WEDDING IDEAS

Renee wore a diamond white, silk, sheath with an open back by Amy Michelson.

Renee’s three bridesmaids each wore a different dress by BCBG in the wedding’s bold colors -- one orange, one blue, and one in green.

Renee‘s bridesmaids carried bouquets of orchids in bright colors, such as yellow, pink, and orange.

The fun programs were designed to look like Cracker Jack boxes, perfect for the couple‘s amusement park reception.

Gary walked down the aisle escorted by his three children, the “Best Kids,” who stood beside him at the altar. Renee walked down the aisle as a mariachi band played. The couple exchanged vows they’d written together, including vows to their newly created family, in a ceremony officiated by a close friend.

A mariachi band played during the ceremony and cocktail hour.

Tins were labeled with pictures of bumper cars and each guest’s name and table number.

The amusement park’s bumper car pavilion was the center of the action at the reception. Tires filled with flowers hung from the rafters, which were girded in lights. Pinwheels and flowers led the way into the brightly decorated space.

Carnival fare was the order of the day, with appetizers including corn dogs, mini pizzas, and caramel-dipped apples, all followed by a barbecue dinner.

Renee and Gary created the favors -- tins filled with old-school, penny candy faves like Fireballs, Pixi Stix, Pop Rocks, and Mary Janes. The tins were labeled with pictures of bumper cars and each guest’s name and table number.

Renee & Gary in Glen Echo, MD

Photos By: Amy Raab Photography
Location: Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo

Renee and Gary met while working together, and after Gary proposed to her in the Las Vegas airport -- “We traveled a lot together, so we got to know each other in airports!” Renee says -- the two began planning a Maryland wedding. When mulling over locales, they considered the site of their first date, the Inn at Glen Echo, but then they thought of the amusement park just nearby. “What better place for a party than the bumper car pavilion?” Renee says.

The Bride Renne Ziegler, 36, photographer
The Groom Gary Landsman, 50, photographer
The Date June 24

The park provided the inspiration for their wedding’s fun, colorful theme, beginning with the custom-designed invitations, which were sent to guests inside boxes of Cracker Jack—just a little taste of the fun to come.

-- Kate Wood