From the moment we met Anna and Robert, we knew their wedding day at The Mankin Mansion would be absolutely magical. The way they looked at each other was the look that you see in the movies and you could just tell how incredibly happy Anna and Robert were with each other. They met online through Plenty of Fish and 6 years later said their I dos!
The bridal portrait session:
We had the pleasure of photographing Anna at The Historical Mankin Mansion a few months before her wedding day. She was absolutely stunning in her vintage inspired wedding dress and all of the details came together perfectly, right down to the jewelry and bouquet. The detail in her dress is beautiful – just look at that neck line!
Click here to learn more about bridal portrait sessions.
The wedding day:
Anna and Robert started their day surrounded by their closest friends and family while preparing for the moment they say their “I dos.” You could feel the utter excitement, nervousness, and amazement that Anna and Robert felt that day. They finally get to marry their best friend!!
Anna and Robert decided to have the first moment they see each other be when Anna walked down the aisle so in lieu of the first look the two had exchanged letters prior to their ceremony. Their letters talked about their love for the other and how excited they were to venture on this journey through life together. Along with the letter, Robert had surprised Anna with her favorite flowers the morning of their wedding which only made her more excited to see him at the altar!
Everything about Anna and Robert’s day was perfect, from the dress to the meticulously put together decorations. Anna’s vintage inspired dress fit perfectly with the century old estate while her bouquet, shoes, and jewelry added a sense of elegance that accentuated Anna’s beauty. The florals at the altar created a magnificent accent to the beauty of the ceremony site while the reception centerpieces added a sense of elegance to the chandelier filled tent.
Anna and her father shared a special moment before she walked down the aisle. She had been hiding her dress from not only Robert, but also her dad so she was able to take him by surprise when they had shared their first look.
The kiss
The anticipation to see each other for the first time at the altar built up throughout the day and as the moment got closer the more excited Anna and Robert became. The moment Robert saw Anna in all of her beauty as she walked down the aisle toward him, caused Robert to well up with tears of joy. Even though all of the guests were captivated by her stunning beauty her gaze fell on only him.
When Anna and Robert had met at the altar, their eyes never left the other. They stood together soaking in how they felt in that exact moment, a feeling they will remember for the rest of their lives.
Anna and Robert incorporated a sand unity ceremony into their wedding service. The sand ceremony signifies the blending of their lives together and they will forever be entwined with one another. Soon after the sand ceremony Anna and Robert exchanged vows, rings and sealed their devotion with a kiss! To say it was an exciting moment for these two is an understatement. Seeing the pure joy on their faces as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife made it clear that Anna and Robert’s marriage will last a lifetime!
The Portrait Session
After the ceremony we jumped right into the portrait session of the day. The mansion was the ideal location for Robert and his party as the antique decor and furniture flowed well with the design of their suits and dress. The grooms portrait session ended outdoors in the beautiful garden area where we learned that Robert and his party had one last surprise in the form of team logo socks.
Meanwhile while Robert and his party were completing their portrait session Anna and her bridesmaids stayed out in the gardens the entire time and laughed their way through their session! There were so many wonderful moments during Anna’s party portraits and it ended with the combination of both parties.
The post ceremony portrait session was completed by combining both parties and prompting them to have a great time with each other and show their love for Anna and Robert. The final photo prompt of the combined session was for all of the bridal and grooms parties to stand behind Anna and Robert and on the count of three to act out their best impression of the beautiful bride and groom. Needless to say it was epic!
The grounds at the Mankin Mansion are absolutely gorgeous making it the ideal spot to have a wedding ceremony and reception. The mansion has a super fun topiary maze that is awesome for off angle shots and a very uniques property amenity. We chose to have some fun with Anna and Robert’s post ceremony session by placing Robert on one side of the maze, with Anna eagerly awaiting her night in shining armor in the middle, and sending him through to find his gorgeous bride. The smiles and laughter between these two were so incredibly fun and special as Robert made his way to Anna and we were incredibly happy to have used this property location for a portion of their session.
We chose to moved throughout the grounds from the love sign to the gardens and the gazebo all during Anna and Robert’s photo session. Some of the things we love most about the bride and groom post-ceremony portrait session is capturing the gazes, smiles, and fun had by both newlyweds and how it is all so organic and real.
The Party!
Anna and Robert shared their first dance just before dinner that evening shortly after the bride and groom’s party introductions. During Robert and Anna’s first dace he sent his beautiful bride twirling and spinning with the climax coming at the end when he dipped her to give her a kiss. Anna and Robert’s first dance as a married couple was one that would not soon be forgotten as the guests admired their every move.
Shortly after Anna’s first dance with her new husband she shared a special dance with her father. When Anna and her father were finished with their dance he lovingly passed her along to her step father and the two shared a very special moment. The transition between dances was seamless and you could see the joy on everyone’s face as they all shared these incredibly sweet moments together.Aftewards Robert shared a dance with his sister and now Mother in Law. This part of the wedding reception was especially tough as Robert remembered his mother, who was not able to be there on his special day as she was watching down fro heaven. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as this incredibly sweet moment transpired in front of everyone. It was literally one of our favorite wedding moments that we have shared to date.
As the night went on, Anna and Robert cut their cake, sweetly offered a bite to one another, and danced the night away with their closest friends and family. Everyone had a blast dancing and celebrating Anna and Robert’s union as there was never a dull moment the rest of the entire evening.
We finished up the night with some final bride and groom portraits under the lights, in the gazebo followed by their grand exit. The exit that was planned had Anna and Robert run through the sparkler lined walkway to their horse drawn carriage where they rode off into the night – perfect ending to the perfect fun filled celebration of their love!
In short, Anna and Robert’s wedding at the Mankin Mansion was an incredibly special celebration full of love, fun, and laughter. We wish this amazing couple a lifetime of happiness together as they venture through life as husband and wife.
Vendors:
Venue – The Historic Mankin Mansion
Coordinator – The Historic Mankin Mansion
Dress – Tiffany’s Bridal
Bridesmaid’s Dresses – Tiffany’s Bridal
Hair – Salon Oh
Makeup – Caked by Caly
DJ – The Historic Mankin Mansion
Caterer/Bar – Champagne Taste
Cake – Donna’s Baking Creations
Florist – Flowers by Zoie
Horse Carriage – Hundley Carriages