This Chatham, MA wedding was beyond gorgeous from start to finish – and not just visually; the warm, happy, vibrant people made it as beautiful as the details suggested it should be. I started my day at the Chatham Bars Inn, itself a fabulous venue, where Sarah, her mom, and bridesmaids were getting ready. The hair and makeup team worked inside and outdoors and in record speed, allowing plenty of time for a leisurely lunch, gifts galore (I’m dying over the bracelets Sarah picked out for her girls) and even a little time to spare for a very funny toast by bridesmaid Elizabeth.

We traveled by mini coach to Sarah’s grandmother’s incredible property overlooking Mill Pond, and beyond it Chatham’s Stage Harbor. The yard is amazing; huge trees line the driveway and the south west corner, and the views are so beautiful. The ladies of Elegant Engagements are always an absolute dream to work with, and this time the team was led by Megan, with Sheri and Amy heavily involved. All three were an utter delight all weekend and they did such a phenomenal job of the decor and event flow. The ladies at Foret Design Studio led the floral design and the flowers were perfect; soft and romantic, with tons of color and unexpected details. Sarah requested sweet peas for her bouquet, and its simple elegance and natural beauty was a perfect fit for her (she’s a natural stunner!)

There was no first look, so I photographed the girls while my second shooter Amanda documented the guys at the house right next door. Guests were greeted with lemonade and music, and took their seats for the ceremony under a huge tree next to the driveway. The ceremony was short and sweet with a couple of funny moments (cathedral length veils and twiggy forest floors aren’t necessarily the best mix, in hindsight!) The light was actually pretty challenging but Sarah’s veil glowed throughout the ceremony, and I love the black and white photo above that shows the light and texture.

Some highlights of cocktail hour included big hugs, a raw bar, and a perfect afternoon breeze floating through the trees. There were few formalities during dinner – just a first dance and two toasts, but the toasts were fantastic and the cake cutting ended up being hilarious. I saw another side to Garrett that I loved. 🙂 Dinner itself was spectacular – and even the vendors got the full surf and turf feast (amazing!) Couples portraits were a couple of quick ten minute bursts as the evening light changed and it was so great being able to get such variety on one property. And then the band played and everyone danced and the lanterns lining the driveway were lit and the most perfect of weddings ended with some fun stuff on the dance floor.

The full post will be up later; these are just a few “sneak peeks” to whet the appetite. Thank you Sarah and Garrett, and Lee and Stephen, for trusting me to document this incredible celebration for you; I loved every moment!