Weddings that really take full advantage of nature are often the most amazing soirees. Mother Nature knows how to dress a party, so when the bride and groom take hints from the bountiful greens and stunning flowers in the wild, the result is magical. Mary Kate McKenna Photography has captured such a wedding and filled a gallery with pretty, pretty images – and we just can’t get enough!
Our wedding was a true “labor of love” that incorporated the talents from the people who mean the most to us. My maid of honor designed our beautiful save the dates, invitations and guestbook. My high school friend and bridesmaid sang a beautiful song at the ceremony. Another friend designed our menus. Abe’s aunt owns a frame shop and she framed the guestbook as well as beautiful gift from his mom and stepdad.
Abe’s mom is also famous for her green thumb, and she grew Lilly of the Valley (one of my favorite flowers) to include in our arrangements. The day before the wedding, she led a group of friends and relatives in arranging the reception centerpieces into vintage vases we collected together over the last year.
The tree theme that was woven through our wedding was rooted (pun intended) in our shared love of Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. The book’s simple, but powerful, message about unconditional love is important to us and seemed to be a great sentiment for a wedding.
Speaking of books, we also chose to integrate our favorite children’s books into the reception table names and decor. Instead of favors, we chose to make a donation to First Book, a childhood literacy organization, in our guests’ honor.
I can’t forget about the place settings. My parents scoured flea markets and thrift stores in my hometown to collect vintage place settings for the reception. There were many dish washing and packing parties right up until the big day, but the unique look it gave our reception was awesome!
Photography: Mary Kate McKenna Photography / Flowers: Local Color Flowers / Ceremony Location: Our Lady of Perpetual Hope / Reception Location: London Town House and Gardens / Catering: Ken’s Creative Kitchen / Cake: Olivia Doherty, ojdoherty@gmail.com / Hair: Hair by Rochelle / Invitations, Save the Date and Guestbook: Emilie Udell / Transportation: Annapolis Trolley