Oh my gosh, there is so much to say about these two and their wedding day. I loved every detail of it! From our California coast to East coast phone chat, I knew Kirstyn and I would just click so well! I absolutely love her. I met with her, her sister Marlo, and their mom Laurie at R-House in Baltimore and we ended up chatting for hours, getting to know each other, talking about the wedding details, and obsessing over everything together! They are all so sweet and wonderful! Kir has such a light and adventurous quality to her, always seems to be smiling, and is the brightest ray of sunshine you could meet. Her eye for design and style is so fresh and fun but she values classic timeless looks and tradition too. To me that equals the perfect combination!
So Kirstyn and her girls got ready at the Carriage House at the Women's Club in Mt. Vernon. I loved the brick courtyard and the greenery everywhere! The house was quaint and sweet with tables and chairs outside to sit out and enjoy the sunshine. Marlo finished up a couple edits to her Maid of Honor speech while the rest of the girls enjoyed some julacrice and breakfast bites from Harmony Bakery, an incredible vegan bakery in Hampden.
One of the things I love about Kir is that whenever she's happy and excited, she pushes her hands together and lightly just claps them together under her chin. You'll see her do it quite often throughout the day - it's so cute and fun! She clapped when she saw me arrive as she was getting her makeup done... :)
Heather from Studio & Co. in Mt. Washington did such an amazing job on the girls' hair!
One special image that Kir and her mom Laurie wanted was of their wedding gowns with Laurie's mom "Ga's" wedding dress too. All three of them together... Kir's dress was from Anthropologie's BHLDN (my favorite!). She wore Laurie's veil too, from her wedding to Kirstyn's father in 1983. I also loved her Badgley Mischka flats that matched the vibes of everything so perfectly... Marlo also gave Kirstyn a pair of earrings handmade by the jeweler in Hampden who crafted Kir's wedding bands too. And one of the gifts to her bridesmaids were these cute bags from a boutique in Santa Monica. I'm telling you, I was in love with every single detail!
Instead of bouquets, the girls wore gold cuffs with succulents on them from Susan McLeary (@passionflowersue) out of Ann Arbor, MI. They were amazing and lasted all night...
Marlo helped Kirstyn step into her dress in the courtyard just before it was time to snap a few portraits and then head over to Cosima!
These girls were so fun to photograph! Most of them played lacrosse with Kir in school!
I loved having time set aside for their First Look and Portraits before guests began to arrive to Cosima for their courtyard ceremony. We found a sweet little hideaway for them to see each other for the firs time. It was so sweet! (Wait for Kir's cute little clap...)
Laurie wore a GORGEOUS floral necklace made by Fleur de Lis, an amazing florist of Baltimore, who also made Kir's bouquet. Wait until you see how gorgeous they both are.
Lesly Bell, a close friend to the family, worked so hard alongside Kir, Laurie and Marlo in executing their vision for the wedding. The ceremony took place in the courtyard and they used the restaurant as the reception space of course, along with a tented area out back where the Bachelor Boys played for dancing later on. Everything felt so casually elegant and made so much sense. I loved the rugs and bells set out for guests to ring. The greenery all around gave such a fun boho feel, and I loved it in contrast with the cobblestones and brick! Being right along the Falls was cool to, hearing the water trickling through the day.
Guests began to arrive and mingle over cocktails and snacks. When it was time, everyone stood around the courtyard alongside the aisle and waited for the processional to begin. The ceremony was led by their good friend Nolan which added a sweet personal touch. Marlo carried her sister's veil as she walked which I loved - it was like a fairy tale! Kir's face when she walked down with her add was priceless. I just love her expressions! She's just so full of life. A sword arch sent them back down the aisle after their kiss and it was officially time to party!
The FOOD was exquisite... Stations were set up around the restaurant for guests to dig in and enjoy along with the multiple whiskey bars and cocktail stations! Everyone had such an amazing time. I loved how guests could mingle if they wanted, stand, sit, walk around, eat, drink, dance, and just enjoy themselves without the typical structure of a wedding reception. Kirstyn and Cade did share a first dance out on the back patio under the tent and lights which was so special. And Marlo and Cade's Best Man Rico gave speeches as the night went on. But everything was so relaxed and fun!
I'm so grateful to have been part of this wedding for such a FUN couple and incredibly special family. I'll never forget this day! So many amazing moments and memories I was so blessed to have been able to capture. Thank you so much for having me, Cade & Kir! So much love to you both! And to the staff at Cosima - you all were amazing. This was the FIRST EVER wedding they held there and it went so perfectly smooth! You were all incredible with keeping the night moving along so seamlessly. Such a perfect night I'll always remember!
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Second Photographer and wonderful friend: Mary Brunst Photography