Royal Sonesta Baltimore winter wedding: Kristen + Austin
Corpus Christi Church | Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel | Baltimore wedding photographer | Baltimore wedding photography
I often leave my clients’ weddings wishing that I had more time with them. I don’t mean more hours on that particular day. I mean more time. In life. The stories I hear from their friends and the warmth they show their loved ones and the tales told about them during toasts and the words and little looks they exchange with each other often make me wish that I had known them longer and that I had more occasions in the future to see them. With Kristen + Austin, I had the distinct pleasure of spending so much time photographing portraits and events with them before their wedding that their relatives began asking whether I was a member of the family. I spent an afternoon in Jersey City with them, their best friend and their beloved pup Hugo for their engagement portraits. I returned to New Jersey several months later to photograph their housewarming party and wedding shower at their new home. And on the eve of their wedding, I photographed them enjoying the company of their closest friends and family members at their rehearsal dinner. So when the actual day finally dawned for their Royal Sonesta Baltimore winter wedding, I was jumping out of my skin excited for them — and for me to get to capture all of that joy and emotion for them. They exchanged vows and rings in a beautiful ceremony at Corpus Christi Church, a gorgeous, 127-year-old Gothic-style Catholic church in Baltimore’s Bolton Hill neighborhood. They braved the wintry drizzle for some lovely photos in Mount Vernon Place. And their celebration continued at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel with cocktails and dinner and dancing in a ballroom twinkling with gold and green Christmas wreaths, gold accents and red, white and green florals. Despite all that beauty, my favorite parts of the day were the many occasions when Kristen’s dad, Frank, was overcome with emotion at the site of his daughter, the bride. The way Kristen and her friends laugh together. The way Austin burst into laughter in the middle of their ceremony. The way Kristen insisted upon having a photo of her and Austin’s grandmother in the shawl she knit for her new granddaughter-in-law. The way Austin + Kristen look at each other. All the time. And yet, I already can’t wait for the next occasion when we get to work together. Here are many, many of my favorites from their big day:
I started the day at the hotel, where Kristen + Austin prepared separately with their friends for the wedding. This was my first occasion photographing bridesmaids enjoying a chambomb. The groom, looking very dapper. Finally, it was time for Kristen to step into her gown. Her mother, Gina, told us that Kristen was the first person ever to try on this particular Pnina Tornai gown at Kleinfeld in New York. It was a beauty. Having just helped his daughter with her shoes, Frank was feeling all the feels when she handed him a very sentimental custom embroidered handkerchief before they left for the church. I positively love capturing moments like this for my clients. Married! These two. A few reception details. A first dance. A bunch of heartwarming and hilarious toasts. A pair of parent dances. And lots and lots of fun and frivolity. Many, many congratulations, Kristen + Austin. I could not have had any more fun with you, your friends and your families over the last year.
Credits:
Photography: Jennifer McMenamin Photography, LLC
Ceremony: Corpus Christi Church
Officiant: Father Marty Demek
Reception: The Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel
Lighting designers: Event Dynamics
Bridal attire: Pnina Tornai gown from Kleinfeld Bridal
Hair & Make-up: Alison Harper & Company
Groom’s attire: Jos. A Bank
Florist: Blush Floral Design Studio
Cake: SugarBakers
Band: EBE Entertainment
Transportation: ZBest Limousine
Invitations: Invitations by Dawn
Photobooth: The Prop Stop Photo Booth