A George Peabody wedding: Jessica + Josh - Jennifer McMenamin Photography

A George Peabody wedding: Jessica + Josh
The George Peabody Library | Baltimore wedding photographer | Baltimore wedding photography

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Jessica + Josh met their freshman year at Yale, where he was studying mechanical engineering and she was a pre-med student. After traveling in the same social circles for several weeks, they also began to study together. Josh was taking level I Spanish and asked Jess, an accomplished Spanish speaker, for some help. After several weeks of tutoring, “Jess was very impressed by Josh’s rapid progress from foreign language newbie to someone able to order in a restaurant and converse with Spanish-speaking kindergartners,” as they wrote in a framed photo displayed at their cocktail hour. “It wasn’t until after they were dating that Josh admitted that he had taken Spanish in high school and already knew most of the basics but had kept a poker face during his lessons.” They amusingly compared this to Cady Heron dumbing herself down for Aaron Samuels in the movie Mean Girls, but noted that the absence of any Regina George drama allowed them to skip straight to falling in love. Their wedding day was similarly fun and entertaining. Josh wrote lyrics for Jess and arranged for a talented friend to set them to music and perform them for his wife just before the reception. The friends in their wedding party barely stopped laughing and joking around all day. And their family members and friends kept the dance floor packed all night, from the moment the doors of the always-gorgeous Peabody Library swung open to the last strains of the Bachelor Boys band as guests streamed down the stairs to find the area’s best cupcake truck (Iced Gems!) waiting outside with sweet late-night treats. I could not have had more fun with this couple, their talented planners from Celebrations LLC and all of their guests. Here are many of my favorites from Jess + Josh’s big day:

The bride, looking absolutely lovely.

This was my first time shooting at the Hotel Indigo and I could not have been more impressed. What a lovely hotel and a great spot for the couple to see each other for the first time that day. It was like a secret little garden in the middle of the city!

Though thunder rumbled and radar showed a massive storm drenching nearby neighborhoods, we had nothing but glorious light just when we needed it for photos.

A few wedding party portraits before we tackled formal family photos before the ceremony.

I love love love this next image of Jess with her flowergirl. So skeptical! With the help of a few promised gummy worms, we coaxed out a smile.

Then, it was time to get married!

Married!

A few reception details.

Jess’s maid of honor performs Josh’s surprise song for her just before guests were invited into the library for dinner and dancing. Meanwhile, a gaggle of parents recorded the moment with their cell phones.

The newlyweds also took a practice spin around the dance floor before the doors opened.

A first dance.

A parental welcome.

A few quick portraits in the magical pink, glowy light of dusk.

A pair of toasts.

A parent dance.

While guests eat dinner, I often take a few minutes to photograph my clients’ wedding invitation and rings and any other details that have not been captured earlier in the day. I was quite smitten with this elaborately cut invitation from Jenifer Sirkis Designs — and even used it in a photo of Jess and Josh’s wedding bands, which is easily one of my most favorite ring shots of all time. Such pretty work!