Charlotte May & Joshua Campbell // September 3, 2016 // The Oaks // Jordan Voth Photography
The Beginning
brbrCharlotte and Josh met through a mutual friend, Rob, who went to high school with Josh and to law school with Charlotte. Soon after, Josh cooked Charlotte dinner despite having just worked a 15-hour day because he said she needed a “real dinner” and not just chips and salsa, which sustained her through law school. That was the first moment they realized there was a strong connection.
The Proposal
brbrJosh proposed at his parents’ house over Christmas. He had hidden the ring in an ornament on the Christmas tree and as tradition goes in his family, everyone gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve. Charlotte went last and got a huge box. “I opened it and in it was champagne and glasses and a note saying, ‘your real present is on the tree.’ I was so confused and got up and couldn’t find anything on the tree. He finally got up and he pulled the ornament off the Christmas tree and got down on one knee and proposed.
brI was in shock and so excited. Of course, Josh’s family had their phones out videoing it the entire time. Happiest day of my life.”
The Venue
brbr“I wanted a venue on the eastern shore, but not too far from the airport as we had a lot of out of town guest,” Charlotte explains. Also on her list was a venue that had room for everyone to stay. The Oaks happened to be one of the few venues they found with both a great outdoor space and indoor space. “With unpredictable weather sometimes, I wanted to make sure that even if we had the wedding inside, we had a good view. Even when you are in the ballroom at the Oaks, you have a gorgeous view of the bay. Plus, it was like a big sleepover party with all my friends and family all weekend. We wanted to make the most of having everyone together.”
The Rehearsal
brbrThe couple hosted their rehearsal dinner at the Crab Claw in St. Michaels. “I wanted to show our guests from out of town what Maryland crabs are all about, as a lot of them were coming from California and had never been to a crab feed before,” Charlotte explains. They enjoyed showing everyone how to use mallet and open a crab.
The First Look
brbrNot only did the couple do a first look, but they exchanged their vows in private. “Josh and I hate public speaking,” the bride explains. Saying their vows in private made the moment more special for them. “After our first look, I couldn’t stop smiling. I was no longer nervous.”
The Best Decision
brbr“Our best decision was having the ceremony outside and the reception inside in the ballroom. It was supposed to hurricane the day of our wedding, but luckily a friend is a pilot and could get the weather for our exact location and let us know that it was not going to hit us. It ended up being perfect weather. A little bit of sun, but nice and shady for our guest and not hot at all. We had purchased woven fans for our guests in case it was warm outside, but never ended up needing them at all. We got really lucky.”
The Details:
Planner/ Décor/ Styling: Two Roads Event Co. | Florist: Violet Gardens Floral Designs | DJ: Mixing Maryland | Caterer: The Oaks Waterfront Inn | Cake/ Baker: Sweet Hearts Patisserie | Bridal gown store: One Night Affair | Gown designer: Galia Lahav | Bride’s hair and makeup: Jenn DiBlasio | Store for rings: Michael K. Jewelers Bride’s shoes: Imagine By Vince Camuto | Bridesmaid dress designer: Adrianna Papell and Jenny Yoo | Men’s attire store: The Black Tux | Favors/ Gifts: Bay Imprint Photobooth: Photomatic Photobooth | Wedding hashtag: #maynomore | Registry: Zola, Bloomingdales, Williams and Sonoma, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon Linens: Nuage Designs | Rentals/ Specialty Décor: White Glove Rentals and Perfect Settings | Stationary: Alex M. Valenzuela
