Aimee & Richard: Married! | Monkton, MD

Aimee and Richard got married in the woods.  Basically everyone they know contributed something to the wedding - from the cake to the officiant, their wedding was about as personalized as it is possible to be.  I found out that Aimee made (almost?) every decoration at the lodge and crafted *three* pieces of jewelery for each of her bridesmaids.  Her craftiness is the stuff of legend. Their DIY wedding was humble and warm and lovely.  It was an honor to photograph it. wedding and portrait photographer Amber Wilkie bride getting ready in monkton, maryland bride putting on dress with brown sash bridesmaids helping put on wedding sash Aimee's mom is so unbelievably cute.  She teared up a bit when she saw Aimee in her dress.  *sigh*  This is the kind of moment that makes wedding photography sing for me. mom tearing up at seeing bride in wedding dress mom hugs daughter on wedding day bride getting hairsprayed I was fortunate to have the awesome Doug Pettway along for the ride.  Doug caught some of the guy action and there's a few other photos of his sprinkled in here and there.  Thanks again Doug! groom laughing in cabin groom getting ready at camp puh'tok groomsmen in a circle I love Aimee's glance into the circle right before it was time for everybody to start walking. bride right before she walks down the aisle father of the bride walks bride down aisle grooms sees bride for the first time Aimee and Richard did their thing at Camp Puh'Tok up in Monkton, MD.  I was soooo digging the giant eagle over their ceremony site in the council ring.  Not too many people can say their wedding was presided over by a massive eagle. wedding at the council circle at camp puh'tok bride and groom during wedding ceremony in monkton, md bride and groom and bridesmaids with blue dresses round wedding ceremony bride and groom during wedding ceremony in monkton, md wedding ceremony in northern maryland walking away after wedding ceremony bridal party with totem pole bride and groom kissing under giant eagle bride and groom witih totem pole bride and groom portraits at camp puh'tok wedding photographer Amber Wilkie Pretty sure this is the point where I told them to look happy, but not "short bus" happy. bride and groom laughing during portraits bride and groom on camp puh'tok stairs I had to fight the bees for this tree.  I won. wedding ring shot in black and white bride and groom being announced hacienda at camp puh'tok guests at the pool at hacienda lounging in the pool at a wedding reception Turns out Aimee sings in a band! This girl does everything. bride singing with hollertown camp puh'tok details and scenery diy centerpieces at wedding wedding decorations at thunderbird lodge bride and groom dancing during first dance everyone joins in the dancing at thunderbird lodge bride and groom cutting cake epic wedding dancing shot mother and father of the groom dancing guest dancing crazy at wedding dancing at the wedding reception light painting with bride and groom at camp puh-tok

Aimee & Richard: Married! | Sneak Peek

Aimee and Richard absolutely destroyed it yesterday at their amazing DIY wedding up in Monkton, MD.  The setting was so beautiful and the families and friends so warm and happy, I doubt anyone noticed the mugginess.  That is to say,  you guys do a really great job of pretending you're not sweaty. Congratulations!! black and white photographs of bride and groom light painting at wedding in northern maryland

Erica & Bruce: Married! | Miracle Valley | Delaplane, VA

Bruce is a man of huge integrity.  How do I know?  Because he had the balls to hit on Erica after she finished cleaning his teeth.  Yes, they met in her dentist's office! These two had a gorgeous wedding with their families and closest friends at Miracle Valley Vineyard out in Delaplane, Virginia.  The sun was just setting as we set out to do portraits, so we had to move fast, but Erica and Bruce really knocked it out of the park.  They even let me experiment a bit in the barrel room. Wedding photographer Amber Wilkie glowing sunlight before wedding ceremony groomsmen at miracle valley vineyard Bruce actually proposed to Erica right here at the vineyard.  How sweet is it to get married where you got engaged? father of the bride with bride in grape vines wedding ceremony at miracle valley vineyard prayer during wedding ceremony wedding ceremony at vineyard wedding ceremony at sunset in delaplane, virginia bride and groom recessional in delaplane, va Even though Virginia is jam-packed with vineyards and wineries, this was the first wedding I've had the pleasure of shooting in one.  The scenery, the grapes, the symmetry... it was too much for this wedding photographer!  Plus, it's pretty hard to take a bad pictures of these two. bride and groom pictures in black and white bridal portrait in vineyard mother of the groom checks out the ring wedding pictures at miracle valley vineyard walking away at miracle valley vineyard bridal picture in grapevines bridal portrait in virginia northern virginia wedding photography black and white wedding pictures in vineyard wedding portraits at miracle valley vineyard It was Erica's idea to shoot on this cobblestone fence.  Nice move! cobblestone fence at miracle valley vineyard Okay now this one is a first for me.  Not gonna lie, when Erica said she wanted "black and white and blurry" pictures, I was kinda skeptical, but then she sent me a link and I went ohhhhhhh.  Truth is, I wasn't sure how to achieve the effect she was looking for until I accidentally stumbled across it while processing the engagement session I posted on the blog last week.  I think it looks kinda cool! black and white and blurry wedding photos Finally, the barrel room.  I visited the vineyard a couple weeks before their wedding while doing the whole visit-vineyards-and-get-boozed thing with friends.  I just happened to catch someone walking into the room and I cajoled them into letting me peek in.  I knew I had to shoot in there and Erica and Bruce were more than accommodating. Sometimes I give my couples scenes to act out when I'm posing them so they can get into it.  This one was "okay you've just stolen away from the reception for some alone time - go!" and then they full-on made out.  It was awesome!  Sooooo great when my couples can be uninhibited around me.  Or was it the wine...? wedding portrait in vineyard barrel room Congratulations, you guys!  And good luck with the move!