There is something so special about an intimate wedding day. With around 40 of their favorite people gathered together, Mel and Jake’s wedding felt relaxed, colorful, personal, and completely focused on what mattered most — getting married and celebrating with the people they love.
And Annapolis in June certainly showed off for them!
Mel and Jake started their wedding day getting ready at the same Airbnb, which we LOVE for smaller wedding days. Everyone is close, logistics are simple, and there’s this fun anticipation knowing your person is just on the other side of the house.
Mel got ready with her maid of honor, slipping into her simple, elegant wedding dress and finishing everything off with the most incredible colorful bouquet. Seriously — the florals throughout this wedding were AMAZING. Bright pinks, oranges, purples, blues, and trailing greenery brought so much personality to every part of the day.
Meanwhile, Jake got ready with his best man nearby, complete with blue suits, colorful boutonnieres, and all the little moments that happen before heading out to marry your best friend.
Once everyone was ready, we headed to Quiet Waters Park for Mel and Jake’s first look.
The gazebo was the perfect backdrop. Jake waited at the bottom of the steps while Mel walked up behind him, and after that first tap on the shoulder, the nerves were gone. These are always some of our favorite moments to photograph because a first look gives our couples a few minutes where the wedding day gets quiet.
No guests. No timeline moving around them. Just the two of them.
Afterward, we were able to take advantage of the beautiful grounds around the gazebo for portraits before heading toward the water for their ceremony.
Mel and Jake’s ceremony was held overlooking the South River, and you really couldn’t ask for a prettier backdrop.
With just 40 guests, the ceremony felt wonderfully intimate. Their closest family and friends gathered around them with the water stretching out behind the ceremony space while Mel and Jake exchanged vows and officially became husband and wife!
One thing we love about smaller weddings is that no one feels lost in the crowd. You can see every face. You can hear the laughter. You can watch parents and grandparents react. Every person standing there is someone who genuinely matters to the couple.
After the ceremony, we stayed around Quiet Waters Park for family portraits and photos with Mel and Jake’s maid of honor and best man before sneaking the newlyweds away for more portraits of just the two of them.
The gazebo, pathways, greenery, and waterfront gave us so much variety without needing to go far — and Mel’s bright bouquet looked incredible against all of that summer green!
Then it was time to head into downtown Annapolis to continue the celebration at Choptank.
The reception at Choptank was exactly what you want an intimate wedding reception to feel like: beautiful, bright, full of conversation, and centered around the people in the room.
The space was filled with soft blue linens and gorgeous florals, with big windows bringing in tons of natural light. Mel and Jake sat together at their sweetheart table while everyone settled in for dinner and the celebration.
There were two speeches from their maid of honor and best man, plenty of laughter, and then Mel and Jake took a moment themselves to thank everyone for being there and celebrating alongside them.
And because there were only about 40 guests, they could actually spend meaningful time with everyone!
We made sure to photograph Mel and Jake with their guests throughout the reception — couples, friends, family members, and all the little combinations of people who made the day special. Their guest book was another sweet way to document everyone who had come together for them.
And of course, there was cake! 🎂
Before wrapping up their wedding coverage, we headed outside Choptank for a few more portraits along the Annapolis waterfront.
These ended up being such a fun contrast to the greenery at Quiet Waters Park earlier in the day. Boats, docks, water, downtown Annapolis, and the two of them officially MARRIED!
Mel and Jake created a wedding day that felt like them. It wasn’t about packing a timeline with traditions simply because they were “supposed” to happen. They chose a beautiful ceremony overlooking the water, surrounded themselves with about 40 people they genuinely wanted there, enjoyed an incredible meal, heard from the people closest to them, and had time to actually be present with their guests.
Those are the wedding days we love.
Mel and Jake, congratulations!! We loved getting to photograph this sweet, colorful Annapolis wedding day and are so excited for you both as you begin married life together! 💙
Venue: Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Maryland
Reception: Choptank Annapolis
Photography: Living Radiant Photography
Florals: Mother of the Groom
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