During a wedding, the bride and groom should be the stars of the show. But Andrew and Lindsey Lang’s special day was about the people around them — and that’s exactly how they wanted it.
About 120 of the Hampden-based couple’s loved ones were in attendance at their April 26 ceremony, a number that Lindsey says was just right.
Andrew is from Connecticut, and though Lindsey grew up on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, much of her family hails from states in the Southeast — and even farther. Her brother lives in Prague but flew home to see his sister tie the knot at the Mansion at Valley Country Club in Towson.
“I walked in and saw all of my favorite people whom I love from so many different parts of my life,” Lindsey says. “Most of them had never met each other and will probably never see each other again.
But just having them all right there was really wonderful.”
The ceremony was officiated by Dr. Christin Hanigan, an elder at the Langs’ church and one of Lindsey’s best friends. It was a sweet homage to the fact that Andrew, a research scientist, and Lindsey, a graphic designer, first met in a Bible study group. The two were friends for three years before they began dating and were together a year and a half before Andrew popped the question.
Even the vendors had close, personal ties to the happy couple. Photographer David Stuck was a colleague of Lindsey’s at her first job in Baltimore. The florist is a family friend, and cake baker Julie Hanes (owner of Easton-based Julie Bakes) is a former student of Lindsey’s mom. The latter two collaborated to ensure that both the bouquet and the cake featured a delicate display of blush and cream-colored roses, Alstroemerias and Lisianthus.
Blush was a recurring color, in the centerpieces and even in the cherry blossoms on the mansion’s grounds.
It was a light and airy touch fitting for the springtime, and it perfectly complemented the burgundy bridesmaid dresses that Lindsey, who always envisioned a fall wedding, couldn’t resist including. The Morilee dresses — from The Bridal Boutique in Milford, Del. — were adorned with sequins that sparkled in the twinkle lights that, along with an elegant scarf-life fabric, were draped along the mansion’s ceiling. And Lindsey’s own dress, designed by Mikaela and purchased at Annapolis Bridal and Tuxedo, had a dazzling belt around the waist.
“I felt like Jackie Kennedy when I put it on,” Lindsey says of the sleek and timeless gown, which balanced a high boat neck in the front with a plunging back.
The venue, a stately white mansion, was built in 1858 by the Kellogg family and offers in-house catering. That built-in service was a must for Lindsey and Andrew, who both work demanding jobs and couldn’t spare too much time for wedding planning. (They also utilized a day-of coordinator, Susan Schloeder.)
“I thought the mansion was so pretty,” Lindsey adds. “It’s eclectic, but it’s still sophisticated. It doesn’t feel like your grandma’s attic, but it still has all that character.”
And its best feature, according to Lindsey, is that it boasts both a beautiful indoor and outdoor space, which came in handy when it rained on the big day. And though it stormed through the ceremony, the skies cleared just in time for the couple to take photos outside with their wedding party: a collection of relatives and lifelong friends.
“The rain was really the only thing that went wrong that day,” Lindsey says. “And wrong is not the right word. It was not according to plan, but it was still wonderful.”
