Mike and Dang’s Swan Harbor Farm Wedding

Swan Harbor Farm is a waterfront wedding venue in Havre de Grace, Maryland, set on 531 acres with landscaped gardens, a historic home built in the 1740s and a lawn with views of the Chesapeake Bay. Mike and Dang said their vows on that lawn and celebrated in the farm's 50 by 70 foot vaulted tent, with DJ Steven Hartka of Maryland's DJ.

If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s the importance of adaptability. Working from home, distance learning, letting hair grow into something that can only be described as a ‘Rona mullet — these are the changes that we’ve had to accept in our new landscape. 

For couples with 2020 weddings, the need to adapt has been even more pronounced. Happy pair Mike and Dang had originally planned to celebrate their wedding at the Frederick Douglass Maritime Museum. Due to COVID their plans changed not once, but twice. 

After all the shuffling, the final result was a stunning Swan Harbor Farm wedding in Havre de Grace, MD. This lovely venue sits on 531 acres of waterfront land. The historic home on the property was built in the 1740s, and was later owned by a close friend of Thomas Jefferson. In fact, Jefferson planted cuttings from the Swan Harbor vineyards at Monticello. 

The site has stunning landscaped gardens and an expansive lawn, with views of the Chesapeake Bay. This lawn is one of the primary ceremony sites on the property, and it’s where Mike and Dang said the vows that they wrote themselves. (DJ Steven Hartka confessed that he had to hold back his tears.)

The property also has a 50’ x 70’ vaulted tent where guests can celebrate in the shade. The tent was beautifully styled, because this Swan Harbor Farm wedding was designed by the ultra-talented Drew Vanlandingham of Vanlandingham Design Studio. 

Drew dolled up the white drapery with blue linens, gold chiavari chairs, and tall, overflowing vases of white roses, hydrangeas, and fresh greenery. One of his tricks of the trade is to bring height to the dining tables at weddings. With tall, thin vases, he’s able to make big dramatic flower arrangements above the guests’ sightlines. That way people can still talk to each other without a huge bouquet in the way. 

Photographer Bradley Zisow of Bradley Images was on hand to document all the love on display at Mike and Dang’s wedding. The grooms were all smiles all day!

DJ Steven introduced the grooms to the reception to Barry Manilow’s version of The Look of Love — a great choice for this classy duo. For their first dance, they chose If Love is Overrated by Gregory Porter.

Mike and Dang invited their parents to enjoy the dance with them. Mike’s parents have been married for 61 years, and Dang’s parents have been married for 56 years! That’s quite a reputation to live up to.

Then the dance floor opened up, and the party began — masks on. We must say, we had no idea masks could be so glamorous! No blue hospital paper here!

Music highlights included some vintage classics like:

• Dancing Queen by ABBA
• It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls
• YMCA by The Village People

Plus, there was a healthy amount of Lady Gaga.

This was such a fun event, and we were so thrilled to be a part of it.

If we can help you plan (or re-plan) your wedding, please let us know! We’re working with couples to make sure they get the wedding of their dreams — COVID or no COVID!

All photos by Bradley Images