Sara & Ryan are Married!

I don't generally like using the word fairytale to describe my weddings. It just feels a little cliche and sometimes silly... but from the moment I met Sara and Ryan I knew this day was going to be grand affair. Sara and Ryan live in California but decided to have their wedding back in Sara's hometown of Salisbury, MD. It truly was something right out of a storybook. Sara has a timeless beauty about her and with her vintage style, this gal could be fashionable in any decade! So with Ryan's passion for motion pictures and Sara's vintage touch throughout the day, this wedding was the perfect definition of a fairytale. 

My day began with the boys at the Lighthouse Suites in Ocean City. This was by far one of the most unique places Ive photographed the groom and his groomsmen getting ready. Too often, the groom gets the short end of the stick and ends up getting ready in a small dark hotel room or somewhere that isn't the most picturesque setting. Ladies, I can't stress enough how important the "getting ready" location is, not only for the bride but for the groom too! I can't imagine a better spot for Ryan and his groomsmen to spend the morning. It went right along with what Sara and Ryan were envisioning for their day and I had so much fun with this group of guys! They had me laughing all morning and I must say, as much as I love all the different types of attire my grooms have been wearing these days, you just can't go wrong with the classic black tuxedo! Again, the timeless details of this day had me swooning!

Tucked away in the trees, Sara's childhood home sits atop a hill right on the river in Salisbury. Not only was this where Sara and her girls got ready but it was also the location of their wedding reception. The Rossi family calls their home The Treehouse, and I couldn't have picked a better way to describe it. As I turned the corner of their driveway that lead up to their home, I felt as if I had just arrived for a mini vacation. The coastal cedar shake home, the dock out on the river, the tall pines canopying over me... I was already buzzing with ideas for the day. 

Sara and Ryan said their vows in the same church that Sara's parents were married in years ago. There were so many emotions during this ceremony and the tears were flowing... I was thankful to have had my camera to hide behind as I attempted not to cry myself! I loved how Sara and Ryan both dried each others tears more then once during the ceremony and the way that Ryan looked at Sara during their vows was proof enough that these two were meant for each other.  

After they were officially husband and wife, Sara and Ryan drove away in the coolest vintage car and we headed down the most beautiful road I have ever seen! Tall trees towered over each side of the road and we stopped right in the middle for photos. Again, something right out of a fairytale or movie! Just as the sun was setting, we took our last photos on Sara's dock and then headed down to where the reception was being held. This reception was one of my favorites this year. Not only was everything beautiful top to bottom, but their were a few personal touches that made this celebration different then most. Instead of a DJ, Sara and Ryan had two family friends MC and an amazing band that had everyone on the dance floor the entire night. Sara and Ryan also decided to surprise Ryan's family with a traditional Filipino bamboo stick dance. Although this can be a very complex dance, everyone joined in and had so much fun with it. Not only did the band play, but Ryan's father, grandmother, and a groomsman took a turn on the stage to sing...and this was not karaoke folks, they all had amazing voices!  (And you really know you threw a good party when the cops get called!) : )

Sara and Ryan, it was truly an honor to be a part of your day and capture what you both have been waiting for all year. You both have such creative minds and I had so much fun documenting all the amazing details you put into your wedding. Cherish these photos for years to come! I wish you all the love and happiness! 

Alex & Brandon are Married!

Where do I even begin?! I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time! After meeting with Alex and Brandon last year and hearing all about what they had planned for their wedding, I couldn't wait for it to finally be here. I was keeping my fingers crossed for beautiful weather and for the middle of October I don't think we could have asked for a more perfect day. 

Alex and I went to high school together and then reconnected in college at Salisbury University where we both graduated the same year with our BFA's. It was so awesome getting to graduate with Alex because for our senior art show, we were able to hang our artwork next to each other spanning one huge gallery wall. For those of you that don't know, Alex is an INCREDIBLE artist. Her paintings are so different from anything I have seen before and it was an honor to hang my work next to hers. Although Alex's were paintings and mine were photographs I thought they really complimented each other! Being that we are both artists and our styles seem to be pretty similar, I knew that shooting her wedding was going to be right up my alley! 

These two met when Alex took a job working at Fagers Island in Ocean City. It was on their 4 year anniversary that Brandon decided to pop the question. I love this engagement story because it was very well planned and thought out! Which for any guy, I give much kudos : ) It was a "trip down memory lane" as Brandon put it in his card to Alex that day. First they went to Fagers where they met, then onto OC wasabi where they had their first date, followed by drinks at the Lazy Lizzard where Brandon surprised Alex with all her family waiting for them. Then they headed into Berlin where they went to Brandon's Best friend and Best man Jeffs, glass blowing studio. (Another date they had been on) There they walked in to see all of Brandons family waiting for them. Brandon took Alex's hand and walked her down main street where they were picked up by the Horse and Carriage, This ride led them to the near by park where Brandon then took Alex for a walk. On this walk is where Alex spotted a painting that Brandon made for her lying in the grass. It was a stick figure proposing to a girl : ) Brandon got on one knee and asked Alex to marry him right there in the park. The carriage then took them back to the Atlantic Hotel where both of their families were waiting for them to celebrate with champagne. What an amazing engagement story! After hearing about this, I knew that the actual wedding day was going to be even more of a fairytale. 

When I arrived that morning to the hair salon, I was greeted by 11 bridesmaids, two moms, and a beautiful bride! Yes, 11 bridesmaids! Everywhere I turned I was saying hello to another friend from high school. It was like a little reunion! These girls were all so beautiful and it made my job easy. I mean, Im pretty sure Alex has never taken a bad photo...How was I suppose to narrow down hundreds of photos when she didnt make a single weird face or accidentally have her eyes closed!? This girl is just a classic beauty..bottom line: Brandon is one lucky guy! I think he knows it too.. Every photographer knows they've hit the jackpot when they have a groom who isn't afraid to show his emotions. I loved watching Brandon throughout this day with Alex. From reading her letter, to the anticipation on his face before the first look, to when he finally saw her for the first time, and even after already seeing her, he still teared up when she walked down the aisle... It was a roller coaster of love and I was so glad to be along for the ride! (Corny, I know, but Im not sorry about it.)

Every detail about this day had my heart racing. I could have spent the entire day just photographing the details. The dress, the shoes, the jewelry, the flowers, the ceremony site.. don't even get me started on the reception! Every table had a different set of brass vases and candle holders that Alex had been collecting all year. If I had time to photograph every single centerpiece I would have! The groom and his men wore these perfect dark blue suits and bow ties.. the girls wore all different beaded and sequined gowns and together it was something right out of The Great Gatsby. Thats all I kept thinking about while editing these photos. It was a storybook coming to life and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. 

Alex and Brandon, I could thank you a million times over and it still wouldn't be enough. You two are head over heels in love and I feel so blessed to have been the one to document such an important and memorable day in your lives. I have no doubt you two will live a beautiful life together. I wish you all the best!