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.”
Enjoy these sneak peek photos from Lauren & Ethan’s wedding:
vendors:
Apollo Fields | Photography
The Liriodendron Mansion | Venue
Dean and Brown Catering | Catering
Something Borrowed Blooms | Floral
Pronovias Oreste | Dress
K&Co Salon | Hair and Makeup
Vistaprint | Save the Dates
Hey! It’s Team Apollo…
…just loving our jobs!
Asharoken Beach Wedding in Northport, NY
Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Beach Weddings on Long Island | Backyard Wedding Photographer | Northport Wedding Photographers | Northport, NY
Jackie & Eric
“The best-laid plans o’ mice and men often go awry” was the line that Kevin, Eric’s best man, decided to begin and finish his speech with. It made me remember the public speaking course I took in college and how effective using a quote is in anchoring the message of your speech on both ends. If I had any advice for the best men and maids-of-honor out there--this is it. Speak from the heart, keep it short and sweet, and begin and end on the same quote.
Jackie and Eric held their ceremony Our Lady Queen of Martyr’s on a beautifully bright indian summer day in September. Centerport Harbor glistened with the sparkle that guests love and photographers have to work around. Their officiant, Deacon Doug, was as affable as he was devout--weaving in biblical references into Jackie and Eric’s stories almost as much as he mentioned the New York Mets. In a symbol of union, Jackie and Eric poured soil from each of their homes into a potted plant, a unique ceremony idea I’ve never seen before. I loved it. Do anything you can in your ceremony to represent who you are.
From there they took the party to a private residence on the beach on Asharoken Avenue in Northport, NY. The reception began underneath a tent in front of the house but gradually moved to the beach as the sun began to set. Eric and Jackie held their first dance in the sand and the levity of the moment is making it hard for me to remember a more memorable first dance. The late summer breeze, the sun setting in the distance, the weight of the world--for the first time in awhile--floated off my shoulders. I can still see the hazy orange sky when I try to picture it.
“Now that we’re here it doesn’t matter what the plan was--I want to face it head on, I want to face it with you,” Kevin continued in his speech. Such a poignant meeting point between a healthy relationship and the demands of planning a wedding during a pandemic. There is no blueprint on how to celebrate your love in a time where gatherings are restricted. There is no certainty to how the next few months will transpire. It is up to the Jackie and Eric’s of the world to decide what is right for them and Kevin hit it on the head.
Marriage is a partnership and the plan is to face it together. “What you’ve endured [during the pandemic] is nothing compared to marriage,” Lou, Jackie’s father joked during his speech. Heather and I like to treat our life like the way we take vacations: implementing a loose structure, hitting the key can’t-miss tourist destinations, but leaving plenty of room for flexibility and adapting to the whims of weather and mood. Jackie and Eric’s wedding definitely had a vacation vibe, the sand between our toes, fully knowing that “the best-laid plans o’ mice and men often go awry.”
Enjoy these images from Jackie & Eric’s beach wedding:
vendors:
Apollo Fields | Photography
Paul Vibes | Videography
Our Lady Queen of Martyr’s | Ceremony Venue
Floral Designs By Melina | Floral
Precision Sounds | DJ
Hometown Bakeshop | Cake
Anomalie | Dress custom designed by Jackie, the bride!
La Mode | Dress Alterations
Karako | Suit
Blue Nile | Engagement Ring (responsibly made!)
Wedding Bands | Family friend, Carlo Gilioli
Styles by Marcella | Hair
Makeup By Samantha | Makeup
Ann’s Bridal Bargains | Invitations and Save the Dates
Limos Long Island | Car Service
As seen in:
Brooklyn Bride Mag