I have been blogging A LOT of wedding related photos lately so I thought for Father’s Day it would be nice to post a recent family session. Sylvia + Doug have amazing children and they were all so much fun to work with. When we originally started talking about where to shoot I just got more and more excited. Sylvia expressed her attraction to the outdoors and later presented Loch Raven Reservoir as an option. Little did she know that Loch Raven is one of my all time favorite places in Maryland to work and play!  The drive through the tall pine trees set the atmosphere just right for this relaxed summer evening. The sun was shining, warm…but not hot, and the light danced happily through the leaves overhead. Everyone was wearing cool tones of blues + greens with a few fun patterns in there. It was great to see the family looking so coordinated but each person looking like themselves too. What a wonderful family! Enjoy!

Wait for it! Look how awesome the energy shift is between the image above and the image below with the silly glasses. What a great idea! I highly recommend bringing something small and fun to lighten the mood, especially with young children.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the last two images!

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This was truly a special wedding for me to photograph. Jeff is my oldest friend. We have known each other since three and four years old and we grew up next door to one another. When he and Kari approached me about photographing their backyard wedding I couldn’t have been more excited! The celebration was originally supposed to be in Washington DC but the two decided it would be more meaningful and fun to celebrate at Jeff’s childhood home with a reception in their family garden. I traveled back to Baltimore to capture their big day and feel completely spoiled to have been able to walk across the street to “work” for the event. Even though it rained ALL week long leading up to their Sunday affair, the weather turned out to be just perfect. I love this image of them sharing a quiet moment while their family and friends enjoy the good eats. Can’t wait to share more…

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After spending a week with my camera in the Texas dessert I couldn’t wait to photograph Louann + Chase’s Garden Wedding at Hodges Gardens State Park. I knew there were going to be lots of little details to capture and I knew I was going to be spending the night in a cabin. I was stoked. Louisiana has had one of the most beautiful and mild spring seasons I have experienced since I moved to New Orleans in 2005. Headed north west to Florien, LA for the wedding I was certain it was going to be lovely outside all weekend. Not so. 102 degrees…humid…hot…stifling…and ALL outdoors. Needless to say I was guzzling water as often as possible, moving a little slower than usual (I lie…I still ran around like a mad woman), and crossing my fingers that the humidity wasn’t rain ringing our doorbell.

Louann + Chase had me completely impressed!!! As did their amazing friends and family. Everyone came together to set up the ceremony and reception space. ALL of the details, decorations, and table dressings were put together by the guests in attendance. Louann set up their ceremony space before the wedding…talk about having a personal touch. I couldn’t believe how gracefully the bride and groom moved through the day with all of the challenges and work to be accomplished. As you know, nothing goes as planned on a wedding day…especially a DIY wedding like this one. In the end the day turned out to be so  beautiful! It only rained for a little while in the beginning (you can see the drops in the photo of Louann’s dress hanging on the cabin porch) and the light in the evening was as delicious as the sweet tea! What kind of southern wedding would it be without sweet tea and strawberry lemonade anyhow?! ♥

Enjoy!

I forgot to mention that at the end of the night…hours after the reception had ended and I was relaxing in the cabin…there was the most awesome lighting storm across the lake that lasted through the night!!! Despite the clouds on the other side the stars shone brightly overhead. Louann + Chase packed their car up at this point to head to the airport…they didn’t want to wait another second to get to St. Lucia for their honeymoon. I hope they’re  having a great time there!

-G. Chapin-

The post • Louann + Chase • Just Married!!! appeared first on G. Chapin Studios.

The southern accents and sweet tea were flowing on this 102 degree day at Hodges Gardens State Park. Louann and Chase looked amazing…despite the outrageous heat! Look how well their cake held up too. I can’t wait to share more from this lovely garden wedding. There were so many amazing details including homemade blackberry jam and a stunning vintage sofa. Isn’t the light just delicious in that first image?! ENJOY!

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Rae + Adam had a unique DIY wedding with a travel theme at the Marigny Opera House. It was the last wedding the venue plans to hold and I am SO SO SO glad I was able to be there. There were so many amazing little details at this New Orleans wedding that I had trouble selecting images to share! Traveling is one of their favorite things to do together and that became the main focus of their decor. From the personalized globe that was gifted to them from Rae’s best friend (did I remember that right?!) to all of the beautiful old books that lined the long tables, the wedding was truly stunning!

Rae gave to each of her “unbridesmaids” a different book to thank them for all of their help throughout the planning process and the day. She spent time selecting something personal for each girl and wrote a special note on the inside…all of the girls teared up and laughed and smiled! I have to say, those girls earned their gifts wholeheartedly as they all pulled together to flip the ceremony space for dinner. During the cocktail hour they worked to pull tables into the room and repurpose some of the ceremony decor for the centerpieces. The glass bottles looked so lovely with the star lights inside of them…and what a wonderful glow they created for dinner with the tall candles. ♥ When I say every little detail was considered, I mean it…AMAZING! The last image in this post is one of my favorite ring photos ever!!! ENJOY!

Venue: Marigny Opera House

Planning // Day of Coordiation: Andrea Butson with Vim and Verve

Catering: Laura Arrowood

Desserts: Dawn at Shake Sugary

Rentals: Your Event Delivered

Photobooth: Deep Fried Photo

After Party Venue: Pravda

If you worked on this wedding and don’t see a credit above for your business, please let me know!

The post • Rae + Adam • Just Married!!! appeared first on G. Chapin Studios.

Madison + Chris weren’t able to take advantage of their engagement session before the wedding. Deciding to wait until after the wedding for a newlywed session was a great idea! We all were really able to enjoy ourselves and make some really beautiful images without any pressure to have them done by a certain time. Originally we were going to work in the evening but we decided to switch to a sunrise session in the French Quarter and I am SO SO SO glad!!! ♥

It was still nice and cool out, the light was beautiful, and the streets were quiet. Anyone who has been to the Quarter knows that this combination of things rarely happens except during the early morning hours on a weekday. I can’t wait to share more…but here is a little tid bit to get your Monday off to a pretty start.

If you love these share em!!! ♥

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Madison + Christopher’s wedding ceremony at City Park was absolutely gorgeous! The tall Live Oaks sprawl and hug the guests beneath. Spanish moss hangs above. Dusk twinkles through the dancing branches. Their reception to follow at Margarete Gardens had all the charm and character I’ve come to expect from a Southern Wedding. Whether it’s charm in decoration or charm in manners…it’s always there. The weather was to die for, just right for April in New Orleans. Christopher’s reaction to seeing Madison for the first time at the end of the isle was priceless and his love for Madison is obvious! I just adore working around such happy moments. The good times carried through to the end of the reception. There was much eating, drinking, dancing, laughing, and even a few adorable tears. ♥

Ceremony Venue: City Park New Orleans

Reception Venue: Margaret Gardens

Flowers:

Music:

Catering:

Hair + Makeup:

-G. Chapin-

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♥ I LOVE Spring Weddings!!!

Here is a pretty sneak peek from Steve + Amanda’s wedding at the Gramercy Mansion in Baltimore, MD. It rained most of the day so we were really lucky to get a few moments in the garden (though it felt more like a swamp) with some pretty light. The last image is probably my favorite. I just love the light purple flowers that were in bloom!!! I am seriously IN LOVE with Amanda’s dress…it’s so beautiful!!!!

-G. Chapin-

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I had such a lovely time photographing this wedding at Oregon Ridge Park in Maryland!!! The weather was perfect and so were the Bride + Groom. I’ll have to update the vendor information for this wedding soon but I can’t wait that long to share the photos!!! ♥ Jamie + Eric were brilliant to plan their wedding in the Concert Shell at the park. It was a super windy day but the shell gave them protection from that without feeling like an indoor space. Their guests had a beautiful view of the park hillside, plenty of sunshine, and that perfect spring air that classifies a May wedding. The Lodge was just a few feet away and provided a nice open space for their reception. The dark wood and giant fireplace gave it such a cozy, rustic feel. I loved the lights that hung above all the giant windows too!

One of the best parts about this wedding (selfishly for me, eeek!) was that Jamie + Eric decided to see each other before the ceremony. This meant we had a ton of time during some of the prettiest light of the day for Bride + Groom portraits! You’ll see they have quite the variety of backdrops and locations (all within steps of the lodge). The wedding party photos were all done before the ceremony as well. I liked that they kept their family formals planned for afterwards though. They both felt like this kept an element of the traditional build up you experience at a wedding where the bride and groom wait to see each other. This way, their extended family members didn’t see them all dolled up until Jamie walked down the isle. The best of both worlds if you ask me!

Without talking too much…I hope you enjoy the photos!!!

Day of Coordination: Michelle Cardoso Mendes

Ceremony Venue: Oregon Ridge Park, Concert Shell

Reception Venue: Oregon Ridge Park, Sequoia Room

Cake: Angela Cassano

Flowers: This was a DIY project!!

Hair : Holly Burnham

Make up: Vanessa Pike

DJ // MC: Brandon King

Sound // Lighting: Tom Stevens (bigtsound@gmail.com)

Graphic Design: Jessica Fast

Catering: Hasslinger Golden Clipper

Look at that beautiful cake by Angela Cassano!!! I just adore the simple design and colors.

Their first dance was BEAUTIFUL!!! Eric started by walking Jamie around the entire dance floor…showing off his gorgeous new wife to the room. They moved lightly together as if they had danced this very one a million times already. I couldn’t have asked for prettier lighting either.

Jamie stayed up until 2am the night before her wedding to finish the life size polaroid style frame. Guests were having so much fun throughout the reception taking photos with their friends and of course with the Bride + Groom. Eric’s grandfather even posed for a photo behind the frame after breakin’ it down on the dance floor. ♥

I seriously love Jamie’s gold glitter TOMS!!! They looked adorable with her tea length dress, mimicked the glitter heals she had on earlier, and kept her on the dance floor comfortably all night. ♥ If you want to stay comfy too, click here!!!

Such lovely colors to end on. Congratulations Jamie + Eric!!! ♥  I hope you love your photos as much as I do.

-G. Chapin-

The post • Jamie + Eric • Just Married!!! appeared first on G. Chapin Studios.

I just LOVE this first dance photograph of Jamie + Eric on their wedding night! I can’t wait to share more from this stunning couple and their Oregon Ridge Park Wedding. ♥

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