He gripped the microphone. His hands weren’t shaking. His voice was steady. And his smile was brighter than the beautiful marquee letters standing tall on the other side of the room. He was admiring the newlyweds as all eyes were on him. Their extravagant sweetheart table sat in the center of Chevy Chase Country Club’s Devonshire Room. So it was easy to witness the emotions of the moment. Ralph’s younger brother, Ryan, was giving his best man speech. He spoke eloquently. It was one of those speeches that felt so natural and straight from the heart. We could have listened to him all night long. He boasted about Karen and Ralph and all that they’ve accomplished. He let his love for them guide his speech. Karen and Ralph laughed and smiled the entire time to match his energy. There may have even been a few happy tears as they took it all in. And then Ryan said something that stuck with us. “Her name is Karen Joy. If you say that slowly it’s… care and joy.” Like omg. We couldn’t have found a better way to explain who these two are if we tried. So thank you Ryan for the perfect description!
We know he was talking about Karen because “care and joy” is literally in her name, but man… both Karen and Ralph have hearts of gold. They are truly two of the sweetest people you will ever meet. They have a gentle yet playful love. And they put not only one another first but everyone around them too. We cannot begin to tell you how many times they checked in on US during their big day. We were there to help and serve them the best we could and all they were worried about was how we were doing. Seriously tug at our heartstrings a little more why don’t you! It seems as though caring for other people is just second nature to Karen and Ralph and it’s one of the many remarkable qualities that we adore about these two. And we can’t forget about their joy. We may have just formed a friendship with two of the most joyful people ever. Aside from the sappy, emotional parts of their day, Karen and Ralph were beaming. Their smiles never left their faces and it was contagious. It honestly didn’t surprise us that much though because they were their bubbly, smiley selves on the coldest day in November for their engagement session. We love how they laugh together. It’s always a big belly laugh where they throw their heads back and clap their hands together. Seriously the best! They’re not afraid to be silly with one another. And the way they look at each other can melt anyone’s heart.
Are we gushing too much? Well Karen and Ralph, you’re finally married! And all we can say is thank you. Thank you for being the sweetest people ever. Thank you for allowing us the honor to photograph your gorgeous wedding day. Thank you for showing us the same love and compassion that you give to your loved ones. We appreciate you more than you know and will cherish the time we spent with you forever! You two are so delightful to be around, so please don’t be strangers. We’ll be rooting for you as you navigate married life together. We know you have a beautiful life ahead of you! Cheers to you #KarenandRalphWeDo
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VENDORS:
Church: Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Getting Ready Location: Hyatt Regency Deerfield
Venue: Chevy Chase Country Club
Pastor: Father Larry Basbas
DJ: Joe Williams with AmpEvents
Videographer: Tom Munaco Films
Florist: Sylvia’s - Amling’s Flowers
Hair: Elegance by Kim
Makeup: Chyla Artistry
Wedding Dress: Dantela Bridal
Wedding Dress Designer: Giovanna Alessandro
Bride’s Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Groom’s Attire: Gentleman’s Quarters
Rings: European Jewelry & Costco
Bridesmaid Dresses: Birdy Grey
Invitation Suite: Magnetstreet
Wedding Cake: Lovin Oven
Marquee Letters: Alpha-Lit
