In the summer of 2008, Jessica Winicki was living in an apartment in Federal Hill with a group of close friends when a new roommate moved in. Two years later, that roommate, Daniel Kallaugher, proposed to her in the apartment, surrounded by rose petals and candles.
The couple’s strong familial values played an important role as they began to plan their wedding. (Dan abided by tradition and asked Jessica’s father for her hand in marriage before proposing.) After meeting with a non-denominational wedding officiant to craft their ceremony, Jessica and Dan were married on Oct. 1, 2011, at the Winickis’ historic family home in Baltimore County.
Although the weather was not ideal— it was a wet day with temperatures in the mid-50s— the couple decided to keep the ceremony outdoors, as planned. A string trio played “Seasons of Love” from the musical “Rent” as the wedding party entered the garden. Jessica, wearing a billowing, strapless gown by Vera Wang, then proceeded down the grassy aisle decorated with white rose petals. Fortunately, the rain held off until the ceremony was finished.
The cocktail hour and main reception also took place at the Winicki family’s sprawling estate. The couple’s 240 guests were seated under a tent around long tables with periwinkle and salmon accents. To evoke a homey feel and give the wedding décor sentimental value, Jessica chose floral-patterned china that reminded her of her mother’s. Selections from her father’s antique silver collection, such as intricate flower vases and candleholders, also decorated the tables. “We strove to make the wedding feel very personal, Old World and elegant— with a modern twist,” says Winicki.
To pick up the tempo for the main reception, the 10-piece band Escapade showcased a variety of sounds and musical genres. For a signature cocktail, By Carlton & Co. created a custom pink concoction with mint leaves— creatively dubbed “Min-ting”— to match the wedding’s color scheme. The menu included a Maryland crab cocktail, a salad with roasted pears, candied pecans and gorgonzola, and a mixed grill entrée featuring petite filets of jerk chicken, teriyaki salmon and filet mignon with béarnaise sauce.
Winicki’s favorite moment from her wedding day was the first dance. “We had taken lessons and were excited to show off our hard work,” she says. The couple demonstrated their fancy footwork to Etta James’ famous ballad “At Last,” the perfect song to herald a new life together as husband and wife.
Resources
Party planning: Anne Berman, 410-243-4500, http://www.annebermanevents.com
Catering By Carlton & Co., 410-484-6110, http://www.bycarlton.com
Decorations and flowers Victoria Clausen of Romance of Flowers, 410-526-7252, http://www.romanceofflowers.com.
Photographer Greg Gibson Photographer, 703-830-7676, http://www.greggibson.com
Gown White by Vera Wang, purchased from David’s Bridal, http://www.davidsbridal.com
Dance instructor Sue Fowler of Dance Masters Entertainment, 410-661-5355
