There’s something to be said for going home.  Mary and Matt were married in Mary’s waterfront home town of Hampton, Virginia.  While Hampton is technically a city, each time I visit  it feels more like a small town than a city.

Take the church where they were married, for instance.  With a Parish dating back to 1789 and the current building in use since 1887, Mary’s family has been attending for generations.  I love how this old church stands tall amidst the surrounding architecture:

The very kneeler that Mary and Matt knelt upon during their ceremony was hand stitched by Mary’s grandmother as a gift to the church many years ago.  I was told the kneeler would ordinarily be covered with a white cloth during a wedding ceremony for its protection but it was left uncovered for this very special couple.  I wonder if she ever thought that her grandchildren might kneel upon it on their wedding day as she stitched.

Before the ceremony the guys spent some time in the playground next door.  I loved the guys in the boat, a very appropriate playground feature in Hampton!

This might be my favorite photo of the day, the way the bricks of the narrow passage converge is otherworldly and the moment as Mary and Matt right after the end of their ceremony is completely unscripted.  There’s an honesty that comes through Mary and Matt’s photos.

Congrats to Mary and Matt and here’s a slideshow with our favs from the day.  If you would like to be notified when the online gallery is available for viewing, click here.  Thank you so much for welcoming us as part of your wedding day.