Alx and Nick’s wedding was my first chance to photograph an at-home Maryland wedding. I was so impressed by how they successfully transformed their family property into a gorgeous outdoor wedding venue.

About Their At-Home Maryland Wedding

Nick’s family’s home in Clarkesville, Maryland is a sprawling picturesque property with plenty of acreages so it was easy to designate separate ceremony and reception areas. Their ceremony was held down by their pond which was a good hike from the house. Since it was a record hot and humid 95 degrees on their wedding day, they had a family member transport guests that needed assistance down to the site via a tractor-trailer.

The family home’s wrap-around front porch served as the perfect place for guests to mingle for cocktail hour. They had cute photos of the two of them on high-top tables and the covered porch served as a much-needed relief from the summer heat.

The reception tent was directly in front of the home which still accommodated for their guests to park in front of the property. They rented a posh mobile restroom trailer and positioned it steps away from the reception tent. Wedding Day Coordinator Megan Frizzle of Inexpressible Moments in Baltimore did an outstanding job of dealing with the unplanned heat wave. I’m not sure who made the decision, but I was glad to see the huge outdoor fans running to keep things nice and cool for guests inside the tent.

Before the wedding festivities, I arrived at Alix’s home to catch her and her bridal party getting ready. Her twin sister Kaela was her Maid of Honor. Her bridesmaids wore sage green satin pajamas and her Mom and Nick’s Mom had matching gold floral robes. Both Alix and Nick gave their Moms the sweetest printed custom handkerchiefs with their own written sentiments.

Alix’s bridesmaids got the first look at Alix in her stunning dress.

Meanwhile back at his home, Nick and his groomsmen were also getting ready.

First Look With Dad

I thought it was so sweet that Alix wanted to do first-look photos with her father. The large family home gave us enough space to do that without being seen by Nick or anyone else. It was very emotional and you can see by the photographs just how close their bond is.

At-Home Maryland Wedding Ceremony

Because of the heat, the ceremony was shortened from its original 30 minutes to under 10, but it was still every bit as beautiful. I loved the ringbearers with their suspenders and bow ties!

Reception Details and Highlights

Alix’s color palette was sage green, lemonade, sienna, and white. The inside of the tent was strewn with bistro lights, white paper lanterns, and greenery draped down the poles. Vintage-style gold vases and jars were used to hold the floral arrangements on each table. (IG:@honeywoodrentals) Every place setting had a lottery scratch card inside a card that was titled, “Lucky in Love.” The Greek-themed dinner provided by (IG:@biggreekcafe) was served buffet style. There was a dessert bar with frosted cupcakes in their colors, cookie pops, and cookies (IG: @kupcakes&co) imprinted with photos of Alix & Nick which was so adorable. The wedding cake was draped in yellow roses and baby’s breath. The sweetheart table florals were simply gorgeous, matching Alix’s bouquet. Music was provided by IG:@philphest.

Golden Hour Perfection

I guided Alix and Nick away into the fields just as I saw how unbelievably beautiful the sun looked as it was setting. I loved how fun and playful they were with one another. These photos are some of my favorites taken from their at-home Maryland wedding.

Alix and Nick’s wedding was so special to me for several reasons. First, it was the first wedding I photographed in Maryland since my husband John and I moved to Washington, DC a few months ago. Second, I have always wanted to shoot a backyard-style wedding and theirs far exceeded my expectations because let’s face it, their backyard was spectacular! I’m so grateful that I captured the love they have for each other and for their families. Their wedding will always be one of my all-time favorites.