Virginia Mountain Love - Virginia Wedding Photography

It’s Wedding Wednesday and recently I met this great young couple and they had their wedding in the Shenandoah Valley. The setting was chilly but so picturesque. The couple was high school sweetheart and had a small church family wedding in the hills of Shenandoah. The church was their local church that the bride had been brought up in since she was younger.

The wedding party consisted of all their high school friends and they had a great time. Oh and the food was home cooked southern food complete with sweet tea and lemonade! I was in heaven and tried to take a container home. The most unique part of this wedding was the Unity Cross…it was a different take on the candle or sand concept and was more Christ focused. I really enjoyed this family and all the emotion of the day and I wish them all the best.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

When Two Best Friends Marry - Maryland Wedding Photographer

It was a very chilly day in Ellicott City and the setting was the amazing Mainstreet Ballroom location. The bride was doing her own makeup and the groomsmen along with the groom were in their suite joking and laughing as we walked in to see the progress being made. Both were very calm and the families were having a great time as the bar was already open and flowing. As the guest arrived the bride began to get dressed and was ready to make her entrance. Everyone in this party was just there to support the love between these lovebirds that had be together for seven years.

The wedding was gorgeous along with the bride and her details were simple and elegant. The family members came from all over to include the west coast. Cookies were made by family members as a tradition for the guests to eat at the reception and to take home. The Mainstreet Ballroom team was simply stunning and the meal was catered by Eleven Courses Catering out of Owings Mills, Maryland. The most touching part of the evening were the toasts that were made by the brides sister, the grooms brother and father; not a dry eye was around once they were finished. I wish them all the best as they start their new journey together!

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

Friendship turned into Marriage - Maryland Wedding Photography

Importance of a Day of Wedding Coordinator

After the joy and excitement of the engagement, couples begin the awesome task of planning their wedding. Though many couples can easily agree on their ideal wedding, planning the details of that special day can be a challenge. Choosing a wedding coordinator can relieve the stress and help provide smooth sailing as you move from your engagement towards creating the wedding day of your dreams.

Who is a wedding coordinator?

One of the decisions in planning your wedding is to determine if you are going to use a wedding coordinator. A wedding coordinator is a person that organizes your entire wedding. Though they are not inexpensive by any stretch of the imagination, they are very helpful and even necessary to a peaceful day for the Bride and Groom. Here are some of the Importance of a Day of Wedding Coordinator on your big day.

The day itself is the biggest reason that one should have a wedding coordinator. On the big day, they organize everything from the catering, to the music, to the decorations, and everything in between, including party preparation. They also make sure that everyone is where they are supposed to be, and when they are supposed to be there. The coordinator in effect makes it so that the Bride and Groom can relax on their day and simply have fun.

Not confined to only the day, the coordinator is also the one that secures all of the pertinent equipment, services, and places to hold the wedding and the reception as well as wedding party favors and vendor lists. They handle every aspect of the during the time leading up to it and keep the Bride and Groom informed of everything on a regular basis. A large number of contacts that are handled by a wedding coordinator is quite stunning, particularly for a larger wedding.

Another key function of the coordinator is to advise the Bride and Groom about themes and decorations. They help to create the perfect event and make sure that the visions of the Bride and Groom are brought to fruition. This is no simple task, but the coordinator is usually in charge of a team of people that can help to ensure success.

When you secure a wedding coordinator, it is crucial that you ask some important questions. Ask for references and check them thoroughly. This is vital as the coordinator is the single most critical link to the wedding for the Bride and Groom. Any expectations that you will have of the coordinator should be in writing and clearly defined. This is to protect you and the coordinator if something should not go as planned.

Having a fantastic wedding day is very difficult if you do not have someone planning and placing everyone where they need to be. This important function among many others is the primary focus and reason behind paying someone to do so. The coordinator is the maestro of the wedding and orchestrates every detail so that the event is about exactly what it should be.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

A Princess and Her True Love - Bowie Maryland Wedding Photographer

Do you ever know why so many of your wedding vendors are still stressing the importance of a detailed wedding timeline? Well this amazing couple did and they did it very well. The afternoon and evening was great. It started on time and ended on time with a horse drawn carriage exit. Love was definitely in the air and felt throughout the day in this family. We enjoyed working with them immensely.

A wedding day timeline is hour by hour written description that represents how your wedding is supposed to take place. It provides a roadmap of how the event is going to go from start to finish. 

Wedding timelines are essential to the vendors and service workers who are in charge of the event from start to finish. When complete details are not included in the timeline, it could be very hard to keep an event on track. In addition, most times guests need a little direction on where they are supposed to be and what exactly they are supposed to do. 

Keeping a fixed wedding timeline helps the people you hire to guide your guests during the event and to know what to pay attention to during the event. Not only is an excellent opportunity to understand exactly what your guest imagine for the event, but also a fantastic way to solve some time issues while visualizing the event. Many things can go wrong with your event. That is why is necessary to have an actionable plan and also an intelligent event coordinator that will make your plan comes in the form of a timeline.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

A Wedding Unplugged - Maryland Wedding Photographer

In this world of technology, sharing details of one daily life through social networks has become the norm. The modern generation is obsessed with cameras on their phones, especially selfies that like to share with everyone. People will use their smartphones and cameras to take pictures of the wedding ceremony.  My recent couple Veronica and Jason decided to have an unplugged wedding and it made the day even more intimate and filled with love.

However, the use of personal cameras and phones at the weddings can be distracting at times, it takes the guests away from the moment and steals the importance of the day. But not all the photographer can go far as to be taken away from the skills of the professional wedding photographer by literally standing in front of them and hijacking the shot. Being present in the moment is becoming a lost pleasure. It seems to be a catalyst for many couples to opt for unplugged marriage. 

What is an Unplugged Wedding?

By definitions, Unplugged wedding can be referring to a kind of wedding ceremony where the bride and groom inform the guests to put off their electronic devices, such as their smartphones, tablets, camcorders, etc., and be fully present their mind at the moment of the ceremony. 

Here are some of the benefits of an unplugged wedding.

1. Marriage is a unique event in life, and any disturbance can affect the importance of it. An unplugged wedding will have less disruption and the guests will be fully present right now and will not be busy taking pictures, talking and responding to social networking posts.

2. It will be difficult to control the distribution of your wedding photos when your guests are busy photographing of this personal moment and share it on social networks. You do not always want your wedding photo published on Facebook 2 minutes after the "I do’s".

 3. Guests who are trying to snap pictures during special moment such as during rings exchange, vows and first kiss moments may end up spoiling the photographer's photo. Although this does not happen often, they can negatively affect the background and sometimes erase the picture with fast flash.

 4. Another point to consider is the distraction of sounds that multiple cameras make, again, this is not a big problem, but with this hearing loss on the phone becoming a tune which has the potential to overtake the moment. 

You can notify your wedding guests about the unplugged wedding in advance by choosing a very polite message from your invitation card or an announcement before your wedding ceremony. By doing this, you are inviting them to be with you on the most important day of your life and at the same time ensures you to protect your investment in photography.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

Eighteen Only Comes Once - Maryland Bangin Birthday Sessions

Milestone birthdays and the photo sessions that go along with them are a thing and I love them! Kamari came through Catherine Rae Photography for her 18th birthday session complete with a make up session. When I say this young lady was born to be in front of the camera I cannot express it enough. Her family surprised her with this event and then made a day, no a weekend out of this momentous occasion.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

You Had Me At Holliway - Classic Maryland Church Wedding

To much to say about these two.  I met the bride almost 5 years ago and we have been laughing ever since.  I am so happy that she found her forever love and they recently tied the knot at a local church in Maryland.  The ceremony was very sweet and you could feel the love they have for each other.  We then went out to the vintage Cadillac the bride had to have and headed to the Washington National Harbor.  We had a lovely intimate dinner for the reception and headed out to the water for so intimate photos of the two.

Please enjoy!

VALENTINE BRIDAL INSPIRATION - MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

Stepping out of your comfort zone is sometimes not that easy but the other day I did and drove out to Bealeton, Virginia and spent the afternoon with a group of creative young women and we turned out some amazing portraits.  Great Marsh Estate was the setting and Brittany was our leader of this amazing Valentine theme session that she coordinated.  Once I was home and started seeing all the images from the 7 different photographers, I then started thinking about a question that I see on a lot of social media groups.

Why wedding photography is so expensive?

Well I guess expense is relative to ones budget and the importance of the item.  Often you are paying for all of our creativity, knowledge and not let's forget our time management skills to keep your payment where you want it!  Oh and let's not forget you want these images for years to come and to pass along to your kids.  Yes photographers have equipment that costs and our time to be with you for 8 or more hours and oh yes the time going through the 2500 images from your event that we need to shift through to give you what is presentable, but we do a lot more!  I know personally I am often the only person in the room that knows how to get the bride in her gown.  I also, make it a point to meet the staff at the venue to keep your event on schedule to provide you with the best images...to prevent the conversation of "Do you want to pay for more hours?"  You are also paying for our professionalism and to get your images in a timely manner and not 2 months down the road. (No shade). I have heard from many brides..."I never got my images." or "I wish we would have spent more on photography."  Face it, there are tons of photographers out there but make sure you are selecting someone that values the importance of your day and isn't going to miss your first kiss as husband and wife.

Click on the links of our amazing vendors from this shoot:
Invitations: @sugarquillcalligraphy
Gown: @katherinesbridalboutique
Bride Hair & Makeup: @yisellsmakeup
Bridesmaids Hair & Makeup: @sarahkhanartistry
Rentals: @mainstreetweddings
Venue: @great.marsh
Jewelry: @leljewelry
Baker: @scoutsbakeshop
Florist: @westvirjeni

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Wedding Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

COUNTRY MEETS CITY IN WASHINGTON, DC - MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

St. Aloysius Church was the setting for this low key wedding with some great family and friends. The bride was the simplest bride I think I will ever meet in my life!  She wore a Hailey Page gown with no train and Keds.  The bride and groom decided to do a first look before the ceremony and then it was on to the wedding on the party bus they rented.  There was one for the party and then later the guest arrived in another.

The family was amazing and the bride handed out boutonnieres on the sidewalk and then applied he lip gloss right there on the sidewalk as she knelt down!  She didn't even want to carry the flowers but we made her as she walked down the aisle with her father to her soon to be husband.  The church was gorgeous and we had some time before the ceremony to walk and take some individual photos after all the formals.

Ceremony was performed by a cousin and the sanctuary was just beautiful along with the acoustics of the room.  The I do's were down and the bride ditched her bouquet before she walked back down the isle.  Family photos with the extended family and then back on the bus to the reception.  

Check out the photos from Abigail & Chris's city wedding!

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN CAPTURE YOUR SPECIAL DAY! 

Miranda Drummond is a published photographer in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area.  Her portrait sessions are conducted on location and in her studio in Alexandria, VA.  She also travels around the US and abroad for many of her sessions as well.

If you would me to be your Wedding Photographer, please reach out!  I'd love to meet you, get to know you and capture your best images.  For pricing and availability, please do not hesitate to reach out!

EMAIL: INFO@CATHERINERAEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

PHONE: 240-339-5176

ENGAGEMENT RING EXCHANGE CEREMONY - MUSLIM EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Culture, culture, culture!  Love it and everything surrounding it.  The bride called me to come and photograph the ring exchange ceremony in Virginia and we hit is off immediately.  She wore a pink all over lace tea length gown that she had specially made for the evening.  On the table you could see all her jewelry displayed for the wedding on Saturday at the home of her cousin in Virginia.

The ring exchange happens before the wedding and is a change for both of the families to get together before the big day.  The mothers and family gathered in the living room and the moms handed the rings to each of their children to place on their fiance's hand.  The moment was very celebratory and filled with love.  All of the parents, siblings and cousins were there to celebrate this joyous occasion.  After the ring exchange we snapped a few portraits and then we were ushered to the food.  The food was a full spread of Middle Eastern cuisine and I was not allowed to leave until I ate.  The aunt made sure of this and I could not be disrespectful for I complied and loved every bite.  

See some of the images from the evening below:

BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT WITH BASIC INVITE - DMV PREMIER PHOTOGRAPHER

I recently had the pleasure of working with the amazing staff at Basic Invite.  They are the newest company to offer a unique and personalized invitation service based out of Utah. They offer amazing customer service with user friendly designs on the web that are easy to customize in minutes.  If you need an invitation for a special occasion or a big announcement they have it and are able to help you with their modern, classic or traditional designs. Oh and I almost forgot, you can customize the shapes of the invitations as well.  There is just so much goodness on this site! Some other things I love about the site are:

Almost Unlimited Colors - Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers almost unlimited color options with instant previews online. Once you select a design you can change the color of each element on the card to over 180 different color options so you can make sure the card is exactly how you want it down to the littlest detail. This is what I feel sets them apart from almost any other online stationery company and is what I feel is drew me to them.

Custom Samples - Basic Invite is one of the few websites that allows customers the ability to order a printed sample of their actual invitation so they can see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality before they ever have to place their final order.  You can order invitations online here! 

Over 40 Different Colors of Envelopes - Basic Invite is just as colorful with our envelopes as they are with their invitations. You can choose from over 40 different colors when it comes to their envelopes so that they can make their invitation stand out even before it is opened. All of the envelopes are peel and seal so the envelopes can be quickly and securely closed. Oh and you can get them lined in a variety of ways as well!  Want to see? Try to order invitations here and check it out!

I think this is one of the coolest features ever and it is the Address Capturing Service - Basic Invite offers an address capturing service that allows customers to simply share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any other form of social media to request their friends and family’s addresses which will be stored in the customer’s account and can then be selected during the design process. Basic Invite offers recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders.  No more calling and stalking people for their addresses!

We all know graduations are around the corner and invitations are needed. Foil - Foil graduation, invitations and holiday cards are available in gold, silver, and rose gold. Customers can choose flat or raised foil on all of Basic Invite’s foil designs.  Order your invitation to a party here!

Basic Invite has Over 250 Christmas card and holiday card designs so you can get a jump start on your designs for next year. 

Right now Basic Invite is offering 15% off with coupon code: 15FF51  

Tell them Catherine Rae Photography sent you!

Please check them out by clicking on the links below to their social media outlets.

Facebook  Pinterest  Instagram  Twitter

TESS & LEIGHTON'S BEACH WEDDING - MARYLAND PHOTOGRAPHER

     Where do I begin with these two?  Well first off I have grown to know and love them over time and it all started with the surprise engagement session that Leighton planned for Tess on the beach last summer.  Now if it is anything with these two the locations are always an ADVENTURE!  The proposal was at Assateague Island on the drive on beach and if you didn't have 4x4 you couldn't get to the location.  That should have been a hint for me then...LOL.  On to the engagement session; where we went somewhere way out in the mountains of Virginia! Yes, we got amazing portraits and we had a great time and I learned even more about the two but yes, it was another hike.  
     Then they start planning the wedding!  I couldn't wait.  I knew it was going to be amazing and gorgeous.  Tess was so excited and Leighton was as well.  Tess found her dress immediately and it was the first one she tried on....blush pink!  Oh but wait where was it going to be?  DC, Maryland or Virginia...none of the above!  They picked the Outer Banks in North Carolina and yes it was another drive on beach!  Let the adventure begin!!!!  The weekend was overcast to say the least with a mist all weekend but it didn't stop these two love birds and their friends and family from having their beach wedding.  The weekend was filled with family, wine and flowers.  Tess was a DIY bride and did a lot of the decor herself.  We sat on Friday night and put bouquets togethers and had a great time.  The morning of started with hair and makeup and load of family portraits and first looks with the dads.  
     Once the wedding started, so did the rain, but everything went ahead.  Umbrellas went up and the vows went on as planned.  The I do's were exchanged and sealed with a kiss and we were on to the party.  Formal portraits were taken and then the bride changed into her less formal dress and the guys changed out of their tuxedo vests to their floral shirts for the reception.  A informal reception with good old fashioned bar-b-que was the meal and the dance party got under way! All in all I think the guests had a great time and the bride and groom are now sharing in their happily ever after!  Best wishes to them and I look forward to watching them grow!

HAWA & JUSTIN FRAZIER - MARYLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

May 20th was a perfect day for an outdoor Liberian-American wedding ceremony at Lucien Manor in Berlin, New Jersey. I have know the bride and groom for quite some time know and was eager to partake in their big day along with the family who I have learned so much about.  The wedding ceremony was a traditional ceremony with the gorgeous bride and handsome groom. The vows were sweet and tear filled. The first kiss was full of love and passion.  The couple then transitioned to their reception at Lucien Manor, with full formal and plated dinner.  Then half way through the ceremony the couple acknowledged the bride's Liberian family root by having a wardrobe change.  This is when the party went through the roof.  We had money dances, a grand march and also a tribute to the mother's where all the women danced around them in a circle to the song Sweet Mother to honor them for raising their children and all they have done for the families.  It was a great wedding and I wish Hawa and Justin nothing but the best in life!