If I’ve ever been to Wonderland, it was on Lauren & Andrew’s wedding day. Lauren is one of those brides that I’m pretty sure was born to be a real-life princess. She exudes the grace, kindness, and tenacious spirit like any princess you’ve read or seen movies about. And Andrew is her perfectly handsome, gentle-spirited, chivalrous prince. Naturally, their Historic Mankin Mansion wedding tied in themes of fairytales in every flawless detail.

Fairytale Themed Wedding

When I first met Lauren and Andrew for their National Gallery of Art engagement session, I could already tell this girl loved her fantasy stories. She looked like a modern Belle from Beauty and the Beast in her creamy, yellow gown. I thought, “surely it’s just a coincidence,” until she pulled out her pumpkin carriage ring box.

For her rehearsal dinner, Lauren wore a Cinderella-inspired dress. I knew I had a lot of pressure to capture the whimsical details of their wedding day. Though, that was truly an easy job thanks to the flawless planning these two did. Their tea-party themed reception space greeted me first. Tea pots and whimsical trinkets adorned the tables, designed to transport guests to the pages of their favorite storybook.

Then I went to see Lauren and pick up her dress for the on-the-hanger photos. Lauren looked so radiant and she wasn’t even in her dress yet! I unzipped the dress bag and the most beautiful, lace ball gown fell out of it.

Historic Mankin Mansion perfectly fit every element of their wedding theme. It resembled the Queen’s garden in Alice and Wonderland with its neatly trimmed box hedges and tiered, brick-lined gardens. From Andrew and Lauren’s private first look to their ceremony and beyond, we were surrounded by beauty and filled the gardens with the most stunning, in-love couple. “Picture-perfect fairytale” are the best words to describe their wedding.

As you scroll through their memories, make sure to catch some of my favorite moments.

Best Moments of A&L’s Historic Mankin Mansion Wedding

• Lauren’s monarch-length wedding veil. It was probably the longest, sparkliest, most flowy veil I’ve ever seen and it fit Lauren like a charm! When Andrew first saw her at their First Look, he was mesmerized by the veil especially. He crouched down to get a closer look and could not get over how gorgeous she was. It was so adorable.
• During their ceremony, they sealed a special bottle of wine in a box to open and share on their first anniversary. Every year, they plan to replace the bottle to celebrate the next year, watching their marriage grow and celebrating every milestone together. I have never seen this tradition but already LOVE the idea!
• Andrew and Lauren take home the prize for cutest, most creative First Dance of my career! Dancing to Mango Tree by Zac Brown Band, they swept the floor with their adorable choreographed First Dance moves!
• Sharing a last dance under the stars turned into a surprise fireworks show. Can ALL my couples do this for now until the end of time?! It was an absolutely magical way to end the night.

*I loved serving Andrew and Lauren as an associate photographer for Willow Britt Studios!*

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