Liriodendron Mansion Wedding Photography in Bel Air, MD

Lauren & Ethan’s Liriodendron Mansion Wedding | Bel Air Maryland Photographer | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

“Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before,” read Lauren’s sister, Lindsay, from a speech that their other sister, Leah, wrote. The quote is from C.S. Lewis and I think I am going to take my own advice and begin with a quote more often; between the choice and the succinct nature of them they tend to drive home the vibe of the couple more than my first words ever could.

Lauren and Ethan are an Air Force couple that have a surreal connection. The way they looked at and interacted with one another on their wedding day was like watching a story unfold in real time. The first word that came to mind during their first look was envious--as Heather and I photographed the natural way they fell into each other’s arms. Lauren’s body language immediately shifted from tensed up shoulders to relaxed and smooth, and she began to laugh and smile as the logistics of the day began to work themselves out.

Lauren and Ethan held their wedding at The Liriodendron Mansion in Bel Air, Maryland, a picturesque regal historic property that doubles as an art and cultural center. The 19th century structure boasts two large, gorgeous porches on both sides, an elegant wrap-around staircase straight from a storybook, and an arching trellis that covers the back patio like a green, natural tunnel. They held the ceremony on the back lawn, standing on the steps before the patio, using the rear face of the mansion as an epic backdrop. Lauren and Ethan did it right.

In a time in the United States where everything feels so heavy it’s important to take any moments that make us feel light. When Lauren saw Ethan for the first time it was like a physical and emotional embodiment of that point. I know it’s hard to look around on your wedding day and see all the things that could have been--but at some point, when you let go--you’ll see everything that is. You’ll see your partner looking the best they’ve ever looked, the people who’ve shown up for you, and you’ll remember how light you felt in those moments. You deserve it.

I admit that I’ve fallen victim to the weight of the world of 2020, forgetting to put effort into things that make me feel light. Some of that is due to quarantine or the political climate but I can’t scapegoat all of my frustration. A friend of ours recently gave me a book on the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park and I read it on our recent flight to Colorado. It is surprisingly well-written and my brain immediately began to churn in a way it hasn’t in awhile. I was inspired by the dynamics of wolf packs, the positive impact that even apex predators can have on an ecosystem, and the cost-benefit analysis of the introduction project. More than anything else I felt light again; remembering that I, Lauren, Ethan, or even a lone wolf in Yellowstone is the main character in a “...Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”