Casey is half Puerto Rican. When the hurricane hit the small island in fall of 2017, some of her family members were directly affected causing this natural disaster to hit a lot closer to home than most do to those of us living here in Maryland. She has made it her mission since to provide as much love, support and aid to not only her family members but also to anyone else she can help on the island. She’s hosted multiple drives and fundraisers through her own business, a small boutique in Ellicott City called Azalea Park as well as through her mother’s hair salon, Lily Maritza Salon & Gallery. On their wedding day, Casey had also envisioned her walk down the aisle with the groom at the end in tears. So the thought of a first look was out of the question, however she still wanted to have a moment with Dane before meeting him at the alter. They choose to hold hands around the edge of the barn, read cards they wrote to each other and then exchange gifts.  After Casey had opened her gift from an unwrapped box, a collection of Disney items for her to wear on their Disney World honeymoon, I passed along the message Dane had asked me to. The box came unwrapped because the company he purchased the items through would donate 10% of his purchase to hurricane relief in Puerto Rico if he choose to have the gift unwrapped. Casey immediately broke down in tears for probably the fifth time that morning.

Casey and Dane’s gold, burgundy, evergreen and blush pink backyard wedding hosted at Casey’s parent’s estate in Elkridge, Maryland didn’t look over any detail. Yet more importantly it was a day full of emotional moments. As one of her best friends from high school, now asked to document her wedding day in the home where we shared countless memories, I too participated in these emotional moments that I normally just have the opportunity to document. Watching her wedding dress get buttoned up in the same room we stayed awake all night talking about boys and our someday husbands. Seeing Dane break down and cry as Casey rounded the corner of the aisle and finally came into view. Documenting Casey embrace her grandfather during family formals and hold him just a little bit longer knowing the loose of her grandmother from just a few months before was very much on her mind. Listening to Ms. Lilly stand up and speak about the road the she and Casey had taken together to get to this moment in life, the prayers she had been praying from day one answered in Dane & the pride she has for her daughter. The day was full of real honest emotional moments that everyone felt. It was a gorgeous day partly because of the details but mainly due to the realness of each moment expressed.

Wedding Coordinator | Dia Hernandez
Videograper | Ian Bell
Florist | Shelly Black
Cake | Kupcakes and Co
DJ | Great Scott Productions
Catering | Putting on the Ritz
Tent, Chairs & Bar Rental | Allied Party Rentals
Invitations | Wedding Paper Divas
Photo Booth | Extraordinary Entertainment
Makeup | Elena Little
Hair | Lilly Maritza Salon (Aubrey & Melissa)
Brides Dress | Galina Signature from David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Dresses | LuLu’s
Tuxes | Mens Warehouse

Video Password: Thurston