Last Saturday at the Bethesda Doubletree Hotel, wearing a Maggie Sottero wedding gown from Mary’s Bridal in Annapolis, Maryland, Katy turns the corner.  She and her father pause a moment beneath parted drapes, and the crowd stands and murmurs.  I turn to look at Matt and see tears come to his eyes.  As Katy walks down the aisle and approaches, a smile  comes to his lips.  Congratulations to this happily wedded couple, currently honeymoon-ing in Jamaica!  Katy, you are beautiful, your wedding was gorgeous, and I wish you and Matt the best life has to offer!  Enjoy this sneak peek into your wedding photography!

Bridal Makeup/Hair: Angie Norman
Wedding Gown: Mary’s Salon
Florist:
Groom’s Attire & Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jo.A. Bank and Alfred Angelo
DJ: Hesson Entertainment
Catering: Bethesda Doubletree Hotel
Wedding Cake: Creative Cakes
Wedding Invitations: MyGatsby.com

It was at my wedding photography booth at the Stonewall Golf Club bridal show about a month ago that I first met Melaney & Jonathon.  Melaney has got to absolutely be one of the most amazing people I know…and Jonathon one of the most giving and humanitarian…  what a match!!!  Melaney has been horseback riding ever since she was a little girl, and today, she imports and competes international sport horses in hunter jumper competitions.  (WOW!!!  right?)  One day, she could see herself opening up her own barn and teaching young kids how to ride… her musings brought back my own memories of my elementary school years when I too was at a local barn every week riding my favorite horse, Pepper.  I’d love to see Melaney at one of these competitions jumping 4′ fences!  On Melaney & Jon’s wedding day, at least one of Melaney’s horses will be grazing the fields at the country inn where they’ll be wed later this year.   And Jonathon, just as amazing as Melaney, well…saves lives.   As a kid, his house caught on fire, and while they fortunately weren’t home at the time, have the local firestation to thank for saving it.  Years later and all grown up, Jonathon is a volunteer firefighter, giving back to the community what it gave to his family years ago…saving lives.  Like I said…what a match!!!

To celebrate their wedding-to-come, Jon, Melaney & I met up at the Belmont Bay Harbor Marina, where I photographed them enjoying quiet moments together in the grass and in the cool shade of a white gazebo, dancing amidst the trees, and piggyback riding along the marina.  As we were walking back, we ran into some friends who own a boat, and perfect timing, had a few moments to photograph Jon & Melaney on it! Congratulations to Jonathon & Melaney, to be wed later this year!

Our March special for Facebook fans has arrived! Click on the image below to view this month’s extra-special promotion!

Who says elopement weddings can’t be beautiful and romantic?  When Brittney & Lawrence first called me up to talk to me about their elopement wedding plans, they envisioned a ceremony in a local park and asked me for suggestions on locations.  Well, why settle on the neighborhood park when we have the gorgeous Glenview Mansion right around the corner from Washington DC in Rockville, Maryland?  I called over to the Mansion and was able to arrange for permission for the wedding ceremony and portraits to be held in the Mansion’s old stone garden.  And during the wedding ceremony, as Brittney’s voice trembled and tears of joy welled to her eyes… as she said “I Do” gazing deeply into Lawrence’s eyes, I too felt touched in my heart.  Congratulations to this happy couple!

Congratulations to Brittney and Lawrence, the happy couple featured below.  Brittney and Lawrence asked me to photograph their elopement wedding.  Before the wedding ceremony at the beautiful Glenview Mansion, we met up at Rockville Town Square for a kind of engagement photography session.  Stay tuned for photographs from their wedding ceremony!

Brides-to-be in the Washington DC-Baltimore area, mark your calendars!  The Washington DC area’s ultimate bridal fashion event is back for it’s second year.  Tickets are on sale now for the April 29th Style to the Aisle – A Bride’s Runway.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit Wish Upon a Wedding.  I’ll be photographing the event, and we will be having a ton of FUN, so I hope to see you there!

And, I am so honored to tell you that I’ve just been awarded the 2012 Bride’s Choice Award by WeddingWire for the 2nd year in a row!!!  The Bride’s Choice Award is given to only the top 5% of wedding professionals and is based on real reviews from past wedding clients.  If you are one of my happy couples, I’m blowing you kisses and hugs right now!  Thank you for your support!!!  Of all the types of photography that I’ve embraced over the years, weddings are my absolute favorite.  Being surrounded by so many happy people, I can’t help but feel bubbly and happy myself.  I love that weddings have so many opportunities for creativity, both during the wedding and after with artistic photographic enhancements and album design.  And I love the variety and how I have to be a fabulous architectural, landscape, people, nighttime, and macro/food photographer all rolled into one wedding photographer package.  Thanks to all of you for the opportunities I’ve had over the years to take part in such a cherished and special day of your lives.  Thank you for your support!!!

{Washington DC} – February 1, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce its selection of Washington DC wedding photographer Irene Abdou Photography to receive the prestigious Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Photography by WeddingWire!

Recognizing the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network, the esteemed annual awards program distinguishes those who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. Irene Abdou Photography, a Washington DC wedding photographer, was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

Comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada, Irene Abdou Photography is recognized as being among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding photographers to wedding planners to wedding venues and DJs, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Irene Abdou Photography for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that Irene Abdou Photography is one of the very best wedding photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingBee, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding, Brides.com, and WeddingWire. We would like to thank our past wedding clients for taking the time to review our wedding photographer business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our Washington DC wedding photographer storefront on WeddingWire today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/irene-abdou-photography-germantown/b4962ee6a58f1856.html.

###

 

Arlington Wedding Photographer Review: "Irene Abdou Photography provides exquisite service from the moment you first meet Irene, and she helps you decide what package will best fit your needs, to the actual wedding day, to selecting high-quality products to capture your memories when the big moment has come and gone...Irene never lets you forget how special you are. On my wedding day, when we started taking pictures, I giggled as I quietly noticed just how thrilled Irene was. She was smiling from ear to ear, and her happiness was so genuine that it became infectious. She helped create the magic I experienced!" - Natasha & Alonzo, Virginia

I’m so glad that Natasha & Alonzo came into my life.  It was such a pleasure to photograph their wedding, and Natasha was just ever so wonderful to work with in the months leading up to their wedding and beyond.   Alonzo is one enormously lucky guy!  I love how Natasha tells the story about how she and Alonzo met and got engaged – I know I can’t tell it better, so I’ll leave it to her!

“Alonzo and his trusty best man, Ivan, were spirited young lads (they’d all just completed their first year of college) venturing over to the local mall to freshen up their gear.  I had just started working a summer job at Structure (now known as Express Men).  Ivan spotted me in Structure and exclaimed, “Zo, I just spotted the perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect girl for you!” Ivan proceeded to approach me, and whispered, “My friend is interested in introducing himself to you, but he’s kind of shy…”  I veered over her shoulder, saw the ever-so-cute Alonzo standing in the corner, and said, “Tell him to come over, I’ll sell him a shirt.” Alonzo received the inviting message, made his way over, and by the end of the sale….he had my number:)  That summer started the beginning of a two year sweetheart college romance. Unfortunately, the long distance for Natasha and Alonzo was too difficult, and in the middle of their college years, we decided to part ways.  10 years passed without any communication… Fast forward to 2008… Facebook emerges… Alonzo and I both join…with fond memories of me buried in Alonzo’s subconscious, he decided to do a search for his long lost love…. and there I was…  Our initial Facebook correspondence was exhilarating…and within four weeks, when I came back home to work for the summer, we rekindled our romance from so very long ago…and the rest is history.

As you scroll through the photographs below, you’ll be amazed to hear that Natasha & Alonzo and Natasha’s mom planned this wedding in all of…THREE MONTHS!!!  What joy and love went into it!  Natasha wanted to capture the idea of a whimsical forest filled with magic.  To implement the whimsical forest theme, she brought in elements of natural wood for the gift table, topiary tree escort card holders, cascading white and green flower arrangements (including hanging green amaranthus) on the reception dinner tables, table numbers with pictures of peacocks that Natasha took in New Mexico and placecards showcasing exotic trees from different countries.  An antique wishing well that guests threw wishes into replaced the traditional guestbook and added a feeling of enchantment.  During the ceremony, treasure chests complete with candles and balls of bark lined the entrance of the ceremony aisle, and Buddha head statues greeted guests halfway down the aisle.  Ceremony programs carried beautiful embossed dragonflies.  Two flower girls carried flower baskets made from real acacia wood.  Spiritual readings from both Christianity and Buddhism added worldly touches, and lanterns on pillars marked each side of the altar.

Natasha & Alonzo wrote their own vows for the ceremony.  I think my favorite line might be when Alonzo promised to always invest time in maintaining a presentable appearance, and Natasha promised to prioritize physical fitness, health, and nutrition.

Then, Natasha choreographed a surprise entry dance for her and Alonzo’s entry into the reception area, which led into another dance she choreographed for the entire bridal party!   (Natasha is a former television producer, New York City choreographer, and WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) New York Liberty Dancer.  What talent!!!)

Other highlights of the evening included the Greek Party Walk, Alpha Kappa Alpha circle hymn, and…Natasha’s father’s surprise honeymoon powerpoint presentation!  What, you say, is a surprise honeymoon powerpoint?  Well, Natasha’s parents gave the happy couple their honeymoon as their wedding gift, and it was at this moment during their wedding reception that Natasha, Alonzo, and the guests found out when and where they would be going on their honeymoon!  There were so many fun and amazing elements in this wedding, which just goes to show you what fun and amazing people Natasha & Alonzo are.   Congratulations to this newlywed couple!

And, last but not least, scroll down to the bottom to view a full list of all the terrific vendors who came together to help make this wedding such a beautiful and special affair.

 Irene Abdou Photography

WEDDING VENDORS:
Wedding Photography: Irene Abdou Photography
Wedding Venue: Lorien Hotel & Spa
DJ: Ed Jackson Entertainment
Ceremony Music: Sage String Quartet
Invitations, Escort Cards, & Table Cards: Dandelion Patch
Flowers: Enchanted Florist
Rings: Jewelry by Design
Wedding Gown: Hannelore’s of Old Town
Makeup Artist: Frankie Buglisi, MAC Cosmetics
Hair Stylist: Joni Combs, Beau Totale Aveda Concept Salon, Burke, VA

New in 2012! It’s a brand new year, and our New Year’s resolution is to offer portrait, wedding, and event photography deals specifically for our Facebook fans.  Click on the image below to register and view our very first steal of a deal for January 2012!

Two days ago, I had the great honor of watching Carla & Pete be wed at the beautiful and historic l’Aiglon Mansion (today home to Stroga Yoga Studio) in Washington, DC.  Carla’s family is from South America, and Pete has close ties to South American countries as well through his frequent business travel to the region.  So of course, they would want to incorporate as many South American flavors as they could into their special day!  My favorite must have been the pig cutting in lieu of a cake cutting – the pig was roasted on site by Mario Barreda and his team from Paella to Go Catering Services (703-578-3605; e-mail: mchef99@yahoo.com).  And I can’t deny the beauty of the cookie cake – trays of South American pastries arranged in tiers like a wedding cake – by Carmen “Lupe” Castillo (202-468-8426, cghc17@gmail.com).  Many, many thanks to wedding planner Vicky Henderson and the good folks at Stroga, all of whom know how to put on a fabulous affair!  Full vendor list and more contact information will be shared in the main wedding post-to-come!

Enjoy the sneak peek, and congratulations to the happy couple!

The second floor ballroom at the l'Aiglon Mansion (today Stroga Yoga Studio) overlooks the staircase; beautiful, ornate ceilings are a hallmark of this historic mansion.

Guest seating for the nighttime wedding ceremony was arranged on each side of the bride & groom in slight semi-circles.

Carla & Pete love food, cooking, and South American food, and the pig-cutting was one of my favorite events of the evening. This pig was roasted on site by Paella to Go Catering Services, whose hallmark is a fusion of Caribbean, Spanish, and South American flavors and ingredients.

In lieu of a traditional wedding cake, South American pastries are arranged on tiered trays - by Carmen "Lupe" Castillo.

 Washington DC Wedding Photography by Irene Abdou