How it felt.

Eric and Brandon’s Baltimore wedding was in two parts. The day started with an intimate ceremony and brunch at Alma, a Venezuelan restaurant in the city. During the ceremony, guests sipped on cocktails while surrounding the couple. Eric surprised Brandon by hiring artist and professor, Paul Moscatt, from MICA (a local art school) to sketch important moments of the day. Eric is an artist in his own right, focusing on queer art, which made this surprise that much more special. Immediately after the ceremony, we headed across the street in front of a mural so the couple could have a private first dance to Dolly Parton’s “You Are.” Wedding planner, Jess, of Sentimental Fools Events held a speaker up for the couple as they embraced during their first dance. 

Part two of the wedding was all about the party. Over local fried chicken and endless bottles of champagne, guests enjoyed a backyard block party with a drag performance featuring local performers: Baby, Washington Heights, and Queen Sorority. One of my favorite moments to photograph was the queens getting ready while the grooms casually sat on the edge of the tub. Baby sprayed hairspray in her hair while Washington Heights contoured her face–sequin dresses hanging from a hook behind the door and wigs brushed and in their place. 

Something so special about this wedding was the way a community comes together. Seeing family and friends gathered around good drinks in the back alley of Brandon and Eric’s home while children ran around and played and even collected dollar bills for the queens after the performance was such a unique and fun experience. This wedding wasn’t just about the love between two people, it was about feeling seen.

Planning and Design: Sentimental Fools Events | Photography: Nikki Daskalakis | Venue and Catering: Alma Cocina Latina | Florals: Pomona Floral|
Drag Performers: Babies Not Alright, Washington Heights, Queen Sorority | Jazz Band: Nico Sarbanes | Second Photographer: East Made Co | Featured: The Knot

Featured in The Knot

We chose to meet with Nikki because of her creative eye and expressive and creative style found in her body of work. While we interviewed several great photographers, we chose to go with Nikki because she honed in on what our anticipated outcomes were - showing flexibility and professionalism along the way. During our engagement shoot, it wasn't but a couple minutes in, and we knew we made the best possible choice. We loved how she went beyond the traditional set-up for a shoot and inspired us to be in the moment - which is not easy for us! While our wedding day was a bit of a blur, we were able to live it all over again when we received the amazing collection of photographs from Nikki. We cannot wait to work with her in the future!

- Eric and Brandon, Grooms

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