Catholic Wedding at St. Michael Church & Woodlawn Farm, Ridge, Maryland - Chesapeake Bay Wedding
It Is a Truth Universally AcknowledgeD
Golden hour magic on the waterfront at Woodlawn Farm. Maggie and Nick looked straight out of a storybook—sunset included.
Maggie and Nick’s wedding felt like a Jane Austen story rewritten for Southern Maryland, where the drawing room is real, the breeze smells like saltwater, and the love story starts with a Sacrament. St. Michael’s Church provided the sacred beginning; Woodlawn Farm brought the charm. Together? Maggie & Nick, brought all the love and the wonderful ability to make each other laugh with very little effort. A marriage plot the author herself would’ve approved of.
Maggie walks towards her father for a first look as her bridesmaids help her keep her dress clean.
The mother of the Groom sees her son in his wedding attire for the first time.
From the moment the doors opened at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ridge, MD, the entire day felt holy, luminous, and completely saturated in joy. The organ swelled, sunlight spilled in through the windows, and every moment seemed to whisper: This is exactly where they’re meant to be.
As a Catholic wedding photographer, I’m always tuned into the sacredness of the Mass, but this one? This one lingered in my soul.
The Mass: Beauty, Reverence, and One Glorious Homily
Maggie and Nick exchange sacred wedding vows during their Catholic Nuptial Mass at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ridge, Maryland. This intimate moment of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is beautifully captured, with the priest presiding in the foreground and love radiating through every detail—from her lace wedding gown to his deep green suit.
Marriage in the Catholic Church is a Sacrament—which is really just a fancy way of saying it’s holy, real, and built to last. Couples spend months planning their life together, only to learn that their wedding day is so much more than a pretty moment and a well-lit first kiss.
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage is a vocation. Just like becoming a priest or a doctor is a calling, marriage is a calling too—a sacred one. The wedding Mass is where that calling begins. It’s where a couple offers their sacred yes with the full understanding that the Holy Spirit is showing up too, ready to carry them through every day that follows—from the mountaintop moments to the laundry-folding ones.
Father Peter Woods delivers the homily during Maggie and Nick’s Catholic wedding Mass at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ridge, Maryland. The couple sits joyfully at the altar, surrounded by family and friends, during this reverent Southern Maryland nuptial celebration.
Father Scott Woods, pastor of Sacred Heart in La Plata and someone who has known the groom for many years, celebrated the Mass with a gentle reverence. His homily? Unforgettable. When he shared how Nick first told him about Maggie, the whole church leaned in, and yes, everyone melted just a little.
It was the kind of homily that left you wondering if he’s available to officiate all weddings, ever.
Maggie and Nick’s first kiss as husband and wife at the altar of St. Michael Catholic Church in Ridge, Maryland, was one of those moments that made everyone smile, a simple, joy-filled reminder of the love and faith at the heart of their wedding Mass.
A Personal Note (Because This One Was Close to My Heart)
I met Maggie back when I was a youth minister and she was a volunteer. It didn’t take long to see how God works through her. She has this remarkable way of sharing her faith with young people—not by preaching at them, but by letting them witness her joy, her love for the Church, and the steady way she shows up with kindness and conviction. Just by being herself.
So to see her walk down the aisle toward a man who cherishes her so deeply was a gift I didn’t expect. Their wedding day was genuinely lovely, and to witness the love that wrapped around them from every direction made me pause more than once to whisper-pray, thank you—even if I was the one holding the camera.
Maggie and Nick exit their Catholic wedding ceremony at St. Michael Church in Ridge, Maryland. The bride’s lace gown and cathedral-length veil catch the light as she glances back, just moments after saying “I do” in this Southern Maryland wedding near the Chesapeake Bay.
Reception at Woodlawn Farm |s Southern Maryland Wedding Venue Goals
After the Mass, guests made their way to Woodlawn Farm (16040 Woodlawn Dr., Ridge, MD), a waterfront venue full of soft breezes, dreamy light, and old-world charm Jane Austen herself would’ve approved of.
While the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, the wedding party relaxed, refreshed themselves and had a break. (Truly, like something straight out of Persuasion, but with better booze and less corsetry.)
The Way We Work (and Why It Matters)
Denniss and I photograph weddings the same way we live life, — together, side by side, balancing each other out. He’s the calm in the whirlwind, the guy with military precision and a camera strap slung just right. I bring the creative energy, the instinctive “this is the moment” reflex, and an absurd number of batteries. Between the two of us, we’ve got your day covered.
We're a Catholic, veteran-owned husband-and-wife team based in Southern Maryland, and we photograph weddings all across the DMV.
I’m also a photojournalist and writer for The Catholic Standard, which means I know how to cover a wedding Mass with reverence and intention. I know when to press the shutter and when to put the camera down. I know that tiny, holy moments matter just as much as the big ones.
If your day includes incense, kneelers, and a dance floor moment for “Mr. Brightside,” we will absolutely thrive in both settings.
The reception details were a book lover’s dream: literary touches, warm florals, and table settings that felt like a love letter to the written word. Under twinkle lights and a cool April sky, Maggie and Nick danced, toasted, laughed, and celebrated with the kind of ease that comes from being surrounded by people who really, truly love you.
Wedding Vendors | St. Mary’s County- Southern Maryland Wedding
These vendors were delightful.
Venue: Woodlawn Farm
DJ: Invincible Entertainment – dance floor MVPs
Catering: Bailey’s Catering – 10/10 would feast again
Cake: Michelle’s Cakes – nearly too pretty to cut (but we’re glad they did)
Let’s Tell Your Story
Whether your wedding is a full Mass, a waterfront vow exchange, or something beautifully in between — we’re here for the love, the joy, and the unscripted moments that make it yours.
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xxoo,
Nicóle