Woodend Wedding :: Amanda and Mike- Chevy Chase, Maryland

A fantastic Woodend wedding!

The Woodend Sanctuary is one of my very favorite places to photograph weddings. It’s such a nice place in a great setting.

Amanda looked sooooo pretty. I loved her dress, her shoes, her hair… everything!

The ceremony was lovely. I really enjoyed watching Gray the ring bearer come down the aisle and hearing a poem that a friend of the family had written just for this special occasion.

After the sweet ceremony, we had to beat the setting sun for the formals. Luckily, Kalisa Hines of Elegant Touch Wedding Consultants was there to get everyone in the right place. By the time we finished it was nearly pitch black outside!

Then Mike and Amanda did their first dance- a very nice foxtrot! I was impressed! Then it was time for dinner- yum!

Whenever I pull up to a wedding and see Marco Polo catering there I totally pump my fists in my car! They are the absolute best people to worth with at a wedding, hands down. And this time was no different. A huge thank you to Sonia Saenz and her staff from Marco Polo Caterers for all their hard work yesterday evening.

After a very tasty dinner the dancing began. And just when everyone was getting the dance floor heated up, a special guest made his way to the party… ELVIS. Yes, Elvis. I’m not even kidding you. It was totally awesome.

Elvis, or “Elvis E” as he likes to be known, sang his greatest hits for over an hour. He was really good! He really did get everyone riled up and I loved watching the reactions from the guests!

Although Amanda and Mike were definitely the center of attention yesterday evening, there was one little lady who stole the show, perhaps more than Elvis. Amanda’s grandmother was an absolute joy to be around. She was funny, kind, and full of energy. I only hope that when I’m 90 I can shake my booty at my grand-daughter’s wedding like she can! Jaime got a great picture of her after she gave me a kiss- I love it.

Amanda and Mike… your wedding was so great! A beautiful setting, a beautiful couple, amazing food, and incredible guests…. that’s the perfect wedding. Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day. Enjoy your honeymoon in Hawaii, even though you’re not going for a few weeks!

Here is the poem that a family friend wrote for the newlyweds…

The Wedding that Never Ends
By Grace Cavalieri

It starts with a question: Is this the way people feel
Who feel pleasure?
And then suddenly the awareness of the understood
Explodes into the room
And as luck would have it, the cracks in the heart
Burst open.
Early photographs show them laughing.
Touching each other’s hair, show
Show two people who have the same dream and wonder how to
Make that a reality. ..
With a spoon on the table
With a flower in the vase
Saying each other’s names as if they were someone
They loved.
Spirit is the intellect now, nothing else will do.
And when they leave a brilliant youth together
They’ll have been somewhere;
They’ll be going somewhere, and
In eternity- that moment outside of time-
They will fall in love all over again
Catching this present day in their arms