our wedding: part I

At last! Our wedding photos! Taken by the most amazing photographer, Kate Headley, who is as nice as she is talented. Using no less than six cameras, and shooting in a combination of film and digital, she perfectly captured the relaxed spirit of our day.

The morning of the wedding dawned clear and sunny, and very, very windy ~ a perfect autumn day, really. We held our ceremony at noon on the garden terrace of the Carlyle House in Alexandria, Virginia, promptly followed by a luncheon at a nearby restaurant. We kept it small (only 45 close friends and family), and very simple. Most everything, from flowers to programs, I did myself, or enlisted the help of friends. And it all turned out perfectly.

The ceremony lasted no more than a few minutes, but was so beautiful in its simplicity. My sister-in-law sang Giacomo Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" as I walked down the aisle, and my brother read Jorge Luis Borges' haunting poem "To the Nightingale" before we exchanged our vows. My father concluded with two traditional Irish blessings.

Following the ceremony, the wedding party walked through town to the restaurant. I am not sure I have ever felt happier or more content, than strolling hand-in-hand with my new husband to our reception.

Lots more to come over the next couple days!

(all photographs: Kate Headley)