Allycia and Dano‘s wedding at Dulany’s Overlook has been one of our most anticipated of the year. They are some of the most fun, kind and down to earth humans around. It was such a good for the soul kind of day.
The Couple
Allycia is hilarious, so I just copy and pasted what she wrote because it was wonderful.
From Allycia: “Dano and I grew up in the same town and even went to the same elementary and middle school but our paths never crossed in person.  We met through Tinder in June of 2015.   I thought Dano looked like a cute guy and most importantly he was over 5 foot 10 inches, so out of the friend zone! Dano said he was crossing his fingers that “the girl in all those selfies was going to be the girl who walked through the door.” Before meeting up, I of course used my detective skills to relentlessly stalk him via Facebook and Dano may or may not have put my name into Maryland Case Search. I knew Dano was a keeper when he offered to help me move into my apartment after only going on a few dates. He showed up to help me move the “few boxes” I claimed to have left, and didn’t run away screaming when he realized “few” meant a few truck loads. At first Dano said he “couldn’t tell if I really liked him or just needed a sucker for a few days to move all my stuff.” But he said he realized I must’ve liked him when I stuck around even after he lost a few of my belongings on Route 32!!”
The Proposal
Also just copy/pasted: “Dano and I were hosting Christmas Eve for the first time at our house last year. In the months leading up to Christmas, we’d talked about getting engaged and looked at rings so during the weeks leading up to Christmas I thought he might have a proposal up his sleeve.
Two nights before Christmas Eve, I’d been cleaning the house like a crazy person and Dano was out finishing up his last minute shopping. When he arrived home that night, he told me he had an early Christmas gift for me and not to come downstairs until he said. So of course in my girl brain I thought “Holy crap, he’s about to propose!” I go downstairs and he has a small object underneath this decorative holiday dishtowel. In my head I thought, “Hmm this is an odd way to propose,” but I removed the dishtowel as instructed. You can imagine my surprise and the look on my face when I realized it was a fancy bottle opener, not an engagement ring. Dano could obviously sense my confusion and assumed I didn’t like it. I confessed that I just needed a minute because I thought he was proposing to me. Unbeknownst to me, Dano already had the ring and had even contacted my sisters with his plan to propose on Christmas Eve. He’d been truly trying to give me a cute hostess gift but at the mention of the word proposal he freaked. Dano explained later that he was so afraid I was going to figure out his plan or that his face would give it away, that he did the only thing he knew to do, “piss me off, so I wouldn’t talk to him the rest of the night.” This way he wouldn’t give away his own secret. I can’t remember his exact response but he basically turned into Chandler from Friends “unlikely to take a wife.” Needless to say, I was pissed off and we didn’t speak the rest of the night.
Since Christmas was upon us, I sort of “got over it” and just figured that with the bathroom remodel and unexpected pipe replacement in November, a proposal just wasn’t on his mind.
Christmas Eve rolls around and I notice Dano is looking a bit frazzled and he started drinking a bit earlier than usual. But he was cooking for 15 people so I just assumed he was nervous about that. Looking back I remember wondering why he and my Dad were outside “looking at Kari Beth’s new car” for so long too. A few hours into the party, Kari Beth suggested we take family photos. I took a few of her family and then she mentioned to Dano that he and I should take some. Oddly Dano got all awkward and just disappeared. Apparently, that was their plan but Dano wasn’t ready. At one point in the party, I remember noticing that Dano had changed his shirt and put on shoes, which again I thought was a bit odd but didn’t put it all together. Finally Kari Beth attempted the pictures again more forcefully this time. It was in that moment that the drinking, talking with my dad, change of clothes, and just general odd behavior started to come together for me.
After Dano and I stood up from taking our picture by the fireplace, he looked me in the eye and I knew. He got down on one knee, pulled out the ring, and opened up the box. I am sure it was only seconds but it felt like he was holding the box open and not saying anything for an eternity! Finally he asked me if I would marry him and I said “YES!” I never in a million years expected Dano to propose to me in front of people since he’s a very private person. I am extremely thankful that he did and we have beautiful candid pictures capturing every emotion of that moment!”
The Wedding
I seriously could not have imagined a more amazing day for these two. Allycia first had her heart set on having the wedding at Walker’s Overlook, but as it turned out, they were already booked for the whole year – but they had just opened a new venue and had some dates available there. Allycia and Dano checked out Dulany’s Overlook, run by the same people, and fell in love. Honestly, I love Walker’s, but I LOVE Dulany’s Overlook even more. The ceremony location is stunning, the reception takes place in a beautiful barn and the house and property have a very similar vibe to their other location. It was incredible. Add in peak fall foliage and a gorgeous sunset and we got some pretty amazing photos for these two. A wonderful, emotional, fun day to celebrate two amazing people – here are just a few of my favorites.
Dulany’s Overlook Wedding Vendors
Venue: Dulany’s Overlook
Photographer: Breanna Shaw, Photography by Brea
Photography Assistant: Tommy Wagner
Wedding Coordinator: Liz Hopkinson
DJ: Matt Davis
Videographer: Ian Sitek
Officiant: Ashley Davis
Bakery: Clustered Spires
Caterer: Kloby’s Smokehouse
Bridal Gown Designer: Maggie Sottero
Bridal Shop: Bridals by Elena
Hair Stylist: JKW Beauty (bridal party), Allison Taylor (bride’s hair)
Makeup Artist: JKW Beauty (bride’s make-up), Polly Dunkley (bridal party make-up)
Florist: Amy Lauren Floral Design
Rentals/Linens: Celebrations Catering and Frederick Event Rentals
Transportation: A Touch of Class Limo
Wedding Stationery: Minted.com
Photo Booth: Sillyshotz
Any bride worried that a first look will ruin any reaction from her groom as she walks down the aisle needs to reference this wedding. So sweet! These photos are just so much fun, Brea. There’s so much life in all of them!
I love Dulany’s and love how your eyes saw this place!! So gorgeous, Brea!!
oh man! that first look! and then his reaction to her walking down the aisle!! LOVE! and then you have the sunsets, and that wide silhouette shot in the trees, gorgeous images.
It really is such a great venue and your photos totally do it justice! As usual, your sunset shots are amazing, and clearly I need lessons from you on how to do reception lighting in this barn because that is all perfection.