From the moment we received Jaimee’s inquiry, we knew these two were something special. The way she wrote about their love story and how excited they were to get married grabbed us by the heart and didn’t let go. And we aren’t mad. Their Regal Ballroom wedding in October was a gorgeous celebration of two people who love each other selflessly and completely.
Getting Ready at Jaimee’s House
Jaimee and her lovely bridesmaids got ready at her mother’s home in Philadelphia. The whole place was hopping. Hair and makeup, getting dressed, and attending to last minute details occupied everyone there. We even got a few extra jobs to help things move along smoothly. Jenn expertly glued a missing gem onto Jaimee’s Eagles garter. While Jaimee got glammed up, we took all her lovely details outside and photographed them. We especially loved Mark’s ring. The black diamonds made an incredible statement and we love when our grooms get something special.
Before getting into her makeup chair, Jaimee opened her gift from Mark. It was a good idea because WOW were there tears. All good tears. But a lot of them. Jaimee is even beautiful when she cries. Mark’s letter was full of his love for her, his abiding joy in their relationship, and his inexpressible excitement to marry her and be there for her always. In a funny turn, his gift was a beautiful watch, practically the mate of the one she’d gotten for him without prior conferring.
Once the tears had dried and the makeup put on, Jaimee was ready to get dressed. For a special surprise, her cousin had arranged to sneakily hang a photo of Jaimee’s late father on the wall behind her so that she could have some pictures where her daddy was watching. It worked like a dream. And speaking of dreams, Jaimee was positively radiant in her wedding dress. As soon as that dress was secured, she was practically racing to the chapel.
The Ceremony at Canaan Baptist Church
We got to the chapel, and it was jam packed with friends and family who just couldn’t wait to witness Jaimee and Mark’s ceremony. Not just witness, but actively participate as we discovered later. Mark made his way to the altar to await his bride. The music swelled and Jaimee beamed as she walked to him on the arm of her brother. Her smile is one we won’t soon forget. As she walked, everyone started raising a ruckus, letting her know that she was gorgeous and today was going to be amazing. After they made beautiful and deeply personal vows to each other, they lit their unity candle. This was followed by a solid seven minutes of prayer and praise by everyone. Everyone lifted their voice to pray for the newlyweds and it was obvious that they were overwhelmed by the love for them. What a great way to start a marriage, no?
After greeting everyone, we hurried over to the Azalea Garden behind the Art Museum for their couple’s portraits. We loved getting to revisit the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum of Art with them – it’s the same location where we had captured their engagement photos just a few months earlier! The dying light faded quickly, but not before we’d gotten some incredible photos of these two!
The Reception at the Regal Ballroom
The Regal Ballroom certainly lives up to it’s name. It was beautifully appointed and exactly what Jaimee envisioned for her royal wedding to her Prince. Gilded details greeted guests at every turn. And the air was buzzing with excitement for our newlyweds.
One thing that stands out to us from this wedding was Jaimee’s special dance with her uncle. Her father had tragically passed away before getting to walk his daughter down the aisle and dance with his little girl. His brother took that mantle and danced with Jaimee on her wedding day. The bittersweetness of the moment was palpable and made Rachel tear up along with Jaimee. Who is the most beautiful crier we’ve ever seen, by the way.
After Mark had the chance to dance with his sweet mother, the party got going. Kicking off with an awesome Soul Train, the dance party was awesome. After a huge hug, Rachel bid them a fond farewell and happy honeymoon.
Jaimee and Mark, congratulations! We’re thrilled for you and your new life together!
