First 2009 Wedding!

Congratulations to Courtney and Sam - our first couple to be married in 2009! The day started out at the Loews Hotel where Courtney was getting ready. Courtney arrived to the chapel in a limo, accompanied by her parents and bridesmaids. The ceremony took place at the Naval Academy Chapel  which was still decorated for Christmas. Sam and his groomsmen arrived to the chapel well ahead of time which allowed them to get ready (or nervous!) with plenty of time to spare.

After the ceremony, we were able to take some photos of Courtney and Sam in Bancroft Hall, away from the cold outdoors!

Little did Sam know that Courtney had a surprise planned before the couple went to their reception. They took a detour in downtown Annapolis and visited Buddy's  Sam had really wanted barbecue for the reception, so Courtney placed an order ahead of time and got Sam some ribs to-go! I'm pretty sure he was very excited!

The reception was held at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The cocktail hour was held in the late afternoon, just in time to enjoy the sunset. Immediately upon arriving to CBF, Sam and Courtney changed into traditional Japanese wedding attire. Sam's family is from Japan and as a wedding gift to those family members who could not be present, the couple took photos outside of CBF in their traditional Japanese clothing. Sam's mom made certain that everything looked perfect for the photos! After being announced into the reception, guests were asked to be seated for dinner, which was catered by Company's Coming  The couple offered the options of chicken and salmon for their guests. The best men and maid of honor gave toasts as salads were served and dinner followed. Neither Courtney nor Sam are huge cake fans, so they opted for something unique - a "cake" of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts !

What a nice way for Courtney and Sam to start out the New Year together! Below is a slideshow of their sneak peeks!

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!

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.

Welcome back to the Navy...

We didn't get a chance to meet Jennifer and Sean before the big day. When Jennifer contacted us she was about to ship out on what I *believe* is the biggest aircraft carrier in the fleet (I know one of my navy brides or grooms will correct me if I'm wrong!). She decided to hire us (so we knew she was very smart LOL) and then promptly disappeared for several months.

Jennifer and Sean got ready at the Annapolis Waterfront Marriott in downtown Annapolis and then we headed out to the Naval Academy for their ceremony at the beautiful USNA chapel. I don't know if it was by chance or design, but the bridesmaids dresses were a perfect complement to the colors inside the chapel!

I had to ask the swordsmen what they planned to say to Jennifer on her way out - after all, she had already been in the Navy! They informed me that they planned to say "Welcome BACK to the Navy, Mrs. Riordan!" LOL

After some fun photos around the grounds of the academy, we headed off to Jennifer and Sean's waterfront reception at Yellowfin. Their guests had a great view and a great time and the party ended just in time - ten minutes before the rain rolled in!

Want to see more photos from their wedding? Visit their gallery or click any photo.

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.