sarah and isaiah in baltimore-5/23/26
Let me let you in on a little secret: rain does not ruin a wedding. If your day is planned in the greens of a mansion garden in Baltimore, rain makes those colors look all the more magical, and the calm drops falling outside the window seeps the quiet sanctity into your heart. Never will I complain about rain(not true, I’ve complained about rain before). But of course, on a day like your wedding day, the last thing you want is for the clouds to change your plans, rightfully so. When the sky decides, adaptation is a must. And so, in the dewy morning of May 23rd, the busiest of bees prepared for a lovely indoor ceremony, and the prettiest of petals got ready in a home together. Jordan and I stopped by to take some detail photos and
meet our stunning bride. In her vintage, silky blue robe, Sarah was surrounded by sweet girls all anticipating a big day.
Dresses of all different colors were hung about, and the ladies sported their bedazzled tank tops and matching boxer shorts. All adorned with swaggy pins of the woman of the day, Sarah.
From there, we departed for the wedding venue for photos, where Sarah would put on her dress, the Cylburn Mansion. A vision in dark emerald, and tastefully colorful landscaping, the gray-brick mansion sat quietly, awaiting to be occupied for the sake of matrimony and art. That's where we came in. Rain sprinkling down outside, Sarah revealed her dress in a beautiful, white room, and the room went silent. The dress was one of a kind, stunning as can be. A stylistic fan-shaped design on the top, slightly fraying, showcased its life all the way down past the basque waist silhouette into the full, white skirt. It was made to be hung from the walls of an old mansion. Paired with her red shoes and a long, crocheted capped veil, it was the perfect look. Sarah, you are a mastermind in style.
rara couture A note from her groom:)
Isaiah arrived as well, ready to roll in a vintage Levi's button-up and a killer jacket and bolo tie. His groomsmen, as silly as can be, stacked cups with some bridesmaids, grabbed each other's crotches(as they do), and then served in photos. men of all trades.
The mansion was truly stunning, so after some family wrangling and photos, Sarah and Isaiah wanted to run around the lawn. so we did. me and my insanely loud camera set up clicked and clacked around the yard as Sarah picked her dress up and RAN. She said frolic, but she really did run and I was very impressed. They embodied the spirit of the large estate as if it truly was their own and I will never forget it. see for yourself
and now, time for holy matrimony.
the ceremony space was set up in the Vollmer visitor center, where the rest of the evening would take place. A large, cut-out heart, handmade by Sarah and Isaiah read their names for everyone to see as they came in. A fitting announcement of their classic affection. Bridesmaids and groomsmen entered in pairs, grandparents escorted to their seats, and a hush fell over the window-lit room. As I said, the greens outside could not have been more inviting, almost making you wish that you were outside, feeling the rain on your skin, soaking up the memories of the day. But memories last forever, even when inside. The ceremony was lovely, the guests were in sick outfits, a bluegrass band was playing lovingly off to the side, and a pastor gave a beautiful officiating speech.
I've been really loving ceremonies lately. A lot of the time, the ceremony can be the most boring part of a wedding day. Which is completely understandable, it consists of sitting/standing still until it's over. But, for some reason, ceremonies have been bringing me to the verge of tears this year, and if you know me, that's rare. There's just something special in the air, something unspoken, until the moment vows are shared and everything is spoken. As if a secret language is being revealed, emotions are shared blatantly, with no reserve or embarrassment while a crowd watches and listens. Obviously, this isn't the case for every union, but for this one, it was. And it got me, what can I say. The wedding then turned into pre-party mode while the decorating crew reset the floor to dinner and dance mode. That's when it was transformed, and they truly killed it. "they" being the coordinating/decorating group, Your Day Your Way LLC. Thank you guys for making the space so inviting and fun.
And then, from dinner, came my favorite part of the day: the dance floor. I was never gifted a prom that had good music or a buzzy dance floor, so for a lot of my time I just thought I hated dancing. That is, until I experienced my first wedding dance floor. Electric.
Say it with me: DANCE FLOORS ARE REALLY FUN BUT ONLY WORK IF PEOPLE DANCE. My biggest advice for wedding guests is to get over themselves and get on the dance floor. Sarah and Isaiah's dance floor was proof of that. People surrounding each other and going crazy to some amazing songs is the best thing in the world. Pair it with star-shaped glasses and feathered boas and you've got something otherworldly. I love love loved dancing with you guys, and it also really opened my eyes to a world of possibility for lighting on dance floors. Instead of doing the usual and pointing the lasers and colorful lights at the dancers, the DJ lit up the ceiling with color. Ground-breaking. It still gave everyone fun colors, but it made photos so much more pleasant and unique. 10/10. Let me show ya.
and finally, the dance floor died down, the venue was closing, and the happy couple was ready to make their exit(to the afterparty, that is). When doing a grand exit, an icon must change outfits. A floor-length, shiny, strapped dress exited the building into sprinkling rain and 1,000 streamers, with her husband on her arm. I'm sure it was glorious, but I actually didn't see a single thing, I was just flashing my camera and backing up the best I could in the rain.
the get-together after the wedding was at a bar in Mt. Washington, fittingly called Mt. Washington Tavern. Friends waited upstairs for the couple to then make their grand entrance, so the night could continue. When they did, the moment called for the chugging of a Guiness, and a slow comedown. It was a lovely end to our night, and I hope it was just as lovely for Sarah and Isaiah. It was such a pleasure meeting them and getting to work with my dear friend, Jordan, who I will never stop talking about. Beauty all around, love inside and out, thank you everyone.
Mt. Washington Tavern
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