Kristen and Josh held the first ever outdoor ceremony at International Country Club followed by a fantastic reception. (The band Backbeat had the place jumping all night long.) This couple are two of the most likable people I have ever met and I wish them nothing but happiness for the future.
Sara and Dan were married at Bristow Manor earlier this Summer. Sara is one of my all time favorite brides, but she still managed to surprise me. She opened the reception singing a beautiful heartfelt song to Dan that was so touching there was not a dry eye in the house. A very moving moment.
Bristow Manor is an old classic Virginia Mansion which I have worked at many times. When Sara told me her intention to have an indoor wedding I thought she was crazy. But this woman knows what she wants and made it happen. (With much help from wedding planner goddess Julie McKillip from Your Perfect Day) The ceremony was flawless and the reception a blast. A fantastic event.
Lesley and Phil were married at the United States Naval Academy Chapel. Steeped in tradition, the Naval Academy is as beautiful as it is historic. The reception was held at the Navy/ Marine Corps Memorial Stadium as Phil played football for Navy. The sight of a Blue Angel’s jet sets an impressive tone for the stadium. The night was filled with some crazy dancing and camaraderie from the servicemen. A fun filled evening ended with the happy couple running through a sparkler sendoff.
Desiree and Mike were married at Keswick Hall in Charlottesville. Keswick is a golf club/ hotel/ country club and happens to be one of my favorite places in Virginia to shoot a wedding. Words like elegant, sophisticated, and charming do not due justice to this lovely venue. Desiree and Mike had a large contingent of college friends from Colgate (where my sister went to school) who partied long into the night. It was a great day with a great couple at a great facility.
Amanda and Amir were married at the Truro Church in Fairfax and had their reception at Evergreen Country Club in Haymarket. This was one of my favorite couples of the year. Sometimes I come across two people who simply have amazing chemistry together. The passion, love, fun, respect, and joy they hold for each other is constantly on display. It made my job easy.
Between the ceremony and reception we stopped at the historic Civil War battlefield, Bull Run. We shot some wonderful images as Amanda and Amir finally had a few moments to themselves.
The reception was crazy from the start, with the happy couple dancing into the room to the song “Jump Around” by House of Pain. The dancing never stopped for one little THREE YEAR old boy. Seriously. He danced the entire reception. He was the first one on the dance floor and he never left. He never left!!! I have never seen anything like it.
The craziness did not let up during the bouquet and garter toss. One of the bridesmaids risked injury to catch the flowers only to be rewarded by a insane/ bizarre/ hilarious/ outrageous/ unforgettable dance(?) by the guy who caught the garter. The photos hardly do it justice as he spent nearly five minutes putting the garter on her leg, and had the entire reception doubled over in laughter.
A day to remember.
Jessica and Joe were married at the Bethesda United Methodist Church with a reception at Congressional Country Club. Tiger Woods won the AT&T National tournament at Congressional two weeks earlier. Congressional is the host of the 2011 US Open and they have already started preparing the course!! There was construction equipment everywhere and the plowing and digging has started. Nothing was going to hinder Jessica and Joe from having a rocking reception. Congressional is a fantastic facility with a top notch staff and everything could not have gone smoother. (As a side note, getting married to Joe was the topper to a fantastic year for Jessica as her North Carolina Tar Heels won the National Championship in basketball.)
Jane and Chong were married at the National Memorial Church with a reception at the Four Seasons Georgetown. Jane looked stunning and reminded me of a movie actress from the 1940’s. The Four Season’s was up to its usual impeccable high standards of service. The highlight for me was the Korean Wedding ceremony where Jane and Chong dressed in traditional wear. The whole wedding was elegant, graceful and beautiful. Just like the bride!
What is life like when you are always the smartest person in the room? Katie and Billy seem to have mastered it. They are two of the nicest people I have ever met. They are also two of the smartest people I have ever met. They first got together in Oxford, England when they were studying under Rhodes Scholarships. Now they are both attending Harvard Medical School. I wish my doctor were as nice as these two! Earlier this summer they were married at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Rockville, MD. A cousin hand-painted the beautiful runner for the ceremony. We headed over the Virginia border to Great Falls Park for some shots of the couple and the bridal party. Billy is a stud volleyball player also, as you can see him setting the ball in one of the pictures. The reception was held in Gaitherburg at the New Fortune restaurant. A magnificent seven course feast was the ending to a fantastic day.
Heidi and Ben were married at the Thomas Birkby House in Leesburg, VA.
I cannot say enough about this amazing venue. Set in historic old-town Leesburg, this circa 1770 home is warm, charming and beautiful. There is a main house with upstairs rooms for the bride and groom to prepare, porches to relax on, a tented reception area, and lovely gardens everywhere you look. We took a walk with Heidi and Ben through the streets in the area and got some fantastic images. A great location and a great day!
Nathania and Joel were married at Holy Rosary Church in downtown D.C.. The reception was held at The Engineer’s Club in Baltimore. It was worth the drive! The Engineer’s club is amazing. Very classy, very elegant, very old world, it is a fantastic space for a reception. There is a great open space in the middle surrounded by charming rooms all tastefully decorated. Nathania is a big fan of feathers and she wanted to put together an event with old hollywood style. Just before dinner Nathania got up on stage with the band who were providing “dinner music” and belted out a song to Joel that did not leave a dry eye in the house.
