I fell in love with Sarah and Colt before I even met them. No, really – I did. Last October, I drove to Sarah’s aunt’s house for their sunrise engagement session. Though, there wasn’t much of a sunrise….it was a misty autumn day. As I waited for them to arrive, their aunt came out to greet me and I learned about Sarah’s love for animals, being outdoors, and nature in general. She grew up riding horses and being involved on the farm, not to mention her aunt’s amazing turtle sanctuary! It only seemed natural that her wedding would take place at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, whose mission statement is to Save the Bay through education and restoration. It also seemed fitting that her wedding day would match that of their engagement session….overcast, with a constant drizzle outside the windows.

As I greeted Sarah under her umbrella, she told the significance behind her wedding day details: her “something blue” was a ring from her late grandfather, her earrings were honey bees because that was her grandpa’s nickname for her….she not only meant that lavender was one of her wedding day colors, but her bouquet was actually made from REAL lavender (I was breathing in deep all evening long!! One of my favorite scents). The sentimental value she place on each of these heirlooms and seemingly small details told me that Sarah was my kind of girl – the ideal Meghan Rose Bride.

Although the rain (er…hurricane?) did change our plans with bridal party and bride and groom portraits, squeezing us all under the parking garage with limited time and space, we all made the most of it! We made those gray brick walls look good 😉 Truly, Sarah and Colt were meant to be together. Their playfulness with each other was so contagious – they made everyone else around them brighten up, be more cheerful, and more fun to be around! One of my favorite memories from the night was the “staged” bouquet and garter toss….you’ll see what I mean!

As a side note – this was also a favorite wedding of mine because ADAM was my second shooter. I loved working with my husband by my side. There were a few times I had to catch myself in the way I spoke to him, and treat him kinder and with more patience (only when the timeline was getting tight, and pressure was on to move quickly, of course), but it was a pure delight to be with him, my partner of seven years, as together we watched a new marriage start. When the night was over, we took a piece of cake to go, walked out to the dock, and listened to the water lap up on shore. I glanced back up at the party happening inside, the lights bright and the music loud, and I wished Sarah and Colt the happiest of beginnings.