Jill & Bert - The McDonogh Chapel & Elkridge Furnace Inn - Baltimore wedding photography - Jennifer McMenamin Photography

Jill & Bert — The McDonogh Chapel & Elkridge Furnace Inn — Baltimore wedding photography

Jill had a specific vision for her wedding — classy, romantic and candle-lit with a moving ceremony full of personal touches and a reception that treated their closest friends and family to a lovely meal and a fun party. Above all else, she told me during our very first meeting, she and Bert wanted photos that captured the little glances, the little gestures and “who we are. I want the connections caught between he and I,” she added, “and the most important people around us — their reactions and tears.” There were innumerable opportunities for me to make those kinds of images for Jill and Bert on a picture-perfect wedding day full of emotional ceremony readings and vows, gorgeous sunlight for photos, one of the most beautifully choreographed first dances I’ve ever seen and lots of merriment and fun. Jill looked absolutely stunning and those important connections — with parents, with siblings, with Bert’s grandmother, with relatives who have passed away and, most obviously, between a bride and groom thrilled to be committing their lives to each other — were palpable. With the help of wedding planners extraordinaire Beth Bailey and Lee Thompson of Elizabeth Bailey Weddings, Jill assembled a wonderful team of florists, hair and make-up artists, musicians and other vendors to bring her vision to life. Since I’m hoping to get this up before Hurricane Sandy steals my electricity (!), I’m going to let the photos do the rest of the work. Here are some of my favorites from Jill and Bert’s wonderful day. Enjoy!

We started at the HarborCourt Hotel, where Jill, her brothers and parents and bridesmaids were getting ready.

These few minutes — when Jill saw her father for the first time as a bride and then gave him the special cufflinks she ordered for him — were just lovely to photograph.

A few portraits of the beautiful bride.

It was a little breezy out.

I love these images of Jill with her parents.

After a few family photos with Jill, we were off to the chapel at the McDonogh School, where Bert and several generations of his family attended classes and where Bert’s grandfather is buried.

Bert took a moment to pay tribute to his grandfather.

And then delivered to his grandmother a special handkerchief from Jill.

We were graced with seriously cute children as the flowergirls and ringbearer.

Then, it was finally time to get married!

This next image was shot by my wonderful assistant, Lucas.

Such beautiful light streaming into the chapel onto this beautiful couple.

This next image was also shot by Lucas.

Married!

We finished a record-setting 17 group photos in 26 minutes with the wonderful backdrop of the chapel’s red doors, finishing up a few lovely photos of the newlyweds just before the sun slipped below the horizon.