Latoya & Shawn: Married November 11th, 2023

On Latoya and Shawn’s wedding day, time danced in harmony with their love – a surreal blend of moments that lingered and flew by in a heartbeat. It feels like just a whisper of seasons since Shawn surprised Latoya during a family photo session, yet in reality, a whole year has woven its tale. On a serene Fall day at a country club, nestled not far from the heart of Fairfax, friends and family of Latoya and Shawn converged to witness the couple's union and commemorate the commencement of a new chapter in their lives.

Engaged in shared glances, a symphony of happy smirks adorns both Latoya and Shawn when their minds drift to one another. I sensed their magnetic connection the day Latoya unknowingly spoke of Shawn, just materialized before he materialized for their proposal. That same smirk, perhaps embellished with a dash more sass, graced Shawn's face when Latoya sent over a box of breath mints while Shawn was suiting up for saying “I Do.”

Shawn, a fellow photographer, got to experience being on the other side of the lens; you can catch glimpses of his photography on Instagram @828Visuals.

Amidst the breathtaking canvas of Autumn's final flourish, Latoya and Shawn exchanged vows just before the sun dipped below the horizon. The celebration continued with the dance floor alive with lights and favorite songs. As the night embraced its final moments, the Latoya and Shawn stole away for an intimate last dance, savoring the essence of the day. Loved ones bid them farewell in style, showering them with confetti and streamers, creating a dazzling spectacle as they kissed beneath the moonlight before embarking on their honeymoon.

What a magnificent conclusion to 2023! Wishing you all a Happy New Year – dive into Latoya & Shawn’s wedding pictures to usher in the magic of 2024!

Latoya and Shawn: The Proposal

On Halloween two years ago I captured family photos of Latoya and her kids playing in the Fall leaves; little did I know this session would lead to capturing Shawn pop the question.

A few months ago I got a message on Instagram… that was automatically thrown to the abyss of my Spam folder.  It wasn’t for several weeks while blocking the latest batch of scambots that I finally saw it, and immediately responded (NOTE: If you’re reading this and want to reach me, emailing me is the most reliable way to contact me).  Shawn had seen the Fall family photos I’d shot in 2020 and kept me in mind, and now he was forming a plan to ask Latoya to marry him.  After a bit of brainstorming we got a plan in place, and now the hard part was just keeping cool until it was time.

The day of, Shawn played it super cool, but in truth his adrenaline was pumping with eagerness; like me, Shawn loves cars, and spends a lot of time at racetracks photographing events, so to keep his cover deep he even posted on Instagram and even called Latoya from an active (loud) racetrack so she wouldn’t even consider him being in the area.  Latoya’s family had been organized by an insider to gather at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for family portraits which they haven’t had in years - nobody knew what they were about to witness.

I met with Shawn at the garden an hour before everyone else started arriving to walk him through the plan on-site and get him planted in his hiding spot a short sprint around the corner from where I’d stage pictures.  Leaving him to lay low and relax, I returned to the Visitor’s Center to welcome family as they began arriving.  Latoya was one of the first to arrive, and while waiting was even asking me about my wedding photography and camera straps, “for a friend;” I played it cool and answered earnestly, but inside was smirking, “a ‘friend’ hmm?”

Once everyone was gathered, I lead the group of 15 down to the pond bridge for small groupings before the full group photo at a later location; this was exactly to plan, and also wasn’t untrue.  At the bridge, I asked what group wanted to go first on the bridge, and Latoya immediately volunteered herself and the kids; she was making my job easier than she knew.

After a few photos of Latoya with the kids, I suggested we get some solos as well, and gave our insider a nod to give Shawn the signal he was up.  As I was “adjusting settings” and “framing up the shot” I captured Shawn sneak up and even get down on one knee behind Latoya without her noticing; when I prompted her to change posing, she spotted Shawn with a scream of shock and disbelief.  You can see how utterly surprised she was when she looks back at me (and her family equally as surprised watching over my shoulder) as if to say, “is this really happening?!?!?”

Needless to say, she said yes!

After wrapping up with some family photos, Latoya and Shawn took a small tour of the botanical gardens walking on clouds after becoming engaged.

Ilana and Chris: Married April 28th, 2022

In my blog post about Ilana and Chris’ engagement session, I explained my history with film; how I have never shot on it professionally, and only reached for it for fun, finding novelty in its charming imperfection, and how this appreciation of film for fun and interesting cars is what ultimately brought us all together.

For Chris and Ilana’s wedding, however, like their engagement session, I changed this history, if ever so slightly.  Just like Chris and Ilana love the artistry classic, quirky, and quick cars, they also appreciate share my appreciation of analog’s allure.  So while their big day wouldn’t be the first time I snapped Polaroids at a wedding, it would be the most film I’ve ever shot at any professional session, even if it was a few handfuls.

After getting prepped, and strategically keeping the wedding parties separate, Ilana had a first look with her family on the Anchor Inn’s dock immediately before the ceremony began.  In the refreshing breeze on the Patapsco River, Chris and Ilana took their turns going down the aisle, finally letting Chris choke up seeing Ilana in her dress; a tradition Chris was adamant to keep.

After the breaking the glass (mozal tov!), Ilana and Chris danced on a cloud to kick off their reception.  After dinner and toasts, they cut the cake to the tune of some zany TV theme songs that perfectly fit their silly personalities; King of the Hill, South Park, The Simpsons, and more.  Now it’s officially party time!

Winding down the evening, Chris and Ilana slow danced solo, just them and the music on the dance floor… and maybe a few excited guests who peeked inside through the portal window.  Under an arch of fiber optic sparklers, Ilana and Chris departed, but not before dipping for a kiss one more time, and one more Polaroid.