After our garden tour at the William Paca House, we headed down Main Street and grabbed some ice cream before heading to the city dock.

How the couple met, from Kelly:  We met almost 5 1/2 years ago while we were both going to graduate school at The University of Florida (Go Gators!) in Gainesville, Florida.  Our first date was at a Starbucks and we have both been coffee addicts since.

How Eric proposed:  Eric proposed last summer on my Birthday.  He rented a small boat and proposed on Spa Creek at sunset on the water.  We celebrated with champagne and cheesecake on our private sunset boat ride for a bit before calling friends and family.  It was perfect and such a wonderful surprise.

The couple is planning a spring wedding in Fort Myers, Florida at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.  We wish them the best on their big day and a life of love and happiness!

♥ Jess

Eastport Photography offers the best in Annapolis Wedding Photography. We specialize in Unique and Inspired Wedding Photography in Annapolis, MD, Washington, DC, and destinations worldwide. For more information please check out http://www.eastportphotography.com/annapolis-wedding-photographer/ Our studio is conveniently located at 115 Cathedral Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.

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Nearby in Davidsonville, we found an old barn for some fun rustic images.  We all loved the different textures of the wood of the barn, the iron hinges, and the big rubber tractor tires.

Our next location was College Creek, a quiet and sleepy creek behind St. John’s College in Annapolis.  Heather and Danny relaxed by the water and even went for an adorable rowboat ride!

How the couple met, from Heather:  “Danny and I met at The Dubliner Irish Pub in Washington DC in the summer of 2008 (after I graduated college) – we worked together there for a year before we started dating.”

How Danny proposed: “He proposed to me at the St. Michaels Maritime Museum on February 23^rd. We were there for the weekend, and after visiting the winery he asked if we could go for a walk down by the water and popped the question underneath a gazebo adjacent to this beautiful lighthouse inside the museum. It was really romantic – and I was so surprised!”

Heather and Danny live in Annapolis and enjoy running and cooking together.  Heather says she wouldn’t be able to cook without Danny – he’s like her sous chef!  They also love to travel and have been to Mexico, Ireland, and Greece together.  For their wedding, Heather and Danny are planning a St. Mary’s ceremony and William Paca House reception.  I wish them the best as they plan their Annapolis wedding for June 2014!

♥ Jess

Eastport Photography offers the best in Annapolis Wedding Photography. We specialize in Unique and Inspired Wedding Photography in Annapolis, MD, Washington, DC, and destinations worldwide. For more information please check out http://www.eastportphotography.com/annapolis-wedding-photographer/ Our studio is conveniently located at 115 Cathedral Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.

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After everyone was dressed and ready, I had time to grab a few shots of Kaitlin and the girls before they were whisked away in the limo to the church.  The girls looked gorgeous in their purple dresses with bouquets of spring flowers.  And of course, Kaitlin was a stunning bride!

Kaitlin and Chris held their Catholic wedding ceremony at St. John Neumann Church in Annapolis, MD.  Chris was sweetly tearful as the church doors opened and he watched Kaitlin walk down the aisle.

After the ceremony, we used an open field with blooming spring trees as the backdrop for the bridal party photos.  The purple dresses looked lovely against the purple blooms on the Eastern Redbud Trees.  And the sun shone through Kaitlin’s veil, giving her a truly ethereal glow.

It was clear to me throughout the day that Kaitlin and Chris, along with their families, were some of the sweetest, warmest, most laid back people I had ever met.  The love and closeness among these families was nothing short of inspirational.  And during the reception at the Sheraton Hotel in Annapolis, it was clear that they also knew how to party and have fun!   Their wedding band, Sly 45, kept everyone dancing all night.  The guys in the band were really fantastic, doing a mix of live music and also being the MC / DJ’s.

Bill and I had such a blast photographing this young couple’s wedding and getting to know their wonderful families.  We wish them a long life of love and happiness!

♥ Jess

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♥ Jess

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Ann Caroline and Lou live in Williamsburg, Virginia where Ann is a student at William and Mary School of Law.  Lou is a Naval Academy graduate.  The couple is planning the quintessential Annapolis wedding this summer, with the ceremony taking place in the Naval Academy Chapel followed by a reception at the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

We began our session just steps away from the Naval Academy on Prince George Street, in historic Annapolis.  I couldn’t resist the beautiful front porches and doorways of these gorgeous homes from the 1800′s.

Our next stop was a private beach along the Severn River.  It’s amazing how just a few props can go a long way!  I borrowed an old beach cruiser bike from a friend, threw some flowers and lunch in the basket and we were all set for a picnic on the beach!  The turquoise bike and pink flowers added some gorgeous spring color to the session.

It’s always fun to plan an activity for an engagement session.  Ann Caroline and Lou decided to head out on the water in a rowboat.  Such a fun idea is guaranteed to deliver lots of genuine giggles!  I sat on shore and captured all the laughter through my lens.  Does Ann Caroline have a killer Julia Roberts smile or what?!

The couple’s afternoon ended with a peaceful walk along the beach as the sun started to go down.

Bill and I are so excited to photograph Ann Caroline and Lou’s wedding this summer in Annapolis!

♥ Jess

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• Wedding Party Attire – Who says you need to wear a ball gown style wedding dress?  Who says your bridesmaids need to wear matching taffeta dresses?  For wedding dresses with a more laid-back comfort, try J.Crew.  If unique is what you’re looking for, try BHLDN.  For your bridesmaids, go to a non-bridal store like Anthropologie and buy the dresses right off the rack.

• Venue – If it’s not important to you to get married in a church, skip it.  Get married in a place that is meaningful to you, whether it’s on a beach or a farm.  One of the coolest weddings I attended took place in the bride’s parent’s backyard, on their dock overlooking a quiet lake.

• Plan a First Look – Rather than seeing your husband-to-be for the first time as you’re walking down the aisle, plan a “first look” instead.  Your wedding photographer will facilitate this, making sure it’s quiet, private, and very special.  Photographers are huge fans of the first look because it gives them the flexibility to carefully choose a gorgeous backdrop and capture amazingly sweet photos of the couple as they see each other for the first time.

• Music Selections – You don’t have to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon in D or Wagner’s Bridal March.  You really don’t. Choose your bridal procession, recession, and 1^st dance songs based on music that actually moves you in your everyday life.  I chose Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic to walk down the aisle.  When I heard the first note, a feeling of peace and serenity immediately calmed my nerves and I was able to float down the aisle.  I’ll never forget the emotion of that moment.

• Ceremony – By all means, take charge of this!  This is, after all, what your wedding is all about.  This is the main event!  Feel free to write your own vows, or tweak the traditional vows.  Add a reading you think is beautiful.  One that I really love is The Hands Ceremony.

• Catering – If a sit-down dinner is too stuffy and a buffet is too informal, try food stations.  Each station can have a theme and will become a conversation piece.  Your guests will be moving around the room and mingling, just like you would hope they would do at an awesome party!

• Nix the Traditions – If you feel that bouquet tosses and garter tosses are silly, then don’t do them!  Same goes for the cake cutting, father/daughter, and mother/son dances.  If you think those things are uncomfortable or cheesy, then skip them!

• First Dance – Don’t like to slow dance?  Then don’t.  Go ahead and choreograph a fun dance if you want to.  Don’t like being the center of attention?  Tell the DJ to have your guests join you half-way through the first dance.

• Transportation – How about a more creative alternative to a limo?  Trolleys, pedicabs, antique cars, and electric cruisers are all good ideas.  Getting married on the water?  Make a dramatic entrance or exit by boat!

• Honeymoon – Choose adventure over luxury.  Go skiing in the Swiss Alps or hike the Inca Trail.  If you still have your heart set on a tropical beach honeymoon, try a truly deserted beach vacation.  The Out Islands of the Bahamas or the Spanish Virgin Islands of Culebra and Vieques offer pristine deserted beaches and you won’t find any “all-inclusives” there.

♥ Jess

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Kaitlin is an Annapolis native and she met Chris, from North Carolina, while they were both students at East Carolina University.  The couple has been together since 2005 and they now live in Maryland.  Chris is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at American University and Kaitlin is a Registered Nurse.  They love going to football and baseball games, spending time with family and friends, and hanging out with their dog Louie.

The proposal, from Kaitlin:

Every year my parents and some family go to Chart House in Eastport for dinner on New Year’s Eve.  In 2011, Chris and I joined them.  Right before midnight, my sister (who was in on it) wanted me to go outside to watch the fireworks, but I didn’t want to go because it was so cold and the party was in the bar, not outside.  After a lot of convincing, I went outside on the pier, and Chris got down on one knee and popped the question!  I was definitely surprised!

It was only fitting for the couple to have their engagement photos taken in Eastport, where the proposal took place.  We covered the entire Eastport peninsula, starting at the Spa Creek waterfront, near O’Leary’s and the Chart House.  Then we ended at the Back Creek waterfront, at the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

The couple will be married in Annapolis on April 20^th and will spend their honeymoon soaking up the sun in the Bahamas.  Bill and I can’t wait to be a part of this sweet couple’s big day and to photograph their Annapolis Spring-time wedding!

♥ Jess

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The couple decorated the venue with white roses and turquoise accents.

As Teresa got ready in her bridal suite, she took a few minutes to write a letter to Danny for their wine ceremony.  They each wrote a letter describing what they love about one another, and during the ceremony, they packed the letters into a locked box along with a bottle of wine.  If the couple ever faces a difficult time during their marriage, they are to unlock the box, read the letters and drink the bottle of wine.

As co-owners of Ivey League Mixed Martial Arts, the couple incorporated their love of martial arts into their wedding.  During their ceremony, they vowed to love and support each other in life and martial arts for all the days of their lives.  Laughter erupted during the ceremony when Teresa also promised to pull back on her punch whenever she gets angry with Danny and Danny promised to release his submission hold whenever Teresa taps.

They had a custom cake topper made of them sparring, dressed in their Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Gis.

After the ceremony, guests were served cocktails paired with hors d’oeuvres, then a sit down dinner of Chilean Sea Bass and Filet Mignon.  And after the guests enjoyed the cake from Fiona’s Cakes, they were invited into an ice cream social.

Once Teresa’s gorgeous dress was bustled and her hair was let down, Teresa and Danny danced the night away with each other and their loved ones.

Bill and I were so thrilled to witness such a unique and touching wedding and spend the day with this amazing couple.

♥ Jess

Venue: Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

Cake:  Fiona’s Cakes

Hair and makeup:  Jen Delbrugge from Vivid Salon & Spa

DJ:  Evan from My Deejay

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Then we braved the cold and strong winds and headed to the city dock for some waterfront pictures.

Lastly, the Caps fans put on their jerseys and we headed to a matching red and white backdrop on Green Street.

How they met, from Kelly:

Matt and I met at my job at the hospital.  I’m an ER nurse and he is a firefighter who works at the firehouse near the hospital.  He would come in from time to time on ambulance calls and we would always talk.  One day I happened to mention I was a Washington Capitals hockey fan and he said he was a hardcore fan and he asked me on a date to a game…and now here we are planning a wedding!

How he proposed:

Matt proposed on Christmas night.  I had to work Christmas day and had just gotten home.  Matt was super anxious to open presents and all I wanted to do was take a shower…but he talked me into it.  He insisted I open my present first.  It was a pretty big box and when I opened it there was a ton of tissue paper packed in.  At the bottom there was a ring box.  Then he got down on one knee and proposed

Kelly and Matt will be married on October 5^th 2013 at the Mount Airy Mansion. We are so excited that we will be there to photograph all the special moments of their wedding day.

♥ Jess

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How the couple met, in Ana’s words:
Ophelia and I met the summer I came home from college (I graduated from UNC-Asheville in 2009). She was still a sophomore at Morgan State University. We were basically inseparable after our first meeting. We went on many dates (bowling, zoo, skating, movies, bingo, renaissance festival, artscape). I started working for the federal government while Ophelia finished school.

The proposal:
Summer 2011, I took Ophelia to a pond near our house. I was feeding ducks bread while Ophelia nervously watched. After finally agreeing to feed them I passed the bread bag to her where she found a box waiting inside for her. She opened it, I got down on one knee and popped the question. (She said yes! lol)

Ana and Ophelia will be married in Frederick, MD in August 2013, surrounded by close family and friends.  Bill and I are so excited to be a part of these lovely ladies’ special day!

♥ Jess

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