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Story and photos by Sarah Elizabeth Photos  I met the bride, Nikki, at another wedding in the Spring of 2019 while working together. She is also a creative, amazing videographer, and photographer. When we met last year to talk about her own wedding day, she had a very clear vision for what she wanted for her day at The Ritz Charles Garden Pavilion and painted it so well. It was so neat to show up on her wedding day and finally see all her dreams/plans come to life. There was a lot of DIY involved in this wedding and I love that she put her own personal “Nikki touch” to just about every part of this day. Talk about a very detail-intense wedding day, from her all exquisite bridal details to the blush & dusty blue goblets on the dinner …

Provided by The Residence Inn by Marriott Fair Lakes, Fairfax | Photos by Butterfly Photography Nestled in a quiet, residential area between I-66 and U.S. 50, The Inn by Marriott Fair Lakes, Fairfax comes as a delightful surprise to all who stumble upon it. If you live or travel in Northern Virginia, it is possible you have driven by this hotel countless times and did not even know it was there! This all-suite property built in 1997 has been a favorite for travelers for many years. After recently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation, it has a new secret to share! Two years ago, the hotel owners and management company approached General Manager Hannah Adlam seeking an alternative option to the high cost, rarely used outdoor pool that occupied a focal point at the center of the property. With her British …

Story and photos by Jennifer Alyssa Photography When you think of Summer, you think of yellow lemons, lemonade, blueberry sponge cake, fruits, mimosas, and your furry best friend by your side! This styled shoot at Paradise Spring, just east of Tampa, FL., was full of all of your summer dreams! We had a romantic, glamorous gown on the bride, and the groom brought along his “man’s best-friend” Labrador retriever named Logan! A DIY mimosa was available for the bride and her bridesmaids, with an assortment of fruits. The ceremony space was set as an intimate elopement, and the bride and groom had some snuggles before the picnic. The boho-glamorous picnic was full of fruits, fresh coconuts, and yummy macarons! This was a summer elopement styled shoot to remember!

Story and photos by Joshua Harrison Photography My vision for this event began with a luxurious blush tulle gown from Opal and June and blossomed from there. By the generous invitation of the Village of Lake Villa, we were able to craft our shoot at the city’s historic Lehmann Mansion, currently undergoing updates as a wedding venue and new restaurant. I partnered with Latasha Fields of L Prestigious Events NYC to plan and design this event. We paired the blush from the gown with a deep blue in honor of Pantone’s color of the year “Classic Blue” (PANTONE 19-4052). Latasha lovingly crafted blush “flower napkins” in keeping with our theme; and she curated numerous other small details to accent our tablescape. Because this event was planned and executed during Illinois’ Phase 4 of COVID reopening, we crafted scenes that would …

Story and photos by John Malloy Photography  If you’ve ever imagined a fairy tale wedding with a beautiful princess and a handsome prince, then you can envision exactly what we saw on the day of Danielle and Jacob’s wedding. In her stunning Hayley Paige gown, Danielle was the picture of loveliness, and Jacob looked as if he came right off the page of your favorite fairy tale romance. The whole day was incredible. The weather was perfect…warm and sunshiney for an October day. One of the sweetest couples I’ve ever met, Danielle and Jacob were so kind and appreciative. They first met at college. Danielle was studying for a test and thought she looked a mess, but when Jacob saw her, he thought she was gorgeous…especially her freckles. Later that same day, he happened to see her again. This time …

By Amanda Baity To first look or not to first look, THAT is the question. “First look” is a term that has developed in the modern age of wedding photography to  their ceremony. Whether or not to have a first look is a decision that many couples struggle with. In the past, the groom waited to see his bride on the wedding day until she walked down the aisle. This tradition originated with arranged marriages. When a couple was chosen for one another they were not allowed to see each other until the ceremony so that they wouldn’t have the chance to back out once they saw what each other looked like. Eek! Not the most romantic origin! Even though couples marry for love today, some still like to uphold this tradition. But more and more couples are deciding to …

Story by Bad Boss Bride Photos by Wicked Petunia Photography A styled bridal shoot turned into a surprise vow renewal! Caitlin and Matthew had a gorgeous large wedding planned unforeseen issues came up and they had to cancel that wedding and have a smaller courthouse wedding. But it was Caitlin’s dream to get married in nature. We asked Caitlin and Matthew to serve as models for our styled shoot and secretly planned a vow renewal with her husband Matthew to surprise her with!

Photos by Paulina Perrucci Photography

When a lady of Alpha Kappa Alpha fell in love with a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha, Amaya and Theo Woodley wrote a love story that was worth sharing. Like many true loves, Amaya and Theo had been right under each other noses all along, after meeting briefly on campus and reconnecting two years later. From college sweethearts to lifetime lovers, this couple begin their new life together with a daytime brunch wedding that exudes class and glamour, captured by Temilola Ajibulu Photo + Cinema. Q: How did you meet? Tell us about the proposal. A: Theo and I actually met my first day on campus at college as he was my assigned freshman orientation leader. We didn’t start actually dating until my junior year of college after we reconnected during the summer prior and we never looked back. Theo …

Story by Ivory and Pine Co Photos by Heartbrave Studios  Alanna and Jacob got married on August 25th, 2019…exactly 10 years to the day after their first date. They had been planning on a large wedding, to be held in Spring of 2020, but just were not enjoying the planning process the way they had dreamed. On an impulse, Alanna booked the Gwinnett County Historical Courthouse ballroom, 6 weeks in advance, and decided to have an intimate celebration instead! Everything came together beautifully. The weather was perfect, even a bit cool (very rare for August in Georgia!), and smiles were abundant. The bride’s sister made the cake and centerpieces, and her father built her a huge arbor to bring home after the wedding. Alanna found a dress she liked online and ordered it from China, sight-unseen. A few alterations later, …

Story by Shine Event Design Photos by Mariah Gentry Photography Ashley and Mike wanted their wedding to be a relaxed, elevated dinner party gathering all of their favorite people into the same space. Throughout their planning process, we worked to capture details that were unique to the couple. Using Ashley’s favorite color combination of marigold and deep purple, terrarium centerpieces featuring late summer live plants sat on each long communal table. The couple’s welcome sign and table numbers were custom created to feature a snapshot someone took during their engagement. As Mike got down on one knee, the sunset lit up the sky in shades of Ashley’s favorite colors. Next to Ashley, Mike’s favorite thing is pasta. The menu featured a blend of Stone Burner’s signature Pacific Northwest flavors with a hint of Tuscany featuring specialty pastas, herbed chicken, and …

Story & Decor by Amoda Decor Photos by Porter Watkins Photography This is a love story of Renu and Carl. The beautiful florals signify hope and persistence. It was the last wedding I decorated right before the COVID-19 madness broke out, and the bride had gone through two venues who had closed their doors, so she then pivoted and did a very quiet and intimate ceremony at her parents’ backyard. She was full of hope and love, ready to start her new life. And we were happy to be right there by her side to create a vibrant and happy setting for her wedding day. I so admire her positive energy. Beautifully captured by @porter_watkins