A Fourth of July Wedding
The Background
I have known Maria and Tommy now for almost 5 years! I met Maria during my sophomore (her freshman year of college) through leading a Bible study for women. From the very moment I met Maria I knew we were going to be friends! She is so warm and friendly yet a total nerd (she loves cracking dad jokes)! Through Maria, I met her boyfriend Tommy, who was attending college a few hours away. They had been together since high school and were madly in love. Slowly over the years, I heard many stories about their relationship and personalities solidifying my belief that they are the perfect match for one another.
When Tommy came to me last September to capture his proposal to Maria, I was giddy to say the least. It took everything in me not to tell Maria! Now here we are months later and they are MARRIED! Their 4th of July wedding as nothing short of fabulous (even finished the night with sparklers) and I am so excited for these two lovely humans and I know they will have great adventures as they start their family of two.
The Wedding
Q: Tell us about your wedding! What was the inspiration behind your day? Did you have a specific theme, style or color palette? Did you incorporate any cultural or religious traditions in any part of your day?
A: Our wedding was perfect! We were so afraid for so long that the virus would prevent us from having our special day. We were told only three weeks out that our original date would work after getting approval for 50% capacity by the county executives office! Luckily for us, we had done most of the planning prior to COVID-19. This made the process of finalizing things much easier once we were finally told we could still get married on the Fourth of July. Our ceremony and reception venues were willing to work with us to try to make the day as normal as possible, while ensuring everyone’s safety. In terms of color palette, we went for more neutral tones, such as shades of taupe and gray. We knew early on in our relationship that we would get married in the Catholic Church. This ended up adding an extra layer of difficulty due to separate COVID restrictions from the Archdiocese of Baltimore. However, we both did not want the virus to compromise our religious traditions. We went ahead with the Catholic mass ceremony and could not be happier with our decision!
Q: Let’s talk fashion. How did you both choose your wedding day look? Describe the looks in detail.
A: Tommy’s uniform was chosen due to the fact that he is an Ensign in the U.S. Navy, as well as the fact that the summer months typically mean he must wear his white uniform for formal events. My dress was a bit of a different story. I went into my first dress appointment with no idea what look I was going for. I honestly did not think I would find my dress that day. However, when I walked into Garnish Boutique, I fell in love with the first dress I saw being displayed on the wall facing the door. It was the first dress I tried on and it just felt right. I tried on a few others, but the first dress was my favorite by far. I choose a beautiful Martina Liana dress in style 1105. It was a stunning and whimsical tiered ballgown unlike anything I’d ever seen. Of course, I had to go with the all white to match my fiancés bright Navy whites!
Q: What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?
A: The most anticipated part of our day was the mass. Our wedding ceremony was the first mass we had attended since the virus restricted church attendance. It was very special for us to hear our friends say the readings aloud in person, as well as for us to receive the Eucharist for the first time in months on our special day. It was beautiful to experience and participate in the mass once again while surrounded by our closest friends and family. Another special moment was the sword arch ceremony, which occurred directly after the ceremony on the stairs outside the church. It is a very special way to incorporate military tradition into our day! Directly after the sword arch, Tommy’s uncle and namesake presented him with the sword that was given to him upon his own commissioning into the Navy in 1972. This was a very special surprise for Tommy and made everyone shed a tear.
Q: Do you have any wedding planning or marriage advice that you’d like to share with other couples planning their day?
A: Throughout your wedding day, take a few moments together to simply look around the room and take it all in. The sights, sounds, smells, laughter, smiles, etc. Slowly gaze around the room and be present in the moment. You will be glad you did! Also, really focus on each other. It’s your day!
Vendors
Photography: Alex Krall Photography
Planning: Lauren Baldwin
Videography: DP Weddings
Ceremony Venue: Mount St. Mary’s Immaculate Conception Chapel
Reception Venue: Springfield Manor Winery Distillery Brewery
Dress: Garnish Boutique
Shoes: A Bidda Bling
Hair + Makeup: Jewel Rossi
Catering: Carriage House Inn
Cake: Sugar Bakers Cakes
Florist: Fiddlestix Florals
DJ: DJ Versatility
