What a great way to kick off the summer season!!! If you remember these two from their Washington DC engagement session, you know these two are a bundle of joy! They carried that same joy and enthusiasm for life into their wedding day! They also made sure everyone else enjoyed themselves too… Cue the LLAMAS! Not only was it fun, but it was beautiful and classy! I mean, when you host a wedding at Great Marsh Estate, you can guarantee a classy celebration! And paired with the feminine pinks and blues, it made it so much harder to select my top favorites because I have SO many!!!! And it never hurts to have one good-looking couple, like Lu and Erin. 🙂 I loved spending my Birthday photographing/celebrating with these two!!! Enjoy checking out some of my many favorites from their big day!
A FUN PINK WEDDING AT THE GREAT MARSH ESTATE IN VIRGINIA.
Prepping for the Ceremony.
It was quiet outside of the estate, but inside was the party gearing up for the PARTY! I walked past the basement door, and could hear the men bantering while the music thumped! But little did I know that it would be the same upstairs. 😉 While Bombshell Blowouts & Hair and Makeup by Megs Monahan worked their magic, the bridesmaids were busy icing Erin with Smirnoff Ice. HA! Right then, I knew that this day was going to be a fun one!
The bridal party dressed in fun pink/blue tie-dye PJs, and with champagne in their hands, they all cheered to Erin and Lu to the start of the celebration! The bridesmaids disappeared to get ready while Erin slipped into her gorgeous dress from The Bridal Room (my favorite dress shop boutique!!)! She put on many special details; one of which was her aunt’s blue earrings. When she revealed herself, her dad was left speechless while her mom’s eyes filled with tears, and her girls squealed! Needless to say, everyone couldn’t wait for Lu to see her!!
Downstairs, Lu was with his best friends getting ready to see Erin. He looked dapper in his blue suit and sported fun llama socks — I promised llamas in this blog post, right? 😉 I also love that he incorporated his late father’s camera as a small tribute to him. <3 His brother and best man helped Lu put on the final details before seeing his stunning bride to be…
The First Look.
Lu waited patiently in the 90-degree Virginia heat on the balcony of the Great Marsh Estate. Erin prompted him to turn around, and he was in awe! I mean… How could he not be?! 😉 Soon after, they pulled out vows to exchange privately. They were sweet, meaningful, and funny — Just as I expect from them! <3 We finished up our time together by roaming around the shady parts of the property. Can you tell that I had my work cut out with these two sweethearts?!
Their Best Friends.
The bridal party and groomsmen met us outside to take photos before the ceremony. The girls looked stunning in their mauve long flowy dresses with the beautiful bouquet creations by Rosewood Floral Designs LLC! I loved that Erin incorporated her mom’s bouquet ribbon on her own bouquet too. 🙂
The guys looked spiffy in their attire — Of course, they wore llama socks too!!! Well, almost all of the groomsmen. One of them decided to wear chicken leg socks instead… HAHAHA! I’ll save that photo for the bride and groom to share. 😉 Also, I have to say that the enthusiasm from this crew was on point!!! You can’t scroll through this post without noticing it below!! 🙂 I loved hanging out with this group! Lu and Erin, you two have some great friends!!!
The Ceremony.
The Virginia heat changed their reception plans from hosting on the lawn to inside the stable, but they still managed to have the ceremony outside! 🙂 The sun was shining brightly, but after the threat of rain, we were grateful for it. Lu and Erin had their friend, Alex Martinez, officiate the wedding ceremony — It was personable and so fun listening to the stories Alex shared about them! But my favorite part was watching Erin and Lu dance down the aisle after they were pronounced husband and wife!!!
Mr. & Mrs.!!!
After the ceremony, we squeezed in some time to take newlywed portraits! And just as promised, there might have been a llama or two or three … and even baby goats … involved!!! One llama had a pink mohawk and the other two were dressed up as a bride and groom! HA! During the cocktail hour, they had the animals walked around for the guests to pet and take photos. 🙂 What a fun idea!!! I could’ve photographed these two all evening long around the beautiful Great Marsh Estate property! ESPECIALLY in that dreamy light!!
The Details.
I loved Lu and Erin’s vision for their wedding day — And for making last-minute plans to host their reception in the stable came together BEAUTIFULLY!!! Karen Duckett Events, Serendipity Catering & Design, Rosewood Floral Designs LLC, and Bella Villa Antiques & Vintage Rentals created a gorgeous setup for me and Harrison Films to document!
There were so many fun details worth sharing — 1) Lu and Erin LOVE their dogs (they also have an Instagram for them). HAHA! So Lola and Bugs were featured on corn hole boards as well as at the bar. Basically, they are party animals too and wanted to be there in “spirit” … See what I did there? 😉 2) To honor Lu’s heritage, his sister picked up hand-painted colorful Toritos (little bulls) from Peru for their escort card display. How cute are they?! They represent protection, happiness, and fertility. <= So appropriate! 3) Bella Villa Antiques & Vintage Rentals created some cozy outdoor seating arrangements for their guests to enjoy — Pinterest-worthy!!! 4) I feel like I was photographing a styled shoot for Karen Duckett Events — Totally her ideal couple!!! 😉 5) Don’t expect me to not enjoy a little ice cream if you plan to have an ice cream stand at your wedding. HA! It was the perfect little ice cream Birthday treat (especially with the sprinkles added)! Ice Cream Jubilee was the perfect refreshing dessert on a very hot day. 🙂
The Reception.
This party was ready to PARTY. And DJ Dan was ready to bring it on!!! But before the dance floor opened up, Serendipity Catering & Design had a scrumptious dinner lined up (I’m a fan of their food… but I might be biased since I hired them for my wedding too)! Oh, and their special dances were sooooo special. In fact, they had so many tearing up around the room when Lu and his mom danced to Forever Young by Iron & Wine. <3
After a segment of dancing with friends, we ran outside to enjoy a little ice cream from Jubilee — Delicious!!! It was the perfect way to end my time with them. I might have to vote that ice cream is needed at all summer weddings. 😉 HAHA! What a perfect day!!!
Thank You!!
THANK YOU, Lu and Erin, for having me document this very special day for you!!!! My GOODNESS. You two made my job EASY. I enjoyed documenting your effortless love and affection! Not only is it beautiful, but fun, and adoring! I wish you both the best in the future, and I’m so grateful my business connected us!!! XOXO!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Thanks to the vendors who made this happen!!
Venue: Great Marsh Estate
Wedding Planner: Karen Duckett Events
Hair + Makeup: Bombshell Blowouts & Hair and Makeup by Megs Monahan
Caterer: Serendipity Catering & Design
Florist: Rosewood Floral Designs LLC
DJ: Dan Huynh, Premier DJ Services
Videographer: Harrison Films
Stationery: Em Paper Co
Dress: The Bridal Room
Officiant: Alex Martinez
Rentals: Bella Villa Antiques & Vintage Rentals
Ice Cream: Ice Cream Jubilee
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