Sallie & Adam- Wilmington Country Club Wedding

Sallie and Adam’s Wilmington Country Club wedding fell on a gorgeous day in October. We started the day at Sallie’s parents’ house where she and her bridesmaids were getting ready.  Top Knots by Aimee created perfect hair for each of the girls and Cheekadee Makeup Artists was putting the finishing touches on makeup. We started with the gown…a simply stunning sheath style gown with a beaded bodice, cap sleeves and a skirt of luxurious layers. The house had great light so I loved all the options it gave me. Before asking the girls to get dressed, I had to get a few pics of them in their matching rompers. The rompers were silky and floral and just so cute! We then had the bridesmaids and Sallie’s mom get dressed. Sallie waited excitedly for her turn. The bridesmaids wore black dresses of varying styles and looked very elegant. Sallie’s mom and sister helped her get into her gown, shoes and jewelry before putting on her veil. She looked absolutely perfect! We snuck her up to the third floor and went to get dad so we could surprise him. His face lit up when he saw Sallie come down the stairs; you could just see the joy and pride in his eyes. Sallie surprised him by pinning a heart shaped cutout from one of his old t-shirts inside her dress. We then took some time for portraits of Sallie before heading over to the venue.

We met Adam and his groomsmen at Wilmington Country Club. Set among the rolling hills of the Delaware Valley and surrounded by land formerly owned by the renowned DuPont family, this club is rich in history and beauty. The guys were relaxing in the groom’s suite overlooking the ceremony site. They all wore dark gray suits and UMass socks. Adam and his groomsmen (with the exception of his brother) all went to University of Massachusetts and were excited to show their school pride. After a few portraits of Adam, I set out to find the perfect spot for the couple’s first look. Once I had Adam in place I asked my assistant to bring Sallie out. The two were beaming with love when they saw each other. First looks are such a special moment and I love being able to capture them.

Next, we gathered the wedding party for group shots; the golf course made for a beautiful background and they were a lot of fun to work with. We then set off on a couple of golf carts for bride and groom portraits. There was a fantastic bridge spanning across a large pond that I was excited to use. This is where we first discovered a tiny bee that loved Sallie’s bouquet from Flowers by Yukie. I don’t know if it was the roses, dahlias or anemones that he liked, but he followed that bouquet around all day! The couple decided he needed a name if he was going to be part of the day and Franklin seemed fitting. We also made use of a handsome barn on the property. The burgundy doors matched the burgundy in Sallie’s bouquet perfectly and I love the way these photos turned out.

After family formals we headed indoors to meet with Rabbi Peter Hyman for the signing of the Ketubah. The Ketubah, or the official Jewish marriage contract, had a beautiful of two trees intertwining. It was a perfect representation of how Sallie and Adam are two individuals committing to each other and growing into one family. Once the families witnessed the signing of the Ketubah, it was time for the ceremony. Guests were welcomed with flutes of apple cider with molasses cookie toppers. The wedding ceremony took place under a beautiful Chuppah canopy, a symbol of the home that the new couple will build together. The ceremony included Jewish traditions such as the circling of the bride around the groom, drinking from the Kiddush cup, a gold ring, and the breaking of the glass. The Kiddush cup used was Sallie’s fathers from his Bar Mitzvah which also took place on October 7th and the gold ring that Adam presented to Sallie was the same ring that her grandmother was betrothed in 1945. After the ceremony guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio overlooking the golf course and then were ushered in to the amazing ballroom for the reception. They were greeted by the sounds of EBE/Milan 77, a 12 piece band who was ready to have some fun. Sallie and Adam entered to a roaring applause and went right into their first dance, which included an awesome breakout dance that had the whole crowd on their feet. This worked out well because next came the Hora, or chair dance. In this tradition, a few strong and brave guests hoist the bride and groom high above the crowd on chairs to the infectious sounds of “Hava Nagila”. Friends and family dance around in an ecstatic circle as the elevated couple tries not to look (or fall) down. This Hora was especially fun because not only did the bride and groom go up in the chairs, but so did Sallie’s parents, Adam’s parents and even Adam’s young niece.

The wedding meal began with a blessing over the challah, an elaborately braided bread, followed by the maid of honor and best man speeches. The maid of honor, Sallie’s sister, gave the couple the gift of an artist live painting their first dance.  It was so cool to watch this artist paint the ballroom, the guests and the couple as the night went on. After the first course, Sallie had her dance with her father and Adam with his mother. Dinner was served and then both sets of parents toasted their children. Sallie and Adam then cut into their gorgeous cake from Yori’s Bakery and loving smashed it into each other’s faces. After that, the band filled the dance floor and everyone danced the night away.

Adam and Sallie are such a delightful and sweet couple and I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with them and having the opportunity to photograph their wedding day. Please enjoy the highlights and slideshow below. 

Wendy & David- Greenville Country Club Wedding

I don’t think I’ve ever gone into a wedding without having ever met or spoken to the bride or groom…but that’s what happened at Wendy and David’s Greenville Country Club wedding on April 29th! Wendy’s sister-in-law, who is also a photographer, contacted me for the couples’ wedding day and I’m so glad she did because it was an amazing event.

We arrived before the wedding party and were greeted by Paula from Paula and Dana Event Planning. She showed us around the clubhouse which is situated on one of the highest points in Delaware giving it breathtaking views. I couldn’t wait to photograph the couple with this amazing background. We then headed upstairs to where the girls would be getting ready and started shooting all the details. We started with Wendy’s Gabrielle’s dress and I feel in love! It was simple, yet elegant and the perfect shade of blush. Plus, the high-low skirt was perfect for showing off her amazing shoes.

When the ladies arrived, they were all looking flawless with hair by Carmen at Fabrizio Salon and Spa and makeup by Lizzie at Houppett. I was so excited to finally meet the bride! She was wearing one of her father’s button-down shirts, which was such a sweet idea. I could tell she was a little nervous, but so excited. Before asking Wendy to get her dress on, we helped her sister, Stacy, sneak something into it. Stacy put a pin inside Wendy’s dress with a blue safety pin for something blue, an elephant charm that Wendy gave Stacy for something borrowed, and their grandmother’s #1 MomMom charm for something old. When Wendy discovered the surprise, the sisters shared an emotional moment that had everyone in tears.

Once Wendy was dressed, we grabbed her incredible bouquet by Christopher Maney Designs which was brimming with hydrangeas, roses and tons of amazing orchids. Then we took some time with just her to get bridal portraits. Wendy really looked stunning and the Greenville Country Club had lots of great areas to shoot in. I especially loved shooting on the stairs in the main lobby. The light coming in from the large windows was just amazing. Wendy was on the stairs when her dad arrived. When he saw how beautiful she looked, he said, “I might not give the bride away.” We gave them a moment and then finished up with Wendy and the girls.

Now it was time to meet David. He and the groomsmen were in a separate area of the country club getting dressed. We got a few shots of him and the guys before heading outside to the formal boxwood gardens to do their first look. David waited with anticipation while Wendy made her way to him. When he turned around to see his soon-to-be bride, his face lit up. They were both so entranced with each other, that I think they may have forgotten I was there! I loved being able to capture them interacting and laughing without them even noticing me. Once they came back to reality, we walked around the property getting photos of Wendy and David together. It was amazing to see how calm both of them became once they were together. I think my favorite part of the day was when I took them into the field behind the country club and the band started practicing their wedding song, Sea of Love. David took Wendy by the hand and they started dancing around the field…it was magical.

Next their wedding party and families joined us outside for some quick group shots. Then they all retreated back inside to wait for cocktail hour to begin. Guests started arriving and enjoyed butlered hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and music from Righter than Rain String Duo while waiting for the ceremony to start at sundown. I took this time to shoot the reception site and was blown away by the beautiful scenery of the setting sun. I had to get Wendy and David back out there for sunset photos. This was not as easy as I thought. David was surrounded by excited guests and Wendy was upstairs relaxing with her bridesmaids. She had even taken her wedding dress off! But I convinced them and I think the photos speak for themselves.

Now it was finally time for the ceremony. Seated in the garden, guest awaited the big moment. After the wedding party entered, Wendy was escorted by her parents and David by his sisters. They met under a beautifully decorated huppah that sat in front of an amazing ivy-covered wall. The ceremony itself was full of many Jewish traditions, including the blessing of betrothal, giving of the ring, reading of the Ketubah (Marriage Contract), and the breaking of the glass. During the ceremony, the Rabbi explained that David means beloved in Hebrew and Wendy means gold. He also spoke about how the couple spoke of each other to him. Wendy said that David is calming, sweet, and honest and always makes her laugh. David said that Wendy has the unique ability to make everyone around her feel special and that she is loving, kind and welcomed his family with open arms. It was so lovely to hear about the bride and groom in their own words.

After the ceremony, everyone headed to the reception area and started the celebration with the Hora. I always enjoy this energetic and unpredictable dance! The looks on the faces of the couple while being hoisted into the air on chairs is so fun to capture. Once everyone was seated, Wendy’s dad, Al, began the wedding meal with a blessing over the challah, an elaborately braided bread. During dinner, David’s son gave a toast as did Wendy’s sister and niece. There was laughter, tears and lots of love. After dinner, the couple went inside to enjoy their first dance. Uptown Band performed a beautiful rendition of Sea of Love and then invited everyone onto he dance floor to get the party started. The dance floor was packed and everyone was showing off their best moves. Then the band slowed it down for parent dances. Wendy danced with her father and David danced with Wendy’s mom. It was a sweet moment that nobody wanted to miss.

The cake by Hotel du Pont was adorned with orchids and Wendy surprised David with a groom’s cake. David is a fisherman, so Wendy had a custom cake made featuring David in a boat catching Wendy on his fishing line. It was the cutest! The couple cut the cakes and got back to dancing. It was soon time for the Krenzel or crowning. This is a dance that honors parents who have married off their last child. Wendy’s parents were seated on chairs in the middle of the dance floor and Wendy and David placed crowns of flowers in their hair. Then family and friends danced around, kissing them as they passed in front. You could really see the pride in her parent’s faces and the joy and love surrounding them.

I loved the simple beauty of this Greenville Country Club wedding, with a focus on family and fun. I am thankful to have been a part of Wendy and David’s wonderful day and wish them years of love and happiness. Please enjoy some highlights and a slideshow below.