Christina & CJ

Swing kids meets the Naval Academy for this wedding! Christina and CJ both graduated from the Naval Academy on Friday and were married at the USNA chapel on Saturday morning! So all in all, a big week for them and their families! Christina and her family were staying at a house in downtown Annapolis for the week and she prepared for the wedding amid friends and family.

After a lovely ceremony in the beautiful Naval Academy chapel, Christina and CJ had a fabulous sword arch exit.

Christina and CJ showed me a special spot on campus where they'd spent a lot of time together before we headed off to their reception and impressive dance routine at the Calvert House.

A Chesapeake Winter Wedding!

Here's an update now that we've completed Kelly and Don's wedding. One of the images is now featured on the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club's website.

Kelly and Don were married at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. This was our first wedding at this particular venue, and I have to say that I was impressed! Erin Janes and the staff at CBBC did a fantastic job of putting together a very elegant affair. Kelly and Don had their ceremony in the Garden Room. It has a lovely view of the Bay Bridge, especially at night. The room was decorated seasonally - with garlands and white Christmas lights, and a wreath hung about the fireplace. Kelly and Don lined the windows and the mantle with tea candles, and the aisle leading to the fireplace was illuminated by several large candles. Kelly looked beautiful in her wedding dress as her father escorted her down the candlelit aisle. Because the ceremony was later in the evening, it was dark and the room glowed warmly from the candlelight.

The reception took place in the same building in the Tavern Ballroom. This was particularly nice since it was cold and there was even a brief snow flurry! The tables for dinner were arranged separately from the bar and dance floor. Kelly’s father started the evening with a heartwarming toast to his daughter and her new husband.

A plated dinner followed, and as soon as the food was eaten, everyone boogied toward the dance floor. I have to say that Kelly and Don’s wedding guests could hardly contain their excitement for dancing! The DJ, Dan Hawkins of MusicMasters did an excellent job keeping the guests happy on the dance floor.

By the end of the night, after the last song finished playing, everyone unanimously begged for one last song. The crowd’s selection? “Shout!” There was so much enthusiasm that I am certain this group continued to party long after the reception!

With so many family and friends present to celebrate this special day, it is obvious how much Kelly and Don are loved and how much they love each other! See below for a short slideshow of some of our favorite images.

Elizabeth and Matthew

There is nothing nicer on a cold winter day that to see two people who are completely in love. This was most certainly the case with Elizabeth and Matthew, who were married at the USNA Chapel on Saturday. The day began at the Calvert House, where Elizabeth was getting ready. She and Matthew planned to see each other ahead of the ceremony, but Elizabeth had a surprise. She greeted her soon-to-be-husband in a beautiful purple dress, instead of the wedding dress Matthew was expecting to see. The bridal party arrived at the chapel via trolley.

The academy chapel is always beautiful, but it was particularly so with its festive wreaths, candles, and other Christmas decorations. Elizabeth looked lovely in her strapless wedding dress, and very smartly wore a winter cape to keep her warm during the moments to and from the Chapel.

  

She and Matthew were really enthusiastic about their day (and their photos!) and even volunteered to stand outside Bancroft Hall despite the frigid weather.

The reception was held at the Calvert House in State Circle. The cocktail hour began in the Atrium and the bridal party and newlyweds were announced officially before the guests were seated for dinner. The tables were decorated with red table cloths and frosty centerpieces illuminated with blue lights. The resulting ambiance was perfect for their winter-themed wedding! Before dinner, there were toasts. Elizabeth's sister, and maid-of-honor began with a sweet and heartfelt toast. Matthew's best man followed and had the entire room laughing for the duration of his speech. After dinner, the dancing was kicked off with the first dance and the parent dances.

The band, Mutual Fun, played a variety of familiar dance tunes and successfully got the guests on the dance floor. Shortly after, there was the cake cutting, where Elizabeth and Matthew very politely gave one another the teeniest bites of cake! It was very sweet they they were careful not to make a mess! Their cake was very pretty. The top portions of each layer were decorated with sparkles, giving the illusion of wintery frost. The sides were decorated with white snowflakes, make it a wintery treat nobody could resist!

It was such a pleasure to be a part of this lovely couple's wedding day! Below is a short slideshow of Elizabeth and Matthew's preview photos!

An Officer and a Ballerina

First, I have to say congratulations to a very special couple! Liz and I were roommates and co-ballerinas (we danced together with Ballet Theatre of Maryland), and I’ve known Pete since...well, since before Liz and Pete were Liz and Pete. Not only was I very excited that my two friends were getting married and that we were shooting their wedding, but I was Liz’s maid of honor - and this was my first participation in a wedding! Needless to say, it was a very different experience to be involved in the day’s actual events as opposed to witnessing them and documenting them with the camera.

Our day started out very early in the morning with hair appointments, makeup appointments, and getting ready. We were all so excited that it was easy to forget how little sleep we had gotten the night before.

The ceremony took place in the USNA Chapel. I have to say, that if you are able walk down the seemingly never-ending aisle without tripping, falling,slipping, sliding, or otherwise having a very embarrassing event, you have made quite an accomplishment. I, along with everyone else, managed to make it to the alter without having such a moment. We are a pretty talented bunch. Liz’s dress was perfect for the chapel - the train was long and the beadwork was elaborate. I’m certain that I speak for everyone when I say that she looked gorgeous! Pete cleaned up nicely as well - and looked handsome, as always, in his uniform.

After the ceremony, the bridal party crammed into the limo and took a small, but very important detour to Castle Bay in downtown Annapolis. When we were walking into the bar, there was a table of four sitting outside eating. They asked what we were doing, and I explained that this bar has special significance because it is where Liz and Pete first met. We continued inside where the entire bridal party enjoyed a pint of beer courtesy of Castle Bay! Before we left, a server came over to Liz and Pete and handed them an envelope. The people from the table outside, complete strangers, gave them gift certificate as congratulations. They preferred to remain anonymous and had already left the restaurant, but their gesture was very much appreciated and will not be forgotten.

From Castle Bay, we were ready to continue to the reception at the Sheraton, where the guests were already enjoying the cocktail hour. This was followed by the first dance, a plated dinner, and of course, lots of dancing. The bridal party’s table remained empty for the duration of the reception as everyone headed to the dance floor. My favorite moment was during the cake cutting when Liz, to everyone’s surprise, smashed the piece of cake onto Pete’s face. Not to be outdone, Pete reciprocated without hesitation!

As it must happen, the reception eventually came to a close. The festivities continued downtown with Liz and Pete joining everyone - at where else but Castle Bay! It was a very appropriate ending to a very important day!

Lisa and Eric

When Lisa and Eric told us about their plan to use lighting as an integral part of their decor for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, we could not wait to see the outcome! The afternoon of the wedding was beautiful, and the excitement of the day was apparent from the moment we arrived to the room where Lisa was getting ready. When it was time, the guests gathered onto the beach for the ceremony. Everyone watched as her dad escorted Lisa down the dock and into the sand where Eric waited.

The celebrations continued on the deck where over 200 guests gathered to enjoy the cocktail hour. For those of you unfamiliar with CBF, usually there are two tents covering part of the deck, but Lisa and Eric opted to add an additional tent to go over the remaining uncovered portion. This simple act definitely makes a difference. Not only does it protect guests from any sort of weather (rain, wind, harsh sunlight, sudden snowstorms, etc), but it creates a more intimate atmosphere for the reception.

The tables were decorated with delicate flowers and pin lit from above. This minimalistic floral approach combined with the lighting created a very clean and interesting take on decor.

The lighting, however did not stop there. CBF was covered with lights - from the tents to the Canvasback Room to the actual building, each positioned with a specific purpose. The result was nothing short of incredible, and we say with certainty that CBF has never looked this amazing! Atmosphere, a Maryland-based lighting company, definitely transformed CBF. The ever-changing colors began subtly as the evening began and progressed into dramatic, rich colors as the night continued.

What do you get when you combine colorful ambiance with live music, great food, a happy couple, and enthusiastic guests?

The perfect combination for one fantastic wedding celebration!

Brides Magazine/WPJA contest

After shooting a fantastic wedding in St. Augustine, Florida this weekend (Serena and Heath at Casa Monica!) I returned home to get some exciting news - one of my images won a place in the Brides Magazine/WPJA jointly sponsored contest. It's an annual competition and it garners entries from many talented wedding photojournalists all over the world. I feel very special :D

The top winning images in each category will be featured in the November/December 2008 issue of Brides magazine.

Here's the feature on the Brides Magazine website!

WPJA awards

You may remember our blog entry about Jennifer and Sean's wedding a few months ago. We decided to enter one of their beautiful images in the most recent WPJA contest. Although the client's opinion is my first concern, I was thrilled to see it was recognized by the judges as one of the winning images! Here it is:

Marie & Fred

Marie and her parents came to meet with us a year ago and I was really struck by how enthusiastic and excited they were about Marie and Fred's wedding plans. The meeting was a lot of fun and we were thrilled when they let us know that they had chosen us to document the wedding day!

The ceremony site was up in the air initially, and then a few months later I got an email letting me know that they'd chosen the Baltimore Basilica. Officially, it's called the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Wow. That is a mouthful. A long name for a beautiful place. I went to scout the Basilica since it was our first time photographing a ceremony there and I noticed how gorgeous and light and airy it is. Light and airy is rare among enormous intricate Catholic churches/cathedrals/basilicas. I just stood around saying "preeeettttty" to myself. LOL.

Here's Dena's account of the day, which is more entertaining than mine LOL.

As we left Annapolis, ominous black clouds welcomed us onto the highway. The closer we got to Baltimore, the more threatening they became until finally, we found ourselves in the midst of a torrential downpour. By the time we got to the Baltimore Basilica, the rain continued at a fairly steady rate, and the bridal party was ushered into the church underneath umbrellas!

The Basilica is a gorgeous, recently restored, 200 year old church, situated in the heart of Baltimore. The church staff was gracious and very accommodating.

With Sam and Jen already in their positions on the ground level, I set about finding the highest balcony. After trekking up several flights of steep stairs, I discovered that the doors were locked. Quickly, I ran down the stairs and back up on the other side, relieved to find this door to the balcony was unlocked. Note to self (and future visitors to the Basilica) only use stairs on the left-hand side of the building! In these few minutes of stillness, I began to suspect that I was either really out of shape, or there was no air-conditioning in the church! I'll stick with the latter, and say that all the hot air does indeed rise. The architecture of the church is truly impressive, and the rotunda, vaulted ceilings, and lengthy aisle made for a both a beautifully dramatic entrance and an inspiring ceremony.

By the end of the ceremony, the rain still had not lessened, but the guests crowded excitedly outside the church to welcome Marie and Fred through the sword arch. Marie, Fred, and Jen were lucky to be scooped up by the limo.

Sam however, found himself clutching the gold umbrella and making a mad dash for the car, which was a block away. Everyone scrambled to their cars as quickly as possible, eager to continue celebrating at the reception.

Marie and Fred wanted some photos at the Naval Academy, and by the time we made it there, the rain had nearly stopped. Sam and Jen were able to get some nice photos of the couple at several locations at Bancroft Hall.

For over a year, Marie had her heart set on getting a photograph on the rocks at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. After a little convincing, Fred put on waders and carried Marie through the water and out to the rocks.

Marie gave us a heads up early in the evening that her family would be dancing to “Cotton Eye Joe” during the reception. Little did we know that this “family tradition” was no ordinary dance. When the first notes of the song began, guests took turns dancing acrobatically with a chair! It definitely won the award for the most original dance interpretation of this popular party song.

Green Weddings

It’s always greener...

We are living in an increasingly environmentally conscious nation. Over the past 8-12 months in particular, we feel like the floodgates have opened, and environmentally responsible behavior has become a priority in many facets of our lives. Not to be left behind of course, are brides and grooms as they plan their wedding day. There are a variety of green wedding planning sites and blogs, as well as features in magazines and newspapers, highlighting the many ways to go green on your wedding day.

Today, we were talking about new ways to be green in the wedding industry, and as we were returning from lunch (in the hybrid egomedia mobile in fact), we realized we have actually photographed an extraordinary number of green weddings that really deserve special mention. So we got to talking...

It's a white green wedding

Being as environmentally conscious as possible has been a hot topic all along the Chesapeake Bay watershed for some time now.

I know what you're thinking. You don’t want to wear a dress made from hemp and twigs. You don’t want to carry around some dry grass as a bouquet. You don’t want to inconvenience your guests. You don’t want to host your reception in a recycling center. Simply put, you don’t want to rough it on your wedding day.

We are here to tell you (and show you) that going green for your wedding doesn't have to mean any of those things.

One of the easiest ways to have a big impact on your guests is to select an amazing reception venue. You're looking for a grand view, slick architecture, and plenty of neat places for you and your guests to hang out throughout your wedding day. And of course, one of the biggest ways to be environmentally conscious on your wedding day is to choose a reception venue that has the lowest environmental impact possible.

Enter The Chesapeake Bay Foundation Philip Merrill Center

As it happens, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation built their headquarters - the Philip Merrill Center - in Annapolis, Maryland several years ago. Through a combination of technological and environmental achievement, the Merrill Center became the first building to receive the U.S. Green Building Council's Platinum rating for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This green building is one of the world's most energy-efficient structures, and has won international acclaim as a model for energy efficiency and water conservation.

Here’s the thing though. The building, in all of its green glory, also has one of the best waterfront locations in all of Annapolis (and arguably in the DC metro area). The building is set slightly back from its huge private beach, and the event space has a massive 180 degree view of the Chesapeake Bay. For 30-40 couples a year (on the rise) the Merrill Center plays host to some really gorgeous and environmentally friendly weddings.

Think about it. The building itself is super environmentally friendly. Ergo you and your guests are super environmentally friendly by default. Although many couples choose to hold their ceremony on the beach at CBF, it is also conveniently located close to a host of stunning traditional ceremony sites like the US Naval Academy Chapel, St Anne’s, and St Mary’s, so driving around is kept to a minimum. The money from your event fee directly supports the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's educational and conservation programs. The composting toilets are totally bizarre and make a great conversation starter for guests. The majority of wedding vendors are also finding ways to board the “green train” and really making concerted efforts to keep their businesses as environmentally friendly as possible. At the end of the day weddings at the Merrill Center are not “green themed”, they are simply sustainable events by their very nature.

The best part of this whole deal is that so far all of this greenness requires almost no work to make a rather large impact. You can go wild if you want - recycled invitation materials, organic ingredients for dinner, locally grown produce, organic flowers, the whole nine yards. Regardless of the rest of your decisions, you can rest well knowing that your location and vendors alone are going a loooong way to making your wedding a very green event.

On to the show...

We hope that our rambling and images illustrate that you can have really stunning events that are also incredibly environmentally friendly without sacrificing a single iota of style, glamour, or fun.

Tidbits and Factoids

Some of the key green features of the Merrill building include:

• Solar hot water systems resulting in an annual savings of nearly $4k.

• Energy sense, including a building designed for maximum southern exposure, prevailing winds, and natural daylight.

  
• Natural sensor-activated ventilation which reduces the need for air conditioning. 

  
• Water technology (including composting toilets!) which lowers the Merrill Center's water use to 90 gallons a day - 92% less than a conventional building.
  
• Large rooftop cisterns capture rainwater which is used in the building for hand-washing, fire suppression, and irrigation of the surrounding vegetation.

  
• Incorporation of a wetlands habitat on surrounding land to support native vegetation and wildlife.
Recycled and renewable building materials, including cork flooring and wall panels; bamboo; recycled steel; and recycled wood fiber.
  
• Smart parking design utilizing light colored gravel to reduce harmful runoff, as well as reserved parking for hybrid vehicles (which egomedia gets to use because we have a hybrid!).
  

If you are interested in learning more about having an event at the Merrill Center, call them. The Merrill Center is in high demand, with many couples booking the facility as far as 12 months before their wedding day. Ask for Chris Gorri. He is a good friend and truly one of the nicest people you will meet involved in the wedding industry (he seriously is, this isn’t just some shameless plug :-).

Other Green Wedding Sources

Portovert

I Do Foundation

Eco chic weddings

Earth friendly weddings

Everything Green Weddings and More

Ecofabulous Green Wedding Guide

WikiHow - Have a Green Wedding

The Daily Green - 7 Tips for Planning Your Green Wedding

AJ & Jackson

Just for fun while we're working through the holiday weekend, we thought we'd put up a fun portrait that we took last month. AJ, who was married at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, has a great dog named Jackson. We'd met Jackson during our initial meeting with AJ and her stepmom. AJ bought Jackson a little tuxedo but was disappointed when she found out he couldn't attend the nuptials. Sam had the idea of doing a little photo session with AJ and Jackson just before the big day. This was our favorite shot.

Kristen & Peter

Kristen and Peter had their ceremony and reception at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The weather was beautiful, and though there was little relief from the heat, this did not stop Kristen, Peter, and their guests from enjoying the day. Always prepared, Peter brought three different shirts to ensure that he looked his best throughout the night!

The beach at CBF looks particularly beautiful at sunset, and we were able to get a few photos of Kristen and Peter walking along the beach after their ceremony.

Throughout the day, Kristen had an army of nieces helping with all the little details. Their pre-ceremony roles included make-up artist and hairstylist, and during the reception they joined together and sang a song in honor of Kristen and Peter. What a talented group!

In planning the reception, Peter and Kristen took special care to ensure that their guests were entertained. Bruce Jacques, was a performer/actor/singer/musician extraordinaire. He came fully equipped with costumes and props which he used to act out a variety of songs for his audience. Seriously - he was hilarious!

The dance floor remained packed for the duration of the reception. At the end of the night, guests danced their way to the front of the building to send Kristen and Peter off with a sparkler exit.

Alisa & Steve

Alisa and Steve were married in Annapolis at the United States Naval Academy Chapel on a beautiful April day. In spite of the limo driver getting lost, with a little intervention from yours truly, we managed to adhere to the Navy's strictly punctual schedule and arrive at the chapel with a little time to spare. Alisa had a few moments to watch the beginning of the recessional on close circuit TV in the bride's room.

After a few casual portraits around the USNA campus we were getting ready to head off to the reception when Steve asked if we could take one photo in downtown Annapolis with the state capitol in the background. "Sure! no problem" we thought. We know this super cool alley right off of Main Street that leads right up to the capitol. So, have you ever tried to park a stretch limo on the quaint brick streets of downtown Annapolis on a Saturday in April? Well I give full credit to the limo driver and she half parked / half blocked traffic as we jumped out to quickly take the requested image. At least it wasn't June.

Alisa and Steve chose to have their reception in a unique green building - the Merrill Center at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation which overlooks (appropriately) the Chesapeake Bay! After a fantastic dinner, and much dancing they made a grand albeit somewhat harrowing exit through an arch of sparklers held aloft by their guests.

Want to see more photos from their wedding? Visit their gallery.