Stacey & Mitch are Married!

My last wedding of the year was by far one of my favorites EVER! When the focus of the day is on love and nothing else, magic happens. And this afternoon was magical. SO much love was radiating between, not only Stacey and Mitch, but their families as well. With only 9 people total out on the bayside of Assateague Island, Stacey and Mitch said their vows with shivering hands held tight. (yes, it felt like there was a wind chill of -20!) 

A few things about this afternoon that was so special. Number one, their first look. There wasn't one! Many of you know I am not a photographer who pushes first looks. Do I love them? YES! Don't get me wrong, there are so many awesome things about a first look and Im always excited and giddy to shoot one. BUT you also know Im a sucker for the good ole fashion, wait to see the bride until she walks down the aisle "look". And this was one of the best. Why?? Well for a few reasons!! Which brings me to number two... Because Mitch is stationed with the NAVY in San Diego, these two hadn't seen each other in 3 WEEKS leading up to the big day! Meaning, as Stacey turned that corner and Mitch could see her coming down the trail, this was the first time they were laying eyes on each other in 3 weeks! Talk about some seriously romantic stuff... My heart was racing for them!! And number three, Stacey had such a special walk with her father. I talked about this in my last blog post... sometimes aisles are so short and that moment is gone so fast! Well Stacey started this walk with her father at the beginning of a long trail. So instead of 10 seconds, she was able to share this moment with her father for a few minutes. A little cold.. but so very special. 

After these two tied the knot, kissed, and high fived... (<----awesome) I got to spend the next hour with them taking photos. On most any other wedding day I get to spend maybe 20 minutes with just the bride and groom, if Im lucky. But because this day was so intimate, I was able to have the most amazing golden hour with just the beautiful bride and groom. Despite the cold, I don't think Ive ever witnessed a more beautiful evening on Assateague. I know I say that over and over with each wedding, but I swear I mean it!! God just keeps gracing me with these magical nights and they get more and more perfect every time!! 

Stacey and Mitch, I have no doubt that your marriage is going to last a lifetime. You already have your focus on the most important thing and thats your love for each other. I cant wait to see what the future holds for your new life together! So much love to you and your families! 

Rachael & Rob are Married!

This day was the definition of a perfect fall wedding. With the weather staying unusually warm the past month, the leaves decided to stick around a little longer and left us with the most beautiful golden hues in downtown Annapolis. Rachael and Rob also chose the perfect fall color palette for their big day and against the backdrop of town, I couldn't have asked for much more. Combine these two things with a super fun wedding party and a tiny drizzle in the morning (so I could finally use my umbrellas!) and you had me in photo heaven that day. Not to mention, Rob and his men wore sweaters underneath their jackets.. which was kind of awesome.

The day began at the cutest bed and breakfast which was conveniently located just down the street from the Saint Mary's Catholic Church where Rachael and Rob would say "I do". I could have spent the entire day at either of these locations. The bed and breakfast had so many nooks and crannies and the church literally took my breath away when I walked in for the first time. Once Rachael was dressed and ready, we headed to the church by foot. I love a bride who isn't worried about a little rain on her wedding day or even better, afraid to go out in it! These ladies headed to the church in their heels, in the rain, and I couldn't have been more thankful. With umbrellas in hand, it was picture perfect! I had just enough time before the ceremony started to sneak Rob and the guys out for a few photos. Thankfully Rob had his trusty pocket watch, that was given to him by Rachael, to make sure he wasn't late for his own wedding! : ) 

There were so many things I loved about this church but one of my favorite features was the extra long aisle. Too often I see ceremony aisles that are so short! I wonder sometimes how the bride even has time to soak in such a special moment. This is a moment you have been envisioning for so long and before you know it, that walk is over in a blink of an eye! When Rachael walked down this aisle it was so incredibly moving. While all eyes were on the bride, I loved that she looked straight ahead towards Rob. The church ceiling towered over her as she made her way to the front with her father and Rob waited patiently for her to take his hand. It was definitely one of my favorite moments from this year. 

A bit of truth here... I have never been SO nervous after a ceremony in my life! I am always on a time crunch between the ceremony and reception to get photos but never like this! This wasn't a race for running out of actual time but instead a race to have enough daylight for photos! We knew we would be cutting it close with a 20 minute commute to the reception but with rush hour in the city, this drive quickly turned into 40 minutes of stop and go traffic. As a wedding photographer, watching the golden hour come and go before your very eyes as you sit in traffic is agonizing!! My anxiety was through the roof! Well I had no need to worry because we arrived with just enough daylight left...and despite taking some of our last portraits in almost complete darkness, I absolutely loved these photos! Like so many other times, it felt like it was meant to be. It was moody and went right along with this wintery wedding. 

Rachael and Rob, thank you so much for allowing me to document such an amazing day. Your laid back nature made it so much fun and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you both. And one of these days we will get Chewy and Griffin together for a play date!