Vermont Winter Wedding at the Grafton Inn

It’s hard to describe the quaint, romantic old-town charm of Grafton, VT, so we were really excited to return there for something we hadn’t yet seen: its magical winter. As you can see from the drone photos, it’s the only place I’ve been to that immediately reminded me of the little model villages my Mom used to set up on the mantel around Christmas (if those villages were surrounded by a sea of towering mountains and smelled like pine, burning wood and artisan cheese).

Chris and Marianne live in Brooklyn, but Chris grew up in our neck of the woods (key word: woods) of Western Massachusetts. We did their engagement session at his parents’ farm in Pelham during the warmer months, bringing the Norman Rockwell-meets-Wes Anderson vibe full circle when we captured their woodsy winter vision come to life the following January.

It was such a joy to meet all of the important people in Chris and Marianne’s lives- whom we’d run into around town from the very start of the day. Thank you C&M for having us capture such a magical time!

Venue: Grafton Inn in Grafton, VT / Florist: Fast Pony Flowers / Hair: Michelle Anne Hair Design / Makeup: Flawless Cosmetic Design / DJ: Premier Entertainment / Dessert: Top Tier Baking Co. / Skirt: Elizabeth Fillmore Bridal / Bodice: Schone Bride / Suit: Michael Andrews Bespoke / Rings: Niletti Creations / Birch wedding arbor: DIY by Chris’s father

To view the rest of the photos online or to order prints, visit the full gallery here.

New England Winter Wedding at the Publick House Inn

Leah & Greg had a magical winter wedding at a venue that feels like home to us and so many Massachusetts locals: the historic Publick House Inn.

“We love winter time and all the magic that comes along with it. Our absolute favorite day was a snow day back in 2017. We went sledding and drank lots of port wine and scotch. Then we listened to all of the music, played games and snuggled. It was a day filled with winter, cheer, fun, great music, laughter and all the feels! We pulled in the snowflakes, the woods and made a rustic winter vibe with shades of burgundy wine to reflect those small moments on our favorite day. I like to get crafty and we both love craft beer. We made everything from the centerpieces to the home brew we are giving out as our party favors. We named it ‘Something Brewed’, a belgian style blonde with farmhouse yeast. The rest of the decor was DIY or thrifted. We love antiques, thrifty treasures and homemade items.”

To make it even more personal, they were married by Leah’s Grandpa!

Congrats Leah & Greg- and thank you so much for having us be a part of your cozy day.

Venue & catering: Publick House in Sturbridge, MA / Florals: DIY (Whole Foods) / DJ: Champagne Toast / Rings: Etsy

Best Dance Moments of 2018

We had a lot of fun in 2018. Here's a collection of your best moves. Pause it at one of the fast parts for a dance prediction on your 2019. Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Wedding Bell Brews at Revolution Hall in Troy, NY

We were so excited to check out Brown Brewing / Revolution Hall for Kelly and Matt’s big day, and it certainly did not disappoint! As soon as we got there they had us sample some beers (yum) and we enjoyed lunch at their restaurant before heading to the hotel to capture the nearlyweds “getting ready.” You can tell that this whole area of town has lots of history- and the venue was originally a shirt & collar factory in the 1800’s. Eventually the first floor became a popular concert venue (“Rev Hall”) until the brewery next door expanded and took over the building to host weddings and other private events. We were so excited that Matt and Kelly wanted to explore the empty upper levels of this beautiful brick warehouse- and that Brown allowed us full access. Lots of industrial goodness and moody light!

One of our favorite details: they used evites instead of invites, and as a part of the RSVP form they had each of their guests write a haiku. Everyone arrived surprised to find their own haikus printed and framed on the tables. Scroll down and read them for some epic wedding poetry!

Kelly wore a Burgundy red dress and they went with sort of a wintery theme since they got married in December. It wasn’t really Christmas themed, but one of our all-time FAVORITE wedding moments (ever) came as a surprise to them both toward the end of the night. The groomsmen brought out big Santa sacks full of holiday props as DJ BFG blasted Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” and all holiday hell broke loose on the dance floor. It just goes to show that the season doesn’t matter if you’ve got the kind of friends who will heat up the dance floor and bring on the shenanigans.

Congratulations to Kelly & Matt, and thank you so much for having us be a part of your day!

Venue: Brown’s Revolution Hall in Troy, NY / Hair & Makeup: Jenna's Salon / Florist: Flower Scout / DJ: BFG / Donuts: Cider Belly donuts

To view the rest of the photos online or to order prints, visit the full gallery here.

Cozy Autumn Wedding at Crystal Lake

Family is most important to Crystal & Rob, so they wanted a cozy & comfortable get-together in place where they could all enjoy the beautiful autumn of New England. They went with the Pavilion on Crystal Lake, and even though November had already started, it was the most colorful day for fall foliage all year! The weather held out for their “first look” on the lawn and some portraits around the property. Then came the rain, which meant a cozy indoor ceremony lit by a wall of decorative lights, and dramatic rain portraits later into the evening. The cider donuts & cigar station added some fun and personal flair to the rustic elegance Crystal Lake is so well known for.

Congratulations to Crystal & Rob, and thank you so much for having us be a part of your day!

Venue: The Pavilion on Crystal Lake in Middletown, CT / Hair & Makeup: Elegant Events Salon / Florist: It’s So Ranonculous / Dress: BHLDN from Anthropologie / DJ: Powerstation / Cupcakes: Nora Cupcakes

To view the rest of the photos online or to order prints, visit the full gallery here.

Nerdy Movie Party Wedding in an Eclectic Castle

When Jess & Josh reached out and described a movie-inspired wedding at a castle built from repurposed historical architecture by a guy named Bill in the 1960’s, we were SO. IN.

First I’ll describe the place. Bill Miller’s Castle was originally a barn that he built into a residence, eventually resembling a Tudoresque mansion that he kept adding to it until it “became a castle.” The ceilings are reclaimed wood from old tobacco barns in South Windsor. The lamp posts on the deck and inside the penthouse “were found laying on the side of old Merritt Parkway.” The stained glass and gates are from Yale. The chandeliers are from the old Taft Hotel in New Haven. The railings are from the Providence Opera House. It goes on and on. The bigger rooms evolved from a gymnastics and dance studio to “Connecticut’s first discotheque” to the event facility that it is today, owned and operated by Bill’s daughter Lisa, who happily gave us a tour and made us feel at home. We came to learn what a distinctive, well-known part of Connecticut this place is; an unofficial museum of New England and an intriguing legacy to a fascinating man. As Lisa was showing us around I imagined that playing hide-and-seek in her family must have been epic.

What we will remember most, however, was the way Jess and Josh truly made the event their own and soaked up every minute of the fun and love surrounding them. They took so many opportunities to sprinkle in the things they love: Futurama was referenced in the title of the event (“Shut Up and Take My Vows”), the centerpieces were handmade lanterns each designed around a specific movie favorite (Matt wanted to take home the John Wick), the place cards were Hollywood movie clappers, and the dessert table was inspired by Twin Peaks. A cardboard cutout of their cat made its way from the gift table to the cake, and instead of a guestbook their friends and family signed a movie poster. Toward the end of the night the weather gave us some drizzly movie drama, so they agreed to bring the dance party outside for some quick portraits in the rain just outside the castle’s massive gates.

Congratulations to Jess and Josh- thank you for offering your movie wisdom, and we hope to nerd out with you for a game night some day!

Venue: Bill Miller’s Castle in Branford, CT / Hair: Nikki Santopietro / Makeup: Angela Roberto / Dessert: Pastry Fusions / DJ: Local Motion Entertainment