Evergreen wedding: Cathy + John - Jennifer McMenamin Photography

Evergreen wedding: Cathy + John
The Evergreen Museum & Carriage House | Baltimore wedding photographer | Baltimore wedding photography

I know how lucky I am to love my job as much as I do. On any given weekend, I am entrusted with catching and preserving the joyous, fleeting and emotional moments of my clients’ wedding days. I love hearing their vows, I love looking for great reactions to toasts, I love noticing quiet little looks and authentic moments that my clients might not even see in the whirlwind of their wedding day. Most of this is done for virtual strangers — people who find my web site in their wedding research, get in touch and ultimately hire me to photograph their big day. So you can only imagine the joy I feel when I get to do my job with and for someone I love. Such was the case with Cathy. She was my daughters’ first nanny. But that title doesn’t even come close to summarizing what Cathy means to my family. When she first came into our lives, my oldest was just barely 3, my baby was eight months old and I realized that I desperately needed more regular childcare so that I could devote more daylight hours to my photography business. She answered a listing I posted at her grad school. She interviewed for the job in my living room. And for two years, she cheerfully showed up at my house several days a week to love my girls and make grilled cheese sammies, to sing song after song from the Frozen soundtrack, to paint and draw and craft projects she found on Pinterest, and to take care of my sweet girls when I had to work. On wedding days when my then-spouse was out of town for work, she and her charming boyfriend John would spend the entire day with my girls. And I knew I didn’t have to worry one iota. I cried big crocodile tears the day Cathy told me she would not be able to work with us any more, that she had (understandably and quite expectedly!) gotten a job in her field of study. But we’ve kept in touch and she has occasionally babysat for my girls on date nights and wedding days. I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt the day she called to tell me that her boyfriend was now her fiancé and that she wanted to talk about photography. And I could not have been more honored to be entrusted with capturing every moment of the joy and emotion of her and John’s Evergreen wedding. (In true Cathy fashion, she thoughtfully invited not only my daughters to their big day, but also my partner and her two sons. So I also enjoyed the fun of getting to snap a few photos of my most favorite people while working!) After what seemed like weeks and weeks of rainy weekends, Cathy + John were graced with absolutely glorious summer weather. Their dear friend officiated. They exchanged rings and incredibly heartwarming personal vows. (More tears slipped down my cheeks during their vows than any other wedding I’ve photographed!) And they wowed their guests with a celebration that was genuinely them. Here are many, many of my favorites from Cathy + John’s big day:

The bride, looking absolutely beautiful. Cathy + John’s family of pets includes a few four-legged creatures that I have to scroll super quickly past whenever they pop up in my Instagram feed. I couldn’t resist photographing the sticker she proudly displays on her car as a tribute to them. <Insert shudder here!> A little shadow fun! This was one of the greatest first looks I’ve ever photographed. Cathy + John were in their own little world, just fussing over each other’s wedding attire and laughing together and hugging and whispering and gazing at each other. It was wonderful! Oh, how I adore this next photograph and the people in it. The Evergreen has so many wonderful spots for photos. It’s always such a joy to work there! The friends and family members who made up Cathy + John’s wedding party could not have been more fun. And then it was time to get married! Married!

Married! And then, the sweetest thing happened. I don’t know whether they discussed this ahead of time or whether it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. But Cathy scooped up her dress, grabbed John’s hands and they just sprinted across the huge lawn of the Evergreen. It was adorable! This is how much I love Cathy! I’m so grateful that my longtime assistant Lucas snapped the photo on the left as Cathy and I shared a hug after the ceremony. At right are my darling daughters with the newlyweds. I know I’m biased, but how stinkin’ cute are they?!? I adore everything about this next series of images. A few reception details. A first dance. A quartet of toasts — including hilarious bridesmaids who do rock-paper-scissors to determine who speaks first!). A pair of parent dances. And lots and lots of fun and frivolity. Oh sweet Cathy + John, I could not have had any more fun documenting your wonderful Evergreen wedding. Many, many congratulations! And I wish you a *lifetime* of happiness. xoxo.