Abby & Christian | Clarendon Ballroom wedding | Arlington, VA

Abby and Christian were my last wedding couple in the United States and they took me out on a rockin' note! Clarendon Ballroom hosted these two for ceremony and reception, complete with big white Chinese lanterns in the ceiling and a kick-ass band to stir up the dance floor. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com We started the lovely Casal's De Spa and Salon in Clarendon. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comclarendon-ballroom-wedding-photographers-2 I was very lucky to have Julia along with me for one last day. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Meanwhile, back with the ladies... © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com It stopped raining just in time for us to do portraits outside. But first we had to hit up the metro. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Abby's dad is a huge selfie fan, so I insisted he grab one with me, too. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com We rocked out a couple of hardworking trees at a nearby park. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Then it was Ballroom time! © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Abby and Christian did a timeline thing I'd never seen: instead of being announced into a room full of guests, they started their first dance as the room was opened so nobody could run off and eat their salads right away. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comclarendon-ballroom-wedding-photographers-42 Odyssey killed it. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comclarendon-ballroom-wedding-photographers-50© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Abby's aunt and father can play the trombone, so they second-lined around the dance floor! © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com And they had a special banner to run through on the way out, punching their way on to glory. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Congratulations, you guys! Abby & Christian's vendor team: Coordination: Alesha with Capitol Romance Ceremony and reception venue: Clarendon Ballroom Catering: same Band: Odyssey Lighting: John Farr Lighting Design Officiant: Joyce Hilbery Hair & Makeup: Casal's De Spa Abby's adorable dress: Global Bridal Gallery Christian's dashing suit: JCrew Bridesmaids' dresses: Ann Taylor

Virginia & Jordan | Bon Air Park intimate wedding photography | Arlington, Virginia

Virginia and Jordan were married in a short and sweet ceremony at the lovely little Bon Air Park in Arlington, Virginia. They gathered up their nearest and dearest and the local rabbi to make things official and tied that knot, rose-garden style. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Jordan was the first on the scene. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Family assembled, it was go time at the trellis. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com It was a little chilly that morning, but you couldn't have asked for better sunlight. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Congratulations, you guys! © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com

Eva & Allen | Washington Masonic Memorial wedding | Alexandria, Virginia

Eva and Allen were married at the absolutely adorable St. Paul's Episcopal Church and threw a bangin' reception at the fantabulous George Washington Masonic Memorial in Old Town, Alexandria. These two suffered more than their fair share of wedding-related stress, but they shrugged every last bit of it off to dance the night away, masonic-style. But in the end, everything was downright stunning - from Eva's insane bouquet to the blinged-out main hall, and even the rain was the perfect drizzle to let us do our sparkly droplet photo without getting the happy couple soaking wet, while leaving room for cobblestone photos on Price Street. Eva and Allen: © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Thanks as always to Julia for doing the grunt work. We started the day at the Westin Alexandria. Check out the personalized robes! © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com These two do some of the best "serious" faces I've seen. George-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-5© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Ok you guys know I really don't give a rip about wedding flowers, but Eva's flowers were so ridiculously pretty - I must have delivered 15 damn photos of these things. But look at the little bits that fall down! I'm overdoing it. Sue me. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comGeorge-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-10George-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-12 We were all very pleasantly surprised when previously no-photos-ever church lady had normal church lady restrictions and I could hang in the back and snap away. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Marriage squared away with the higher power, we rolled by Prince Street for a handful of cobblestone photos, dodging raindrops, before finishing up at the upper hall in the Memorial. George approved begrudgingly. George-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-23© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com More pictures of flowers. Am I turning into a sap? I'll balance with booze. George-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-27 Not gonna lie, I loved this venue. I could shoot here every day. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com They played the shoe game a way I'd never seen it: with "face kabobs". Each guest got a picture of Eva and Allen either as adults or babies, taped to a popsicle stick. You know that was great, visually. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Aaaand messy cake pictures. Now this is the kind of thing I normally blog about. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comGeorge-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-47© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.comGeorge-Washington-masonic-memorial-wedding-photography-52 Watch me whip. Watch me nae nae. © 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com© 2015 Amber Wilkie Photography | www.amberwilkie.com Congratulations, you guys! Eva and Allen's vendor team: Coordination: Graceful Weddings Ceremony venue: St. Paul's Episcopal Church Reception venue: George Washington Masonic Memorial Getting-ready venue: Westin Alexandria Catering: Windows Catering (Fun fact: they own catering.com! Also, they fed us the first course - soup - a first for me in six years of shooting weddings (In addition to the main)! ) Florist: The Enchanted Florist DJ: Jake Ritchie with Dream Day DJs Uplighting: Washington Celebrations Ceremony string quartet: Perfect Harmony String Ensemble Hair & Makeup: Kris Clark Eva's beautiful gown: Bridals by Natalie Allen's dashing tux: Knot Standard