A Winter Wedding in DC :: Nicole & Dan

This post is loooooong overdue. Nicole and Dan were married in mid-December at the University Club in Washington, DC. I knew the wedding was going to be fabulous with Sara Muchnick of Engaging Affairs as the coordinator. Everything went so smoothly.  

Dan and Nicole both have great families and it was so nice to see them all come together and celebrate a wonderful couple. It was a perfect way to end the year. On to the images...

A toast for Nicole...

The final touches...

Dan and the guys...

Nicole and her girls...

Checking the time on Dan's new watch, a wedding gift from Nicole...

Some fabulous winter details...

A little first dance twist...

The parent dances were both so sweet...

Then it was party time!

I think Nicole was teaching her mom the Macarena...

Dan was just showing off here...

Congrats Nicole and Dan!

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Kelley & Brennan :: Bluemont Vineyard

I kept telling Kelley that she must have done something right to get such a perfect day for her wedding. It was November, in the mountains of Bluemont, Virginia, and the temperature was in the mid-70s! There's just something about a fall wedding, with the beautiful foliage and amazing light. The Bluemont Vineyard was a terrific choice for their wedding ceremony and reception.

I had such a hard time narrowing down the images. I can't wait for Kelley and Brennan to see the rest. In the meantime, these will have to do.

Bluemont Vineyard

Getting ready at the J. Patrick House...

Kelley was radiant.

My talented assistant Brian grabbed this fun shot of the guys. They're really shy if you can't tell. 

I'm so glad Kelley and Brennan agreed to shoot some portraits before the ceremony, so we could take advantage of the afternoon light.

We had more amazing light for the ceremony.

Another great shot by Brian...

I saw this sky and had to grab Kelley and Brennan for a quick pic.

I love the fall theme, especially when cupcakes are involved. 

My competition...

The boys from Road Soda serenaded the couple a cappella style. This is Ryan, whose wedding to Missy I photographed last year.

Sparkler exits are so much fun...

Just watch out for machetes. (Don't ask.)

Brennan's brothers took care of decorating the classic Ford Bronco. Here's the G-rated window.

Congrats Kelley and Brennan! Your wedding was awesome.

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Donna & Shaun :: Historic Oakland

I was so lucky to witness the wedding of Donna and Shaun a few weeks ago. They are two of the nicest people in the world, and so clearly in love with one another. You can tell just from the way they look at each other. It made my job easy! They were married at Resurrection of our Lord Catholic Church in Laurel, with a reception following at Historic Oakland, in Columbia, MD.

We're still in the depths of October wedding editing, so I'll keep the talk down and let the images do the talking (with a few exceptions below).

Arriving at Historic Oakland...

Just before they were announced, I caught them practicing their first dance through the door.

Love these expressions!

Shaun surprised Donna with a song...

Performing a song from their favorite musical...

After Donna danced with her father, each of her four brothers cut in for a quick dance with their only sister. It was very sweet.

In lieu of the traditional bouquet toss, Donna brilliantly decided to do a teddy bear toss for the kids in attendance. I love it!

Not sure what this is all about, but it made me laugh.

Congrats Donna and Shaun!

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Christina & Russ :: St. John the Baptist & Mt. Vernon Inn

When Christina first told me about her Russian Orthodox ceremony I knew it would be a treat to photograph. The church, St. John the Baptist in DC, was amazing. It was beautifully ornate and filled with amazing light, unlike any church I've ever seen. After the ceremony, we headed outside for a quick vodka toast and then traveled down to Virginia's Mount Vernon Inn for the reception.

Once again, we were blessed with beautiful weather. Even better, I finally got a chance to work with the wonderful Sara Bauleke of Bella Notte wedding coordinators, who kept everything running smoothly. It was a pleasure!

Christina and Russ, thank you for trusting me with your wedding memories!

The church...

Christina's bouquet, by K. Aubrey Flowers...

Unlike most ceremonies, the groom waits for the bride at the church door, where the first part of the ceremony takes place.

The vodka toast...

A few quick portraits inside the church...

A quick stop on the way to the reception...

The light was perfect outside the Mount Vernon Inn.

Cake by Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe...

Time for the first dance...

The father-daughter dance was so sweet...

There were some great toasts too!

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