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Brad Barnwell Photography

Spring Carroll Creek Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Ryan + Chelsea

Chelsea and Ryan met in 2016 when Chelsea was on the board of the new Maryland chapter of New Leaders Council, a nonprofit leadership development program, and Ryan was in the first class of fellows. “When I moved out to Frederick for work later that year, I would bump into Ryan at community events, and a friendship formed. When I realized we lived just a few blocks from each other, we started to hang out more frequently.”

The proposal was a family affair for Ryan. “Ryan’s boys wanted to be a part of the proposal, and unbeknownst to me, the three of them walked out the door, ring in pocket, at least twice, and something always got in the way. Ryan ultimately proposed to me in our living room during Harry Potter movie night – his youngest Oliver next to me and his oldest Elias holding the camera.”

50 guests, including a four-person wedding party, helped the couple celebrate their April nuptials. “We really wanted to get married downtown – that’s where our story started in earnest, particularly on the creek. When we first saw Union Mills, it was still a construction site, but there was something about the space that really spoke to us. We went to take photos after the ceremony, and it was just too hot. So we cut the photos and went back to the cocktail hour. When the sun went down, we snuck out to take a few more photos just us and got some of my favorite sunset photos.”

“Our colors were plums and deep blues with hints of gold and rose. We kept our wedding to our most immediate family, and essentially who would have been our wedding party if we were having a larger wedding. Getting to enjoy the day with our most special people was really important to us, and we really focused on making sure everyone was comfortable and able to relax and enjoy the time with family and friends.”

Chelsea and Ryan live in Downtown Frederick. Ryan is the Chief Housing Officer for a DC-based non-profit, and Chelsea works in Frederick County Government.

Vendors

Venue: Union Mills

Photography: Brad Barnwell Photography

Entertainment: The Dapper DJs**

Jewelry: InBloom Jewelry

Dessert: Bakehouse

Flowers: Wild Flower Weddings

Alterations: My Sewing Studio

Hair & Makeup: Poetically Brushed by Kim

**FrederickWeddings.com member

Real Weddings

Covid-Friendly Fall Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Emily + Mark

Mark met Emily at a bar, where she was celebrating her 21st birthday. “My brother’s best friend is also Mark’s best friend, so I invited him to the bar and he brought Mark. I ended up only talking to Mark for the rest of the night and we started dating a few weeks later.”

120 guests were in attendance for their September nuptials at Prosperity Mansion, including a 12-person wedding party. “We had a non-religious ceremony officiated by my AP Language teacher from high school. She wrote the ceremony, we had friends do the readings, and we wrote our own vows. In the end, all of the personal touches made it feel so us. Since we wrote our own vows, it was really personal and special to get to hear them during the ceremony.”

The couple chose to play up the fall season with their wedding decor, using burgundy and goldenrod with grey as a neutral and gold accents. “The entire thing was outside, but neither of us is exactly the rustic type, so we were going for more of a wildflower garden party vibe. Almost everything was DIY, so that gave us a lot of freedom in planning.”

“A pandemic wedding is a whole different ballgame. Two of the bridesmaids couldn’t make it because of Covid, so we got fathead cutouts of them for pictures. We asked that anyone on the dance floor wear a mask. We got an extra tent to make sure that everyone was spread out. But even with all of the changes and accommodations, we still had a perfect day.”

Emily is an e and Mark is a Radar Analyst. They currently reside in Takoma Park, Maryland.

First dance: Knocks Me Off My Feet, Stevie Wonder

Vendors

Venue: Prosperity Mansion

Caterer: Chesapeake Food Works

Photography: Brad Barnwell Photography**

Coordinator: Events by Lexi

Dress: The Bridal Boutique

Tent: Totally Tents

Entertainment: Ridiculous Entertainment

School bus: First Student Charter

Party Bus: East Coast Limo

**FrederickWeddings.com member

Real Weddings

Downtown Frederick Fall Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Morgan + Alex

Morgan and Alex met online and met in person at JoJo’s Restaurant. “We have been together ever since.”

Alex proposed after a concert at the Weinberg. “We went to our favorite local bar, Olde Towne, after the show. We were both tired but had a beer to end the night. When the tab came, an old matchbox was on top of the check. I was confused, but opened it and turned around and Alex was down on one knee, while karaoke was happening in the background. Alex was not expecting Karaoke that night, but it makes the story even better.”

One-hundred twenty-five guests were in attendance for the October 2019 outdoor wedding. “Our ceremony was on Carroll Creek. It was perfect for friends and family with the built-in seating and easy access, along with great views.”

The couple hosted a reception at Tenth Ward. “We didn’t have a theme- we used greenery and dark flowers and our own growlers from travels to breweries for centerpieces. We loved keeping everything downtown-we live downtown and spend the majority of our free time there.”

Alex is an attorney with the Public Defenders office and Morgan is a program analyst with NCI Frederick. The couple currently resides in Downtown Frederick.

First dance: Cigarette Burn Waltz- Horseshoes and hand-grenades

Honeymoon: a weekend in St. Mary’s county

Vendors

Venue: Tenth Ward**

Catering: JB Seafood

Photography: Brad Barnwell Photography**

Dress: Posh Bridal

Dessert: Cakes to Die For

Flowers: Ory Custom Florals**

Hair & makeup: Glam Bridal

Entertainment: Shew-sical**

Transportation: On the Town **

**FrederickWeddings.com member

Real Weddings

March VOLT Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Jessi and Justin

Jessi and Justin became friends over a decade ago. “Six years ago we decided that we wanted to give dating a shot. Before our first date on Friday the 13th, Justin said:, ‘this will either be the luckiest or unluckiest day of our lives.’ It ended up being a very lucky Friday the 13th for us, with many more to come.”

Justin proposed at his company’s holiday party. “It sounds silly, but the party is a black-tie affair and I look forward to getting ready and dressing up every year. Feeling beautiful and standing on a stage, and with a few of our friends filming, Justin got down on one knee.”

Right before the couple signed a contract with a large wedding venue they found out they were expecting their first baby and decided to change gears. “We knew we wanted it to be in Frederick, but other than that, we were clueless. With six weeks to plan and absolutely no clue what we were going to do, we just started making decisions and hoping for the best. It was a very relaxed way to plan a wedding.”

Thirty-six guests, including a two-person bridal party, attended the couple’s March nuptials at Volt Restaurant. “Right before we walked down the aisle, Justin, who had been applying hand sanitizer obsessively all day, reached into his pocket to apply it again and someone mentioned how funny it would be if he refused to take my hands for the vows without applying more. We decided to run with it and make it a part of our ceremony. Everyone got a good laugh and it definitely made for some memorable pictures.”

The couple chose to use the colors of Downton Frederick as their color palette for their decor. “We wanted to use the red brick and the greenery with pops of vibrant colors from the doors and homes of the city. We were definitely going for more of a laid-back vibe, with some elegant touches and I think we achieved that. The setting of VOLT and the natural glamour of the city at night in the restaurant’s courtyard had such an elegant feeling, while the overall relaxed atmosphere with just our closest friends and family was the perfect combination.”

Jessi works in HR and Justin is a web developer. They currently reside in Frederick.

Vendors

Venue: Volt Restaurant

Photography: Brad Barnwell Photography**

Dress: TLC Bridal Boutique**

Makeup: Heather Rae Beauty

Alterations: Executive Tailoring & Embroidery

**FrederickWeddings.com member

Real Weddings

May Downtown Frederick Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Maggie and Robbey

Robby and Maggie both grew up in Frederick and had mutual friends, and saw each other around town and in Baltimore during college breaks. It was not until years later when they ran into each other at Firestones in Downtown Frederick that he got her number. “He had just moved back from California and I had just moved back from college. We had our first date a few days later back at Firestones and have been together ever since.”

The couple got engaged during an intimate proposal at their home. “We had been watching tv in our bedroom getting ready for bed and when he pulled out a ring box. He timed his proposal perfectly as it was during my favorite time of year, Christmas, and we were getting ready to go back to Frederick for the holidays- so it made it an even more magical December holiday in Frederick.”

150 guests were in attendance for their May nuptials at the Delaplaine, including four bridesmaids and six groomsmen. “We got married in front of a copper pipe arch at the Delaplaine which was decorated with dusty blue gauze and a dried flower wreath. My aunt got ordained so she could officiate the wedding for us. We had twinkle lights and drapes strung across the ceiling of The Delaplaine to give our ceremony a whimsical feel to it.”

The bride designed all of the floral arrangements herself. “The bouquets, corsages, accent bouquets, and centerpieces were all dried flowers that I picked out and pulled together.”

The couple held their reception just across Carroll Creek, at McClintock Distilling. “The dancing at our reception was really memorable. Everyone had a blast and our DJ kept the party going an extra hour because everyone was having such a good time dancing.”

Maggie is an administrative assistant and Robby is a relationship manager. They currently reside in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

First dance: Thinking Out Loud, Ed Sheeran

Honeymoon: Spain, Egypt, and Greece

Vendors

Photography: Brad Barnwell**

Entertainment: The Dapper DJs**

Getting Ready: Fleur de Frederick

Ceremony: The Delaplaine Arts Center

Reception: McClintock Distilling

Catering: P.I.G.S. BBQ

Cake: Piece O Cake

Cupcakes: Jo’s Cupcake Creations

Pressed Flower Cookies: Loria Stern

Stationery: Shine Wedding Invites

**FrederickWeddings.com members

Real Weddings

June McClintock Distilling Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Virginia + Patrick

Patrick and Virginia met at Champion Billiards Sports Bar almost 10 years ago when Patrick was a bartender Virginia was a server. The couple celebrated their eight-year anniversary shortly before their wedding date.

Patrick proposed in June of 2017. “For my birthday he had planned a trip for us to the beach. Immediately before we left for our trip he proposed on our back porch where we spend most of our free time alone together in the evenings. My birthday trip was actually a surprise engagement getaway.”

90 guests were in attendance for their June nuptials at McClintock Distillery, including three bridesmaids and three groomsmen. “We traded in the traditional wedding music for unique instrumental covers of some of our favorite songs.”

Virginia made many pieces of her wedding decor. “I am an absolute do it yourself fanatic. I loved making the centerpieces, the seating chart, the decorations, everything. Our theme was steampunk-esque, with Vineyard Green, Khaki Tan, and Copper Gold color palette. Our wedding had a very semi-formal feel with victorian style decorations. I’m so blessed to have such a patient husband who allowed my crafting obsession to take over our kitchen table intermittently over two years.”

Patrick is the general manager of Champion Billiards Sports Bar and Virginia is a bartender and the marketing coordinator at Champion Billiards Sports Bar. They currently reside in Middletown.

First dance: You and I, Jimmy Eat World

Honeymoon: Las Vegas

Vendors
Venue: McClintock Distillery

Catering: Leiters’ Fine Catering**

Photography: Mountain Momma Photography

Coordination: Of Joy Signature Events

Rings: Gold Thumb Jewelry

Hair & Makeup: Heather Rea Style Studio

Entertainment: Soundwave Entertainment

**FrederickWeddings.com

Real Weddings

April Springfield Manor Barn Wedding :: Real Frederick Wedding :: Jessica and Jeff

Jeff and Jessica met at a wedding in Thurmont. “I was invited as a plus one and was not even the first one to be asked. My friend had asked her husband and her sister to attend, which they declined so she asked me. It was there that I met Jeff.”

The couple and their families went on a vacation in 2016. “During ‘Captain’s Night’ when everyone is dressed in formal attire, Jeff asked if we could get a photo of just us on this glass bridge. The photographer shot a few frames and then Jeff turned towards me and proposed.”

76 guests were in attendance for their indoor April ceremony at Springfield Manor, including a six-person bridal party. Jessica’s stepfather served as the officiant and her son performed a reading. Jeff’s sister also did a reading during their ceremony in the barn. “It was intimate and so special. The funniest thing that happened, which I missed because I had not come inside yet, was when the flower girl and ring bearer missed walking down the isles and had to be re-diverted.”

The couple chose a color palette of charcoal and plum for their wedding decor, much of which they did themselves. “Every part of our day was DIY – including all the flowers and decorations. You can really save a lot of money doing it this way, but it requires even more planning and organization.”

Jeff is a Total Service Manager and Jessica is a Billing Analyst. They currently reside in Ijamsville.

First Dance: A Thousand Years, Christina Perri

Honeymoon: Mediterranean cruise

Venue: Springfield Manor **

Caterer: Carriage House

Photographer: Brad Barnwell

Attire: Posh Bridal**

Jewelry: Jared’s

Dessert: Frosted Fantasy Cakes

Hair & makeup: Tone Jackson

Music: JJ+T Entertainment

**FrederickWeddings.com members