Wow! Where to begin? This wedding day was gorgeous from start to finish. Whitney planned and created every detail (you will not believe it when I show you the amazing things she has done to accent her day… I am still in awe!). Tim is a Naval Academy graduate, so the choice was clear for their destination wedding. Whitney incorporated their nautical theme throughout every detail of the day. Let me walk you through the day from start to finish.
We began with the girls getting ready. Whitney wore an Oscar de la Renta gown and veil which fit her perfectly. Check out her gorgeous bouquet. The delicate flowers accented her dress without drawing too much attention. Love the hangar, “Mrs. O’Connor”!
And now off to the Naval Academy to their beautiful chapel. Whitney and Tim had a friend playing bagpipes outside. What a nice touch. Inside, the chapel was so gorgeous it felt like a royal wedding.
Here comes the bride…
Yay! The knot is tied. I love these shots by the large anchor outside the chapel. Tim had to lift Whitney up onto the platform for the photo. His first husbandly duty : )
Whitney and I met a few days before the wedding to scout the grounds of the Academy and downtown Annapolis. These are some of the spots we chose for portraits.
My 2nd photographer Marian did a fantastic job capturing these adorable children… all with matching wedding attire.
This was one of the largest bridal parties I have ever photographed. I love the photograph of everyone on the bench. I could not believe we found a spot large enough for everyone!
I love those in between moments. Where everyone is caught up in their own world and we can capture people being just that, people. Usually we are running backwards, 30 lb camera bag in tow, snapping away. We are always looking for those great moments and ready for them when they happen.
The light at this location was absolutely gorgeous. I could have stayed here all day photographing the happy couple. On this hot summer day, we only had a few minutes to catch these moments… they are some of my favorites.
Here’s another one of those running backwards moments… I love the expression on Tim’s face. This is one of those photographs that they will look back on 20 years from now and say, “Remember when…”.
Downtown Annapolis is so charming.
This cropped photo of Whitney and Tim is another favorite. It says a lot without having to see their expressions. The bridesmaid bouquets were exploding with color. I was surprised when I saw how brilliant and unusual the flowers were. It was a breath of fresh air. I love that Whitney had beautifully unique ideas and wasn’t afraid to let them show on her wedding day.
My my, you will not believe these details. Let me start by saying these placecards are all handmade by Whitney and her sisters. Yes, all 240 of them. Each card has a unique building that represents the Naval Academy. And each building was cut out by hand and attached to the place card. The antique boat card holder is also a nice touch.
The room was stunning draped in navy and gold. Each table was individually lit and signs reading “Mr and Mrs O’Connor” adorned the bride and groom’s chairs.
More details!… The menu cards were also made by Whitney. She printed them herself, used an anchor hole punch at the top of the card and lined the edges with gold. They were perfect and looked so professional I could not believe she made them herself. The table numbers were also a unique idea. Whitney spray painted the rope knots gold and placed the table number on top. What a beautiful presentation.
Cocktail hour was on an outdoor patio overlooking the harbor. Seafood was abundant and included an oyster bar for their guests.
Time to start dancing.
The band The Nerds rocked the night away.
No way! They wouldn’t! Oh yes they would. The leader of the band called Tim up and asked him if he ever dreamed of being a rock and roll star. He said “Yes” and they got to work painting Tim’s hair to look like the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis. Cow bell in hand, Tim got the shocked crowd going wild!
Of course a nautical themed day would not be complete without some fish on the cake.
Afterwards, Whitney’s talented sister dedicated a song to them.
Oh no… she didn’t. Yes, she did. Whitney dove down and did the worm in her wedding gown. This night was full of surprises!
Whitney and Tim, Congratulations! I wish you both a lifetime of surprises and adventures together. So far, you are off to a great start! What a gorgeous day the two of you had. Best wishes for many more to come.
Pamela
Vendor Love
Annapolis Waterfront Marriott – Hilary Moreland
The United States Naval Academy Chapel
Makeup Artist – Suzanne Della Pella (coming soon to Alexandria, VA!)
Flowers – Fleurs – Carolyn Bruckner
Lighting – Atmosphere Lighting – Jeff Holt
Band – The Nerds
Rentals – Silvia LaFleur
Transportation – Z Best Limo – Tim Seibert
A note from the bride- Pamela, Thank u so much! We have been online because every pic we see gets us so excited. It was the best night of our lives. Your pics made us speechless. Amazing!! We can’t wait to see them all. – Whitney
A note from Claire at the Chapel- Hi Pamela, Just looked at your blog for Tim and Whitney’s wedding and I can only say WOW!!! These are both gorgeous and unique. I love your perspective and your choice of locales. (Love the wedding party on the benches near Bancroft!) Hope you are back for many of our Chapel weddings! Best regards, Claire
