from the first second i spoke with abby on the phone, i knew i really liked her. she exuded kindness and a happy energy, and so i was obviously thrilled when she hired us to photograph her washington, d.c. wedding at district winery.
fast forward a few months, and i met up with her and ben at union station for a quick engagement session, and i was even more thrilled about the prospect of shooting their wedding!
these two are the real deal. they have a constant playful banter, talk so highly of one another, and are all smiles when they’re together. the more i got to know them, the more i was impressed with their relationship. through the highs and lows, in sickness and health, they’re in it together.
so naturally, this winter district winery wedding was really wonderful. after prepping at navy yard, we met up at the venue for a sweet first look in the winery’s barrel room. they might not have been aware of it at the time, but they had a little audience from above, which was the perfect way for them to enjoy the intimacy of the moment but also share with friends and family! we explored navy yard for some wedding portraits at district winery, and then enjoyed a lovely ceremony and joyful reception (full of fancy fried chicken, hilarious and heartfelt toasts, and enjoying the live band!). their ceremony included quotes from leslie knope, and they walked down the aisle to a song from jurassic park, so if that doesn’t give you an idea of how fun this couple is, i don’t know what will!
we loved abby’s gorgeous winter wedding bouquet and the simple-yet-charming greenery runners on the long tables. her silver and blush letterpress invites added such a fun modern touch to the day, and she paid tribute to ben’s love for nike shoes by donning a special wedding pair for the reception. true love right there, you guys!
thanks so much for letting us get to know you and capture your day. you guys are really, really great!
XO,
anna + mateo
|| VENDOR LOVE ||
wedding photography: anna + mateo
venue: district winery
florals: bell flowers
dress: watters
cake: fancy cakes by leslie
makeup: nicole palermo
hair: kim harbaugh
band: attraction
we really feel so lucky to work with some of the greatest couples. obviously, working with happy people on their happiest days is the paramount for a washington dc wedding photographer and videographer. but fortunately for us, the fun generally extends a bit more, as we get to know them throughout their planning process and during their engagement sessions!
besides getting gorgeous photos of yourselves (not in wedding attire), we always recommend engagement sessions because it’s a perfect opportunity to build rapport and get comfortable with our terrible jokes (ha!) and in front of the camera.
michelle + tim took advantage of this opportunity, and we met up during the height of cherry blossom season in dc (but skipped the crowds at the tidal basin!) for their downtown annapolis engagement session. we were lucky enough to have the perfect weather and lovely lighting, not to mention lots and lots of cherry blossoms throughout downtown annapolis to work with! plus a darling little pup! Really, what more could you need?
the pair met while studying law at the university of baltimore, so it’s only natural that they’ll be holding their wedding there too! we’ve been looking forward to their four seasons baltimore wedding for months now! and we can’t believe that it’s almost here. these two are so kind and laid-back, and their wedding is bound to be gorgeous!
we’ll be sure to update you with sneak peeks from their wedding, but until then, enjoy these!
this engagement session features the absolute best blooms, right?! to get you excited for their baltimore wedding coming up, be sure to check out this four seasons baltimore wedding from a couple of years back!
can’t wait for saturday, you guys!
XO,
anna + mateo
as seen on wedding chicks.
when a wedding planner gets married, it’s bound to be a lovely event. but when the kindest wedding planner gets married in mexico on cinco de mayo, it’s bound to be the loveliest of events!
nicole and ryan tied the knot at the luxurious finest playa mujeres in cancun, mexico, surrounded by their closest friends and family. i was lucky enough to head south of the border for this joyful mexico wedding, and it was no surprise that wedding chicks decided to pick it up for a feature! you can see the wedding chicks feature here.
nicole is a colorado girl, and ryan is from the midwest, but they’re currently stationed with the military in italy. they share a love for travel, so it only made sense to bring their families and friends from across the world together in mexico to enjoy the beach, each other, and maybe some tequila, too!
after a morning at the pool, the couple prepped with their bridesmaids and groomsmen and met up for a sweet and personal first look along a pathway blooming with bougainvillea… and if you know me at all, you know that bougainvillea is the way to my heart! so i was just a little bit in heaven. their beachfront ceremony was simple, sincere, and joyous, and then they shared cocktails to the sound of mariachi and danced the night away under finest’s beautiful beachside palapa.
their wedding radiated relaxed elegance and was coordinated to perfection by celeste from wedding in riviera maya. nicole looked stunning in her two-piece wtoo watters dress; the lace bodice was the perfect compliment to her ethereal and flowy skirt. ryan looked dapper in his suit and floral tie, and he couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face all day when looking at his bride. i loved all of the nods to nature and greenery in their wedding– from their modern invitations to the bouquet to the ceremony arch.
i also loved watching the way that both nicole and ryan were careful to make sure each other and every one of their guests (and even vendors!) felt loved and appreciated. ryan bought nicole the sweetest oval earrings to match her engagement band. nicole and her mother wore matching bracelets, and ryan gave his father and groomsmen personal gifts. they also celebrated their family heritage by drinking from the copper glasses from their parents’ wedding.
these two became fast friends to us, and it’s been so fun following their adventures across the globe (even if it’s given us some serious FOMO!). they were laid-back and really soaked in the emotions of the day, and we are so grateful to have been able to photograph their big day!
nicole + ryan, felicidades! can’t believe it’s been a year already.
xo,
anna + mateo
|| VENDOR LOVE||
photography: anna + mateo
venue: finest playa mujeres
planning: wedding in riviera maya
hmua: sara tamargo beauty
dress: wtoo
dress boutique: the bridal collection
paperie: minted
i’ve said it before, and i’ll say it again: we have the greatest clients in the world. it’s such a funny thing, to be introduced to a couple over the phone or e-mail, have a few excited conversations regarding style and logistics, and then show up in person and photograph one of the most intimate and exciting times in their lives. despite potential for uncomfortable moments, we somehow show up for a washington d.c. engagement session and have so much fun. every single time. as a washington, d.c. wedding photographer and videographer, there’s really nothing better than that!
and brooke and jeff were no exception to this. after chatting with brooke on the phone about her fall city winery wedding in d.c., i instantly knew that they’d be a great part of the anna + mateo family. brooke spoke with such genuine excitement about the prospect of getting married and sharing the day with those she cared about.
so when i met up with them on a chilly fall morning, i wasn’t surprised to find that she and jeff are just as lovely in person (and at 7 a.m., to boot!). they chose the lincoln memorial as the backdrop for their d.c. engagement session, which is a d.c. classic and one of my favorite backdrops to play around with. since we were there so early, we beat most of the crowds and were able to enjoy sunrise behind the washington monument.
we had a great time wandering around the monument, and i loved hearing about their backgrounds, relationship, and wedding plans. they picked the perfect combination of outfits: a more formal combination and then casual attire. brooke looked amazing, and her bright red dress popped against the marble so well! her mauve jacket is also a stunner.
we’re over here already counting down the days until october fifth to get to work with these two again! but until then, enjoy these classic washington, d.c. engagement photos…
thanks for letting us tell some of your love story!
XO,
anna + mateo
one of the most amazing parts of our job has been connecting with couples who share our some interest, values, and similar stories. as destination wedding photographers and filmmakers, we’re not only fascinated by culture, wanderlust-obsessed, and smitten with the world’s scenery. so much of our personal family history is entrenched in travel, as well!
mateo and i come from two completely separate worlds; we met while i was living abroad and working in his hometown in northern peru. when we met and started dating, we never imagined the path we’d end up taking or where life would take us. but after a wedding, loots of immigration paperwork, some college degrees, a house, a business, and a baby (!!!) later, we love the life we have built.
as we continue to work and blend our cultures and worlds, it’s been incredible to meet other couples who have similar backgrounds! we really cannot believe how many of our clients have international love stories or are blending cultures in both their wedding ceremonies and marriages!
and stephanie and max are no exception. stephanie is from the united states, and max lives in germany. after years of a long-distance relationship, they decided to officially unite their worlds and were wed in a simple and sweet germany elopement ceremony in the charming, quaint town of homburg.
they hosted their elopement at the beautiful, historical römermuseum, sharing their vows in both german and english in the gorgeous gardens. after their ceremony, we strolled through the gardens, snapping photos and filming along the way. and then we bid them adieu, as they met with a few close family members and friends for a traditional german meal.
these two are such a kind pair! they showered us with local gifts from homburg when we arrived, and they were so lovely to work with. i loved stephanie’s unique gown with the attached cape, and her lindsay marie design hairpiece was the perfect finishing touch! wild hearts calligraphy commissioned the most beautiful invitation suite as well– so classy and perfect for a destination wedding! all of these details, combined with an organic, garden bouquet and incredible scenery, made for a wonderful afternoon!
after shooting this wedding, we immediately made our way through paris to southern spain to photograph another destination event– a gorgeous marbella wedding at the gran hotel guadalpin banus — and may or may not have had a few (too many!) travel mishaps along the way. but that’s a tale for another day 😉 for now, enjoy these lovely photos and the incredible aerial views of the german countryside in their short film.
be sure to watch alllll the way to the end; the footage of them walking through the gardens from above is just the sweetest!
XO,
anna + mateo
