Yes, there was a penguin at Lisa and Matt’s Maryland Zoo wedding in Baltimore! There, now that we’ve got that covered (and I have you Googling ‘How do I get a penguin at my wedding?’) let me tell you more about the magic that happened yesterday. Lisa wanted a summer wedding. Matt wanted a fall wedding. We ended up with both, starting the day with a little heat for their first look outside the mansion house, and ending with the perfect cool fall evening- complete with migrating geese honking their way through the wedding ceremony!
If you didn’t know, my husband Darren proposed to me at the zoo – so when Lisa and Matt reached out last year to see if I was available to photograph their wedding, it was meant to be. After meeting them in person for their dreamy Frederick engagement session, I knew their wedding was going to be a memorable affair, and it did not disappoint! A few memorable highlights:
- Lisa’s bouquet incorporated a charm with her late father’s photo and a note written to her on the back of it. Her necklace was made using diamonds from her mother’s engagement ring. I loved meeting Lisa and Matt’s families, and especially was touched to witness and capture some of the quieter moments that Lisa and her mother shared before the ceremony.
- Lisa and Matt were absolutely RADIANT with joy! I could tell at the beginning of the day that they were both feeling a little jittery. All that stress and built up emotion melted away after they shared their first look (in case you were wondering, a first look is always a great idea!), and the smiles just never stopped after that point.
- We had an opportunity to go around the Maryland zoo grounds for bride and groom portraits prior to the ceremony (love when my couples spoil me with plenty of time for portraits!) and we had a fun time checking out the old part of the zoo as well as the carousel.
- One of Lisa and Matt’s wedding readings included DINOSAURS. It was whimsical, light hearted, and perfectly in tune with this couple’s sweet personalities.
- Okay, I know you just wanted to hear about the penguin. One of the perks of getting married at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is that you can have an animal ambassador join your guests for cocktail hour. Behold- Eddie! Eddie is three years old, and she totally stole the show for an hour. Believe me when I say I went through a few penguin-napping scenarios in my head before deciding that Eddie would probably be better off staying at the Zoo. For now, anyway.
Vendor Love:
Photo: Winnie Dora Photography
Venue: The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Catering: Hunt Valley Catering
Cake: Graul’s Market
HMUA: JKW Beauty
Dress: Mori Lee via JB Bridals
Bridesmaids: Azazie
Suits: Men’s Wearhouse
Rings: Charleston Alexander
Florist: Maryland Bay Blossoms
DJ: Jason Burns, Elite DJ Network
Video: DC Video Works
Invitations: Etsy
Favor Bags: Etsy
Transportation: KD Elite Transportation
