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Melissa & Eric — The Peabody Library — Baltimore wedding photography

I know Melissa from my old job at The Baltimore Sun, where she covers the city courts and criminal justice. She and Eric are fun and silly together and up for almost anything when they get in front of the camera. We had a great time running around the sculpture gardens at the Baltimore Museum of Art for their engagement session. So I knew their wedding day would be even more fun.

The only hitch: The forecast called for rain, rain and more rain. Nonetheless, I kept reassuring them that the weather would clear when we needed it to — just long enough after the ceremony to get some fun portraits in Mount Vernon Place, where the magnolia trees were in full bloom. They looked at me like I was crazy when I told them to meet me outside their reception venue, the gorgeous George Peabody Library, for a quick photo session. “Don’t worry,” I said as they prepared to dash to their car from the steps of the church. “It will stop raining by the time we get there.” Though it was only a 10-minute drive from the Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, where they exchanged vows, that was all Mother Nature apparently needed to stop the rain showers.

Melissa getting ready and looking lovely.

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I really couldn’t get enough of the crinoline peeking out from the bottom of Melissa’s dress when she walked and sat. You’ll see…

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The flowers, by Fleur de Lis, were white and red tulips, which exuded simple elegance — especially in the tall centerpieces on the dinner tables at the library.

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The bride’s purse. Too fun!

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This image is funny to me because of a wedding-day schedule that Melissa sent me two months before her wedding. It read: “1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Hair and makeup at Renaissance Hotel. Christina arrives and confiscates Melissa’s Blackberry.” I’ll point out that the timestamp on this photo at the church is 4.25 p.m.06-blackberry-w

The flower girl and ring bearer played a rousing game of Rock-Paper-Scissors while waiting for the ceremony to start as the grown-ups looked on.rockpaperscissors2rockpaperscissors

The groom needed to get in on the fun with the kids, too.erickidserickids214-ringbearer-wMelissa sent over a card for Eric to read right before the ceremony began.ericcardericcard2

And then it was finally time to get married…15-processional-w

I love this little series: Look at Melissa peeking at Eric as she’s being given away and then smiling.16-melissalook-w17-church-w18-vows-w19-singingflowergirl-w20-unitycandle-w21-unitycandle2-w22-endofceremony-w

Married!

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I love how Eric has to wait for that long, gorgeous train on Melissa’s dress to make it through the door ahead of him…

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The sisters — both Eric’s (left) and Melissa’s — pulled off their heels the moment they made it back to the parlor.

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That little ring bearer was such a ham all day…

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Leaving the church in the rain…29-melissaericshoes-w

And on to Mount Vernon Place for those outdoor portraits — without the rain!30-mvpportraits1-w31-mvpportraits2-w32-mvpportraits3-w33-mvpportraits4-w34-mvpportraits5-w35-mvpportraits6-w36-mvpportraits7-w37-mvpportraits9-w38-mvpportraits8-w

One of my most favorite wedding moments ever: Melissa & Eric dance in the park to the kind serenade of a street musician.

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And on to the reception… I’m a big fan of the George H. Peabody Library — it’s quite something to twirl and toast the night away beneath a glass ceiling in that “Cathedral of Books,” as the stacks room is called. Melissa had a beautiful vision for what she wanted the space to look like and her vendor team — Chef’s Expressions caterers, Fleur de Lis florist and Event Dynamics Inc., her lighting designer — did a marvelous job executing that plan.40-receptionflowers-w41-tabledetail-w42-bridegroomentrance-w43-firstdances-w

A very non-traditional father-daughter dance.

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Melissa ordered a whole bunch of Smith Island cakes — the famous, intricately layered confection that is the official state dessert of Maryland — in lieu of a traditional wedding cake. She, and her guests, seemed very happy with the choice!

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I couldn’t help but snap this photo when I saw the turquoise baby pacifier in a glass of water amidst all the elegant wine glasses on one table.

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Let me say a word about the music: The band that Melissa & Eric hired — the Tamboureens — kept the dance floor hopping all night. No one was a more enthusiastic dancer than the bride herself, who snagged the tambourine from the lead singer at one point and ran back and forth across the library rounding up more dancers.

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Always a good measure of a great party: The bride’s shoes cast off in a corner while she remains on the dance floor…

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Congratulations Melissa & Eric. It was a pleasure to be with you on your wedding day!

Comments

  1. Hanah

    Jen, great blog and great pictures, as always.
    And mel looked great. I love the Lovely Lane Church, used to live just a block away from it.
    H.

    Reply
  2. Carol

    You are amazing…

    Reply
  3. Kristin

    Looks like a fabulously fun wedding. I love the Blackberry-in-hand photo and the pacifier in the wine glass. Good catches!

    Reply
  4. cidell

    Ohhh. I’m going to lurv this blog!

    Reply

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Wedding Confetti