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Proud pup mom, type A creative, lover of the outdoors, Top Chef fan girl, and wedding and portrait photographer. Welcome to the blog!
HI, I'M RACHEL!
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micro WEDDINGS
elopements
I’ve always said weddings are my favorite to photograph. Until quarantine, I never knew how true that was! Being able to get back to photographing weddings has felt like such a gift. I was honored and delighted to be able to capture Rebecca and Ben’s St. James Falls Church wedding this week in Falls Church, Virginia.
As is the case with most weddings these days, the story of Rebecca and Ben’s St. James Falls Church wedding starts with a revision of original plans. Rebecca and Ben were supposed get married in November. Rebecca caught COVID this spring, and after experiencing that and getting healthy again, they realized life is too short. They wanted to start their life together as soon as possible! They moved their wedding forward by about four months and celebrated a little earlier than planned.
Their wedding day looked a little different than they had originally envisioned, but I think they did a great job of highlighting many traditions of a usual full wedding day and creating a feeling of celebration and excitement. We included a second photographer so that we could still capture both Rebecca and Ben’s getting ready portions of the day, complete with participation from close family. We did lots of family portraits, and got a bunch of beautiful newlywed portraits on the grounds of the church.
And maybe my favorite thing at this St. James Falls Church wedding – we did a modified version of a ‘second line‘, which is a popular wedding tradition in New Orleans, where Rebecca is from. In a traditional second line, there’s a brass band and parade with people following behind dancing. Rebecca and Ben’s original plans included a full second line, so to still include that as part of their smaller St. James Falls Church wedding, we did a few photos with the traditional handkerchiefs and fancy umbrellas. And lots of cheering for the bride and groom!
Underlying all the tradition was the feelings of appreciation and love. Rebecca said multiple times how excited and honored she was to ‘get to’ marry Ben. She clearly thinks the world of him and it was so heartwarming to see and hear how much she was looking forward to being his wife. The feelings are obviously mutual – just look at how Ben looks at her!
Congratulations and best wishes, love birds! May your life together always feel as warm and joyful as a full second line!
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Thank you to the vendors who helped Rebecca and Ben experience a beautiful wedding day!
Getting Ready Location: Hilton Garden Inn Falls Church
Ceremony Location: St. James Catholic Church
Officiant: Father Stephen Oetjen
Photography: Rachel E.H. Photography
Second Photographer: Leah Eversley
Hair and Makeup: Victoria Del Valle
Florals: Enchanted Florist (Old Town)
Rings: I Gorman Jewelers
Bride’s Dress: White House Black Market
Did this post get you excited to book your own wedding, elopement, or engagement session?! If yes, send me a note and we can chat about what you have in mind: contact me
Hi – I’m Rachel! A wedding, engagements, and headshots photographer in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and northern Virginia. I love taking photos of elegant people who love to laugh, as well as of much in-love couples. If you’re a dog owner, that’s a plus! I’m currently booking 2020 portrait sessions, as well as 2020 and 2021 weddings.
HELLO@RACHELEHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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Rachel is a wedding and portrait photographer
Serving brilliant, elegant couples in Washington D.C. + Beyond
Copyright 2022 Rachel E.H. Photography | Website by Alex Collier Design
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