Blog

Alison & Joe — Irvine Nature Center — Maryland wedding photography

Alison and Joe chose their wedding venue not because of its location or even any personal connection to the area. Rather, they wanted a destination-like wedding that was not too inconvenient for their guests and, most importantly, that was green green green. For them, Irvine Nature Center — an eco-conscious and eco-friendly environmental education organization set on 116 acres north of Baltimore — fit the bill. “It’s more the kind of place that it is than where it is,” the bride explained in our first phone conversation. Theirs was one of the first 100+ degree wedding days of the season. But despite the heat — and the subsequent thunderstorm and downpour late in the evening — Alison & Joe had a perfect day. She wore a short lacy dress made by her mother-in-law. (It was as if they had a crystal ball and designed a dress that would be just perfect for the elements. I can’t imagine how miserable Alison would have been during our 45-minute walk through the woods for photos if she had been wearing a long, heavy bridal gown!) He wore cufflinks made from actual baseballs. They exchanged lovely and personal vows. Their friends offered incredibly moving toasts and tributes. And we enjoyed a fantastic, relaxed photo session after the ceremony with a carefully plotted stroll across Irvine’s grounds, from a woodland garden to a meadow of wildflowers and an expansive overlook to a charming woodsy bridge. (I vote for more of my clients to allot this kind of time to their portraits!) I’ve gotten ridiculously behind schedule on my blogging, so I’m going to let the photos do the rest of the talking. Here are some of my favorites from Alison and Joe’s beautiful day! Enjoy.

Alison’s bouquet looked as if it had been effortlessly tossed together while strolling through a field of wildflowers — which, of course, means precisely that it was deliberate and carefully designed and worth all the work!

The next photo on the left was shot by my wonderful assistant, Lucas. (And can I just say how much I love that little pennant banner? It adds such a nice little pop of color to the green expanse of the ceremony area.)

After the ceremony, we headed off into the woods, where we had a marvelous time playing with the little puddles of light filtering through the trees. (The next photo on the right was shot by Lucas.)

(The next photo was shot by Lucas.)

Oh how I loved this meadow of wildflowers!

(This next photo was shot by Lucas.)

(The next photo on the right was shot by Lucas.)

A few reception details. Some lovely dances. And a bevy of amazing toasts.

Catching raindrops on her tongue. And then drying herself off on an unconventional towel!

Thank you, Alison & Joe, for such a beautiful, fun-filled day with the two of you and your families. Many congratulations and best wishes to you for a wonderful marriage!

Credits:

Photography: Jennifer McMenamin Photography

Ceremony & reception: The Irvine Nature Center

Officiant: Julio Medina

Catering: Nicole Van Natta of the Classic Catering People

Bridal attire: Custom-made by the groom’s mother

Hair & Make-up: Meleah Hillman, the bride’s regular stylist, of the Nesbit Salon in Richmond, Va.

Groom’s attire: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Local Color Flowers

Ice cream sundae bar (in lieu of cake): The Classic Catering People

DJ: Beat 2 Beat