Jackie and Michael’s recent Historic London Town and Gardens wedding reinforced two lessons that the coronavirus pandemic has taught us. The first is that love can never be canceled. Sure, Jackie and Michael had to postpone their wedding for almost exactly a year. But they never let that delay get them down or dim their enthusiasm for their big day. The second thing that their wedding reminded us is that the best things in life are worth waiting for. The unscheduled interruption in their planning just made the joy they experienced on their wedding day that much sweeter.
London Town Weddings = Fun, Beautiful and Unforgettable
It didn’t hurt that they picked an absolutely gorgeous location for their marriage celebrations. Historic London Town and Gardens is a partially reconstructed colonial town and garden sanctuary just outside of Annapolis Maryland. From its lovely outdoor ceremony space with a view of the South River to its lush nature trails that are perfect for couples portraits to its intimate indoor dance floor area, the site is a great place to tie the knot. London Town weddings have everything a couple needs for a great wedding — acres of natural beauty, first-class facilities and an attentive staff!
Jackie and Michael really leaned into the “gardens” part of the Historic London Town and Gardens wedding experience. That wasn’t at all surprising to us, given that we did their engagement session in Scott’s Run Nature Preserve, a lovely forest park in Northern Virginia! In addition, both the bride and groom work in nature-related fields. Jackie spends her days improving coastal resiliency. Michael has done research on ecological diversity with a special focus on bees. So it was only “natural” (bad pun very much intended) that they tied the knot in a location that embraces the beauty of the outdoors.
Getting Ready for a Historic London Town and Gardens Wedding
Before her outdoor wedding ceremony, though, Jackie got into her wedding dress in the company of her mother, sisters and future sisters-in-law. It was a brief part of her day. But it was full of lovely little interactions between the bride and those closest to her. We created some unforgettable images that will preserve those moments for Jackie forever.
Personal Wedding Ceremony at Historic London Town and Gardens
After a few rounds of family and wedding party portraits, the main event was ready to begin. Jackie and Michael’s guests convened on Historic London Town and Gardens’ beautiful lawn for the wedding ceremony. All the action took place on a raised platform that offered a lovely vista behind the couple.
Jackie and Michael’s wedding ceremony had traditional Jewish elements like a chuppah, the bride and groom circling one another at the beginning and the smashing of the glass at the end. But it also had many other touches that made it personal and unforgettable. Instead of exchanging rings (the couple was already technically married), they scooped soil from their home states (Massachusetts and Maryland) into a pot and planted a special, long-lasting grass in it. The officiant (Michael’s sister) regaled the guests with stories about the couple that were both hilarious and touching. More importantly, though, they were very personal and gave great insight into what makes Jackie and Michael such a special couple.
Gorgeous Nature Wedding Photos on Historic London Town and Gardens Trails
Once Michael smashed the glass and the couple’s guests showered them with flower petals as the newlyweds exited the ceremony area, we did another quick round of family portraits. Then we took Jackie and Michael on a photo tour of Historic London Town and Gardens for their wedding portraiture. We started by getting some very romantic photos of them embracing in the middle of a grove of trees.
Afterwards, we walked down a staircase that winds through the woods and ends by the water. Once there, we took advantage of the gorgeous autumn afternoon light and got some beautiful portraits of the couple with Jackie’s veil blowing around them. Then we went deeper into the woods for some more creative nature wedding photos. We used some of the plants growing near the trail to frame the couple’s faces and highlight the obvious connection between the two of them. We particularly loved the photos we took using a heart-shaped leaf, which seemed especially appropriate given the occasion!
Raucous Historic London Town and Gardens Wedding Reception
With the formalities out of the way, Jackie, Michael and their guests were ready to really celebrate. Their Historic London Town and Gardens wedding reception started in a tent between the ceremony platform and the indoor dance floor. As the wedding guests began tucking into their dinners, various members of Jackie and Michael’s families gave speeches and toasts. Some were funny — Jackie’s sisters left the crowd wiping away tears of laughter. Others, like the one Michael’s brother offered, were touching. And finally, there were some speeches that were both. The father of the bride’s words and blessings made his daughter tear up and bust a gut laughing.
Jackie and Michael’s reception continued indoors on the dance floor. The couple’s first dance was a perfect encapsulation of everything that is special about their relationship. It was sweet, romantic and touching. You could see how much they loved each other. At the same time, their first dance was goofy and hilarious — just like the couple. One of the highlights was when Michael jumped into Jackie’s arms!
The fun continued after two very lovely parent dances. Jackie and Michael incorporated another Jewish wedding tradition into their reception celebrations: the hora. A few of their guests hoisted them into the air, and the rest circled round and round the newlyweds, shouting and singing as loud as they could.
The remainder of Jackie and Michael’s reception was no less rowdy. They and their guests sang, danced and partied like people who had been waiting a full year to celebrate their nuptials. We got so many great pictures of crazy dance-floor moves!
A special “thank you” to one of the sweetest, kindest and most genuine couples we’ve ever had the pleasure to photograph! We hope your wedding was everything you dreamed it would be.
Contact Us for More Information!
Interested in learning more about our services? Please visit our Wedding Photography FAQ page for answers to all your questions! Ready to inquire about our availability on your wedding date? Contact us now to get the conversation started!
Recent Comments