Pasadena
I Love the 80's with Celebrations at the Bay DIY Wedding
Leise & Chris
Oooookay, people, are you ready for this?! We've seen DIY weddings and we've heard the 80's music, but very rarely do the two join forces. That is, until Leise and Chris's wedding at Celebrations at the Bay. Where the bay, 80's neon, and Journey culminated into a really wonderful ceremony and reception.
Leise and Chris went above and beyond to treat their guests to a fabulous day. They both worked on so many DIY elements to make the wedding really theirs. A lot of times, we think "do it yourself" is to save on costs, but in reality, it's because stores don't specialize to our brains. Making exactly what we want is sometimes easier and makes the day an even bigger treasure. Leise put together so many large scale items such as the centerpieces, the welcome canvas, the photobooth, and their love story sign!
Outside of the DIY, there was also the special favors that were brought from the Phillippines all the way to Pasadena, Maryland. Leise's parents carefully traveled with tons of mini guitars made out of seashells that were so unbelievably beautiful. They even thought of us, and gave us our own mini wooden guitars. It was sweet and unexpected! I may or may not have teared up when I opened the gift <3.
Speaking of tears, the surprise that Leise got for Chris during the ceremony was COMPLETELY amazing! Leise wrote to me about two weeks that she had arranged for two singers...
A Beautiful Dockside Wedding at the Anchor Inn
Megan & Dave
Holy cow, talk about a stunning day! Megan and Dave's wedding at Anchor Inn in Pasadena couldn't have been more perfect, even if it tried! From the waterfront views, to the beautiful weather - the day was just great. The thing I love about the Anchor Inn is how the sun filters into the reception space. It gives every single detail an ethereal glow that makes me melt. The space is so incredible and it takes my breath away.
Before fully diving into the day, I have to say: I love a groom that is involved with the wedding and has fun with it. In my questionnaire, there is a vendor information space. I always like to give credit where credit is due, so I compile a list of the vendors for things like this blog. One of the biggest vendors involved is, of course, the wedding planner name. For Megan and Dave, the wedding planner was ... Dave! Now, I know that he was the one filling in the questionnaire, so I feel like creative liberty may have been used at some points. But still, it's evident how much these two worked together to create such a gorgeous day. Add all of Dave's funny comments throughout the questionnaire to my adoration, and these two are my new best friends (whether they accept it or not :P).
Each and every piece of the day held a part of them. From the love bench that acted as a guest book...
My 3 Favorite Questions to Ask Couples
Tips & Tricks
The questions that Shawn and I ask during meetings with our couples aren't overly technical. We try to keep meetings with us as natural as possible. Occasionally, the meetings can feel like a blind double date, just because we really want to get to know who both of you are. When Shawn and I have a sense of what your relationship is based on, then we are able to give you a better idea of who we are. I know I have stressed this a million times, but we enjoy being friends with our couples.
Last week, we sent our September and October couples their wedding day questionnaires. I've covered that topic in the past, but to recap: it's our online document that covers everything. It's extensive, and I would say it takes more than a few hours to complete. But much like our first meeting, it allows us to get to know the couple that we will be photographing. Yesterday, I got the sweetest email from one of the brides, Sara, saying how they had finished the questionnaire (like champs) and how excited her and Charlie were to see us again. From the initial meeting we had with them, Shawn and I really wanted to connect on a level that wasn't just "you're my wedding vendor". We wanted Sara and Charlie to feel happy that they chose us. The questions covered in their consultation were extremely important, and go hand-in-hand with the topics we cover in the...
Jessica & Adam
A Breathtaking Waterfront Wedding
"I knew she was the one the first time I heard her say 'I love you'. Hearing those words come from her in a way I had never heard them said before struck me in such a profound way. I had never heard such genuine love spoken before Jessica nor had I seen it. The way she looked at me I knew right away I had finally found the love of my life."
I'm a total crier when it comes to weddings, and during every part of Jessica and Adam's day I found myself tearing up. It didn't matter if it was the bridesmaids watching Jessica get final touches on her makeup or the last dance where Adam and Jessica were enveloped in each other's arms, it all created such a beautiful feeling. My favorite part of the day was getting to watch Adam's face light up as he saw Jessica come through the doors and down the aisle. His nerves had been on overdrive the whole day. I seriously thought for a second that he may pass out in anticipation for the ceremony to begin. It wasn't until Adam saw Jessica come around the corner that relief washed over him and a smile spread across his face. As Jessica walked toward Adam she paused halfway down the aisle so that Adam could meet her and they could take the final steps to the arbor together. Honestly, at that point in the ceremony (which...
Jessica & Frank
A Gorgeous Waterfront Wedding at The Anchor Inn
I am just in love with Jess and Frank's wedding day at The Anchor Inn in Pasadena, Maryland on Saturday. This adorable couple had a sweet and emotional ceremony where their pup, Mufasa, acted as ring bearer. I don't know about anyone else, but it makes me immediately giddy when I see a tie on a dog.
Jess and Frank went the bold and vibrant route when choosing their wedding decor with colors like pink, yellow and orange. It completely fit the bright and airy reception space in an amazing way. The mason jar centerpieces (which I'm not sure if they were DIY) were so cool looking, and really made each table feel warm and inviting. Throughout the evening, Shawn and I must have told each other how fantastic Jess and Frank's wedding colors were about 10 times.
When it came time for the reception, Shawn and I were assured by Frank's mom that the dance floor would be full and wild. She was not exaggerating. The floor felt packed the entire evening, and it seemed like all of their guests put in 100% dancing effort for every song. During the evening, we pulled Frank and Jess outside for some night portraits. When the Cha-Cha slide came on, the entire venue was shaking because of everyone stomping. We seriously thought the floor might crack in half in the most awesome way, haha!
Congrats to Jess and Frank, and thank you both for the beautiful and incredibly fun wedding!
...
Remember the Big Picture
Something Borrowed, Something True
Weddings are almost always viewed as the beginning of a beautiful life with your partner. It's exciting and special, and most of the time our imaginations build a spectacular day full of sparkle. But our imagination rarely takes into account the stress leading up to the day or the cost of that dream wedding. Both stress and money together can lead to a lot of heartbreak throughout the planning process if you aren't well equipped.
Tonight's blog is about strategies to remaining sane when you are in the thick of planning. A few of our brides touched on this topic, and I found it fascinating how each couple dealt with things differently. From organizing finances to just remaining calm, the advice in this installment is very unique to the couple that wrote it. I must say, though, one of the common factors across the board is that at the end of the day you are marrying your perfect person. Even if the cake gets dented, or there is an accident which backs up traffic and delays your wedding, you still get to say "I do" and start your new beginning.
April & Corey "Really consider your dream wedding plans. It's so easy to feel pressured to find things that fit your theme, but really think about it because halfway through the planning process that probably won't matter to you anymore. Really all that matters is marrying the person you love."
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Preparing Your Special Wedding Details
Tips & Tricks
When you think of wedding of traditional wedding day photos, what images come to mind? For most people, they imagine portraits of the bride and groom in a beautiful setting, wrapped up in each others arms, or the groom's reaction when he sees his bride walking down the aisle. These huge moments that deliver the feelings of the day are definitely ones that I adore, but what about all the items and features that shape the look and theme of the wedding? When a bride wears the same necklace that her mom wore to her own wedding, it represents a really great bond between two women. While the object may be small, the meaning and sentimental value is huge, and really help make a wedding special and unique for the couple. It's surprising how the smallest bits of the planning process can help deliver the biggest impact.
The first thing that Shawn and I do when we arrive at a wedding is gather all of the little mementos and accessories for detail photos. Those pieces need to have their moment to shine, because without them, the day would be missing that amazing sparkle. To all my couples, I recommend organizing your personal detail items into one place by creating "getting ready bags". Taking all the important and unique items that need to be photographed and placing them together in a bag means that when the photographer arrives, they can grab the bag and get started with the shots. It...
Allowing Outside Opinions In
Something Borrowed, Something True
Last time in my bride-to-bride advice series, I shared some of the thoughts that my couples had about timing and how important it is. For this installment, it's all about those outside sources and what they may have to say about your wedding. I know it's a little bit of a touchy subject, because with wedding planning everyone has their own ideas and a lot of the time there is unsolicited advice offered that isn't always productive. Also, through the wedding process, you may find that some people aren't exactly in your corner on some decisions as you would expect them to be. Wedding planning is definitely a trying time in friendships and family relationships. But a bright spot is how it brings you and your significant other as a couple much closer together, and makes you really start to see the family that you are building.
Shawn and I went through a very difficult situation in our own planning regarding a family member, and the situation was completely heartbreaking and really altered relationships. We faced backlash from my family over a difficult decision we had to make, but it was necessary. The thing that mattered was that we learned that we always have each other. Through thick and thin we can look at one another and know that we are a unit, and when either of us need even just a simple hug: it's there.
The most important takeaway from this installment in the series is that you...
Heather & Tommy
A Fantastic Wedding at the Anchor Inn
Heather and Tommy's wedding day was absolutely perfect! I had been anticipating their wedding ever since their engagement session last Fall. These two are so sweet together, and when they are wrapped in each other's arms it's as if the rest of the world just fades away. During their ceremony there was a moment when Heather started to tear up and Tommy ever so gently reached over to her and just grabbed her hand. It's in those small actions that you see real genuine love and caring. It was really a beautiful and special moment.
I am ecstatic to share Heather and Tommy's photos. Everything was just so wonderfully placed and the reception venue: wow! The Anchor Inn in Pasadena was completely breathtaking; the inside was so light and airy and Heather and Tommy's beach inspired decorations fit amazingly with the space! The decor was also fitting considering Tommy proposed to Heather in Ocean City while walking down the beach (AH! So adorable!). I'm so happy that I was able to be apart of this gorgeous day and I'm really looking forward to showing these two all of their beautiful images! :D
Heather and Tommy, thank you so much allowing Shawn and me to capture this very special day! We know your life together will be just as amazing! :)
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Even though everyone knows already, thank you Shawn for being my photo sidekick (even though you're THE superhero in my eyes)
All of the awesome vendors...
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