Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about simplicity in design; whether that be in clothing, interior design, architecture or a wedding. I’m borderline obsessed with how much beauty is found when everything is stripped away leaving just a simple minimalist aesthetic.

Minimalist Inspiration

When we partnered with Linda Ha Events for this styled shoot we drew inspiration from the modern interior design of the venue and minimalistic simplicity of the dress. What resulted was a shoot that was modern and playful while still perfectly effortless. With nothing left to hid behind we were able to capture the true beauty of each element of the day.

All in the Simple Details

Common House, a contemporary social club, set the stage with clean lines mixed with cozy interiors to showcase the young couple’s effortless beauty and style. Colleen West adorned the table with breathtaking florals and simple brass accents. The deckled edge of the Refine Studio‘s paper goods added just enough texture to counter the sleek tablescape and attire. But, I’m not going to lie that my favorite part might just be Melanie’s just messy enough pony.

Our goal for this shoot was to remove all of the details that can so often be distracting. We wanted to see the simple beauty of the dress, the space, the flowers, the models. We could not be more happy with the end result! Finally, you can see more of this shoot featured on JoyWed and a huge thanks to our vendor team!

Photography: Bonnie Sen Photography | Creative Direction & Planning: Linda Ha Events | Venue: Common House Charlottesville | Floral: Colleen West | Beauty: Emily Artistry | Paper Goods: Refine Studio | Models: Melanie Collazo-Espinosa & Matthew Yeager | Gown: Sarah Yanks | Bridal Shop: Fabulous Frocks | Sweater: Massimo Dutti | Jewelry: Madewell

This spring maternity session with my good friend and model Flavia was one of my favorite shoots ever! Flavia may look familiar to those of you that frequent wedding blogs as she’s been a “bride” (many times) for local photographers. So when she asked ME to photograph her maternity photos I was honored and delighted!

Maternity Shoot: From Inspiration to Reality

This shoot was definitely a labor of love! Flavia, the model and mama, came to us with her hopes and dreams of a maternity shoot based on inspiration images she found online. From there my good friend Beth from Porter & Ives helped with the styling and created a cohesive mood board for the shoot.

Washington DC Details

We started the day at local DC landmarks like the Supreme Court to get a minimal, architectural backdrop for some portraits. These shots were punctuated with florals and soft details of Flavia’s amazing lace dress.

Handmade Details

The baby’s grandma made a lot of sweet clothes for the baby so we documented those details along with beautiful calligraphy tags by Shannon Lee of Peach and Paperie.

Maternity Milk Bath

We ended the day with a milk bath shoot at a friend’s house. We used regular, grocery store flowers (that look anything but next to Flavia) and just a tiny bit of milk . This was my first time shooting a milk bath, but it was absolutely gorgeous and mesmerizing! I must say I was resistant because I wouldn’t want to try to live up to someone like Elizabeth Messina. But to pretend was fun!

All the magic was shot on film. Mostly a combination of Fuji400h and Portra800 scanned and developed by Goodman Lab.  All shot on my Contax 645 mostly with an 80mm lens. My obsession with film is at an all time high, I’m close to selling off my digital gear.

The Inn at Perry Cabin is one of my absolute favorite places in the area! Most well known for being in the romantic comedy “Wedding Crashers” it’s one of those classic Maryland locations. Not to mention the food, and the views of the Chesapeake Bay are incredible.

Lindley grew up spending lots of vacation time around this part of the state so The Inn at Perry Cabin was a perfect spot for her and Dustin’s summer wedding.

Perfect Weather in July at the Inn at Perry Cabin

All I can say is what a gorgeous wedding day! We got so lucky with the weather in July and we all know that can be risky for a tented wedding!  It, of course, helped that we were on the gorgeous Eastern Shore of Maryland. I always love a good Maryland wedding and this beautiful day was reminiscent of another wedding in Annapolis a few years ago.

The couple had an intimate bridal party which always leads to a relaxed environment for the whole day but especially getting ready. We started the day as the girls finished up their hair and make up and everyone got dressed for the big day. Lindley and Dustin opted for a first look but kept most of the photos for after the ceremony so after a few sweet photos we headed over to the ceremony.

Relaxed and Personal Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony took place on the Inn’s lawn with the Chesapeake Bay in the background. Guests were greeted with lemonade and fans to keep cool, just in case. The ceremony was officiated by a judge and personal friend of the family. The bride and groom had such a relaxed approach to this wedding that the whole day was effortless and easy.

Al Fresco Cocktail Hour and Tented Reception Perfection

Following the ceremony, cocktail hour and drinks were on the same lawn overlooking the Bay and it’s quintessential sailboats. Cocktail hour was completely outdoors and fortunately it was the perfectly clear day, a rare treat in this Mid-Atlantic region. After cocktail hour guests were welcomed to the tented reception full of colorful flowers and timeless decor by the planner, Kari Rider Events.  Lindley wanted “lots of navy blue and white blended with great pops of color in our floral arrangements”.

The dinner started with the introduction of the couple and a romantic first dance. The guests dinned on an amazing Inn at Perry Cabin sit-down dinner and wedding cake. After dinner guests hit the dancefloor and headed outside for the cigar bar as the sun sunk into the horizon. As soon as it was dark we all head outside for the grand finale. No not your typical sparkler send-off, but a firework show! The perfect end a beautiful night!

See more of this wedding feature on Inside Weddings.

Vendor Team:

Wedding Planner: Kari Rider Events | Floral: Amaryllis Floral & Event Design | Rentals: DC Rental, Eastern Shore Tents & Events, La Tavola Fine Linen and White Glove Rentals | Cakes: Steve Konopelski, Patissier | Paper Goods: The Dandelion Patch | Calligraphy: Surcee Calligraphy | Music & Entertainment: Bay Strings and Highway Star from Entertainment Exchange | Hair: Alison Harper & Company | Make Up: The Makeup Chic | Dress: Manuel Mota from Fabulous Frocks | Jewelry: Mystique Jewelers | Groom’s Attire: Alton Lane | Fireworks: Digital Lightning

a San Francisco City Hall Elopement to share with all. When my old friends from the architecture world Cat & Joe told me their plans to have a destination elopement wedding in San Francisco City hall, I don’t think I fully believed them! The day came and went, and it was even prettier than I could have ever imagined! Take a look.

How did this all go down, you may be wondering? Well, I flew out to San Francisco on a Tuesday night. That cross country flight really kills a whole day! But this way I had the whole rest of Wednesday to scout out City hall , And to do their “at home” engagement session (as seen here). I went to City Hall to see how these weddings worked. And wow what a gorgeous building! Also, so many couples getting married at the rotunda! I took a time-lapse video. You can see the couples go through every 15 minutes. Funny enough, not too many professional photographers around. Fortunately, my couple reserved the Fourth Floor Balcony so we didn’t have to avoid the crowd that was all over.

After getting married the couple and their families went off for drinks, and we decided to meet up at the Cliff House for dinner which was located right next to the beautiful Sutro Baths and Land’s End forest. Right at sunset, we walked around the trees and down to the baths for some sunset photos. Sunset photos are always ALWAYS a big hit!

This intimate wedding last spring at the Irongate Restaurant in Northwest Washington, DC was a perfectly planned day. It was featured on Washingtonian and I’m excited to share a few of my favorites on the blog! This was truly a dream of a wedding. I would expect nothing else when working with super talented wedding planners & florists Kruse & Viera. Read on below for how this perfectly pretty day unfolded.

You can read the Washingtonian article for the story of the couple! They do a much better job of writing than I do! All I know is that if I had to do our wedding all over again I would definitely wear two dresses this time!

The day started out with the bride getting ready at the Kimpton hotel right across the street. Having been married before the bride had the huge wedding with many bridesmaids so this time she opted for a very small bridal party – just her niece as her maid of honor. This little girl was the most perfectly helpful assistant! The bride stepped into her Carolina Herrera dress after getting her hair and makeup done in a salon. The general atmosphere of the bridal suite was very relaxed, with lots of time and space and breathing room. Once the bride was dressed we headed outside to meet the Groom for their first look.

The first look was perfectly scaled for an intimate wedding, I loved the setting of the streets around Dupont Circle. The weather in late April could not have been more perfect and I was thrilled with the lighting of the day. After the first look guests were welcomed with signature drinks into the courtyard. Shortly after that the ceremony was officiated by a fellow colleague, followed directly by dinner and dancing.

The rest of the evening was a garden party with heavy passed hors d’oeuvres and lots of great wine.  We went back across the street to get the bride into her second party dress. The Enaura bridal dress was perfect for their first dance and cake-cutting to end the evening.

The Details

Photographer: Bonnie Sen Photography | Planner & Florist: Kruse and Vieira Events | Venue: Iron Gate | Stationery: The Dandelion Patch | Caterer: Iron Gate | Hair & Makeup: Karma by Erwin Gomez | Bride’s Gown (ceremony): Carolina Herrera | Bride’s Gown (reception:) Enaura Bridal | Vintage Rentals: White Glove Rental Entertainment: Kyle Moore, Mixing Maryland