Anna and Mike

Winterthur Gardens and Museum

Delaware

When I got the the phone call from the every talented Courtney Space (a bomb planner, check her out!) for a wedding at Winterthur - it was a resounding yes. Before this summer I had only even been to the location a handful of times but anyone who knows me knows that I’m such a sucker for garden weddings. After a few engagement sessions on property I fell in love with the space even more. Throughout the planning process Anna and Mike really took the back seat approach with me which is totally fine! I knew a smidge about them and followed them on IG to learn personalities a little more, but I was basically going into this day blind outside of having worked alongside Courtney before. Naturally I was nervous. I’m nervous before all of my weddings because wedding days take on a beast of their own form sometimes regardless of how much prep work you do.

This day, however, was not one of those days. Aside from a slightly tardy family member (which in the scheme of things is like the least of anyone’s concerns), everything was stunning and just kept getting better. On top of not knowing the venue or the couple fully, I was also walking into a getting ready space in the form of an Aunt’s house. Normally I ask for pictures of locations to make sure there is space to do what we need to do and agreeable colors but this was truly a let go and let god situation and when I tell you that it was the BEST CASE scenario. So I walk into this beautiful home with a decent chunk of nooks and crannies but I knew from the second I walked in where I wanted to get her dress. Aunty dearest had recently remodeled the living room and had the most colorful on brand wall installation I have ever seen. The softness of Anna’s getting ready space I knew was going to juxtapose so good with the hard architecture of Mike’s location at Hotel Du Pont. I will never know if this was Anna or Courtney’s doing but I was obsessed with the day already and they weren’t even together yet!

When I tell you the day kept getting better, I mean it. The rain went away (not the heat though but who cares!!), first look was magical, family was beyond amazing, wedding party was helpful, ceremony was flawless - reception flowed beautifully. There was simply not one thing I will change about this day.

With every wedding I sometimes wish I could hear speeches before the day starts because then I REALLY get to learn a lot, but after spending all of 5 minutes with Anna and Mike I had everything I needed. They both share such a fun love for one another that just poured out of them and into the whole team. Or vice versa, who knows - maybe it was the pure love and joy coming from their families back at them. Either way, this is what weddings are meant to be. A true joining of the couple’s favorite people that just also happened to be gorgous as well!

Shout out to the team:

Photography @captured.by.jessicalynn \\ Venue @winterthur \\ Gown @ElizabethJohns \\ Beauty @aleeksandraambrozy \\ Florals @SweetPeas \\ Planning @Coutrneyspaceevents \\ Entertainment @iamchristtianl