Wedding at Meadowlark Botanic Gardens | Vienna VA | Rob and Liz

Wedding ceremony at Meadowlark Gardens Atrium

I first met met Rob and Liz at their engagement session where we scrambled around Great Falls National Park, capturing authentic, fun images. Their easygoing nature got me excited for their wedding day, so when it finally came around last weekend, I was pumped!

One of my favorite parts about Rob and Liz is that they aren’t worried about everything being exactly in the right place or having that perfect Instagram shot. Yes, they wanted to have beautiful photos, but more than that they were excited to have their story shine through. It’s something I always want to give to my clients, photos that share their real story, and that is exactly what we got at this wedding.

The day started at Liz’s childhood home where we photographed intimate moments of Liz and her bridesmaids getting ready. The context of being in her home brought rich details into the photos. Rob was nearby getting ready at a hotel where he and the his men were able to enjoy a casual morning together.

Next we moved to their wedding venue, the Atrium at Meadowlark Botanic Gardens. I have shot a few engagements sessions at this lush venue, so I was excited to shoot my first wedding there. Liz has explored Meadowlark many times with her family and together she and Rob share a common passion for the outdoors. As two people who love to hike and love nature, Meadowlark was an easy decision.

Rob and Liz celebrated a number of different Jewish traditions throughout their day. From the ketubah signing and ceremony under the chuppa, to the glass breaking and bread cutting, there were many poignant traditions that held deep significance for Rob and Liz and their family. One of my favorite shots of the wedding is at the top of this post. There you see Rob’s focused expression as he is determined to break the glass in one stomp!

At the reception later that night we had some of the most touching speeches I’ve ever heard, and the best hora that I’ve ever been able to photograph! Check out the images below of the hora dance, where Rob, Liz, and many of their family members flew through the air! Capping off the night was not a cake cutting, but a buffet of ice cream with endless toppings! In all this was a wonderful day and I am so excited to share their story below!