A Seacoast Celebration with Elizabeth & Adam
It's not typical for me to be contacted and booked for a wedding by the groom but, from the start, Adam was really enthusiastic about my work and came to chat with me about their plans for the day which was going to be at the Wentworth By the Sea hotel in Rye, NH. As a pilot for the Kraft Group I was excited and curious to see how many of the New England Patriots would show up to the wedding! I didn't ask about his relationship with the team but I suppose it was fun to fantasize about how cool it would be to have Tom Brady at one of my weddings! That wasn't the case but it certainly turned into one of the most fun weddings of the summer.
I hadn't met Elizabeth until wedding day. That always makes me a bit more nervous going in but right away it was clear that she was very down to earth and easy to get along with. Her mom and bridesmaids were the same. It was largely a family affair so everyone was very close.
After the girls were dressed I had a little time to get some great bridal portraits of Elizabeth down on the main level of the hotel. The Wentworth is a really nice hotel and offers some great indoor spots to take photos. Big windows are always a plus in my book!
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The ceremony was in Portsmouth at The Immaculate Conception Church on Summer Street. I had been there before so I knew what to expect. Churches can be tricky to photograph in as they're often dark and typically flash is not permitted. Luckily I was able to use my flashes here which helped me bring the exposure up a bit. I was happy I could give Elizabeth and her dad a bit of a highlight as he walked her down the aisle. Important photos!
After the ceremony Adam surprised me by wanting to get a couple of photos in Market Square on Congress St. Now, if you're unfamiliar, Market Square is the heart of Portsmouth and very busy on a Saturday in the summer. I held my breath and went for it and by some stroke of good luck found parking right near where they wanted photos. We were in and out pretty quickly then headed out over to the beach where they wanted the rest of their formal photos.
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The light was perfect at the beach. There was a bright cloud cover which makes for great photos. We really had a good time with the bridal party photos. You can see how much of a fun loving crew they all were. People's personalities can really shine through in photographs and I've seen few wedding couples with more personality that these two! Of course, the dog was there to share in the fun too.
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I also managed to save the day by jump starting the party bus! I don't charge extra for that ;)
Cupcakes have certainly been a common dessert choice at weddings this year. I like the idea. Have something small to cut for tradition's sake but then allow the guests to choose a flavor of cupcake they like is a great way to go.
Adam and Elizabeth's beach theme carried on into the reception. Starfish topped the cake and the centerpieces also had them as a part of the decor. The rest of the evening was a great party. Adam made every part of it that little bit more interesting. The cake cutting was hilarious! He certainly made the day memorable for me. I hope you enjoy some photos from their day.
