Villa at Ridder Country Club Wedding – Bridgewater, Massachusetts – Rachel & Grayson

Rachel & Grayson were married last March at The Villa at Ridder Country Club in Bridgewater, Massachusetts! Check out some of my favorite photos from their big day 🙂

Barns at Wesleyan Hills Wedding – Nicole & Tara – Middletown, CT

My final wedding of 2015 celebrated Nicole and Tara at the beautiful venue, the Barns at Wesleyan Hills in Connecticut. Even though a drizzly day brought their ceremony inside, that didn’t stop the love from shining through from this couple and their amazing and supportive families and friends. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt more love in one room! They had a vibrant fall color scheme for their reception. Tara even hand made most of the decorations. From the cake stand, to the centerpieces and party favors, you could see the wonderful craftsmanship and work she put into everything. She even made her own giant light up letters that spelled out LOVE! They were a great “photo booth” type prop that was outside for everyone to enjoy. It was definitely the perfect wedding to end my 2015 season!

Melissa & Josh – Groveland Fairways Wedding – August 2015

Groveland Fairways is quickly becoming another one of my favorite venues! Not only is it a close location for me, it’s absolutely beautiful, with lots of options for photo spots, indoor and out. This also means ceremony spaces indoor and out, so if its winter, or you have bad weather and need to move inside, you’re all set! Luckily the weddings I had there this summer were both outside in their gorgeous ceremony space. It’s a bit off-set to the back of the property, so it’s nice and private for the ceremony while preparations are made for the reception inside, even if you can hear the baby goats next door 🙂 Cocktail hour can be held out back on the patio as well in nicer weather.

Now about the couple, the main part of the day! Melissa & Josh were awesome throughout the entire process of planning through day of. They are both so laid back and they had a super fun wedding! They are also very sentimental and had a lot of heirlooms included in their big day, the most special one being the diamond in Melissa’s engagement ring. One of my favorite parts was the Horah Dance at the reception. I’d never shot one, and was excited when we got some great shots of it, even if Melissa preferred to stay closer to the ground 🙂 It was another wedding where I felt like part of the family. And now I’ve heard they are expecting their first little one soon! Congratulations!

Boston Park Plaza & Boston Public Garden Wedding – Tara & John – August 2015

Shooting a wedding at the Boston Public Garden has always been a dream of mine. It’s one of my favorite spots in the city, especially on a perfect summer day. I was super excited to find out that Tara & John’s ceremony and photos would be held on the Boston Public Garden, with their reception following at the Boston Park Plaza hotel. Since landscape photos are one of my non-wedding passions, I was able to incorporate some into their wedding photos to really showcase the location, as well as their wedding. The weather was beyond perfect, with just a few clouds to make their photos really pop!

Tara & John were blending their family, with his 2 little girls, and their brand new baby daughter. Surrounded by family and friends, they exchanged their vows on the Public Garden, overlooking the pond. They had the sweetest ceremony, and we shot their family photos and bridal portraits in the garden. With the bridge, pond, and so many other natural backdrops, I could have spent the rest of the day there! Sadly, that was not an option, but they did stop at the ice cream truck at the back of the garden for a couple of ice cream cones on the way back to the Boston Park Plaza hotel for their reception!

A wedding ceremony on the Boston Public Garden, and a reception at the Boston Park Plaza hotel, a wedding day couldn’t be more Boston themed, and I loved it!

Harding Allen Estate Wedding – Erica & Dave – August 2015

The Harding Allen estate may be one of my new favorite venues (to add to my ever-growing list of venues I love…) One benefit of my job is that I get to travel around to different parts of the New England area and see new places. It’s no secret that I love castle and estate style venues, and the Harding Allen Estate is no exception! It’s on beautiful grounds, with everything a couple needs right on site. It’s also no secret that I love weddings that are completely on site in one location. Not only does it make my day easier, but it’s easier for the couple and the guests as well!

The gorgeous outdoor ceremony space is very private and quiet, and looks stunning with the large arbor and columns, surrounded by beautiful greenery and landscaping. There’s also a garden with a fountain, and the grounds out front are very grande. It was the perfect setting for Erica & Dave’s whimsical and sweet ceremony & reception. We had tons of fun taking photos and almost lost track of time! Erica & Dave were really into candid style photos, which is the main part of the 617 Weddings style. We like to let the night happen with no interference so our couples can enjoy their day 🙂 They also wanted to have some fun, such as the groomsmen staging a mock fight. After photos and the usual introductions and other formalities (as well as a very tasty dinner!), everyone danced the night away! But, I was also able to steal the couple away for a few night photos. Lucky for me, Erica & Dave were very willing to let me try a few new ideas.

I already have another wedding booked for the Harding Allen Estate for this coming summer, and I cannot wait to go back!

Erin & Jerry – Stone Mountain Arts Center Wedding – Brownfield, Maine

Erin & Jerry were my first referral clients after I rebooted my business this year. Their wedding seemed so far away in January, but August 30th seemed to come and go so fast! I had made a trip up to their venue at the Stone Mountain Arts Center in May since I knew I’d need to see it beforehand. It also made it easier to meet with them and the wedding coordinator to finalize everything. I also got lucky and was able to crash at my uncle’s ski cabin near North Conway for the weekend of the wedding. It made travel a lot easier to go up the night before and not have to drive 3 hours home the night of!

Their wedding day was beautiful. The weather was perfect. Erin & Jerry decided to do a first look so they could get some of their family formals out of the way before the wedding. I love first looks, and my favorite part is the Groom’s reaction to seeing his bride for the first time 🙂 It was one of the most easy and relaxed weddings I’ve ever shot too! We got so much done before, that we were able to just do some bridal photos after the ceremony. Then Erin & Jerry were announced into their cocktail hour to enjoy some food and mingle with their guests before dinner. The food was amazing, a huge buffet, and some of the best wedding food I’ve ever had! I will say one of the perks of the job is getting to eat lots of awesome food and cake!