Margi & Ken are friends of friends, and we'd only met over the phone before their wedding. They invited Nathan and me to stay with them in their big Gaithersburg home in Maryland while we visited, and we happily accepted.

On the night we arrived in Baltimore, we took a long, rambling drive through the snowy countryside to the house. We were greeted by a large and exceptionally welcoming home full of happy people, cats and food. A group (including our friends from Seattle) was crowded around the dining room table, laughing and chatting over a game of Cards Against Humanity. Five minutes later, we were dealt in with drinks in-hand. It was like we'd never left Portland.

The wedding itself was so darling, so personal and so fantastic. The cats tried to help Margi get ready (see below), and the children were adorable. The evening cleared into a beautiful sunset for portraits. Rice was thrown, cake was eaten, and dancing was done. Margi looked gorgeous. It couldn't have been better.

One of the things I love best about photography is how I can step into a couple's lives, feel like family, and leave with a family I never knew I had. This was such a wonderful experience and I'm so happy to have shared a wedding, a house, and a weekend with Margi, Ken, their family and amazing friends. I look forward to visiting them in Maryland again, hopefully very soon. I miss them already.