Baltimore Wedding Photographer Kathy Freundel » 443.844.2352

They spent the day enveloped. Enveloped in the love of their closest family and friends. Enveloped in the knowing glances and secret sighs they shared throughout the day. Enveloped in the excitement of a Monday morning departure to the Greek Isles.  Enveloped in heat of passion that rivaled the blanket of east coast summer that covered their day.

Breezes off the Chesapeake at Havre de Grace’s stately Swan Harbor Farm provided a canvas for the evening . . . and as the sun set and the air cooled, the throw down began . . . continuing long into the night . . . ushered in by music master,  Frank Young.

Anne’s Garden. Stunning.

My favorite program of all time. A fan with a custom piggyback logo for Julia + Ethan . . . . perfection in graphic design . . . by Mr. Ethan Krieger. Sweeet.

Julia. So gorgeous in a classic 40′s kinda’ way. With Tracy Reese designer, New York City’s  Tessa Morehouse at your back and at your side at the altar. . . it doesn’t get much better.

The attention to detail at every turn was a treasure hunt of surprises all evening.

I love it when my brides and grooms do a private first look. Ethan and Julia wanted no part of that nonsense. Now I love it when the first time a groom sees his bride is right before he takes her as his own forever. Julia should put this photo on her nightstand so it’s the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes each morning.

Julia + Ethan are one of those couples that just have an amazing connection. So easy for me to just stand back, keep my lips sealed and capture the magic. Photographer bliss.

Julia + Ethan. Thank you for enveloping me in your magic.

Vendors:

Swan Harbor Farm

Sugarbakers

Ginny Carson Officiant

Dean & Brown Caterers

And a special shout out to Ron Washington, who rode shotgun on this one. Holla!

Anne’s Garden

It was the Enter Sandman entrance that gave her away. She has Hokie running through her veins. And he screams KU Jayhawk, with a little Chicago Cub thrown in for good measure.  So, their Gramercy wedding was truly the uniting of two kingdoms.  Kortney and Andy met in Virginia . . . each routing for their alma mater’s football victory. They called a truce, fell in love, and the rest is history.

Kortney has it goin’ on. From her Stuart Weitzman kicks, to her custom made Ann Barge gown . . . she is the princess bride.  She met with Ann Barge, at Betsy Robinson’s shop, had the gown designed and it was stunning.

Beautiful flowers by Rutland Beard Flowers of Ruxton in pinks and white were the perfect offset for the taupe bridesmaids dresses.

The bling was all there . . . holla!

And not a detail was left to chance.

It’s obvious that Andy found his princess . . . the way he looked at her, instinctively knew her desires, and cared for her throughout the night is proof that she is his treasure.

Princess. . . all the way. And just as beautiful on the inside as she is outside.

The sister act . . . Angel Style.

Classic Catering presented a gorgeous sit down in the Gramercy garden room.  Beautiful food, elegantly presented- that’s Classic Catering every time.

And the guests partied the night away under the direction of the best of the best . . . Frank Young Entertainment. More about that soon . . . but the I’ve never seen Welcome to the Jungle done so well.

Thank you, Kortney and Andy for making me feel like part of the family at your wedding. Congratulations on the start of something really beautiful.

It plays out better than my stack of summer beach reads. They first fell in love as children attending the same youth group in church. She played volleyball and rose to the top of her class and he tore it up on the lax field and camped at the top of his class, as well.  Like many first loves, they went their separate ways off to college. Years later, Ava, the German girl who stayed with Linden as an exchange student, came back to visit and wanted to visit that guy, Daniel.

They reconnected and the spark was still there. Then he learned she was going off to study in Ireland for the semester. He knew if he let her go, some handsome Irishman would realize the jewel that she was and he’d never see her again. So, off Daniel went to Ireland. To pursue the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Or as his brother Aaron punned, to study a broad. His first love, Linden.

It worked. Boy, did it ever work. Because to see Linden and Daniel together is to see what companionship, encouragement, passion and joy look like when they are nurtured and spent freely.

Linden and Daniel had their first look before their ceremony. I love it when my couples are open to making that first connection for their wedding day a private moment. It’s real.

Daniel’s father officiated the ceremony, and as part of the ceremony all of the guests were invited to stand up and speak words of affirmation and encouragement over Linden and Daniel. It was probably the most heartfelt and honest wedding ceremony I’ve ever witnessed.

The atrium room in the stunning  Gramercy Mansion played host to the foodie’s dream . . . a fully sustainable menu artfully presented by Jerry Edward’s Chef’s Expressions. And the floral design by Sidra Forman featured locally grown, seasonal herbs and flowers and was breathtaking.

The relationship between Daniel and his brother Aaron was the kind that a momma like me prays daily for her own brood. So real. So true.

Linden, you are fierce. Have I told you that yet today??

Linden and Daniel, thank you so much for inviting me into your lives. It would be so cool to be down there in Chapel Hill, NC with you both . . . you’d teach me so much about living a sustainable life, enjoying the BEST food and wine, and accepting each day as a gift from God whose gift wrap should be torn off in huge sheets! You’re bliss!

View the entire Thayer gallery right here.

If ya wonder why we call her bug, it because she always been our love bug.

And with that made perfectly clear, the mellifluous nickname rolled off the tongue of just about everyone who addressed Nadia with love and affection throughout the day.  And no one had more of that good stuff than her groom, Ryan, who remained by her side, attending to her every need throughout their springtime garden wedding at the lovely Gramercy Mansion, in Baltimore’s horse country.

Nadia and Ryan have a sweet, sensitive love . . . the kind that is consistently putting the other’s needs above his own. They are perfectly suited for one another, and Nadia planned her wedding day with such delicate attention to detail, pouring every ounce of  her love for Ryan into little love offerings throughout the day.

Her hand made  art deco, netted  headpiece was beautifully accompanied by her stylish dusty rose stilettos. Classic beauty all the way.

Nadia and Ryan. Thank you so much for inviting me into your lives. Your love is real. And the thoughtful things you do for one another are an encouragement to your family and friends.

You are the real deal and it such a beautiful thing to behold.

Something about Veronica takes my breath away. She is fiercely gorgeous, and so comfortable in her skin that her friends and family stand in awe. I heard it all night – her best friend from South Beach, Mia, said it best- she’s the most beautiful thing alive. And the way that her man looks at her . . . well,  I’ll just say that Bryant and Veronica have that intense connection that I don’t see every day.

Their Tremont Grand Wedding was a celebration. A throw down. A party that Baltimore does not see every day. My very favorite, Brandon Casey, orchestrated the entire day so that it played like a movie- no lie. Start to finish, it was like the wedding of your dreams, fully realized.

The first glimpse of the red sole made my heart beat a little faster . . . girl knows style.

Does she ever know style. And with Neilla Elrod, a NARS artist doing the makeup and a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown to boot . . . well, there was a collective gasp when the door opened and Veronica and her Father appeared to walk down the aisle. Floral design, by JJ Cummings floral was the proverbial icing on the cake.

I LOVEEEEE when my couples are game for the first look. That way, that first moment is theirs alone. I really do stand way back and let it organically unfold, and for Bryant, who is completely taken with Veronica . . . well, I could hear his heart beating out loud as she came to him . . . to give herself to him for all time. Talk about snapshots for eternity.

Did I mention that they have a little chemistry going on???

I did not even suggest to Veronica a pose or a thought . . . they’ve definitely got it goin on.

A convention of the beautiful people!

They are the real deal. Veronica and Bryant, you ROCK. You are so warm, so authentic, and your friends and family are in awe that such an intense love exists between you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for inviting me into your world. It’s a sweet world.

They carried book bags into their classroom at Sacred Heart School in Glyndon, wide eyed 1st graders with hope in their eyes and dreams in their hearts. They ate lunch, played on the playground and learned to read side by side. She graduated to Mercy High School, an all girls’ school where she fell into her posse of girlfriends that would walk her through the ups and downs of becoming an independent woman.

He graduated to Loyola High School where he would live his days running with the guys from the hood before heading off to college and jumping into corporate life.

There were moments in the journey when Tarryn and Dan would get it right. But he would get distracted by his Playstation and she would get distracted by the energy and activity of a new college semester. They gave one another the space to explore yet they always wound up back in each other’s arms. They’ve decided that’s a sweet place to live.

All their friends and family agree . . . this first love made it. And it’s a beautiful thing to celebrate, surrounded by family and friends that have been there for the ride.

Tarryn and Dan, thank you for showing me that love hopes, love endures, and love wins. I am grateful that I was invited into your lives . . . and that I’ll get to be back with you for another family wedding later this summer!

Maryland’s glorious horse country, on Belmont Road in Worthington Valley was our backdrop . . . we were chasing light all day and it was a beautiful game.

Immaculate Conception Church in Towson, Maryland has seen generations of Twomeys join their lives for eternity. Rich tradition. Meaningful ritual.

Tarryn King . . . fierce.

The stately Mansion at Valley Country Club. And Mr. Artie D was there in his place, for all you old school Baltomorians.

Their song was Tom Petty’s Free Fallin. A father and his only child, a beautiful woman. That would make a rock cry.

Tarryn and Dan. Keepin it real. Love those guys, because they have the world at their feet, yet don’t take it at all too seriously.

I worked with some of my favorite vendors on this wedding . . .

Frank Young kept the party rolling . . . he’s the master of Vitamin String Orchestra, so you get AC/DC, U2 and Muse as your chamber dinner music . . . warming up the guests for the real throw down.

I also shot the day with Iron Mountain’s Bernie, who knows his cinematography. Got to draft off his cool lighting all night:)

He maintains that he laid back, believing it in bad taste to hit on the doctor’s daughter. She maintains that she’d search the appointment log looking for the day his dad was scheduled for dental work . . . then dress in her best professional “fresh and flirty.”  While their dads got on with dental work, they got on with chit chat. His subtle flirtations were met with an open heart . . . eventually he could stand it no longer. He scored her number. He texted. She replied. I could cliche the rest is history. But it has only just begun.

When I arrived at Gina’s family home in Ruxton, the skies were  Alice-blue and filled with fluffy clouds. Blossoms hung on the trees and spring was in her glory. Inside their family home Gina’s paarents, brothers and girlfriends were chillin, listening to good music and meandering around the buffet laden with fresh fruit, french toast and delicate pastries. Upstairs, Jamie Leboe was making magic on the makeup stool, and Michelle was coiffing in the adjacent room.

Stanton’s stunning floral creations arrived perfectly early, which gave me extra time to appreciate and capture his artistry.

One of my favorite design teams, Ellene and David  Pomerantz of Write Style  rocked out the invitations  in their trademark classic, fresh style.

Nothing says love like a little teal pouch.

Gina, if genes have their way . . . you’re in really great shape!

Father of the bride. First look. Made me cry.

Gina, have I mentioned the word GORGEOUS??

While the girls were chilling at the family home, the guys were enjoying their morning at the Tremont Grand, undoubtedly the class of Baltimore. Brandon Casey, wedding coordinator extraordinaire had the day under control and it flowed like honey. Tim, my rock star partner,  captured some classic boardroom shots, and he and Tyler did an amazing job capturing the details.

At no other venue do we head first to the bathroom to do wedding portraits!

Now THAT’S what I call a kiss!

I LOVE the Bmore vibe.

Tim’s capture while I was shooting from the front! This is why I always recommend the second photographer add on!!!

This is my favorite shot of Tyler’s.

Fred Behney kept the party rolling all night long.

When I fall in love with a couple, it’s curtains for me. I’m in my element all day long . . . and savor every piece of the wedding day. At the end of of night, I unload my gear, plug in my computer and  start a pot of coffee in the quiet of my house.

What’s one night’s sleep in the scheme of a lifetime??

So it was last night . . . Gina and Matt’s Tremont Wedding was gorgeous! A day after the downpour, and Maryland springtime was in her glory.  Both Gina and Matt, and their families are the real deal. Their love is real, their faith is real . . . and if you’re a faithful blog reader, you already know their incredibly romantic courtship story. {engagement sessions}

Gina, seriously? Amazingly, stunningly, perfectly GORGEOUS!

The Tremont Grand. Bmore style. THIS is the bathroom. LOL!

This is what happens when handsome vascular surgeon stumbles upon the most beautiful nurse in the world!

Make no bones about it. Fairytales do come true. But they’re even better when they’re laced with a little real.

So, dear reader, this is just a sneak peak, for joining me last night was my off-camera lighting wizard, the incredible Tim Hinsche, and master of composition, Tyler Lyons. More to come, to put it mildly. And I’ll get a chance to gush a little more about some of the best artists in town . . . stay tuned!

Unassuming, attentive and authentic. That’s Jennifer and Charley in a nutshell. They hold the record for longest courtship – most intimate wedding in his family. His mom said so with a wink and a smile as she reminded them both to remember forever exactly how they felt about one another on this pivotal day in their lives.

Together, they complement and complete one another. They are both American U alumni, and began their life together living and working in the District of Columbia. Then, they adventured to Manhattan and loved the city vibe. These days they’re calling Brooklyn home, still don’t own a car, and are definitely living out some pretty amazing adventures together. I could tell by the fire passed from him to her each time they caught the other’s eye.

Charley is a hometown boy, so we took off into the quaint city of Westminster to shoot on his old stomping grounds.

Charley’s Uncle, Judge Frank Arnold officiated the intimate ceremony.

Jennifer and Charley . . . you have the real deal, and it obvious that you know it, treasure it, and will nurture it.

Johansson’s Dining House & Brewery in downtown Westminster was the perfect venue for their intimate ceremony and wedding luncheon.

Downtown Westminster provides the BEST canvas for what I love most about photography . . . the real.

Jennifer and Charley . . . thank you for allowing me a peek into your lives. It was an honor to witness your commitment to one another and a pleasure to document your wedding day.

Love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant all the year, and blessing those who give and those who receive.

Louisa May Alcott knows a thing or two about love, and she could have been talking about Ben and Ellen.

It was a simply elegant wedding, adorned by piles of snow decorating tree branches and rooftop of Tagart Chapel on the campus of her alma mater, McDonogh School. She was every bit the  classic beauty in her elegant Grecian gown. Ben comfortably fell into his role of   protector,  evidenced through his meaningful glances,  his anticipation of  her needs , and his delight  at the sound of her laughter.  She is  the center of his world. Sharp as a whip, full of understated elegance and a love of family and friends, Ellen and Ben celebrated  their marriage in style at the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park on the water in Fells Point.

The day was planned and executed to perfection by Baltimore Wedding Planner, Jennifer Yeager. She did not allow a week of snow and ice deter the flow of the day, engineering the events of the day with the ultimate in professional acumen. I was joined by York College sophomore, Tyler Lyons, who is a graphic design major and did a great job assisting for the day.

Floral design by Stanton Wingrat, of Flowers and Fanices was breathtaking. Stanton’s incredible design seems to capture the style of each of his brides. Ellen’s classic elegance was evident in every one of Stanton’s creations. It’s so obvious. Stanton listens.

Totally chill, Ben and his groomsmen were so much fun to shoot. They were full of great ideas, even more full of personality, and I even trusted ‘em to rifle snowballs right over my head.

Ellen and her attendants prepared for the day in the McDonogh Lower School’s library, a place where Ellen spent much time as a young girl.

Ellen,  you are drop dead beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Mid winter light just poured through the stained glass windows of Tagart Chapel, bathing the entire space in light and warmth.

These guys were such troopers . . . . sleeveless in Bmore January. Brrr. We worked pretty quickly.

Perhaps that’s what true love is all about. Listening. Anticipating. Giving.  Together. Ellen and Ben are getting it right, and it was an honor to document their Baltimore wedding.

This is the view of the Frederick Douglass Education Pavilion.

This is the view FROM the loft bridge at the Frederick Douglass.

Bobby and his crew at The Classic Catering People transformed the space and the food was to die for. I LOVE working with Bobby, because he is super calm and gracious and he always takes care of his people. Tyler and I nibbled on crab cakes and tenderloin. YUM.

The artisans over at Patisserie Poupon were responsible for the beauty.

Ben and Ellen. You are off to a beautiful start. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to document your wedding day!

View the entire gallery here.