ever since attending school in baltimore and living downtown, we welcome any chance to head to charm city for a shoot, trip to the aquarium, or wedding! as washington dc wedding photographers and videographers, we’re just a quick drive away from baltimore, and we love the history and, well, charm that it offers! so we were naturally so excited to hear from michelle and tim when they reached out about their four seasons baltimore wedding.
michelle and tim met while attending law school in baltimore, so the four seasons baltimore was such a fitting backdrop for their beautiful summer wedding. to be honest, this is one of our all-time favorite places to shoot in baltimore, so that made the day even more spectactular! with gorgeous, bright bridal suites, stunning harbor views from the rooftop, and sophisticated ballrooms, you just can’t beat it!
the day started with bridal prep and sweet moments shared with family, and then the couple had an intimate first look on the rooftop. a heartfelt ceremony was followed by sunset portraits by the water, a delicious dinner, and a band that brought the crowd to their feet to dance! michelle and her mom had been dreaming up this event–in one sense– for years, and it was amazing to see it come to fruition! every detail was elegant: a romantic design with modern touches. betty lou events executed the day beautifully, and the white and green florals by victoria clausen were an incredible finishing touch!
we loved the grey and white color palette– perfect for a summer, city affair! michelle looked so stunning in her modern gown, and her pearl-detailed cathedral-length veil added perfectly to her look. the asymmetrical, garden-style bouquet finished off her look perfectly. and can we talk about those modern, sleek manolos?! tim was her perfect complement in his classic black tux.
michelle and tim are two of the kindest people and such an amazing pair! it was a joy to get to know them while shooting their springtime engagement session, and we loved carrying that relationship through to a gorgeous, happy wedding day! it was an honor to celebrate with them.
if you’re in the mood, check out another four seasons baltimore wedding photo gallery here! besos.
xo,
anna + mateo
2020 is proving to be a year full of surprises; i think this is something everyone can agree upon! with the worldwide pandemic and corresponding restrictions, many couples are having to change up their wedding plans. and even more are considering nixing the big bash all together and having a smaller soiree, or holding a small ceremony on their original wedding date, while postponing their original plans for a later date. the beauty of modern-day weddings is that there’s really no right way to do it. in a time of uncertainty, you can be certain about one thing: do what feels right to you, and it will work out.
as d.c. and destination wedding photographers and filmmakers, we’ve done our fair share of elopements and intimate weddings– both locally and across the globe. and to be quite honest, they’ve often been some of our favorite events! of course we love large and exciting weddings, but there really is something unmatched about a small group of people gathering to celebrate the ones that they love, pledging their lives to one another. couples don’t have to stress about remembering the steps to their perfect first dances or worry about small talk with their dads’ bosses at cocktail hour. elopements bring the surreal emotions of just a couple sharing the most momentous day of life, and micro weddings are comprised of simply the most important people… and this brings nothing but immense joy.
we have had a lot of couples approach us with a lot of questions about where to even begin planning their elopements or micro weddings, so we’ve come up with a few tips of how to plan your elopement or micro wedding in the time of COVID:
- follow a “normal wedding” schedule
even if your wedding day isn’t quite looking like what you had imagined initially, following a “normal” wedding schedule will allow you to still feel all of those wedding emotions that you dreamed of! brides, go get your nails done, prep with your close girlfriend or mom while drinking mimosas. have your photographer capture the moments of you getting your dress done up, do an intimate first look with your groom, share a first dance under bistro lights after your ceremony. and who said you can’t have a confetti exit with a ten-person wedding?! - incorporate details and interesting design elements wherever possible
just because you’re having a smaller wedding, it doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on the pretty details. from custom (or semi-custom) stationary suites to splurge-y, designer shoes to a beautiful floral arch for your ceremony, there are so many places to show off stunning design and elevate even the simplest backdrops or backyard affairs. because you won’t have a large number of tables to decorate, micro weddings allow you to invest more into gorgeous design elements without worrying about the cost of filling a large venue or many place settings. custom vow books are another meaningful detail to invest in for a micro wedding or elopement! - hire a videographer + live stream your ceremony if possible
you may or may not be having a symbolic ceremony and larger celebration in 2021, when the world will likely look more normal. but regardless, the purpose of videography coverage of your elopement or micro wedding is two fold: you’ll be able to share the excitement of your actual union and vow-exchanging with close friends and family who cannot be there, and you’ll have these memories preserved for you and your future families to remember. - toasts! toasts! toasts!
when you have a very small number of guests at your wedding, it’ll feel like the most heartfelt and romantic dinner party you’ve ever attended! seriously. take advantage of this almost rehearsal dinner-like atmosphere, and encourage toasts from many (or all) of your guests! soak in their stories, words, and advice without having to worry about losing the interest of a large number of guests, like you might at a full wedding. this is also a great excuse to hire a quartet or musical soloist or ask your talented sister to woo your crowd with a musical number. the beauty of this type of event is there really are no rules, so do what feels natural and enjoyable to you! - go scenic
elopements and micro weddings offer more flexibility both in venue and in schedule, so there’s no reason to not take advantage of beautiful backdrops for either your ceremony, your couple portraits, or both! there are many local venues that are the perfect setting for baltimore or washington, d.c. micro weddings, and elopements can happen in any beautiful spot around the globe, truly! think about a location you find to be utterly charming, typical of your relationship, or meaningful to you, and go for it. maybe it’s a ice-capped mountain overlook or a city rooftop with views of the restaurant where you had your first date! the options really are endless.if you’ve found yourself stressed out about wedding planning in the time of COVID or unsure what your next steps are, we’re here for you. we can help you pull together an amazing vendor team who will make the process straightforward and enjoyable, design your dream affair, and of course, photograph + film the incredible memories that occur. the pandemic might shift your wedding plans or date, but you might end up with something more personal and memorable than you ever could’ve hoped for!to all of the couples choosing to get married in 2020 despite (what might feel like) all odds: you are amazing. it says a lot about your relationship and true desires to plan a wedding right now, and we admire your strength + dedication to one another!if you have any questions about navigating the elopement and micro wedding world, please feel free to reach out! we’re happy to lend a hand in any way we can.
when i was a student at hopkins, i heard rumors of the most incredible hopkins library not too far from campus. it turns out that we lived three blocks from this place: the peabody library. it turns out, this venue isn’t only good for studying pathophysiology; it’s the most romantic wedding venue, especially for book lovers! the library is one of the most-desired in all of baltimore city, and it’s easy to see why. there is a distinct air of history and scholasticism, and the view of the multi-story library shelves is unmatched. it’s a really incredible place for both a ceremony and reception!
we were so excited to capture components of this stunning george peabody library wedding this past fall. this baltimore wedding was designed and executed perfectly by the talented stephanie of SRS events! the couple shared a mutual love for literature, so they included many book-focused details, such as the library catalogue place settings and tables named after famous authors. the wedding was centered on a palette of greenery, white, and gold, and the tablescapes looked amazing up against the backdrop of the library. the glowing bistro lights draped throughout gave of the most romantic atomosphere, as well!
we snuck out to the washington monument in mt. vernon for some iconic baltimore wedding photos before the couple were able to enjoy the big room reveal! i particularly loved the soft shimmer of the tablecloths combined with the incredible florals done by eight tree street floral and gold dinnerware. it was the perfect combination of whimsy and romance! so many other fun little details tied the event together– from the custom cocktails in honor of their pup to the bride’s beaded cathedral-length veil.
the couple opted for a croquembouche cake display instead of the traditional wedding cake, which was divine! such a unique spin on wedding desserts… and such a fun detail! the cakes looked so elegant with a beautiful backdrop of greenery. we loved this sweet and elegant wedding and are grateful to have been a part of it!
when sam reached out to us about her greek orthodox wedding in baltimore, we were instantly intrigued. it was described as “my big fat greek wedding, but in real life.” um, heck yeah! plus lots of religious + cultural traditions? six hundred guests? a band flown in from greece? sign us up!
but really, by now you’ve probably realized that we love experiencing other cultures through our work. as washington dc wedding photographers, we’re lucky enough to get to work with clients from all over the world, with rich cultural backgrounds. we have learned so much about the world by photographing and filming incredibly beautiful cultural traditions.
and this greek orthodox wedding in baltimore was no exception! after photographing their national gallery of art engagement session, i was so excited for their late summer wedding. from the way they described their friends and family, as well as their vision for the day, i knew it was going to be amazing!
we were incredibly honored to have been selected as sam and spyros’ photographers. sam works for the knot, one of the biggest wedding industry organizations in the country, so she sees a lot of wedding vendors on a daily basis. we are so grateful she chose us!
after prepping at their individual family homes, spyros and his family participated in the traditional “greek walk,” a parade of sorts, to the church. after their greek orthodox wedding service, we snuck down to canton for a few minutes for some wedding portraits on the harbor. and when i say a few minutes, i mean a few minutes! we arrived at the park with seven minutes until sunset, but with our three-person team, we divided and conquered! we were still able to capture the dreamiest dusk photos… it helps that these two are so photogenic!
their reception lasted until two a.m. and involved heartfelt toasts, a lovely meal, and lots of money flying in the air and a combination of greek and american style dancing. did we mention that there were fireworks too?!
the wedding was a perfect combination of classic and modern. sam looked stunning in her structured carolina herrera gown, and her neutral florals added a touch of femininity. the sophisticated invitation suite paired perfectly with the overall stylings of the day. and those silver strappy guiseppe zanotti heels were show stoppers!
we loved getting to know these two and celebrate with their fun families!
congratulations, sam and spyros! thanks for having us along.
XO,
anna + mateo
|| VENDORS ||
photography: anna + mateo
planning: satin and sage events
venue: martin’s east baltimore
hmua: tress styles
bridal gown: carolina herrera
invitations: minted weddings
shoes: guiseppe zanotti
maybe it’s because the temperatures here in d.c. are creeping down towards freezing, or maybe it is because this was one of my top favorite days as a d.c. wedding photographer, ever. but i’ve found myself thinking back to these great marsh estate wedding photos over and over again as of late! and when you’re done perusing through them here, check them out on one of our favorite wedding blogs, grey likes weddings, here.
back in the spring of 2018, i hosted a workshop for photographers alongside my sweet and talented friend hannah bjorndal. as part of our education, we orchestrated three styled editorials, planned by the lovely claire duran events. our first shoot of the day was a romantic, ethereal spring affair. filled with pastel colors, soft tones, and exquisite details, everything came together so perfectly. there was a definite mr.-darcy-and-elizabeth-bennett type energy about it, and i mean, can you really ever go wrong with that?!
i can’t say enough about the incredible team of vendors who pulled together to make this happen! from the insanely beautiful styling and design from claire, to the stunning florals by my amazing friend sofia of casa delirio, to the watercolor cake from fluffy thoughts… sheer perfection. and don’t even get me started on the bespoke, foiled invitation suite from wild hearts calligraphy! our real-life couple models, maura and tim, are the kindest (AND gorgeous) couple, as well! and the hair and makeup from valerie hammer and shear society studio couldn’t have been more classic. the lavender-inspired welcome basket from the welcoming district really tied it all together, as well. great marsh estate weddings offers an incredible backdrop as well– an incredible property, and the best bridal suite we’ve ever seen!
it was an honor to get to work alongside some of d.c.’s finest while teaching some really remarkable photographers! although we didn’t host any formal, in-person workshops in 2019, educating other creatives still has such a special place in our hearts. and we’ve got big plans for 2020 on the education front, so hang tight!
in the meantime, enjoy this beautiful shoot, and think of warmer weather…
|| vendor love ||
as seen on: grey likes weddings
workshop hosts: anna + mateo, hannah bjorndal photography
planning + creative direction: claire duran weddings and events
venue: great marsh estate
florals: casa delirio
invitations: wild hearts calligraphy
rentals: white glove rentals
hair: shear society studio
makeup: valerie hammer makeup artistry
ring: susie saltzman
apparel: bhldn
tux: the black tux
linens: nuage designs
welcome gift: the welcoming district
cake: fluffy thoughts bakery
shoes: bella belle
