Maria and Anthony’s wedding day was a culmination of five years worth of waiting. The day they met was also a wedding day- the wedding day of their friends. He was a groomsman, she was a bridesmaid, and they met during a slightly awkward moment when she was asked to stand with her elbow in his back for a group photo. They were both intrigued by each other. But Anthony was stationed in Hawaii for the Navy. And Maria was in school. Despite all of the odds stacked against them, they both agreed that it was worth it to give their relationship a shot. There were times when Anthony was on a submarine and Maria would get an email that he had landed at a port, but that was it. He wasn’t able to communicate with anyone for weeks at a time. Add to all of that, Maria was in medical school, which is time consuming and rigorous and stressful. And here we were. . . on their wedding day. The joy was palpable. Their story is romantic in a lot of ways and, of course, I’m not even scraping the surface of all that they went through and all of the special ways that they showed one another that they loved each other long distance. On their wedding day, Maria gave Anthony a stack of handwritten letters in a specially engraved box. She had written him one every month of their relationship and had saved them all; he had no idea she had done it all of that time. . . one a month for five years. I told Josh & Damon (their DJ) during dinner at the reception that I couldn’t stop gushing about Maria and Anthony and Josh just smiled at me in that way of his & I said, “I can’t help it. I’m a Maria and Anthony fan.” They are two wonderful people individually and put them together as a team- unstoppable. So without my further rambling, we’re so excited to share a few of our favorites from their Gervasi Vineyard wedding day! 
The ladies stayed at the Lady Grace Tea House at the Fieldcrest Estate and got ready there & it was really conveniently located 5 minutes from Gervasi. The porch was too pretty to pass up for a wedding dress shot!
Hair and makeup by my fav- Sin Pretty Beauty! 
In the midst of hair and makeup prep, the bridesmaids serenaded the bride to “Going to the Chapel.”
While I was with the ladies, Josh was with the guys at Gervasi, where they got ready.
Anthony’s ironing strategy cracks me up!
Maria told us on her Wedding Info Form (our awesome game plan for the wedding day!) that she’d love to do a First Look with her dad. It was the sweetest! They have a really amazing connection & these photos make me cry! 
Maria was bridal perfection! Her dress is from Jacqueline’s Bridal & her flowers are from Nikki’s Perfect Petal Designs.
Cutest ever! Her new niece was the flower girl.
This group of ladies was really fun & amazingly helpful to Maria on her wedding day. I knew they’d be awesome because Maria is the best & like attracts like, y’all. It’s science. 
When Anthony saw Maria…
Their wedding ceremony in the pavilion at Gervasi was both beautiful and personal. We loved the way they looked at each other.
Then she got to talk with her brothers for the first time. Oh my goodness, this photo doesn’t tug on my heartstrings, it rips them out. There’s so much love in this family.
Then it was time for some bride and groom portraits amongst the beautiful grounds of Gervasi Vineyard- where there isn’t a bad view to find. It’s picturesque from every direction with willow tress, a lake, swans, vineyards, and lovely architecture. These two chose a pretty venue!
West Side Bakery in Akron made the wedding cake. 
Damon from D and R Audio is a fab DJ. He had the dance floor jumpin’ all night. We love working with him and recommend him all the time because you can’t go wrong with Damon! 
Maria and Anthony, we can’t thank you two enough for choosing us to photograph your wedding day and for treating us so kindly. You welcomed us like we were guests and we loved being part of your wedding day! We pray your marriage is blessed for many decades to come & you two share all of the joy imaginable as you journey through life together!
If you’re new to our blog, hello & welcome! We’re Josh and Danielle, a husband and wife wedding photography team based in Columbiana, Ohio and available to travel! We love marriage, real love stories, and getting to meet new people who value authenticity and the beauty of real human connection. If you are engaged & want to chat, please email us at info@menningphotographic.com or contact us HERE.
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