When Corrie and Brendan first started dating in college, there were many unknowns about what the future would hold and where it would take them. It became clearer, however, that what ever happened they wanted to be together. There is something beautiful about knowing, especially when it comes to knowing who you want to spend your life with. Rarely is it something that can be explained, since it is deeper than logic and more lasting than emotion.

They are not the kind of people to put their feelings on display for the world to see, but you don’t have to look hard to see that Corrie and Brendan are in love. They show each other in simple ways that make obvious displays of affection seem unnecessary and egregious. Every relationship has it’s own personality and the dynamic they have found works. The day came, however, to share their joy publicly and start their lives as husband and wife.  For the past year they planned and plotted their wedding day and waited with anticipation. I joined them in documenting not only the events that took place but the relationship and dynamic between them. Creating images on a wedding day is a treat, and take a lot of trust on the part of each couple to open up and invite me in to something so personal. I’m happy to share a few of them with you today, and hope you enjoy!

Corrie purchased all of her accoutrements on etsy and I fell in love the with the handmade garter she purchased.

After getting ready we traveled to the church, where the guys were waiting patiently and looking dapper. The ceremony began and there was not a dry eye to be found by the end of it.

Brendan raised pigeons growing up and as a surprise he brought two of them to release right after they exited the church. It was a unique moment of the wedding day and the first like it that I’ve photographed!

Congratulations once again Brendan + Corrie! While I’ll end it with this ring shot look for the full gallery on my proofing site soon.

If there was any weekend of the year I could describe as a whirlwind, it would be this past weekend. I photographed two weddings in two different states while also spending time with family and friends. Megan and Brian were married on Saturday and were so naturally in love it was beautiful. Honestly they were one of the easiest couples to photograph and I have to hand it to them for enjoying their wedding day. It sounds crazy, but it’s not always an easy thing to do.

One of the reasons they were so natural and relaxed was because they did a first look. They made that decision and it really was the best choice for them. When I arrived and Megan was getting ready the nerves were building like they did on race day when she used to compete on the track team in college. She reminisced how everything would be fine once the gun went off and she started running, but she wasn’t sure how that translated to a wedding day. As she found out the first look was that start she needed to get the ball rolling while staying cool and collected. After seeing Brian for the first time and spending a moment together, the day went as planned without fear or hesitation.

From there on Megan and Brian read my mind as I gave them direction and asked them to interact with each other. They laughed, kissed, smiled, and were obviously in love… and on a hot July day with the wedding ahead of them, they looked their best taking pictures first.

Dustin & Maureen, your wedding yesterday was fabulous. I’m so happy I could be a part of it, enjoy this preview and look for a few more here soon.

Allison + Andrew were married Saturday on what was a beautiful, sunny and hot July day. It was absolutely perfect and I couldn’t be happier to join them to document everything. Allison was radiant and Andrew dashing as they were surrounded by their closest friends and family and started their lives together. That was not all that happened this weekend, as the next day I got up bright and early and competed in my first half ironman triathlon. They knew from the start that I was planning on racing the next day and I couldn’t have asked for a better wedding to photograph the day before a race. I can’t say that it was easy to do both, but it was worth it. I’ll post later about the tri but on this blog weddings take priority so enjoy this preview and head over to my facebook page & like Mary Dougherty Photography to see a few more. Congrats again A+A

Marianne + Jimmy, your wedding was amazing.  It was the perfect combination of modern and traditional, urban and refined, detailed yet simple. I remember, Marianne, when you said a few years ago “when I get married I want to have you as my photographer,” and I’m so glad that came true. You were effortlessly beautiful and Jimmy you were sharp and handsome and you guys just look so good together.

I loved shooting in a new city and in Portland there was so much to work with. Thankfully the schedule of the day allowed us to take advantage of that fact and we started with a first look, moved to family photos, and then continued on with some portraits around the city all before the ceremony. Wedding photography is an interesting art since it is so reactive and spontaneous… at least in my opinion. Decisions have to be made on the spot, calculations about light and composition happen instantly all while interacting with the couple to make sure they are comfortable and giving the expression and emotion you are looking for. It’s a challenge that I love, and while I won’t say I’ve mastered that art there are times when everything falls into place perfectly and I think they did so for Marianne and Jimmy. So congrats again you two and enjoy that honeymoon knowing that your pictures are going to look fabulous.

It’s memorial day and I can’t think of a better wedding to post than Wes and Amanda’s. These West Point alums serve in the Army and were married yesterday in Buffalo. They, along with many of their classmates and guests at the wedding, know first hand the sacrifice of serving our country and for that I say thank you.

Asbury Hall was the perfect venue and so centrally located to downtown – and therefore so many great locations for pictures. Once again the rain held off and we headed to Delaware Park and the Albright Knox where you can’t go wrong with classic architecture. I can’t wait to bring you more from this wedding which was the perfect mix of romance and elegance – congrats again Wes + Amanda!

It started as a rainy day. Driving to Erie I passed through some significant downpour, only to be pleasantly greeted with light rain and sunshine very soon after. The day that Dan and Aimee had been waiting for had arrived and the weather was on their side.

Aimee carefully slipped into her Maggie Sottero gown with her mother’s help, and her bridesmaids stood close by – ready to jump into action if needed. With delicate touches of beading, sumptuous draping of the fabric, and a peek of lace from the bottom of the dress it complimented Aimee perfectly. She finished her preparations upstairs as Dan and his groomsmen arrived.

Dan waited outside with anticipation. Aimee made her way down the stairs. She slowly walked up to him and he turned to see her for the first time. It was a moment they won’t ever forget; a perfect time to share their joy for the wedding that would be uniting them in a few hours. Now that they were together the wedding day had officially started .

After the first look picture-taking ensued and a good time was had by all as we moved from the house to the ceremony and later on to the reception. It was a full night and one that I enjoyed documenting.

A gorgeous gown – I love the lacing, and know for a fact that it is also quite comfortable to wear

Dan looking very dapper. I wish I had a picture of him during his wild college years… not that I knew him well then or that he was necessarily wild but the beard he used to sport was!

The purpose of a first look is not just to get pictures done beforehand…. it also gives the bride and groom some time alone when they first see each other and in my opinion allows them to be more relaxed and ready for the ceremony. After Dan and Aimee’s first look we captured images of them before joining the bridal party for some group images.

The bridesmaid dresses were a beautiful deep purple and accented by some bright flowers

You can tell this is a fun crowd

The light in the church was warm and accented by the deep reds and oranges of decorations

The newlyweds! After the ceremony we were able to catch the last of the sunlight in a gorgeous field. I was adamant that we get there for some pictures because I knew it would be gorgeous and I think it was definitely worth it.

It didn’t take long to get the party started at the reception, as Dan and Aimee danced their friends waited in the wings for the surprise choreographed group dance (and by group I mean 25-30 people?) It was fun to see people gradually join in until the floor was full.

I love this bouquet toss shot and to end I’ll leave you with this black + white of Dan and Aimee. Congratulations you two and thanks for letting me be a part of the day. Remember to leave a comment on this post so that they can earn a free enlargement, and head over to their gallery to view all of the wedding images.

I’m excited to be back to posting after a several day hiatus and to start things of with Chris + Beth’s Michigan wedding. Thanks for being patient! This wedding is extra special because I’ve known Beth (and her family) for a really long time, so I was honored to be able to document the day. I actually wasn’t the only member of my family involved, as my sister played the piano and my parents helped out with the backyard reception they hosted. From my perspective, it really was one of those weddings where people came together to not only celebrate but to do what they could to make the day happen. Chris and Beth are two people that give so much to others that their wedding was a chance for people to give back to them, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Here is a look at the details of the day, starting with the flowers:

Beth’s gorgeous bouquet was created by her good friend and florist Rebecca, who traveled from Oklahoma City and assembled everything once she arrived in Detroit! I don’t really know my flowers but I love the variety she included – there was so much texture and depth.

The most important part – the ceremony – took place with a completely full sanctuary. I’m not sure what the final numbers were but there had to be at least 300/350 people if not more. There’s something about a good ceremony. It makes everyone who attends think about their own relationships – with their husband or wife, family, friends, and of course God.

Afterwards everyone was invited to a dessert reception at the church, and as you can see the cakes were fabulous (and tasted as good as they looked). I was even more impressed with the decorations they put up, since some lights, fabric, and paper lanterns completely transformed the room into a more elegant reception space.

There were a lot of cute kids (many nieces and nephews of Chris + Beth) at the wedding, and I love the card Lily gave them above.

…and who doesn’t love cake – or talking into a fan?

After a quick birdseed send off Chris and Beth drove off for some pictures before joining the reception. The completely restored car they drove in gave us a pop of color to use in the pictures.

They are so in love! There’s nothing like photographing someone on their wedding day.

After pictures we joined the reception that took place at Beth’s parents home. It was set up for a relaxed yet elegant event with small round tables placed in the front and back yards. Dinner was catered by Just Delicious, and there were amazing hor d’oeuvres that lasted throughout the evening. Table decorations consisted of several small milk vases with low flower arrangements and old family photos placed inside glass jars.

As much as the reception was enjoyable for adults it was also made for kids. In fact, I would rate it as the best reception I’ve seen for kids. There was room to have fun and play (you can see pin the bowtie/rose on the groom/bride above) and the highlight was a pinata that was broken open at the end of the night. An ice cream cart served out your choice of flavor, and the night ended with sparklers!

It was perfect! I hope you enjoyed seeing part of their day and possibly got a little inspiration if you’re planning your own. Thanks again Chris + Beth for letting me document everything – and don’t forget to leave them a comment to help them earn an enlargement. Head over to their gallery to see the full set of images and enjoy!

Some weddings are so unique and fun they stand out above the rest. It’s not just the location, the food, the weather that makes the day but it is so often the people. Tommy and Megan are the kind of people that would rather not be in the spotlight, in fact I think I heard Megan mention she would have been fine  with and even smaller affair. Their wedding reflected their personality and instead of asking everyone to focus on them, they invited everyone to celebrate with them. Taking place at the Williamsburg Inn (in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia) the wedding was midday and guested were invited to a high tea reception afterwards. Since Tommy and Megan did a first look and took pictures before the wedding, the day flowed very smoothly.

So, how did these two Wheaton grads meet and get together? It all started back in speech class. Megan signed up with friends but was put in a different section then all of them – a class that had a lot of upperclassmen. Tommy was one of those upperclassmen and they started to get to know each other.

When you like someone and are trying to figure out if they like you, you pick up signs and read into every move… which is why (understandably, I might add) when Megan sent Tommy some cookies in the mail he was sure she was in to him. While that might have been true, Megan is an avid baker and loves to make treats and share them with all her friends. After packaging up enough for everyone, she had some left over so she thought of Tommy from her speech class. Tommy thought he was the only one getting cookies, but it didn’t matter since it was just the move he needed to start pursuing her more, and the rest is history.

This gorgeous vine covered walkway was are of the Williamsburg Inn, and the perfect spot for the first look and some photos afterwards. Don’t they look so classic?

TOM’s are a favorite of Tommy + Megan and they incorporated them into the wedding as the gift to their wedding party. The guys wore the burlap classics for the wedding and the girls were given the yellow linen shoes.

I achieved a rare thing by getting some of these guys to jump – I didn’t know that until afterwards, but I think it was worth it!

The back of the Inn was gorgeous and the perfect spot for some wedding party pictures – both the building and the golf course, where there was also croquet set out!

The ceremony took place over looking the golf course from behind the Inn and it was beautiful.

Megan’s brother was deployed and couldn’t make it for the wedding… he was however in an article in the New York times on the same day! The high tea reception was amazing, and the staff at the Williamsburg Inn not only did an awesome job, but they were so helpful to everyone. Here are a few details from the reception:

Megan’s nephew was adorable! In between the reception we went to the front of the Inn for a few last shots with the bikes…

I’m so happy for you guys, and was thrilled to be a part of the day! I hope you enjoyed all of the images and to see the full set head to their gallery. Leave Tommy + Megan a comment or let me know what you think about the wedding + images and help them earn a free enlargement.

There’s nothing like a wedding around a holiday. They combine for a great weekend and getaway for family and friends and this weekend was no exception. Yesterday Chris and Beth were married back in my hometown in Michigan and had beautiful church wedding followed by a fun at home reception. It was an event celebrated by many and I think they had the largest wedding I’ve ever photographed… was it 350 guests? It was also the first wedding in which I was able to photograph my sister playing the piano, and since Beth and her family have been friends for some years my parents were also in attendance and helped with the set up and grilling having pulled off my sister’s at home reception a few years ago. Everything came together beautifully and I’m so happy for Chris and Beth and look forward to sharing more of their wedding day soon. It’s time to go enjoy the 4th of July with my family here in Michigan – I see ladderball and lawn games in my future!