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Woodend Sanctuary wedding Chevy Chase, Maryland (Part Two)

Welcome back to L+N’s gorgeous summer Woodend Sanctuary wedding! The couple included lots of fun details into their day and one of the biggest hits was champagne pong! I’d never seen it before and after almost 20 years of photographing weddings I am always on the lookout for something new. The monogramed balls made for a sweet ring photo and the farm table with the game kept guests busy throughout cocktails. The weather held for cocktail hour (see the downpour photos from part one) and by the time the party got started everyone was under the tent for dinner or tearing up the dance floor inside the historic house. After dinner the guests were led into the house for a video produced by the maid of honor that featured a slew of celebrities wishing the happy couple congratulations on their big day. It was impressive and hilarious and had the crowd roaring. Their first dance together was sweet and full of turns and dips which showed off L’s glorious dress (a two piece which was stunning) including the 6 inch hem of mud from earlier in the day. Some highlights for me from the reception were the family dancing together right after the first dances and the bouquet toss which totally put the winner’s significant other on notice. It was truly a fabulous day for a terrific couple. I couldn’t have been more pleased to be there to document the day for them!

Wedding + Reception site Woodend Sanctuary 8940 Jones Mill Rd, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Event coordinator Chrishaun Jones for Elegance + Simplicity

Site coordinator Beatriz Engel 301-652-9188

Caterer + Cake Design Cuisine 703-979-9400

Florist Elegance and Simplicity Katie Martin 301-922-3375

Hair Giselle 240.997.5241 and  Makeup Carola Myers  571-214-5558

Band The Bachelor Boys Band – Adam Hopkins 517-775-2815

Woodend Sanctuary wedding – Chevy Chase, Maryland

Over a year in the planning, I knew L+N’s Woodend Sanctuary wedding was going to be something special. With the help of Chrishaun at Elegance + Simplicity, there were no details left to chance. Except for one. The weather. Woodend is absolutely gorgeous anytime of year and in early June it is lush and green. The couple planned their day with lots of pink that completely popped against the stunning foliage. Unfortunately this year, June weekend were synonymous with rain. They day dawned hot and steamy and was sunny almost until game time. Then the skies opened up. It was a heavy downpour but short enough to still make it work for the outdoor ceremony they had their heart set on. The best part was that even though there was a little bump in their day, it didn’t stop them or their guests from having fun and celebrating this truly wonderful couple. Chairs were dried off, pathways were swept and the bride happily walked down the aisle on the arm of her brother to marry her guy. Stay tuned for part two of their wedding post with champagne pong (yay!), an epic entrance and beautiful first dance.

Wedding + Reception site Woodend Sanctuary 8940 Jones Mill Rd, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Event coordinator Chrishaun Jones for Elegance + Simplicity

Site coordinator Beatriz Engel 301-652-9188

Caterer + Cake Design Cuisine 703-979-9400

Florist Elegance and Simplicity Katie Martin 301-922-3375

Hair Giselle 240.997.5241 and  Makeup Carola Myers  571-214-5558

Band The Bachelor Boys Band – Adam Hopkins 517-775-2815

Sarah + Mikey’s Buddhist and Woodend weddings – May 6+7, 2011

My departure almost a year ago (!!) from the Post was the event that brought Sarah and I together. In my email to the newsroom saying goodbye, I happened to mention that if anyone needed a wedding photographer to be sure and give me a call. Sarah’s response was pretty quick for her wedding to Mikey the following year. We’d managed to work in the same newsroom and never had a chance to meet before. I was excited about Sarah + Mikey’s wedding since it was a two parter—Friday morning a Buddhist ceremony to honor Mikey’s heritage and on Saturday morning a Jewish ceremony for Sarah’s. This was my first experience with a Buddhist ceremony and it didn’t disappoint. The monks chanted and the couple and the guests sat on the floor. A lovely part of the ceremony was when the couple bowed to their parents and grandparents, to show their respect. After the monks were fed, there was a delicious Burmese lunch and that concluded the festivities for Friday. The weather totally cooperated for the Saturday morning Woodend ceremony. After Sarah made her way down the aisle to the Beatles “Here Comes the Sun,” their ceremony was emotional (both cried) and funny (Mikey took a couple tries to break the glass). As a send off, Sarah and Mikey left in Sarah’s red Mini that had been appropriately decorated. But first they had to run the gauntlet of their guests throwing sunflower seeds. Those suckers are pretty big and showed up nicely in photos—those are some of my favorites from the day! I was especially thrilled to have the help of Jonathan Newton at the last minute as my second shooter. He made some amazing photos.

 

Making Sarah + Mikey’s day fabulous were:

Janice Carnevale at Bellweather Events

Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chast

Caterer: Marco Polo

Cake: Cakes Plus

Ceremony musicians: Elan Artists

Officiant: Harold White

Reception entertainment: Jeff Furnas at MyDeejay

Flowers: Fiore Floral

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