weddingday

” I was thinking about getting me and the girls matching phone cases for the wedding day” one of my brides said to me “Look! Aren’t they cute!?” she said as she showed me her a picture on her phone.

“They are super cute! But can I just make a small suggestion…” I said as she started scrolling through the photos of the different colored cases. “don’t have your phone on you during your wedding day.” She looked at me with a blank expression. “I know… it sounds crazy, but you will thank me later!”

Unplug for the day. You aren’t going to need your phone. It will only distract you from one of the best days of your life! Give your phone to your Made of Honor and have her do all the answering. You can even put it on airplane mode and give all your vendors your bridesmaid number and have someone else be in charge of taking the selfies. You deserve to enjoy your wedding and take a break from the digital world. I mean, let’s be real, everyone important to you will either be in that getting ready room with you or see you in the next 5 hours. So, this is what you want to do. Wake up on your wedding day. Turn off the alarm. Hand that bad boy over to whoever is closest to you and enjoy every moment of your wedding. You have spent months, possibly years, working towards this day, don’t miss even one second of your magic. Have your bridesmaids and family take care of all the loose ends and last minute phone calls. Pour yourself a mimosa, put on your “Bride” robe and get ready to be the happiest girl alive.

As my second shooter and I walked in to the gorgeous suite at the National Harbor, I only noticed one thing, a beautiful bride getting her hair and make-up touched up right before she was ready to start one of the best days of her life. Coreene’s smile and elegance shined through and through on her wedding day and I couldn’t be more delighted that we were the ones to capture it. Her dress fit her perfectly, her nieces were dancing the entire time and her handsome Groom, Brandon, couldn’t take his eyes off her.

The ceremony was stunning and intimate, the smiles were full and warm and the bridal party was full of laughter and happiness. When I was driving from the church to the venue, I was thinking to myself, it couldn’t get any better than this… then I saw it, the magnificent reception tent, decorated in a sophisticated and tasteful manner, and now I thought to myself, “WOW.” Coreene and Brandon sure know how to throw a party.

After heartfelt toasts, parent-dances and the cake cutting there was only one thing left for Coreene and Brandon to do… dance their guests of out the reception tent. Let me explain myself, they didn’t just dance, they danced, marched and led the crowd as the two of them held these awesome umbrellas while all of their family and friends followed them swinging embroidered handkerchiefs in the air.  Let me tell you, this New Orlean’s tradition blew this East Coaster away. I loved every second of it. The energy and vibrance of the crowd as they marched the Bride and Groom out of the tent and into the next stage of their lives was incredible to witness.

It was a gorgeous wedding, with incredible people and left me feeling all warm inside the entire drive back up to Philadelphia.

Thank you for the memories Coreene and Brandon : )