Written by Geoff Bernstein
On
In Wedding
Tagged wedding, celebrations at the bay, outdoor ceremony, indoor recpetion, beach
Golden Sands OCMD || Berwind Wedding
When the opportunity to photograph an Ocean City Maryland wedding who can't say YES! When I met Anna and Chris I could see their excitement for their special day. Once they told me about the details it just kept getting better!
The wedding took place in The Golden Sands Club Condominium right on the beach. The couple was hoping for a sunny beach day but mother nature decided she would make herself known that day. It decided to rain most of the day (it also rained on my wedding day as well, I think its good luck) but mother nature thought she would allow us to get the formals and some creative shots.
The venue was great about keeping everyone up to date and working with the bride and groom about their decisions. The ceremony was held upstairs (I believe 23 stories up!) and I really enjoyed that room because of the beautiful window ceiling above.
This club was special to Chris because his parents own a beach home across the street. He spent much time at the club and I can see why they wanted to be married there as well!
I mentioned the ceiling earlier, as you can see it was just stunning. Mother nature might have rained but she also keep the sky cloudy to keep that ceiling perfect for the images! (Photographers don't really like direct sun light, it too HARSH so we like a cloudy sky)
During the reception we were guided by Steve Moody from Steve Moody's Entertainment Connection. Steve and his team was absolutely amazing during the reception, not only was he a great MC but they kept the dance floor filled throughout the night. One huge thing they did for us was kept the guests reminded of our Photo Booth which was in the next room.
Anna's father surprised us all with his speech and "Celebrate Good Times, Come On" dance. He was going through his speech and planned it with the DJ to cue the song when he said that sentence. Not only did he just sing it but that man sure has some moves!
Mother nature decided to help us out one more time with a beautiful sunset for an amazing kiss portrait for the newly-wed couple.
As you can see the party continued until closing time! I think that reception was one of the few where there were very few people sitting watching the party. Both families kept dancing the night away and had a blast! Again let me give a shout out to Steve Moody from Steve Moody's Entertainment Connection for the amazing lighting for the reception.
We wish Anna and Chris a healthy and happy lifetime together!
Thanks guys we had a blast!
Blue Mountain Ski Resort Wedding || Rivera Wedding
I have known Rachael since high school and when she asked me to photograph her wedding I was so happy to say yes! It was at the beautiful Blue Mountain Ski Resort and most of us have spent some winter times there but WOW! What an amazing place to get married even without the snow. The work they have done there is amazing! This wedding was an absolute blast with her bridal party. The textures, woods and stones throughout this venue just makes a beautiful backdrop to your wedding.
The ceremony was outdoors next to their open mountain scape and waterfall. Nothing was more precious than her daughter Ava during the ceremony. She stood by the couple as they took their vows. I have done a few wedding with children of the couple and it is something special to see their eyes light up when they see each other.
The vast variety of locations for images was a photographers dream! From the inside sky lodge, wood texture grill area to the patio location were all great places to photograph the party and couple.
Not only was venue beautiful but then party inside was just as amazing! The party just continued throughout the night. The DJ did a wonderful job keeping the party alive with people on the dance floor all night!
We wish the couple and Ava a lifetime of happiness!
St. Michaels Photo Booth || ROYAL OAK COMMUNITY UMC
A local church has an event they call the Hoedown every year to raise money. What an amazing group of people to work with. The kids of the event had a blast with the Photo Booth. They could not get enough!
Bear Creek Wedding || Halpin
When Bob & Michelle contacted me to photograph their wedding I was honored. I worked with Bob many years ago and we had lost touch. I had seen them at another wedding we photographed and they were interested in some of my services.
Their wedding venue was beautiful, Bear Creek Resort did a fantastic job in making the event perfect.
I can not wait to work with them again!
Baltimore Engagement Session || Sowa/Berwind
Chris and Anna contacted me about capturing their wedding this coming year. This wedding will be very fun because it will be down in Ocean City, MD. We had a great time walking around Patterson Park in Baltimore during their engagement session. I really enjoy engagement sessions because it allows minimal stress time for us to get to know each other.
I can not wait until their wedding!
Annapolis Photo Booth | The Light House
At my last fundraiser for CF, we were approached by Alex from The Light House, Homeless Prevention Support Center. He explained the amazing stuff the center does to help people get back on their feet.
He asked to have a Photo Booth at their graduation for their students in the program. This is a great event for them because of their change in direction of life.
What a great event and amazing people.
Annapolis Family Portraits || Cropper
I had the pleasure of working with the Cropper family from the suburbs of Annapolis, Severna Park. We had a great time working with them and ordering their products. They ended up purchasing one of our large canvas clusters for their living room! I hope to work with them in the future.
Linganore Winery Wedding | Stasch | Frederick
Tell us how you first met? Who what when where why? Give us the dirty details.
When they say opposites attract, it's for a reason. I'm outgoing, outspoken, and smart-mouthed. He's shy, soft-spoken, and straight to the point. We met in High School and in the typical fashion, never spoke to each other. We would pass each other in the halls everyday and stare but it wasn't until an afternoon of swimming at a mutual friend’s house in 2005 that we actually spoke. No more than a couple words and we were hooked. He asked me out in the famous "Do you wanna go out with me" text on July 8, 2005. We were 15 years old. We have been through some ups and downs and a few bumps in the road but we always find our way back to each other like we promised when we were 15. Eight years later we are stronger than ever and that shy boy who would stare at me in the halls is still the love of my life and he picked me to spend the rest of his life with! Life couldn't be any sweeter!!!
When did you know he/she was the one? Was there something he/she did?, etc.
It's hard to know if the person you are with when you are 15 is going to be the person you spend the rest of your life with. We've had some ups and downs but Matthew was always the home I came back to when things got hard.
Tell us about the proposal. (Did you see it coming, how long was it in the planning?, how did you feel? nervous, excited, freaking out?)
We decided to start looking for a house together in December 2011. After months and deals gone wrong, we finally found the house of our dreams in April 2012. During the home inspection, Matt had to work. I spent what seems like 80 hours walking through the house with a man telling me everything that was wrong with the house. Matt gets there right when we are finishing up and says he wants to walk around the house more. Of course I don’t want to since I have been through every inch of the house for the past 3 hours but we go. We make our way up to the room which is now our Master Bedroom and he wants to look at the hardwood that’s under the carpet. I’m a little aggravated since I’ve been there for hours and just want to go home. He tells me to wait while he’s on the floor pulling up the carpet. I stare out the window in our bedroom when he says “So you won’t move in unless you have a ring right?” I reply, “YEAH!!!” (in a joking yell), to which he replies “Well how about this one?” I turn around he’s on one knee with a beautiful vintage style ring. I start crying of course and he asks if I will marry him. He told me he had been carrying the ring around with him for a month waiting for the right time. I say YES and run and kiss him in our bedroom of our first house. Oh, and did I mention it was my birthday :) He’s a keeper.
Tell us the one thing you love most about each other.
Matthew - I love her because she is the thunder to my summer storm. I feel like she gets me; all of me and loves me just the same.
Amber - I love Matthew's acceptance. I think soul mates are people that are equally as crazy/weird as you are. I don't have to hide my weirdness or quirks around him because he accepts me whole heartedly and I do the same for him. No matter what crazy dream/goal I have, he stands by me 100% and tries to figure out a way for them to come true. He makes me a better person because I try to be as accepting as he is.
If you feel comfortable, share with us something silly or quirky the other person does.
Matthew makes high pitch noises very randomly. These sounds are what break tension when we fight or get too serious. One of the many reasons why I love this man.
Besides getting married - what’s the one thing you are looking forward to on your wedding day?
Dancing!!! We love to dance so I'm assuming we will be on the dance floor all night long!
What’s your favorite trend for weddings right now?
I love the vintage feel weddings have right now. I did this with my own wedding - All pale hues of pinks, antique whites and creams, and mint. I also love the antique books and mason jars for center pieces.
What inspired your décor or theme?
Country Chic (As my mom would call it). Lots of anitque books, glasses, cake stands, pale hues of pinks and creams, and dalhias.
What’s one thing you wish you would have known earlier in regards to planning?
How much time it would take me to plan a wedding. We had been enaged for a year and a half before the wedding and I still feel like it wasn't enough time! But everything really worked out well!
Vendor List
Ceremony Location
Linganore Winery
Reception Location
Linagnore Winery
DJ/Band
Justin White (Great vendor, amazing job at keeping the beat throughout the event - GBPhoto)
Florist
Maher's Florist
Dress Salon
David's Bridal
Hair Stylist
Melia White
Other Details/Vendors
Geoff Bernstein Photography did an AMAZING job!!! We loved them!!!
Creating the best formal picture list for your wedding
Creating a formal picture list (or shot list) for you, your photographer or people in those images can be quite hard. We have created a short 2 min video to give you a few tips to help you create that list.
This list can help release you from thinking about what pictures you want and have already taken during the formal photos. Any time you can help you to not think will make your wedding day much more stress free.
Here is a quick break down of how you create this list:
- Each line is each image
- List EVERY person that is suppose to be in the image on EACH line
- Include both sides of families
- Don’t go to far into extended family (remember these pictures are usually cutting into your creatives with your bridal party and bride/groom.
- Make sure to include pictures of you and your family ALSO you, your bride/groom and family
- Include a time/directions for everyone to follow
- Include "DONE WITH********" to allow people to know when they are allowed to leave. This helps with them leaving before they are done OR waiting thinking they are still needed.
- Send your list to both families to have them look over and "sign off" This helps eliminate the "what about Aunt Sally" the day of the pictures
CLICK HERE FOR AN EXAMPLE LIST
Again, these are to allow you to not think during your wedding day
REMEMBER PLANNING BEFORE MAKES EVENTS RUN SMOOTHER FOR YOU
Richboro Wedding | Hill | Philly Phanatic
I can say the Hill wedding was a first for me. I can check off photographing a wedding with an appearance from the most iconic Philadelphia symbol for most people. THE PHILLY PHANATIC!! I booked the wedding through the brides mother and when she told me they were going to have the Philly Phanatic there I was totally in! Their wedding was at the Northampton Valley County Club in Richboro, PA. The day started out as an overcast gloomy day, we were all thinking if the ceremony was going to happen outside. We the skys let up, rain stopped and left all of the guests chairs soaked. My partner and I can say this was another first, we scrambled with the waitresses to help wipe down all of the chairs to make their special day happen just as planned.
Tonya and Marcus were in for a real surprise with the Philly Phanatic showed up to pay a welcome to the newlywed couple. Those 30 minutes he was there was the craziest 30 mins I have ever experienced at a wedding. People dancing, singing, getting pictures taken was absolutely crazy! BUT FUN!
Congratulations Marcus & Tonya!
Aberdeen Baseball Wedding | Oswald
The Oswald wedding was a great wedding I had the pleasure of second shooting with Bill Bauer Photography. It was at the Aberdeen Iron Birds Stadium (Cal Ripken Stadium). Being an avid baseball fan (Go Red Soxs!) the thought of a wedding at a baseball stadium was the best! They got married on the field at home plate with their guest sitting in the stands. Close family surrounded them along the home plate dirt cutout. They reception was equally as fun being upstair in the club level VIP section! Thanks guys for an amazing experience and allowing us to capture it!
Thompson | Severna Park High School Senior Ambassador | 2014
Ms. Thompson and I had the pleasure of working together for her senior portraits. She is an avid horseback rider which allowed us to get some great shots at the barn she belongs to! She is another one of our Severna Park High School senior portrait ambassadors for 2014. She has a great offer on her rep card so if you are interested find her and hear about her session.
One word to describe yourself........
Outgoing
How my friends would describe me......
Fun kind caring energetic
My extra-curricular activities (school and non-school related) include.....
Basketball manager horseback rider
Describe your style, what you like to wear.....
Trendy, from the current fashion magazines
Something I cannot live without.......
My mom
Favorite current band........
Lana del Rey
Favorite high school memory.......
Being a basketball manager
My DREAM job.......
Stay at home mom
What I will miss most about high school.......
Teachers
Annapolis Engagement | McFarland | Downtown
I have the pleasure of photographing Bridget and Lee's 2014 wedding. I met them in downtown Annapolis for their engagement session. Let me tell you...they are one fun couple! We had so much fun walking around creating some beautiful photos! They are both on their final leg of becoming lawyers.
They will be tying the knot May 10, 2014 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Towson, MD. If we have half as much fun as we did together on their engagement session their wedding will be a blast!
I can not wait to capture their special day! Congratulations Bridget and Lee!
Crumling | Severna Park High School Ambassador | 2014
Ms. Crumling is another one of our 2013-2014 Severna Park High School Senior Ambassadors. She was a blast to work with with her edgy style! She really knew how to step up her game to make the pose really work well with her personality.
One word to describe yourself........
Different
How my friends would describe me......
Awkward and fun
My extra-curricular activities (school and non-school related) include.....
Track and field
If I could choose one type of location for my senior session it would be.....
Urban - like a grungy alley way
My style is..........
I change my style a lot, usually on my mood
Something I cannot live without.......
Music, concerts, summer
Favorite current band........
All time low
Favorite high school memory.......
Any night with my four best friends
My DREAM job.......
Environmental scientist