Kiersten & Patrick | Meadowlark Botanical Gardens wedding | Old Town Alexandria
Kiersten & Patrick got married in the gazebo-on-the-lake at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, surrounded by smiling faces, adorable children and in super-rad matching, green, personalized Converse.
I met up with them at the Morrison House in Old Town to do some portraits around their 'hood.
Ok check the green Converse. I wanted to get married in Converse and my husband vetoed it! Further: I believe I overheard Kiersten say her dress was from ModCloth, so get on that immediately.
Portraits round one accomplished, we hopped in our cars and rolled out to Meadowlark, where lots of people related to Kiersten and Patrick were waiting patiently, cameras ready.
Thumbs-up before processing.
Congratulations you guys!
Our heroes and some close friends came early to help change the gazebo from any-old gazebo to Jenny-and-Edmund's gazebo.
It was, honestly, mad warm, so we hit some flowering trees and some quick boardwalks and bridges before ducking back inside the - phew - air-conditioned main lodge. Somehow these two managed to pull off a subtle glow, when I'm sure I looked like a sweaty mess.
Congratulations, guys!
We started the day at 
I love this photo of all of Mara's ladies cracking up.
We stole a few minutes pre-ceremony to sneak down to the lobby and take some photos.
Then Mara soaked up some love from the street on the way to the 
Rich peeking in on the processional.
Their officiant did a great job. Whenever a plane went over, she would make everybody take a sigh, which inevitably resulted in big laughs.
Everyone Mara knows seems to be a solid foot taller than her.
These two make it look easy.
The 
Old Town is such a great place to do portrait work. There are so many funky alleys and cobblestones and doorsteps.
I super-dig the spiderwebs on the door here - makes it look like they're off to a secret garden of looooooove.
Party time at the 
These two have so much fun together.
Mara notoriously hates pink, so her friends showed up in matching cardigans.
Artful cake.
Several hours into her reception, Mara finally sat down.
Congratulations guys!
Mara and Rich's vendor team:
Getting ready venue: