The last time I saw Erin Stocking was ten years ago, when I took the photo below of her and her siblings at the Eastern Shore wedding of her mom, Lynn. A lot of time has passed since then and it was neat to see her again, this time at her very own wedding on the western shore of Maryland.

Erin married Mason Clark on a stunningly beautiful day two weekends ago, the sun setting behind the couple as they said their vows at the edge of the Chesapeake Bay. What more could one ask for really?

It's got to be the water. My wife Maya grew up in Athens, Greece and she can't stand being away from the water for any great amount of time. It calls out to her, like the Sirens to Ulysses, and once she arrives at that majestic sea I can feel that all is well with the world.

I had a similar feeling as I got out of my car at Woodlawn Farm in Ridge, Maryland, way down at the southernmost tip of the peninsula. The water was absolutely calm, the chairs were set up under a big tree, and the sun was lazily making its way across the sky. It was so serene, so soothing, that for a moment I kind of wished I could shoot a wedding every week here.

While Mason and his buddies got dressed in a little cottage next door, Erin and her girlfriends took over the manor house, built in 1798. It's quite a beautiful place and the restoration of the home is impressive. Guests sipped lemonade outside as they waited for the procession to begin. Classical guitarist Chris Dunn, who I have the pleasure of bumping into every so often, played Canon in D. Erin was escorted by her father, Donley Stocking, from the house to the ceremony spot. And right then the golden hour of light began in earnest, as if on cue.

In fact, as usual, I made a spectacle of myself as I laid down in the grass, trying to make a portrait of Erin and Mason on the dock at sunset. You talk about nice light! Mama Mia! I was worried about Erin falling off the dock, heels and all, but now that I think about it, I was probably a more likely candidate, rolling around on the edge. But every photographer knows that kinds of light comes around only once a day, if that, and you don't have time to worry about getting your knees dirty.

Erin and Mason had a beautiful wedding, capped off at the end by a neat photo next to the little bonfire that was burning. It was a bright finish to a bright day.

And on that note, I'm about to fall asleep! I just got back yesterday from a week in Norway, where I had a photo exhibition of my Holocaust related photos, and the jet lag is starting to hit me like an anvil. So I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. To see a mini gallery of photos from Erin and Mason's wedding, click here.

Take care!

Matt