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. 

Caitlin & Andy- Carriage House at Rockwood Park Wedding

Caitlin and Andy’s Carriage House at Rockwood Park wedding in Wilmington, Delaware was really something special. First off, the venue they chose was perfect for their vision and the timing. It was a 95 degree day in Wilmington; operation mini personal fans was in full effect. Thankfully the Carriage House at Rockwood Park is fully air conditioned. Once we walked the gorgeous grounds for photos and cocktail hour everyone was cool and comfortable. One of the greatest things about this amazing venue is that it is also the home to The Greenery Caterers, making it almost a one stop shop. The food was fantastic and the cake was almost too pretty to eat. A good time was certainly had by all. During cocktail hour guests played cornhole in the garden while listening to musical duo J2. The reception space was decorated with gorgeous florals by Hoffman Design Group. The party went late into the night, lead by DJ Bob Genovese. It was an honor to shoot this amazing Carriage House at Rockwood Park wedding. I wish Caitlin and Andy all the best. More images can be seen in the slideshow below.