A beautiful Washington DC Garden Party Summer Wedding for a Neurologist and psychiatrist– so thrilled to be a Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Photographer!
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Mel shares, “Working with Lisa was amazing!! She really listens and takes the time to understand what is important to you and your partner on your wedding day and creates a plan and vision to do just that! Lisa also easily adapts to the unplanned or unexpected aspects of the day and makes what could be mishaps something beautiful!!”
She continues, “My partner and I were so grateful that Lisa was our photographer for our wedding!! When you hire Lisa, you are not only hiring a photographer, but also an experienced visionary who understands and adapts to fully capture the essence of you and your spouse.”
The Bride: St. Elizabeth Catholic Church DC Wedding Photographer
Mel smiles, “Our florist did a bouquet for our legal ceremony, and I loved it. I really let her pick and choose, and I think she did such an amazing job! I just sent her the color palette and a couple of inspiration photos, and she did the rest! I really couldn’t have asked for better florals.”
Shoutout to Jireh’s Flowers and Events— Mel’s bouquet is stunning!
The Groom: St. Elizabeth Catholic Church DC Wedding Photographer
First Look: Washington DC wedding Photographers
St Elizabeth Catholic Church Wedding Photographer
Mel says, “It felt special to be able to get married in the church that I went to as a little kid. I was also really happy to have my friends and family who are of varying views and persuasions taking part in the ceremony all together!”
Sealed with a Kiss
Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Party
Mel shares, “I really wanted the bridal party to be able to wear colors that actually looked good on them and have dresses that they could rewear. I found a picture of florals that I really liked and then worked backwards to create a color palette. I truthfully was not sure it would completely work, but I was really happy with how it turned out! I gave guys in my party less choice and made them all wear tan, though they got their suits from all different places.”
She adds, “I was happy that we did the Vanity Fair picture, and I think it will be great! It was everything I hoped for!”
Woodend Sanctuary Cocktail Hour
Mel smiles, “I loved the combo of nature paired with old-time elegance. I really wanted the wedding to be an elegant garden party with the Bridgerton style music, flowers, and elegance of the mansion, and I think it worked well with the Woodend Sanctuary Mansion!!”
She continues, “I specifically loved how the tent looked with the glassware and flowers. I also liked the portico area where we took pictures and led into the area where the musicians were playing.”
Mel adds, “I also love that the Audubon Society is part of the community — they host camps and nature programs in that very mansion, and I love contributing to the mission of instilling a respect and awe of nature for all generations.”
Reception: Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Photographer
Mel shares, “The vendors were amazing!! I was really so impressed with everyone. Spilled Milk did a phenomenal job, and Kristi and Misty were also so amazing. I felt like I didn’t need to think about any of the details or what was next, and just be in the moment, which was so special. The musicians were also so good, and I wish I could have heard the string quartet play more than I did! Everyone was raving about it! Zach the DJ also did a great job playing music that kept everyone engaged and going.”
Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Traditions
Mel smiles, “We both really enjoyed the silly moments paired with the meaningful ones. For instance, during the church, someone made a noise that sounded like they were passing gas, and Ryan almost laughed as we were going to take our vows. Additionally, when one of our guests, Dan, toppled over on the dance floor, or when Ryan spilled wine all over himself. We also loved experiencing the speeches, which we felt really captured the themes of who we are.”
First Dance
Mel recalls, “The first dance aspect was also amazing when everyone started to sing along.”
Parent Dances
Cake Cutting with a Sword!
Mel shares, “Using a sword was a Navy tradition. Since we are both in the Navy and didn’t particularly integrate that very much into the wedding, we thought it would be a nice touch! The sword belongs to one of my friends, Eric Krueger, and his name is engraved on the sword. We talked about how it would be quite funny if we could see this name in the pictures!”
What a Party: Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Photographers
Mel says, “People spend so much time and energy coming to a wedding, so we really wanted to make sure everyone knew we appreciated they were there. We wrote little individualized notes on the escort cards and spent some time thinking about songs that everyone would dance to. I think the drinks probably helped too.”
She adds, “The dress change was mainly driven by me getting overheated. I had brought a dress, but wasn’t set on changing initially, but after some dancing, I was ready to change! It wasn’t particularly planned when, and we kinda just played it by ear. I also took forever to buy that dress — that one I bought a week before.”
End of The Night
Mel recalls, “Both Ryan and I had so much fun. I think it is hard to be objective about your own wedding, but we think everyone else also had a lot of fun, too!”
Woodend Sanctuary Wedding Photographer – More Here:
Vendors:
- Venue: Woodend Mansion and Sanctuary
- Ceremony: St. Elizabeth Catholic Church
- Wedding Planner: GLOW Weddings – Kristi Hartiq
- Bridal Attire: Couture Bridal of Maryland
- Florist: Jireh’s Flowers and Events
- DJ: Zach Etheridge
- Bakery: Custom Cake Design
- Caterer: Spilled Milk
Hungry for More?
Contact Me!
Are you or someone you know looking for a photographer for their weddings, portraits, business branding, etc? I’m your girl! Contact me here, I’d love to hear all about it!