Every once in a while I shoot a wedding where I can tell by the morning how the night is going to go. Maddie and Dan’s Bayside Resort Golf Club wedding in Selbyville, Delaware was one of those. Eight bridesmaids, nine groomsmen, a family that showed up ready to go, and a dance floor that never had a chance to cool off. When we asked Maddie for three words to describe the day, she gave us fun, party, love. She nailed it.
As a Delaware wedding photographer and videographer, I love a day like this because the story tells itself. You just have to be in the right place, pay attention, and let it happen.
Everything at Bayside happens on site, so the morning was easy. While the bridesmaids settled into the bridal suite, the guys found the golf simulator and spent the morning taking swings in their socks. Nobody was in a rush. That kind of calm shows up in the photos, every time.
Once it was time to get dressed, the room went from trash talk to teamwork. Groomsmen fixing Dan’s bow tie, his best man helping him into his jacket, a quiet minute with his mom on the porch. Down the hall, Maddie’s girls lost it the second they saw her in her dress. Of course they did.
Maddie and Dan did their first look at the end of the dock, with nothing but water and sky behind them. Then they did something I always love to see. They read private vows to each other before the ceremony. Their traditional vows were for everyone else. These were just for them. No posing, no direction. We stayed back and let it be what it was, and those few minutes are some of my favorite frames from the whole day.
The ceremony was out on the course, framed by tall white florals with the marsh grass behind them. A friend of the couple, Pat Kelly, officiated, and Maddie walked down the aisle with her dad while Dan watched her come toward him. That look on his face says everything.
And then, right in the middle of the ceremony, a Delaware State Police helicopter came in low and flew directly over everyone. I still don’t know if that counts as a good omen, but it happened, and every guest will remember it. Add in a concert going on at the Freeman Arts Pavilion next door and it was a lot of energy for one evening in Selbyville. They sealed it with a dramatic dip kiss at the end of the aisle, and the party was officially on.
Here’s a moment I love. During cocktail hour, the guests packed the clubhouse balcony while Maddie and Dan stood on the lawn below and raised a toast up to them. It’s a shot that only works at Bayside, and it says exactly what this wedding was about. Two people, surrounded by everyone who loves them.
I had no idea Dan was such a dancer. Apparently that’s his true passion. Once the black and white checkered dance floor opened up, he did not leave it. Their first dance to Vienna by Billy Joel was sweet and simple, the parent dances were full of hugs, and then it turned into a full blown party. Maddie up on shoulders, groomsmen wearing cutouts of Dan’s face, Grandma dancing with a light up stick, and Dan pulling out moves nobody saw coming. I’ve shot a lot of receptions. That one is up there.
A great family, a great staff at Bayside, and a beautiful day. Maddie’s advice to couples still planning? Don’t stress. Judging by this day, she followed her own advice.
What Made Bayside Work for Maddie + Dan
The dock was a great call for their first look. It was quiet and private, and the open water kept the focus on the two of them. Having getting ready, the ceremony on the course, and the reception all on site meant almost no travel, so they got more time for portraits and more time with their people.
A couple of moments I loved: their guests cheering from the balcony during cocktail hour, and the few minutes we slipped away from the reception once the September sun got low. Bayside has plenty of other great spots too, and every couple ends up using the property a little differently. That’s half the fun.
Planning a wedding at Bayside Resort Golf Club or anywhere along the Delaware beaches? We photograph and film weddings with a documentary approach, which is a fancy way of saying your gallery and film will feel like your day, not a photo shoot. Reach out and tell us what you’re dreaming up.
Vendor Credits
Venue, Planning + Catering: Bayside Resort Golf Club (@celebrateatbayside)
Photography + Videography: Christopher Ginn Studios
Hair + Makeup: East Coast Bridal (@eastcoastbridal)
Wedding Dress: Amanda Ritchey Bridal Loft
Alterations: Sheryl Kelm Designs
Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Florals: Bethany Florist
Cake: Sweet Disposition
DJ: Aaron Smith
Officiant: Patrick Kelly
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