Chesapeake Charm Photography
Stephen & Elizabeth
St. Andrew by the Bay and Herrington on the Bay
Chesapeake Charm Photography
Wedding Date: December 9, 2023
Number of Guests: 140
Standout Vendor: Seamstress Sheryl Kelm
Captivated by a Voice
It was Stephen’s voice that Elizabeth first took note of. During the pandemic, while working from home, Elizabeth’s roommate had her desk in the hall right outside of Elizabeth’s room. “I could hear Stephen when he was on the phone with her and secretly hoped I’d get to meet the director with the nice voice.” Luckily, while out in Baltimore, Elizabeth and her roommates happened to run into Stephen. The pair hit it off that night and Elizabeth gave Stephen her number. He didn’t text her until a few weeks later, but their first date at a waterfront restaurant sealed the deal. “We both pretty much knew from our first date that we would get married. Conversation came so easily, and we immediately felt so comfortable with each other.”
Chesapeake Charm Photography
“Annapolis is especially beautiful around Christmas time, so we wanted [the city] to be the hub for our guests to enjoy around the wedding festivities.” Guests stayed in a hotel in Downtown Annapolis and enjoyed the quaint capital at Christmastime.
Cozy in Love
Elizabeth always wanted a Christmas wedding. “There is just something so magical about Christmastime, and there is already so much love in the air, so it just feels like the perfect season for a wedding,” she explains. Her vision was to bring the Christmas magic without going over the top. With a deep emerald green and dark red color scheme, she achieved the cozy and wintery aesthetic. Garland on the head table, simple, classy Christmas trees placed around the venue, and candles with floating cranberries completed the look.
As Unique as Snowflake
A ballgown that is classic but also has some sparkle and excitement. That’s what Elizabeth set her sights on when searching for a wedding dress. But the challenge turned out to be trying to find this exact dress with sleeves. Enter Sheryl Kelm, seamstress extraordinaire. They ordered the dress with extra lace detail to create removable sleeves that would match the bodice. “It was neat to know that no one else in the world had my dress with my sleeves.”
Cocktails and Cookies
Stephen and Elizabeth put a lot of thought into creating a guest experience to be remembered. Splurging on food and drink was a big part of that. To fit the Christmas theme, they had a selection of cookies made by friends and family. They even provided baggies so guests could take home cookies to snack on later. The signature drink, Married & Bright, was a twist on a French 75: champagne, cranberry, and lemon juice. His version had vodka and hers had gin, both garnished with a sprig of rosemary. “We ended up running out of the drink because it was such a big hit with guests. And strong enough to make sure everyone was on the dance floor all night.”
Chesapeake Charm Photography
Racing the Winter Sun
The day’s timeline worked around the winter sun. “We didn’t want to do a first look, so I was beyond stressed about making it from the church to Herrington with enough time to take pictures before sunset,” Elizabeth recalls. Luckily, their photographer, Mandi, made a great timeline that calmed Elizabeth’s nerves. To save time, Stephen took pictures with his groomsmen and Elizabeth with her bridesmaids before the ceremony. “Mandi was also fantastic on the wedding day at keeping everyone moving and on schedule, so we ended up having plenty of time for pictures.”
Family and Faith
These were two principles that were important to Stephen and Elizabeth as they planned the big day. They handpicked readings and had family members on both sides perform them. Plus, Stephen’s aunt played “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on the violin as Elizabeth walked down the aisle. But Elizabeth’s favorite moment of the wedding came right before that. After all the bridesmaids left to walk, just she and her dad remained. “As soon as we heard the first note, my dad and I were a mess, and we could not pull it together by the time we walked down the aisle.” The moment ended up being an emotional one for everyone in attendance. “We kept [family, faith, and love for each other] at the forefront of our minds in each detail that we planned. Without all three, it wouldn’t have been the day that it was.”
Chesapeake Charm Photography
“My mom and sister helped to DIY a lot, including designing the invitations, signs, and menus. They volunteered a lot of weekends to help make every vision come to life.” The couple’s wedding favor was a big hit with guests: a custom ornament for everyone’s Christmas trees.
Details
Venue: St. Andrew by the Bay (ceremony) and Herrington on the Bay (reception) Photographer: Chesapeake Charm Photography Caterer: Herrington on the Bay Desserts: Cake from Graul’s Market Annapolis; cookie table by family and friends DJ/Band: Jason Burns, Elite DJ Network Florist: Scentsational Floral Hair: Weddings by Sage Makeup Artist: Melissa, Dorsey Beauty Stationery: Designed by Bride on Canva Bride’s Attire: Betsey Robinson’s Bridal Bridesmaid’s Attire: Birdy Grey Groom’s Attire: Jos. A. Bank Groomsmen Attire: Jos. A. Bank Seamstress: Sheryl Kelm
