Kalana and Steve’s summer wedding in College Park, MD was a cheerful daytime affair that saw our happy couple hitched by 1:00 PM! We often assume a wedding has to take place in the late afternoon and into the evening. But this lovely event just goes to show that there’s no right or wrong way to have a wedding.
This incredibly fun couple met at Blerdcon. Blerdcon (an amalgamation of “Black Nerd Convention”) is a wildly inclusive nerd culture event created to welcome people of color, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities who are often left out of mainstream nerd culture. It’s a three day extravaganza of costumes, panels, and fandom, and we can’t think of a more fun place for a meet cute.
Kalana and Steve’s wedding was at the Cherry Hill Ballroom in College Park, Maryland. Located inside a charming family campground, couples can have their own cozy log cabin for the weekend, and family can stay on the property as well.
The site has a long, narrow chapel perfect for ceremonies. With white drapery and stained glass windows, the space creates an intimate, church-like vibe without feeling stuffy. That’s where our lovely couple decided to say their vows.
The wedding party’s entrance was accompanied by H.O.L.Y. by Florida Georgia Line. Then DJ Steve slowed things down for Kalana’s processional, with the Pentatonix cover of Perfect by Ed Sheeran. The friends who couldn’t attend due to distance or health concerns didn’t miss the magic—the couple live-streamed the whole thing. When it was all over, the happy snaps of (This Will Be) An Everlasting Love by Natalie Cole saw them out of the chapel.
Across the hall in the ballroom, things were ready for the afternoon party. The couple’s colors were white, red, and gold, so they used red uplighting to set the mood. This intimate event had a small wedding party consisting of just a Maid of Honor and a Best Man, so their introductions were short. But they got a great upbeat song—Colbie Caillat’s I Do, which we don’t get to play very often!
Steve and Kalana then made their grand entrance. They decided to use At Last by Etta James for both their entrance and first dance, for a seamless transition between the two. After their dance, Kalana and her dad danced to This Dance by Scott Thomas Laughridge.
This afternoon wedding was proof that you don’t need the cover of night to have a good time! The dance floor was hopping throughout the reception. For the cake cutting, the couple chose The Sweetest Thing by U2. And for the anniversary dance, they picked Dance With Me Tonight by Olly Murs. We loved this upbeat take on the usually slow anniversary dance tradition!
For the last song of the night, they did a reprise of (This Will Be) An Everlasting Love, and made their exit under a tunnel of ribbons and bells created by their guests.
We had a phenomenal time at this College Park wedding, and we’re pretty sure everyone else did too! Start planning your wedding playlist with a little help from Maryland’s DJ. Fill out our quick contact form to get started.
All photos The Beholden Eyes
Published on:
Monday, August 23, 2021
