland

Columbia Country Club

DJ: Washington Talent, Doug Sandler
Flowers: Philippa Tarrant
Cake: Just Cakes
Dress: Hitched
Bridesmaids: J. Crew
Make up: Lauren Miller
Hair: Whitney Neier

Rebecca + Kevin’s wedding – Oatlands Plantation

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I really needed Labor Day weekend to be beautiful, particularly for Rebecca and Kevin’s ceremony at Oatlands Plantation. I got my wish. Both Saturday and Sunday were in the 80s and sunny. It was exciting to finally get to Oatlands after scouting it earlier this summer for Jennifer & Ed’s wedding shot by Toni & Linda in July. There are so many gorgeous places for photos and I was not disappointed. Rebecca was a little nervous prior to the ceremony but her bridesmaids, especially sister Sarah kept her on track. She looked gorgeous and retro-glamorous with her elegant gown and the birdcage veil. Kevin seemed relaxed and calm although I didn’t see him much before the ceremony—he got to hang out with the wonderful Jonathan Newton who was shooting with me. I absolutely loved the special touches during the day—the refreshment station with lemonade, the place cards on a bed of flowers and the tent with chandeliers! Rebecca’s Greek heritage was evident in many parts of the day, from the crowning during the ceremony to the dinner offerings and of course, the Greek dancing at the reception. Kevin’s roots came out at the reception as well when the boys took the stage and somewhere during the night I’m sure I heard “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” One other thing we did which I had never done before was a little photo booth for the guests. I’m not posting those pix here but you can see them on the slide show—it was a big hit and some of the shots were pretty hysterical and I know Rebecca and Kevin got a big kick out of seeing them after the wedding.

Special props to Jessica Brown with Simply Chic Events. As always, she’s a pleasure to work with and she helps add those special touches that make a wedding so much fun to photograph!

Everyone who helped make the day beautiful:

Oatlands Plantation

Hair and Makeup: Loretta Jameson

Band: The Dickens

Food: Nicole at Windows Catering

Invitations and signs: Christina Barbour with Paperzest

Flowers by John Duffy at Yellow Door

Tent and draping: Fabrication Events