Samantha & Vince

This originally ran as a Local Love in the 2021 issue.

WEDDING DATE June 8, 2019

When it came time for Samantha Garrett and Vince McHale to pick their wedding location, they knew the town before they knew anything else. Vince’s family has a house in St. Michaels, on the Eastern Shore, and the couple, who live in Annapolis, spends many free weekends there. “St. Michaels wasn’t just a beautiful town to get married in for us. That place meant so much more,” says Samantha. “It’s where our relationship flourished the most.” After being set up by a mutual friend, Samantha and Vince got to know each other over long walks to the cornfields with the McHale family dogs and trying to catch crabs out on the boat. They knew their wedding would be on the Chesapeake Bay. After checking out a few venues, the two became enamored with Kirkland Manor. “It has this magical feeling when you walk around during the sunset,” says Samantha. “It’s quiet and off-the-beaten road and feels like you’ve entered this secret world that no one knows about.” The venue naturally lent itself to the bohemian garden design theme. “I loved the idea of having an exorbitant number of flowers and greenery sprawled out around the grounds,” says Samantha. “At the same time, I didn’t want to take away from the stunning nature that was already situated in the backyard.” Luckily, Vince’s family owns a landscape company, and they—along with the florist and wedding planner—brought the venue to life for the couple. “All of the stunning plants and flowers that I envisioned from the beginning were brought in and immaculately placed around the venue,” Samantha says. Everything was covered with dusty roses, touches of gold, hanging lanterns, and romantic string lights. Seeing the McHale Landscape trucks on the property made it feel even more special. “It made the entire weekend feel like home,” she says. Samantha walked down an aisle of fluffy pampas grasses to greet Vince as the couple said their vows on the banks of the Miles River. The rest of the night was spent on the energetic dance floor under a sailcloth tent draped with greenery. Even with all the incredible details, Samantha focused on the simplicity of the day. “I know that sounds crazy, but everything just flowed so nicely,” she says. It was all perfect: the ease of getting ready at the manor and Vince seeing her for the first time on a tree-lined path. The effortlessness of their families melding into one. The charm of the little flower girls dancing next to a rowboat filled with ice-cold beers. They were in a place that felt both new and wonderous but also familiar. Says Samantha, “That town will always be in our hearts.”      

Beauty Makeup by Ana B (makeup) and Styled by Anna Fazio (hair) Bridesmaids Show Me Your Mumu Catering & Cake The Classic Catering People Floral Design Sophie Felts Floral Design & McHale Landscape Design Groom & Groomsmen Men’s Wearhouse Honeymoon Croatia and Hungary Invitations & Calligraphy Bare Ink Co. Location Kirkland Manor Music Driven to Clarity Officiant Michelle Levy, family friend Photography Victoria Selman Rentals Eastern Shore Tents & Select Event Group Wedding Dress Louvienne at Lovely Bride DC Wedding Planner Moore and Co. Event Stylists