Harbourtowne Resort wedding – St. Michaels, Maryland

Happy New Year! A post on New Year’s Day might be a first for me. Traditionally in my family we celebrate the new year with the southern meal of black eyed peas and greens for health, wealth and good luck in the coming year. Starting the year off this way hasn’t failed me in the 20 years I’ve been carrying on the tradition! I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family and an wonderfully varied career in photography and I’m excited for what 2015 will bring my way. The past year was an amazing one for me as a wedding photographer. I can’t say enough wonderful things about all my fabulous couples and what an honor it was to be chosen to photograph so many wonderful and moving events.

I almost was not able to come to this event, because my parents have begun to require more constant care at home, and have refused to move in to a home. I would have had to stay with them if it wasn’t for the fact that not too long before the trip I found a service called Home Care Assistance Seattle, located right at Home Care Assistance 9050 W Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (310) 857-4760, and what they do is send a professional to provide that kind of specialized care in the person’s own home. That’s exactly what I had been looking for. After a test run of a couple of days everything seemed fine and my parents seemed happy so I felt comfortable enough to leave them with her and fly over here. I’m really glad it all worked out actually.

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Which brings me to Kristen and Jon’s marvelous St. Michaels wedding in late October. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to that part of the Eastern shore and I’d forgotten what a quaint spot it is and how breathtaking the scenery can be. Their weekend was one of many gorgeous fall Saturdays and the light was better than I could have hoped for – a golden orange as Kristen made her way to Jon as he waited overlooking the Chesapeake Bay. Emotions were running high, particularly from Jon who literally couldn’t stop kissing his bride. It made for some terrific and tender moments. They followed the ceremony with a packed dance floor underneath the colorful paper lanterns on the resort’s tents. Nothing like a little color to end the evening!

Event coordinator Emily Hill Events 703.505.9544

Wedding and Reception site Harbourtowne Resort St. Michaels, MD

Site coordinator Elaine Phillips 410.745.9066 ext. 4211

Florist Monteray Farms 410.820.7575

Hair and makeup Serenity Salon and Spa, St. Michaels, MD  410.745.2525

DJ Center Stage Entertainment

Cake With Sugar on Top 410.943.3807

Holly Hills Country Club wedding – Ijamsville, Maryland

All my weddings are special to me. When a couple chooses me to be their wedding photographer it’s beyond an honor. It’s a trust they place in me to capture the memories of their day. Seven or eight years ago when my kids were much smaller than the giant teenagers they’ve now become, I hired Jennifer to be my part-time babysitter. To say that they loved her is an understatement. They looked forward to the days Jenn was sitting so much that the disappointment was visible when they were stuck with me for the day. Jenn became part of our family and I had always promised that when she got married I would shoot her wedding. This October I got to fulfill my promise as she and Justin had a warm and funny and slightly chilly outdoor ceremony on a hillside in Ijamsville. A very special part of their ceremony included their adorable one year old daughter Maddie who was a complete trooper as she was pulled down the aisle in a wagon and presented with a special necklace during the ceremony. The joy of their little family on their special day was infectious. Another special part of the day for me was having my whole family there. I’ve been shooting weddings for 13 years and they’ve never seen me at work. I entrusted my son Wyatt to be my assistant for the after ceremony portraits and it was quite amusing to watch him try to make Jenn’s veil fly. The biggest surprise for me was when my daughter Hannah asked to help as well and she was my trusty assistant for my sunset shot! Their reception highlights for me were Jenn’s dance with her dad–being an only child and very close to her parents the reaction from her mom was priceless. And the newly official Richards family took many turns around the dance floor happy as can be.

Wedding and Reception site Holly Hills Country Club 5502 Mussetter Road, Ijamsville, MD 301.694.8322

Florist Blossom and Basket 301.829.8300

Hair and makeup Brenda Dalton 301.988.8038 

DJ Shew-sical (Robert) 888.743.9742 

Cake Lilly Magilly’s 301.208.2828

Videographer Stevenson Productions 301.988.5636

Park Hyatt wedding – Washington, DC

It’s very tempting to dispense with the recap of Caroline + Miguel’s wedding day and get right to the photos. It was such a great day from preparation through the reception that I almost don’t know where to begin. First, Caroline was the coolest bride ever. Literally unflappable. Yes, we were a few minutes late. No sweat. Yes, it was very windy and yes, our first look plans sort of fell by the wayside and their moment turned out to be in front of a bunch of tourist on bikes in front the Jefferson Memorial. No matter. It was a gorgeous sunny October day and everything happened just as it should. Even the Marine One flyover. Yes, we missed the first time but we caught the second and third one. And no hassles by Park Police at the monument—double bonus. Their ceremony at the Park Hyatt was sweet, a little tearful and pretty hilarious. Especially when Miguel worked up a sweat and his groomsmen swarmed around dry him off. And all this was just the tip of the iceberg. I really don’t know where to start with the reception but I can honestly say I’ve never been to one quite like it. Heartfelt speeches, particularly by Caroline’s dad and Miguel’s best man started the night which then turned into the best party ever courtesy of their band Go Go Gadget. They are a bar band—not a wedding band—and I’d been warned that they would tear the roof off the place. They didn’t disappoint. It’s rare that both my 2nd shooter (who chooses to not be identified in my blog posts) and I want to put down the cameras and watch the band. Or dance. Their set of 60 songs in 60 minutes featuring all tunes from the 90s was masterful. The crowd was on their feet nonstop and the energy in the room was insane. Another highlight came when Caroline’s dad took the stage to play guitar and sing a great version of  “I Saw Her Standing There.” OK, I guess I did find something to write about but really, when I look at these photos I just feel the incredible energy that was Caroline + Miguel’s wedding day. Finally, a special shout out to Caroline’s mom Nancy. These two strong southern women knew exactly what they wanted and made sure it all happened. Working closely with Michael Deltette at the Park Hyatt, it was one stellar day (and night)!

 

Event coordinator Michael Deltette 202.419.6696

Caterer and cake Park Hyatt 1201 24th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Florist Nick Perez, MultiFlor 703.645.0090

Hair and makeup Jessica Bolling (hair) and Ashleigh Bolling (makeup)

Band Jeff Tomrell, Go Go Gadjet 610.823.2014

DJ Chris Walker 703.862.0944

Videographer Blue Sky Films 301.755.5478

Airlie Center wedding – Warrenton, Virginia

It’s always such a treat to be back at Airlie. Lindsay + Aaron’s wedding was the second glorious day there this year. Seriously great weather and just a hint of fall color in the trees made for a lovely combination. I admired the way Lindsay kept her cool when there was a serious bridesmaid dress fail before the ceremony. I just loved the anticipation in the air as Lindsay made her way down the aisle to Aaron—keeping things traditional with no first look. There were nods throughout the day to Aaron’s “geekiness,” including mentions by his brother during the best man toast of a love of video games and a stellar surprise for the bride and groom with Star Wars light sabers forming an archway. On a beautiful fall day at Airlie Center, it’s hard to make a bad picture!

Wedding + Reception site Airlie Conference Center, 6809 Airlie Road
, Warrenton, Virginia

Site coordinator Lisa Albert, 540.341.3227

Florist Wegmans

Hair and makeup Diana Lay – Style by Diana 301.399.4069

DJ Kyle Wardrop, 240.393.8399

Cake Happy Tart 571.244.3662

Videographer Reflexion Videography Jeff Colley, 410.859.1267

Army Navy Country Club wedding- Arlington, VA

Back to back Friday weddings on glorious fall days, how lucky could I get? Caitlin + Joey’s day was great from start to finish. There was the sweet moment where the bride’s niece helped her put on her shoes, Joey’s hug for his mom before the ceremony and the way that the two of them kept laughing and leaning in to each other during the service. And I can just go on and on about the portraits of the two of them. I knew from our engagement session in Old Town that the two of them would be stelar on the wedding day and I was not disappointed. We even had a little spur of the moment fun getting the full bridal party out onto the golf course with the Washington Monument in the background in between golfers playing through. I loved their first dance and the groom’s brother in law who is stationed in Afghanistan made an entrance with his family into the reception via iPad. A highlight of the evening was the couple’s friends singing “Wagon Wheel” with the whole crowd singing along. And for me, it was so great to catch up with my former couple Maura + Pat and to see so many familiar faces from the previous weddings I’ve photographed of Caitlin’s friends.

Ceremony Our Lady Queen of Peace 2700 S. 19th St, Arlington, VA

Reception Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Dr. Arlington, VA

Site coordinator Rebecca Pipkins703.521.6800

Event coordinator Andrea Rocco Getting You to I Do 703.835.5897

Florist Enchanted Florist Alexandria, VA 703.836.7777

Hair Bridal Hair by Remona Reston, VA 703.597.9884

Makeup Kari Ellen Cosmetics/Violet Salon Washington, DC 202.337.3477

DJ Smitty Gritty 703.472.3825

Cake Candice Ossman Baked Bliss Cakes 703.590.2901

 

St. Matthew’s Cathedral – Carnegie Institution for Science wedding – Washington, DC

Sarah + Danny didn’t have a backup plan. They were counting on a sunny Friday in September to get married. And Mother Nature cooperated in a splendid fashion. I have to admit that a lot of my favorite moments came from the time we spent at Meridian Hill Park before the ceremony for the first look, bride and groom portraits and group shots. They had one of the best first looks in recent memory—from the primping of the bride by her bridesmaids and her mom just before she saw Danny, through their tears and laughter once they got their first glimpse. We pretty much had the park to ourselves and took full advantage of the staircase for group shots, including a great photo bomb by the bridesmaids of the groomsmen. The sun, the park and the adorable couple—it made me one happy photographer. We went from the park to St. Matthews for their evening service and then to a great party at the Carnegie Institution. Sarah + Danny’s love for each other and their enthusiasm about their momentous day was apparent at every turn—it was such a joy just to witness and document it for them.

 

Reception site Carnegie Institution for Science, 1530 P St., NW, Washington, DC Ana Lojanica 202.939.1143

Event coordinator The Wedding Closer Michele Famiglietti 202.258.7584

Catering and Cake Catering by Uptown Jeff Ditter 410.744.1578

Florist The Yellow Door John Duffy 703.734.1137

Hair and makeup BRIDEface Richmond Aaron Ellerbrock 804.822.0511

DJ Thai Matus, 646.725.0072

 

Musket Ridge Golf Club wedding – Myersville, Maryland

Sandy + Peter picked a picture perfect day for their intimate wedding at Musket Ridge just outside of Frederick, Maryland. As they stood under the white pergola which doubled as a chuppah, the traditional Jewish ceremony  began with both bride and groom escorted by their parents. Sandy, in particular, was just beaming as she made her way down the aisle. With stunning views of the Catoctin Mountains in the background , they were surrounded by close friends and family as they exchanged their vows. A crowded dance floor (not always the case with daytime weddings) and moving toasts rounded out the day. And a special shout out to extraordinary Matron of Honor Katherine, the fabulous Washington Post photographer who recommended me for the job!

 

Wedding and reception site Musket Ridge Golf Club 301.293.9930

Florist Pierre, Amour Flowers 301.662.4777

Hair Amanda 301.514.7512

Makeup Kasey 443.822.6242

DJ Bill Izer 301.639.1244

Cake Balducci’s Custom Cakes 301.564.3100

Park Hyatt wedding – Washington, DC

It seems appropriate to post Allison + Mike’s wedding the day before I head back to the Park Hyatt for Caroline + Miguel’s celebration. It’s always such a pleasure to be back there! Their early September celebration was so much fun. It turned out to be one of the hotter Saturdays in recent memory so that put a little bit of a damper on outdoor photos. Luckily there’s no shortage of interesting areas to explore inside the hotel. The bride and groom set the tone of the day during their preparation with gag gifts for each other. They kept each other laughing and smiling all through the day and throughout the ceremony as well. One of my favorites moments of the day was when the adorable ringbearers carrying a sign proclaiming “Another J-Date success story!”

Wedding + Reception Park Hyatt DC

Event coordinator Michael Deltette 202.419.6696

Caterer Park Hyatt

Florist Nick Perez, MultiFlor, Inc. 703.645.0090

Hair Wendy Spealman 410.654.0896

Makeup Stacy Ferguson 301.233.5323

Band Nightsong – Bennet Scher 301.639.8237

Cake Park Hyatt

Videographer Maverick Productions – Marshall Levy 410.526.5520

Martha + Barney – Camp Choconut wedding – Friendsville, PA

If you’d told me in high school that one day in the far off future I would be my good friend Martha’s wedding photographer I can’t imagine what my response would have been. It’s been a long road from high school yearbook to the Washington Post to wedding photography. Martha and I have know each other since 9th grade, well before I showed even a passing interest in photography and I hold her directly responsible for my failing my studio photography class 2nd semester of my senior year in high school. After all, she was the one with a car (the trusty green Volvo) that took us to McDonald’s every day during lunch and it wasn’t often that we made it back in time for 5th period. But I digress. It was such a cool circle of life feeling to be there when she and Barney celebrated at Camp Choconut on the Pennsylvania –  New York border. They met at the camp and Martha’s family has a long history there. I, in fact, spend a memorable weekend there more than 20 years ago. The day—the whole weekend in fact—was very true to Martha and Barney’s personality. As they danced back up the aisle and into the reception surrounded by their nearest and dearest and in my case, one of the bride’s oldest friends.

 

Queenie + HyunJun – Airlie Center wedding, Warrenton, Virginia

I do love an Airlie wedding. Queenie + HyunJun had two ceremonies on their wedding day. A Chinese wedding tea ceremony in traditional clothing started off the emotional day. The bride and groom kneal and present tea to their closest relatives while surrounded by their extended family. It was such a lovely way to honor and respect their family and at one point almost everyone was crying! After a change of clothes, a first look and some portraits, Queenie + HyunJun proceeded to a traditional ceremony in the lower garden at Airlie. Yes, it was a little hot but I loved the adorable fans/programs that Queenie created for the day. And it’s hard to beat a ring bearer wearing a fedora. After the ceremony I took what ended up being one of my absolute favorite photos of the day. Often I do most of the bride and groom portraits before the ceremony. But I like to have a few minutes afterwards, when possible, to do just a couple more. Something changes once the vows have been said. Maybe it’s relief or maybe it’s that magic that happens when it’s official. Throw in a simple background of green foliage and fabulous early evening light and a little moment of joy. Pure love.

Wedding, reception and catering Airlie Center 6809 Airlie Rd Warrenton, VA

Site coordinator Brittany Carey 540.341.3298

Florist Jennifer Morris 571.242.1150

Hair and makeup Rosaline Chow 703.625.5532

DJ GoodNote DJ 202.596.5915

Cake Jireh Bakery Cafe