On this precious eve of Christmas we thought that sharing an intimate holiday hometown wedding would be the way to celebrate properly. Amanda and Eric spoke their vows in the Annapolis courthouse, surrounded by a close group of family members and friends. Captured by Jessica Schmitt Photography, this couple spent an unseasonably warm day taking portraits downtown before heading to Reynolds Tavern for a special dinner reception!

And with a proposal story like this, we just had to share! "While I was working in Africa this summer, we decided to meet in Tanzania and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was an amazing experience. Eric carried the ring to the summit, but with the dizzying feeling at almost 20,000 feet, and with crowds of people, he decided to wait for a more private moment. After spending three days in Arusha scuba diving, as the sun began to set we headed back to the room to relax. Eric had champagne waiting and rose petals in the shape of a heart on the bed and he popped the question. We celebrated sipping our champagne and watching the sunset in the beautiful Matemwe Beach area of Zanzibar. In similar fashion, we wanted something small and intimate for the wedding, and Annapolis could not have worked out more perfectly."

Born abroad, but raised as a Maryland girl through and through, Rebekah knew that her love for weddings made her a perfect fit for the Bayside Bride team. After interning for the blog in Fall of 2011 she worked hard to finish her degrees in English & Media and Communications at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Graduated and ready to return, she wants nothing more than to pass her love of event planning & weddings onto brides-to-be.