When you think of a wedding planning check list, what are some of the first things on your list? On my list there are: floral inspiration, venues, hair and make-up wizardry, dress designs, a whole ton of other things that - when put together - create a magical day for two very special people. When Shawn and I were organizing our day, every time I felt like all the important things were covered, someone would mention lighting, or our vows, or the guestbook and I immediately would realize that I had no idea. It wasn't until I started looking at resources like WeddingWire and utilizing Google Sheets for our guest list that details started fitting into place, and the nightmares of having a wedding missing something important went from once a week to once a month :P. I know Shawn and I weren't the only ones that have dealt with a check list that is more list than checked, but in the thick of it can be hard to stay positive and not feel overwhelmed. Seeing the way that some of our couples dealt with the anxiety of their details really showed me that there are some great ways to conquer the bridal fears. From Pinterest to dealing with late RSVPs, these couples kept themselves in fantastic order and can truly help others throughout the entire process.   Jen & Brock  "Definitely follow the local wedding blogs for inspiration, especially early on. We discovered...

Every photo of Shawn and I is important, but the photos that we cherish and love the most are our wedding photos. We look back on our day and see the family that was present along with the memories that were created. Our love for each other and for the day itself shines in every single image. They are a wonderful representation of who we are and why our marriage is special. Those feelings we have for our photos are what motivates us to be our best possible selves for all of our couples. This past year we were able to photograph 17 amazing couples coming together in marriage. Each wedding was unique to the style of the couple, and every single marriage announcement, I teared up. Shawn and I got to do our first out-of-state wedding in Massachusetts, and because that was such a fabulous experience, we now hope to get more out-of-state nuptials! The best part about this year is that from these weddings, we came out with new friends that we are so excited for and are cheering for every single day. Gathering the images for this post was something that I wish I could do all of the time. Seeing these days unfold again was beautiful. Shawn and I are incredibly grateful for every opportunity that we have been given. We have really grown as partners and photographers so much over 2015. It was no surprise to me that I started tearing up at...

When Shawn and I first met with Ali and Matt for their summer engagement session, we had a feeling that their wedding was going to be absolutely fabulous. Little did we know that not only was the day going to be beautiful, but that it was going to be filled with so much warmth and love from everyone involved. Ali and Matt were married on a gorgeous fall day at the St. Martin's in-the-Field Episcopal Church, a stunning location in Severna Park that was surrounded by orange and yellow leaf trees. Their family and friends all cheered when they shared their first kiss and gave high fives to the newlyweds as they recessed. The reception at Chartwell Country Club was glowing with flickering candles that created such a beautiful atmosphere. One of the most touching moments during the entire night was Matt's brother's speech; just thinking back to has me tearing up. We all take so much for granted, but not these families. They cherish their time with one another, and it absolutely shows with the amount of care that they have for one another. Shawn and I are so happy that we got to photograph this special day for these two incredible people. Ali and Matt are just amazing and I look forward to seeing where life takes them!   ______________________________________________________________________________ A little Blue Steel to finish off the portraits :P All of the amazing vendors that made this day the best day ever! Ceremony Venue: St. Martin's...

Meghan and Morgan's wedding was such a fun event! Just like their engagement session, Meghan and Morgan had a lot of fun superhero references that made an appearance throughout the day. They described their wedding style as a "fun, casual, superhero wedding" and they were not kidding! There was an awesome photobooth type station that had a wide array of superhero masks and props, and their guests would put on any props they wanted and then take a quick snap with the provided Polaroid camera. It was such a great idea! I would totally recommend this to anyone who doesn't want a tradition photobooth and instead just wants a quick snap of friends. Eventually the masks made their way to the dance floor where the groom - I mean Captain America - and Iron Man showed off their dance moves :P. This pair is definitely amazing and I cannot wait to see where life and their love takes them! Meghan and Morgan, thank you so much for allowing Shawn and me to capture your day! If your life together is anything like your wedding day, it will be beautiful, silly, and completely epic!   ______________________________________________________________________________   All of the awesome vendors that made this day amazing!  Ceremony & Reception Venue: Mayo Beach Park Caterer: Absolutely Perfect Catering Florist: Mahers Florist Hair & Makeup: Ashley Comegna at Ambition Salon DJ: Stan Greenleaf Bridal Gown: David's Bridal Groom's Tux: Men's Wearhouse ...

I met with April and Corey in October to go over some of the details of their August wedding. In just one meeting I could tell that they were one of the loveliest couples I've had the pleasure of meeting. They had a few places planned out for a shoot, and the two that we decided to go to were Federal Hill and Patterson Park. I had shot at Federal Hill a couple times, but I hadn't ever had a session at Patterson Park, so I was pretty thrilled. We started just before sunrise at Federal Hill and this was the morning to be out in Baltimore. The clouds were amazing, and it stayed dark long enough that the lights of the city lit up the background. Don't even get me started about the color of the sky: it was perfect! Since we were out so early, there was barely any traffic and no crowds, so we had the location to ourselves. We stayed at Federal Hill for about an hour and took full advantage of the city overlook and the beautiful fall colored trees. Our next location was Patterson Park, which was easy to get to at 7:30 am. This park was wonderful for a morning session. The only people that were out were joggers and dog walkers - people that speed out of frame quickly and people with adorable puppies. April had looked up some facts about the park, so as we walked she talked about some...

Maryland is where it is at for Mary and Justin, who you might recognize from their engagement session in the fall. I had been looking forward to their wedding because of Mary's description of the MD theme. Everything from their cake colors to the design on Mary's nails reflected their love for Maryland. I loved seeing the tiny details and big picture come together for their wedding day. I never realized how much of a designer's dream the Maryland flag is - it can be transformed into so many different things that no one would ever think of! When I first arrived at Mary's house, I was surprised to see how calm she was! Nothing stressed her out, and even their cake topper disappearing only made Mary shrug and go "Oh well." I think her very zen-like appearance was due to her knowing she was marrying the man of her dreams and that a missing cake topper wasn't going to change that. In fifty years she isn't even going to remember the things that were missing, so she felt no need to stress. I was definitely envious of her calm nature! Another thing I was envious of? Mary and Justin's reception: it was totally awesome! After a beautiful ceremony and some hilarious portraits of the bridal party, it was off to a reception that is now on my "Top Five Favorite Receptions" list. Mary and Justin made their grand entrance by breaking through a banner with their...

On October 27th, I traveled to Historic London Town & Gardens in Edgewater, Maryland for Sue and Joel's beautiful wedding. I had been looking forward to their fall wedding ever since their summer engagement session in July. When you think of the ideal weather for a wedding, this day was it. It wasn't unbearably hot, it wasn't freezing, it was just flawless! Sue had her daughters and son involved with the wedding and I feel like they helped a great deal with keeping everything Sue envisioned for the day in smooth working order. The best part about the wedding was that Sue and Joel were going to be sailing off into the sunset at the conclusion of the evening and had Joel's sailboat waiting at the venue's pier. Unfortunately, they had a funny memory from their sailing moment, since the boat had become stuck in the sand due to the tide going out. They enlisted all of their friends and family to help, and even Sue got up on the side of the boat to try to rock the boat out of the sand. Though it wasn't what they had in mind, Sue and Joel were in good spirits about it all and ended up getting some good time together on the boat, with a bottle of champagne, as they waited for the tow boat to come. Sue and Joel, thank you so much for letting me share your special day. You both are fantastic! _________________________________________ _________________________________________ A few...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, EVERYONE!!! Even though everyone makes a big deal out of it being a romantic, Ineedaboyfriendorgirlfriendtoenjoyit, day I've always thought of it as kind of a day to celebrate with anyone. It's never been a hated day in my eyes, I mean, I get candy from my step-dad, my mom tells me she loves me (she does that all the time, but it's a "HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, I LOVE YOU thing) it's just a good day to either spend it with family or a significant other. Maybe I'm the only one that looks at it that way, but I guess my parents never made me feel like it was a day that HAD to be spent with a boyfriend, heck, before I had boyfriends they would take me and my step-sister out to dinner with them. So, YEAH, moral of this story is - you don't need to blacklist this day just because you don't get taken out to a fancy dinner with a girlfriend or boyfriend, your family can help make the day just as happy :).  ANYWAY, last month I tried to make my own stamps, I was very happy with the results! I know I just got done saying how YOU DON'T NEED NO MAN, but I do have one and he does make me very happy, so my motivation to...