Amanda and Brian’s Evergreen Wedding-It’s all in the Details!

Every wedding we create images for is a unique event. Every bride we photograph is beautiful. We go to these events full of anticipation and excitement knowing  that we’re going to see and experience  moments that will unfold before us only once and never again. Both myself and my associates bring open hearts and a passion to do this work at the highest levels possible.

Amanda and Brian were married a just few weeks ago at Evergreen.

Brian grew up in Boston and is a HUGE sox, pats, celtics, bruins fan. He’s currently getting his MBA at UNC @ Chapel Hill. As for Amanda, she’s a graphic designer and did all of the graphics for her wedding- invitation, fan, donation card, the big banners, etc. Amanda and Brian love cooking together, really enjoy wine and  have two cats they’re slightly obsessed with. They love to travel. Amanda’s  really into art- oil painting and photography. Amanda will be starting photography classes soon and I think I’m being ‘groomed’ as her adviser. ….my pleasure.

In the mid-19th century, when railroads were king, Baltimore’s Garrett family ruled the rails. Evergreen, their home for two generations (from 1878-1942), is a superb example of Gilded Age architecture set on 26 landscaped acres in Baltimore and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amanda and company dressed at the Radisson Cross Keys as did Brian.

The bride had very specific ideas about locations at Evergreen that she wanted as backdrops for creating images. I love this interaction with my clients, we’re eminently  open and available to their ideas and suggestions as this  often results in great images.

Amanda is walking towards the walled garden where Brian is waiting to see her for the first time on their wedding day.

One of things I think we do better than anyone else out there is to allow people to be themselves. I had everyone in the bridal party walk around and then re-group in a different arrangement. It only took a few minutes before they were having the time of their lives trying to do it differently each time. Here’s just one of many totally fun, irreverent images that resulted.

Amanda and Brian in the lower garden at Evergreen. They were such a joy to work with.

The grounds at Evergreen offer a great variety of killer locations to shoot in. While not every couple chooses to see one another before the ceremony, Amanda and Brian, wanting to maximize the time we had together, did. It made for an early start, however the couple had plenty of time after the ceremony to enjoy their cocktail hour on the veranda.

Amanda’s dress was from Victorian Rose.

For some reason, it had never occurred to me  to use the side of the carriage house as a backdrop. While we were all strolling back to the main area from the lower garden, I saw what a perfect  contrast it was to Amanda and Brian’s physical beauty – set against the aging patina of old wood and stone work. The scale of the wall, doors and window is harmonious and draws the eye inward to  focus on Amanda.

This image was created by my long time associate, Philip J. Weber, who was there with me that day. Philip is an amazingly talented wedding photojournalist in his own right. When he isn’t shooting his own ‘gigs’ with his team for the studio, we’ll work together.

Philip could have stood anywhere to capture this image, however, his highly sophisticated ‘eye’ instinctively registered the arch in the background behind Amanda and her Dad, lending a subtle framing for them.

The grandeur  and majesty of Evergreen is pretty extraordinary and makes it possible to create sweeping panoramic images like this one.

George Rickels owner of Swoon  Creative Group conceived  the overall ‘look’ for this wedding in collaboration with Amanda and her father. The wall pieces are entirely hand made of paper by George just for this wedding and are evocative of the fabric flower adornment on Amanda’s dress. Pretty darn cool, eh?

This became distinctly more of a family affair since Linwood’s was the caterer and our good friend Sherri, who manages weddings for them, was actually a guest. Sherri’s daughter was one of Amanda’s bridesmaids.

I think all the best vendors have an innate sense of style. Seemingly unimportant details such as how the glasses are arranged at the bar take on a whole new visual significance when a top caterer like Linwoods gets involved.

At the end of this truly breathtaking wedding, it really comes down to the fact that Amanda and Brian fell in love and were married.

We were privileged and honored to be the ones to create images that this couple, their families and loved ones will cherish for generations to come.

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A Fashionable Wedding at Chase Court & The Brass Elephant

Danielle and Donny were married at Chase Court on 5/29/09 with the reception following at The Brass Elephant.

This wedding was a bit different in several ways. It was on a Friday, (not that unusual) and it was a smaller event in that there were only forty guests in attendance. I covered the event myself without assistance.

Danielle is drop-dead gorgeous and the camera loves her – as evidenced  by the images I brought back.

These images of Danielle getting ready and her portraits were created in the “Bride’s Room” which David, the proprietor of Chase Court, has imbued with his great taste and stunning color scheme for a perfect ‘set’ to work in.

The stone/wood work, architecture, landscaped pathways and patina of age at Chase Court, a former rectory of a grand old Baltimore church, also gave me a great background to highlight Danielle’s beauty.

The ceremony started off outside but quickly moved inside as the rain began to come down. We didn’t miss a beat and everyone treated the scene change with great humor and a fun departure from the typical.

The happy couple were photographed indoors. Not a problem.

The Brass Elephant, whose reputation for great food and service is unsurpassed, was the location for the small and intimate gathering that followed the wedding. Everyone was seated at a long , single table which enhanced the sense of family and closeness.

I like this image because it is very photojournalistic, completely spontaneous, and just ‘happened’. Of course I went outside intuitively thinking that a great shot just might present itself. It did.

A Stunning Wedding at Beth Tfiloh

Heather and Dan , both very stylish individuals and accomplished professionals, celebrated their wedding and  reception at Beth Tfiloh. Beth Tfiloh is a unique venue and is architecturally significant, providing fantastic settings for our creating images of the ceremony , ‘formal’s’ and reception.
Heather’s  make up was by Gregory Dean and her hair was done by Ashley Riddle. Both of these two talented artists enhanced Heather’s natural beauty.

I think this image of a father’s love for his daughter needs no further explanation.

A private moment, which we were privy to, when Dan saw his beloved for the first time on their wedding day. These moments are powerful, true and real.

A stunning contrast with the bridesmaids in black, Heather in ivory and  flowers, perfectly complimentary. This image was created by one of our supremely talented second photographers from an oblique, a-traditional perspective. -Keeps things visual intriguing.

The floral designs and execution are by Carol Langrall, owner of A Garden of Earthly Delights.

Understated elegance was apparent at the reception. Subdued lighting, delightful color schemes in the linen selections, were realized by the efforts of Heather and the top vendors she chose. They included Accents on Events, Table Toppers, and Select Event Rentals.

The owner of Catering by Weiss, Alan Weiss is a rather remarkable guy, not only providing delectable kosher fare for the guests  but also serving as Heather’s wedding coordinator. Alan is equally skilled in both aspects, and his deep knowledge of event planning  made the evening  truly memorable.

The music was by The Source and they are HOT! Heather’s training in ballet and her new husbands very smooth moves captured everyone’s attention as they watched Heather and Dan share their first dance in perfect synchronicity.

A completely magical and enchanting wedding. We were in ‘flow’ and present to capture every moment as this very special wedding unfolded before us.

Classical Guitarist – James Lowe

We met James Lowe at The Peabody Library where he was moonlighting as staff for a wedding there. James is a graduate of The Peabody Institute and has a Masters degree in Guitar Performance. This incredibly talented and ambitious musician is also picking up another Masters in Performance from Peabody and will next attend Cleveland Institute of Music in pursuit of his doctorate. James has his own ‘new’ music ensemble, “The Ligeti Split Ensemble” (Ligeti was a Romanian composer) and is also doing solo performances at venues in our area. To enhance his web site, James realized that he needed professional images of himself and asked us to create them. He came by our studios on a Monday with his very recently acquired guitar , custom made in Bueno Aires by the lutier, Ricardo Louzao. The instrument was gorgeous and made from indigenous Rio Rosewood, but the music James played while being photographed made the session truly memorable. It was a gift.

A Winter Wedding At The Peabody Library

It was a clear, sunny, if a mite on the chilly side, day in December when Katie and Tim became husband and wife. The bride who would have been gorgeous wearing burlap, made a stunning dress choice from Betsy Robinson.

We seem to have the market cornered as of late with clients who are prosecuting attorneys, which is what Katie does when she is not being bride beautiful.

I’m always looking for the new perspective, the creative edge, something different when creating images. As does my 2nd shooter. This is what keeps wedding photography  fresh and vibrant and exciting for us and what our clients expect. It is a silent dance we engage in with our subjects, one that allows their beauty and soulfulness to be revealed.

Note the detail in the bride’s bouquet by Betty’s Gardens.

Katie was absolutely going to have images created outside and despite temps in the low 30’s, we did them with speed and energy and with the essential ingredient, joy.

The bridesmaids all had matching blankets to ward off the cold.  At the very last possible moment we said “Blankets Off” and were rewarded by the image below. The composition in this image was done simply and quickly. The emphasis, as in all of our work, is to retain spontaneity and ‘the moment’.

Chef’s Expressions, the vendor of choice at the magnificent Peabody Library, provided a sumptuous feast as well as the wedding cake. Our good friend at Chef’s, Bonny Opper, honored Katie’s request for a very special coconut cake and went the extra mile,  as she always does, to make another dream come true.

Moments, that are true and real. Tim and Katie, cut loose.

Cortney and Shannon – A Lovely Wedding at the American Visionary Art Museum

Cortney and Shannon were married on October 4, 2008.

 

We had photographed the wedding of Cortney’s sister, Lindsay, last New Years Eve. Up until this most recent wedding, that New Years wedding was considered by many to be ‘THE” event of the year. Courtney and Lindsay’s parents, as well as both sisters were so delighted with our performance and images that they told us we would be the photographers for Cortney’s event as well. Though enormously flattered to be ‘carte blanched’ this event, it is not unusual that this occurs. The bridal party, families and guests realize what an enjoyable, upbeat and vastly different kind of experience it is to have had us create images. We get many of our referrals from bridesmaids, groomsmen and guests who’ve seen us work and the images that we produce.

 

The flowers below are yet another example of Jeanie’s (owner of Blue Sage Floral Design) sense of play and creativity.

Here is our bride with mother and bridesmaids smoothing lace in preparation of our ‘shoot’.

Cortney, who is Chief Resident at one of our major medical institutions, was not Dr. Cortney on her wedding day, but Bride- Beautiful Cortney

Corpus Christi is, as always, a supremely lovely place for a wedding ceremony.

Absolutely unique choices in lighting, decor, table settings, and floral arrangements set Cortney’s wedding reception apart from the usual. Elizabeth Bailey Weddings were the wedding planners, Perkin’s Productions created the lighting and graphics, Table Toppers provided the linens and The Pleasure of Your Company created the invitations, table place cards and menus.

The American Visionary Arts Museum (aka: AVAM) is like no other place for a wedding reception.

The Brass Elephant, with Brian Boston himself representing them, provided beautifully prepared, artfully presented, gourmet fare that everyone in attendance marveled about. Style does matter.

Sound Connection had everyone on their feet and dancing until the very end.

Sugar Bakers designed a classic and elegant cake that was simply scrumptious ( I may possibly  have had a piece).

This wedding was incredible!

 

A Wedding at The Belvedere and Fells Point

Katie had her heart set on having us create images for her in Fells Point, where Jake, her fiance, had proposed to her.

And so it was.

After an emotional and poignant ‘getting ready’ session and after her groom saw her for the first time in full bridal splendor at The Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, Katie, Jake and their retinue headed for the Fells Point.

Blue skies, the mild temperature and of course, a stunningly beautiful bride, handsome groom and exceptional bridal party provided us ingredients for a remarkable photo session. In keeping with our reputation for creativity and originality we gave everyone there our only mandate, “Be yourselves and have fun!”.  Katie, Jake and company gave us these images- we just didn’t get in the way of their doing so.

The wedding ceremony was at Corpus Christi Church, probably one of the best churches in the area for photography, given it’s layout and splendid architecture.

Elizabeth Bailey, wedding consultant extraordinaire and head-honcho at Elizabeth Bailey Weddings, made sure that all went according to plan. It is always a great wedding whenever Beth is involved.

Katie and Jake’s  reception was at the crown jewel of Baltimore venues, The Grand Ballroom at The Belvedere where our good friends Truffles at The Belvedere provided an amazing repast with style and their usual savior fare.

One of the reasons that the following images look great isn’t  because we know how to capture ‘scene setter’ images better than anyone else but because Katie and Elizabeth Bailey assembled the very best vendors available to strike just the right mood through lighting, table covers, floral arrangements and other details. These vendors are truly passionate about what they do, they care about the client and their service proceeds profit. We work with them constantly. Let us sing the praises of Blue Sage Floral Design, Table Toppers, Party Rental and Event Dynamics, the alpha and the omega of specialized services.

An intensely romantic, elegant and beautiful evening for everyone attending this wedding and reception. We were honored to be the ones privileged to create a ‘day in the life’ coverage for Katie and Jake with our unique style of wedding photojournalism and classic portraiture.