Spring in DC has a way of showing up just right for a wedding, and Morgan and Sean’s day at President Lincoln’s Cottage was no exception. Soft light, blooming grounds, and a couple who came into the day as true sports fans, ready to celebrate with their people.
I always love it when a couple’s personality finds its way into their wedding day, and for Morgan and Sean, that meant something neither of them saw coming.
Washington Nationals Mascots At Their DC Wedding
A few weeks before the wedding, Sean let me in on a surprise he’d been planning: President Lincoln and Jefferson, two of the racing presidents from the Washington Nationals, were going to show up and surprise Morgan during the reception. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was hard to keep that secret. I was nearly as excited as Morgan would be, and I had weeks to sit with it. Spoiler alert: it was worth every second of waiting.
When Lincoln and Jefferson came around the corner, the room erupted. Morgan’s reaction was somewhere between disbelief and pure joy, and it rippled through every guest in that tent. It’s the kind of moment you can’t plan for as a photographer. You just have to be ready, and I was so glad I had my camera up for every second of it.
A huge thank you to Little Black Book Events and especially Kyesse, the venue coordinator at Lincoln’s Cottage, for pulling off this surprise behind the scenes without a single hint. And to DJ Aaron Platt, whose music cued the room perfectly and made the whole thing land even bigger. It already would have been the best day of Morgan’s life. This pushed it into a memory her guests will be talking about for years.
Why I Loved Photographing This Wedding
Days like this are exactly why I shoot weddings on both digital and film. There’s something about a surprise this big, this fast, that calls for capturing it every way possible. The film frames from that moment have a warmth and timelessness that I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of, and the digital files let me catch every angle of the chaos and joy in real time. Having both meant Morgan and Sean got the full range of that moment, not just one version of it.
The Vendor Team
This day came together because of an incredible group of vendors:
- Venue: President Lincoln’s Cottage (@lincolnscottage)
- Planner: Little Black Book Events (@littleblkbk)
- Photographer: Natasha Lamalle Photography (@natashalamallephotography)
- Videographer: @eivans_inc
- Catering: Filomena Ristorante (@filomenaristorante)
- Cake: The Cake Room (@the_cakeroom)
- Hair & Makeup: Absolute Beauty by Wendy (@absolutebeautybywendy)
- DJ: Aaron Platt
- Florist: Tulip Decorations LLC
- Officiant: Premier Wedding Pastors
- Transportation: Sunny’s Worldwide (@Sunnys_worldwide)
- Tent: 4A Grande Event (@4agrandevent)
- Dress: K&B Bridals
- Suit: Suitsupply
- Rings: RDL Jeweler
