Jessica & Andrew’s DC Cherry Blossom Engagement Photos - Washington DC Cherry Blossoms

It’s 2020, a brand new year! Even though we are in the throes of winter right now, I can’t help but get excited about the next season (which happens to be my favorite): Spring! And, as I’m sure you can imagine, because I’m a dc wedding and portrait photographer, my mind goes straight to the  Cherry Blossom Festival DC. I used to love visiting this festival and the blossoms before I was a professional photographer, but I love it so much more now. Photographing couples among those puffy pink blossoms is so magical.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite sessions from the cherry blossoms in 2019: Jessica and Andrew. Believe it or not, it was actually pretty chilly the morning I photographed them, even though the sunrise at the Tidal Basin looked nice and warm. But they were total superstars and looked so sweet and in love, regardless of the cold temperatures.

What I really love about photographing at the cherry blossoms is the ability to get so many different looks out of my couples within a small amount of space. As I’m sure you can tell in the first silhouette photo, there are a lot of people around, whether they be tourists, photographers, runners or cyclists. So it’s always a fun challenge to see what I can create among this slight chaos. I actually talk about that a little bit in an article “5 Ways Photographers Get the Perfect Cherry Blossom Engagement Photo” the Washingtonian interviewed me for last year.

It’s hard to pick a favorite photo from the bunch, but I do have a few. I actually love the photos I took near a beautiful old cherry blossom tree that has a hole shaped like a heart in it. I knew if I found that tree one day I would want to use it in a photo, so it was a real treat to track it down and shine a light on it. However, I really love the last two photos from the session because those photos were totally unique. Can you guess what it is you’re seeing? It’s Jessica and Andrew’s reflection in a puddle! It’s such a different perspective of the gorgeous blossoms and I really like that it’s a little perplexing at first glance. Plus, they’re just so adorable laughing and having a good time that it’s hard not to love it. And them!

Thanks so much for taking the time to check out one of my favorite cherry blossom tidal basin portrait sessions!

Love,

Lisa

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When Do the Cherry Blossoms Peak in DC?

If you’re a big fan of the DC cherry blossoms and want to attend/photograph the Cherry Blossom Festival DC 2020, make sure you keep a close eye on those projected peak bloom dates. Last year they peaked on April 1st, and all of my portrait sessions happened between April 2nd and April 6th (at least with the yoshino cherry trees. Kwanzan cherry trees bloom roughly two weeks later). For up-to-date information, I always keep an eye on two websites: the National Parks Service and another called Cherry Blossom Watch 2020. Hope that helps and fingers crossed those yoshino cherry blossoms look magical again this year!

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About Lisa Boggs

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Arielle & Hugh's Garden Inspired Decatur House Wedding

It feels like just yesterday I was meeting Arielle and Hugh at a coffee shop in DC to get to know all about them and their pups, Champ and Charlie. You may remember them from their spontaneous snowy engagement session on DC’s National Mall around the time cherry blossoms were supposed to bloom (but, spoiler alert, we got a snowstorm instead!). Most recently they were married at the Decatur House in Washington, DC on a truly magical, early autumn day. Words cannot accurately describe how perfect their wedding day was from start to finish. CG & Co Events did a fantastic job of bringing their garden inspired wedding to life, and their wedding was so incredible, it was recently featured in Washingtonian Weddings. Many thanks to this amazing couple, Arielle and Hugh, for having me along to photograph their wedding day. It was truly an honor!

Thanks for looking! And many, many thanks to these fabulous vendors:

Photography: Lisa Boggs Photography

Venue: The Decatur House

Event Planning & Design: CG & Co Events

Florals: Amaryllis Floral and Event Design

Invitations: By Invitation Only Designs

Caterer: Spilled Milk Catering

Hair & Makeup Artist: Renata Lynette Makeup

Bride’s Attire: Leah da Gloria from Bridal Reflections

Groom’s & Groomsmen’s Attire: The Black Tux

Bridesmaids’ Attire: Amsale Bridesmaids

Music/Entertainment: Fusion Band

Jessica & Tom's Autumn Inspired Larriland Farm Engagement Session

Jessica and Tom's autumn inspired engagement session took place at Larriland Farm. While there, they picked beets, walked in wildflowers, and also picked their own apples in the orchard. The weather was cool and crisp, the perfect fall inspired day!

Lisa Boggs of Lisa Boggs Photography is a DC wedding photographer located in Great Falls, Virginia. Lisa Boggs has been photographing weddings, engagements and portraits for over 13 years and primarily photographs in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Her photos have been described as classic, romantic, candid and artistic. She has won several accolades over the years, including Editor's Pick by Washingtonian Weddings, WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards and several Fearless Photographers Awards. She has over-100 five-star reviews on WeddingWire (with more five-star reviews on The Knot, Facebook and Google) and is incredibly thankful to all of her clients for their continuing love and support. When Lisa isn't photographing, you can find her networking with other photographers as the leader of Capital Area Photographers, a DC wedding and portrait photographers group that promotes continuing education for local photographers. Lisa is also a huge fan of her family, friends, wine, coffee, chocolate, popcorn and Netflix. To learn more about Lisa Boggs and her work, please contact lisa@lisaboggsphotography.com or call 571-432-8469.

Natalie and Eddie's Holiday Baseball-Inspired Wedding at The Willard in Washington, DC

I’m so excited to share Natalie and Eddie’s baseball-inspired wedding at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel with you today! You may remember Natalie and Eddie from their two engagement sessions, one at The Kennedy Center and one at the Washington National’s Park. So, I’m sure you understand that they are no strangers to baseball by now (hint: they met while working for the Washington Nationals)!

This wedding was such a joy for me. Natalie and Eddie are really the cutest, goofiest, loveliest couple and I was thrilled to capture their wedding day. I also love weddings during the holiday season, so I was very amped up for the baseball decor mixed with some holiday decor as well! Emily of Karson Butler Events did a fantastic job of merging the two looks into a seamless, gorgeous design that we all loved!

I have too many photos I love to pick favorites, so just enjoy the entire bunch below! And if you want an even more detailed write-up of this fabulous couple, Washingtonian Weddings printed their wedding in the latest issue and also blogged about it. Hooray!

And don’t miss the incredible list of vendors at the bottom of the blog post. We couldn’t have done this wedding without them!

Photography: Lisa Boggs Photography

Event Planning & Design: Karson Butler Events

Ceremony: Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle 

Reception, Catering & Cake: Willard Intercontinental

Florist: Amaryllis Floral & Event Design

Invitations: Minted, Paper Source, Vintage Stamps

Hairstylist: Bridal Hair by Remona

Makeup Artist: Amie Decker Beauty 

Bride’s Attire: Tony Ward Couture, Kleinfeld Bridal 

Groom’s Attire: Brooks Brothers 

Bridesmaid’s Attire: Jenny Yoo, Amsale 

Groomsmen’s Attire: Vera Wang, Men’s Wearhouse 

Music: Marc Augenbraum DJ Services 

Videographer: Bowen Films 

Calligraphy: Laura Hooper Calligraphy

Rentals: DC Rental

Rings: Adeler Jewelers

Courtney and Patrick's DC Cherry Blossom Engagement Session

It feels like just yesterday that I was taking cherry blossom photos of Courtney and Patrick down at the Tidal Basin! Courtney, Patrick, their dog, Lucy, and dog watcher, Denise (Pat's mom), all met me at the MLK Memorial in the spring for some gorgeous engagement portraits. It was the perfect spring evening despite the crowds and a little bit of wind! We were able to get tons of different looks with the blossoms, but my absolute favorite photos were the silhouettes I took with Courtney and Patrick in front of the Washington Monument. I was able to get candids with other tourists, but we also did some with Denise walking Lucy in a couple of the frames, which was a nice personal touch! I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Arielle & Hugh's Snowy DC Engagement Photos

If you know me well, you know I love extreme weather. Whether it's a good thunderstorm or several inches of snow, I am always excited about it...and even more excited to photograph in it! So when I received a call from Hugh and Arielle on one of our snowiest days this spring asking if I'd be interested in photographing them in the snow, you bet I was thrilled! I packed up my things and left quickly to meet them at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.

Arielle and Hugh were already slated to have a cherry blossom engagement session with me, so I was pretty pleased when they spontaneously switched it to a snowy engagement session. I knew they were going to bring their two dogs, Champ and Charlie, regardless of what we did, and I have to say...those dogs loved the snow! I think I can speak for all of us that the snow was really magical that day. We were all in such high spirits and I was able to capture very fun, playful and joy-filled photos. I really can't get enough of this adorable couple and their dogs!

I hope you enjoy the photos below! And many thanks to Arielle, Hugh, Champ, Charlie and dog-wrangler extraordinaire, Niki, for such a fun time. P.S. Love the photo of Niki hitting Arielle and Hugh with a surprise snowball! Ha!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Patti & Ian's Engagement Session at Old House Vineyards

Patti and Ian are two of the nicest, most genuine people you will ever meet. When they asked me to do an engagement session for them at their wedding venue, Old House Vineyards, I leaped at the opportunity for a practice run! The three of us shared a little wine before our photo session officially started, which of course was the best idea ever. We had so much fun together and you can really see the connection between Patti and Ian in these photos. Each photo makes me smile so much! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Lisa Boggs Photography Voted Editors Pick by Washingtonian Bride and Groom and and Best of NOVA by Northern Virginia Magazine!

We're excited to share that for 2017 we received a couple of unexpected accolades! In case you missed it, at the beginning of 2017 Washingtonian Bride & Groom picked Lisa Boggs Photography as editor's pick out of 64 of DC's best wedding photographers. Eek! Then, a few months later, Northern Virginia Magazine informed us we'd been voted Best Wedding Photographer for 2017.

Both of these accolades were a complete surprise and we are beyond grateful for the recognition among so many talented wedding photographers in the greater DC area. Thanks for following Lisa Boggs Photography and cheering for us along the way!

Love,

Lisa

Nicole's Cherry Blossom Washington, DC Bridal Portraits

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for spring! So today I'm sharing Nicole's cherry blossom bridal portraits from this past spring to get everyone ready for warm weather and flowering blooms!

Nicole and I both are a little obsessed with cherry blossoms. If you were around this past spring, you may recall that the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington, DC's Tidal Basin were a little lackluster! However, both Nicole and I know that right after the Yoshino trees bloom come the Kwanzan cherry blossoms (think a little more pink and extra puffy)! So, we knew we had to at least check out the Kwanzan cherry trees on Hains Point in East Potomac Park. 

We were thrilled to discover that the Kwanzan blossoms looked amazing! So Nicole turned on her inner model in her Berta bridal gown and Jimmy Choo shoes and we got some stunning photos of her. Yay! I hope you love these photos as much as I do!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Allie & Connor's Old Town Alexandria Engagement Session

I'm super excited to share Allie and Connor's Old Town engagement portraits today! Allie and Connor were so much fun to work with. I really loved their outfits as they had so much color. But most of all, I really loved how Allie and Connor laughed through their whole engagement session. They really had a great time with each other and it showed!

Allie and Connor, I simply love these photos and I can't wait until your wedding later this year! Enjoy!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Emily & Andy's Fairmont Hotel Washington DC Wedding

I'm so excited to share Emily and Andy's wedding with you today! Emily and Andy were married at Epiphany Catholic Church and the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC. Their wedding was right around July 4th, but lucky for us, the weather was more like a gorgeous spring day!

As you can see from the photos, everyone was giddy with excitement the entire day. My favorite photos are of Emily and Andy when they're laughing! The best is when they're laughing with their family and friends on the dance floor. You can just feel the love!

I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do! Many thanks to Emily, Andy and their family and friends for including me in this special day!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Ashley and Tom's New Years Eve Wedding at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington DC

I'm finally blogging one of my most epic weddings of all time! Ashley and Tom were married on New Years Eve last year at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. It was a seriously beautiful wedding for two seriously beautiful people. Ashley and Tom are two of the nicest individuals you will ever meet, so I was honored they picked me among an incredible group of vendors to join in their special day!

It's really hard to describe how jaw-droppingly gorgeous this wedding was. The Perfect Palette, who featured their wedding thanks to our florist, Holly Heider Chapple Flowers, does a much better job of it! All I can say is you couldn't help be wowed by everything. They had custom bars, a cigar lounge, a chandelier wedding cake, a wall of escort party horns, a server wearing a metal skirt carrying champagne glasses and even...to my delight...an actual ball drop! It was truly a spectacular event and I am lucky to have been a part of it.

Many thanks to the seriously incredible team of vendors on this one, but especially to Kelley Cannon Events for pulling off such an amazing event! Cheers to a brand new year! 

Vendor Dream Team:

Venue and Catering: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Photography: Lisa Boggs Photography

Planning: Kelley Cannon Events

Floral Design: Holly Heider Chapple Flowers

Decor, Lighting, Draping & Furniture Rental: Event Revolution

Invitations & Day-of Paper: Paperzest

Calligraphy: Just Write Studios

Tabletop Rentals, Linens, and Chairs: DC Rental and Party Rental Ltd.

Cake: Fluffy Thoughts Cakes

Ceremony Music: Sage String Quartet

Cocktail Hour Music: Jason Masi

Reception Music: Nation

Videography: Bowen Films

Photo Booth: Bialek's Music

Tent: Sugarplum Tents

Vintage Rentals for Cigar Tent: Bella Villa

Cigar Rolling: Cigar Row

Inflatables and Casino Games: Big Country Amusements

Transportation: Point to Point Limo

Horse and Carriage: Carriages of the Capital

Hair and Makeup: Creative Hair and Makeup Design by Perry Warren

Bridal Boutique: Elegance by Roya

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Nicole and Dave's Old Town Alexandria Engagement Session

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of photographing Nicole and Dave's engagement photos in Old Town Alexandria! Nicole and Dave were so much fun. They were cute, playful and genuinely had a great time with each other. We wandered around the streets and photographed with lots of interesting pieces of Old Town, but the most interesting person we found was Sean Spicer peeking out of a window. It was hysterical!

I hope you enjoy these photographs from our session! Nicole and Dave, I love these and can't wait for your wedding this spring! Hooray!

Ashley and Tom's Georgetown and Carnegie Institution for Science Wedding!

My first wedding of 2014 was with the most amazing couple ever, Ashley and Tom.  When I met first Ashley, I wanted to work with her instantly.  She is one of the sweetest individuals with the biggest, brightest smile I have ever seen.  We also figured out we have a ton of connections: she went to college with one of my high school soccer pals (who even recommended me!) and she lived and worked in my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, which is where Tom proposed (more specifically in Noshville Delicatessen, a local fav)!  So when she officially hired me I was ecstatic and couldn't wait for their big day. Ashley and Tom's wedding was simple and classic.  They both got ready at the Loews Madison, a very clean and minimal hotel (perfect for details and portraits).  You'll note very quickly that I became a huge fan of their outdoor terrace that had giant green hedges!  One of my favorite shots of the day was what I call an unconventional family portrait.  When we were leaving the Madison, Ashley and her family walked out out together (the family all holding the veil) and they were all smiles and excited to leave for the ceremony.  I just love it because it's not your typical family photo!

Ashley and Tom's ceremony was at St. John's Episcopal Georgetown Parish.  My favorite photo of the day was taken literally just after Ashley and Tom had recessed down the aisle and passed through the blue church doors.  That excitement of being newlyweds was so palpable and I love that you can see it in the photo!  After we left Georgetown, we made our way to the reception space at Carnegie Institution for Science.  There are so many photos I love from the Carnegie, but the one that sticks out is of Tom's two groomsmen photobombing the bridesmaids photo.  That photo gives you a good indication of just how fun-loving and happy everyone was at Ashley and Tom's wedding!

Ashley and Tom, thank you so much for having me photograph you wedding!  You were an incredible couple to work with and I hope you enjoy your photos as much as I do.  And many thanks to my second shooter, Kristi Odom, and wedding planner extraordinaire, Tabitha Roberts, of Roberts and Co. Events!  Enjoy!

Mia and Rob's Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Wedding!

There is so much to love about Mia and Rob's wedding that took place at the Daughters of American Revolution Museum!  First off, their color palette was amazing.  You'll know straight away with the photos what I mean.  I love that they used a paint splatter of yellow, pink and purple on their invites, and they carried those colors through their flowers, table decorations, and even their uplighting at their reception.  Secondly, they used their rottweiler, Paige, as an inspiration for their reception decor.  They even had people sign a portrait of her!  Anyone who is willing to use their dog as part of their wedding has my seal of approval! Mia and Rob's big day began at The Willard in Washington, D.C.  We were able to get some great getting ready photos, followed by Mia and Rob's super cute first look!  Afterward, even though it started raining slightly, Mia, Rob and their fearless gang (the wedding party) began the journey on foot over to the DAR!  By the time we arrived the rain stopped and we were able to capture some really awesome photos just outside the DAR and then on the roof!  Personally, I'm obsessed with that rooftop view.  I love that I can see the Washington Monument and then turn and get a really crazy picture of the green copper facade of the DAR.  So cool!

Due to the threat of rain, the ceremony was inside under the DAR's portico.  It was still really beautiful, and both Mia and Rob looked like they were having the time of their lives tying the knot!  Afterward I took a few more photos of Mia and Rob on the roof and then it was time for the reception!  I still can't get over all of the amazing bright colors they used and how it all tied in perfectly. After dinner, Mia switched into her second dress of the evening before their first dance.  I particularly loved the uplighting outside which was rotating all of their signature colors.  Another awesome detail Mia and Rob had was...a donut stand!  It was torture for a gluten-free eater such as myself, but man, those cake donuts looked amazing!  To end the night, I took Mia and Rob back upstairs on the roof and lit them up with the green facade of the DAR and the very beautiful Washington Monument.  I told you I couldn't get enough of that view!  :)

Many thanks to Mia, Rob and their families and friends for letting me be a part of their big day.  And also, many thanks to all of the incredible vendors they used.  This wedding was a WIN!

Photographer: Lisa Boggs Photography

Planner: My Simple Details

Catering: Susan Gage 

Venue: DAR Museum

Videographer:  Thomas Bowen Films

Makeup: Jan Scott

Hair: Hair by Jewels

Musicians: Chris Dunn

Officiant: Jesus  Rivera

Donuts: Carpe Donut

Cake: Fluffy Thoughts

Furniture Rentals: AFR Event Furnishings

Flowers: Petals and Hedges

Lighting: A2Z Music Factory

DJ: Mike Ramos of DJ Glyde and Washington Talent

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Mia and Rob's Daughters of the American Revolution Museum Wedding - Sneak Peek!

This past weekend I had the honor of photographing Mia and Rob's wedding in downtown DC at the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum!  This is one of my favorite shots of the whole day, taken on the roof of the DAR at night.  I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Helena and Dan's WWI Memorial Wedding!

It's pretty rare that I cry at weddings.  I'm usually so in the photography zone that even the sappiest of ceremonies don't really affect me...until now.  Helena and Dan's wedding had me crying, and here's why... Helena and Dan were married at the WWI Memorial a few weeks ago, and I have to say, they had one of the most beautiful, intimate ceremonies I've been to in a while.  Married among a small group family and friends, Helen and Dan shared the most moving sentiments toward one another in their vow exchange...particularly because they were creating a new family for themselves.  Dan has two children from a previous marriage, Marco and Gigi, and I knew before their wedding just how much Marco and Gigi meant to Helena.  Helena said the sweetest things about Dan and her new step-children during her vows.  She said she never would have imagined this life for herself, but said meeting Dan, Marco and Gigi was the best thing that's ever happened to her.  Aaaaaaaand that's when the tears started flowing from Helena, me, and plenty of others who were there!  But they were such happy tears, because knowing Helena and Dan found each other was just so wonderful.  They're truly an incredible couple, and their children, Marco and Gigi, are some of the sweetest, well-behaved kids I've ever met.

We weren't at the WWI Memorial for too long after the ceremony, so it allowed us to travel to lots of places in DC for photos!  Our first stop was Constitution Gardens, where we had to brave some baby geese (who hissed at us!) to get to the spot we wanted.  Afterward we headed to Meridian Hill Park for some beautiful shots (and yes, where I waded in some water), followed by some photographs near the National Gallery of Art.  We had such a fun time getting to travel around for a couple of hours and managed to get tons of different photos from the experience (this is where I plug to all brides to make room for portraits!  It pays off!  :D).  Marco and Gigi were along for the ride along with Helena's mom, and boy were they all great sports posing with us in all of these different spots!

Many thanks to Helena, Dan, Marco, Gigi, and the rest of their family and friends for allowing me to be a part of their special day!  You were all an absolute joy to work with!  I hope you love these photos!

P.S.  Notice some pretty stellar cuff links that Marco was sporting?  They were his lightsaber cuff links!  And it couldn't have been more appropriate, as Helena and Dan's wedding day was May 4th (May the Fourth be with you!).  ;)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Helena and Dan's WWI Memorial Wedding - Sneak Peeks!

On Friday I was thrilled to be able to photograph Helena and Dan's wedding at the WWI Memorial in Washington, DC.  Their intimate wedding was absolutely beautiful (I cried, a lot!), and then we traveled around DC taking some more photos of the happy couple and family.  Here are two sneak peeks I really loved, one in front of a WWI Memorial column, and the next at the fountains at the National Gallery of Art.  I hope you enjoy them!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Elizabeth and Auden's Washington, DC Wedding!

Elizabeth and Auden are definitely my most-traveled couple of the year.  When I first heard from Elizabeth, I received an email from her indicating she would love to hear more about me and Skype some night about her DC wedding.  Why Skype, you might wonder?  Oh, you know, because she was living in Malaysia! She and Auden used to live in the DC area, relocated to Malaysia for a couple of years, and were actually moving back to DC briefly (for their wedding!) and then heading off to Leeds, UK after that!  Yowzas!  However, even with all of that going on, Elizabeth was calm and collected and explained how everything was going to work for their big day.  She informed me they were getting married at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in DC with a reception to follow at The Women's National Democratic Club.  Then she dropped the word "brunch" in the description of her reception, and my mouth started watering (very Homer Simpson-like I might add), and I knew that Elizabeth and Auden had to be mine!  Fortunately, they did book me, and I'm proud to present their wedding photos! The day of the wedding was beautiful!  We started at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, which I completely fell in love with at our walk-through.  The history involved with their church is pretty amazing, especially because President Abraham Lincoln and his family were pew holders just shortly after his inauguration.  So, quite a few of the rooms that Elizabeth and Auden got ready in were historic and antique looking.  One of my favorite shots of the day is Auden with his best man sitting under a portrait of Abraham Lincoln...trying to mimic Abraham Lincoln's pose and gaze.  I think they did a pretty great job too!  :)  My other favorite shots of the day were from our walk to Dupont Circle, right before we entered the reception at The Women's National Democratic Club.  The wind was kicking up due to some incoming weather, so I loved seeing Elizabeth's happy reaction to her veil flying all around!  The reception was lovely and aside from the actual brunch (which yes, I did eat), I loved photographing the gorgeous petifores (check out the cute mice!) and cake.  Elizabeth's background is in baking, so it's no wonder her desserts were so awesome!  Their rose petal exit happened just before the rain started pouring, and I couldn't have been happier with that.  I had an absolute blast being part of Elizabeth and Auden's special day, and I hope you enjoy the photos.  Thank you so much, Elizabeth and Auden!  I hope you enjoy your new home in Leeds, UK!

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa

Briean and Casey's Hurricane Irene Wedding - Part Two!

If you missed part one of Briean and Casey's Hurricane Irene wedding, go here!  Otherwise, keep reading for some recap of the reception, along with some gorgeous detail and reception photographs! By this time of the wedding we have made it passed the insane outdoor photos with the wedding party and happy couple, Briean and Casey.  Everyone, of course, got completely drenched in the rain, even with umbrellas! Our umbrellas, unfortunately, were no match for the 25-30 mph winds outside, but they did make for some lovely props!  :D

After all the craziness, heading indoors at The Sunset Room at National Harbor was such a nice, warm welcome!  The room was simply stunning, and really captured the essence of Briean and Casey's nautical theme I had heard so much about.  I don't even know where to begin on the amount dedication that Briean and Casey put into their details!   So I'll just start listing all of my favorites:  wooden sailboats as table "escort cards," wooden oars for guests to sign (that Briean and Casey can later display in their home), nautical lanterns as table centerpieces, Briean and Casey's favorite Bethany Beach go-to places as table names (all neatly framed, of course), a giant porcelain boat to hold all of the beer, cocktail napkins with questions about Briean and Casey on them (in the wedding colors, obviously), roped boat knots lining the cocktail chairs and a "Hail to the Hurricane" signature cocktail added the day before the wedding.  Other amazing details were the simple white cake with a gorgeous giant flower, made my Purple Onion (mimicking the flower on Briean's sash she wore with her dress), plus ruby red slippers that Briean changed into for her "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" dance with her father.  See what I mean?  Briean and Casey had everything covered!

Aside from the details, I just really loved how excited and energetic the whole wedding reception was.  Yes, there was still a hurricane going on outside.  Yes, the lights would flicker every once in a while (particularly later in the evening, as things got worse the later it got).  Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed themselves!  The food was incredible thanks to Purple Onion and the dance floor was hopping thanks to DJ Blazin Hot (who came straight from Bethany Beach for the wedding!).  The speeches were incredibly touching and the love in the room was palpable.  I enjoyed every single minute of it!

One more thing I want to say is about the last photo I took, which ended up being one of my favorites of the whole wedding.  Something the Gaylord does down at the National Harbor every Saturday evening in the summer is have a fireworks show at 9:30 pm.  Briean and I had talked about that well in advance and had totally planned out the shot we were going to do with the fireworks in the background.  Well, needless to say, the fireworks were completely cancelled due to the hurricane.  However, throughout the night, I kept noticing how cool the raindrops looked on the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Sunset Room, particularly when they were backlit by some outdoor lights.  So, with the same shot in mind as the fireworks, I wanted to illuminate Briean and Casey and capture the window with raindrops in the background.  I was so stoked at the final result of that photograph, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  If it can't be fireworks, I'm definitely happy with this as a runner-up!

Thanks again to my gorgeous couple, Briean and Casey, and to their family and friends for allowing me to capture this incredible event amidst a hurricane.  I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!  :)

Thanks for looking!

Love,

Lisa