Backyard Wedding: a location that’s theirs!
Tristyn and Matt decided to plan their lives together by buying wooded land in Connecticut, and cleared it for their wedding reception and future spot for their home they’ll build together. Many couples want the ease and simplicity of having their wedding at an actual venue, but Tristyn and Matt were committed from the very beginning to make this wedding special and unique by having it at a place that will stay with them forever. It’s not easy, but they started over a year ago to clear the land, plant grass, and make plans for their wedding space.
Their wedding tent, tables, chairs, dance floor, and lights were all set up by Party Patrol Rental out of Southampton, MA. In fact, Matt and Tristyn had their wedding tent on the exact spot on their land where their future house will be built. How cool is that?
When clients book with me, I end up seeing them probably more often than any other wedding vendor, for client meetings, product drop-off, and the engagement session! When I first met with Matthew and Tristyn at the coffee shop, they told me about their most beloved puppy, Daisy. We planned for their Short & Sweet engagement session to include their fur baby, Daisy, a blue tick coon hound. Daisy was about a year old, and living the dog’s life but unfortunately with kidney failure. Even though she had this condition, Daisy continued to defy all odds and live an energetic, happy, and bunny-chasing life until a few days before the wedding.We were all hoping that Daisy could enjoy the wedding with everyone, however that week of the wedding, signs of Daisy’s condition started to show and her energy and health drastically changed. We were all so lucky and blessed to have spent this time with Daisy for some fun, goofy professional photos that can be shared forever.
Tristyn and girls had their hair and makeup done at the Inn at Fox Hill, in Pomfret, CT. One of Tristyn’s bridemaids gave Tristyn the gift of booking the Inn at Fox Hill as a space for getting ready there. I love this shot of Tristyn putting on her earrings as she’s looking out the screen door. Tristyn’s earrings are blue daisies that Matt gave her, as a reminder of their love for their blue tick coon hound Daisy. Tristyn’s hair was done by her hair artist friend, Brandy Crawford. Such an amazing job!
Matthew and Tristyn did a “first look” about an hour before the ceremony, where they saw each other for the first time at the place that means the most to them. After their first look, their wedding party joined them for some fun wedding party photos prior to the church ceremony. Tristyn’s wedding dress was perfect, and the look on Matthew’s “WOW” face was priceless, and I find that it’s often a look that usually cannot be photographed if the groom sees his bride for the first time down the ceremony aisle. I love the private moment between a couple, the interaction, and the “pause” in the day of some time just with eachother. The weather forecast was overcast with chance of rain, so I’m glad they did the first look and portraits just in case the weather changed. Tristyn’s dress was designed in house by Vows’s Bridal Outlet out of Watertown, MA.
The ceremony was at the Hampton Congregational Church. I don’t usually get to photograph many church weddings, so here’s a shot here of this bright and beautiful old-fashioned New England church.
Just had to also post this shot of Tristyn and her girls’ flower bouquets. Flowers are pretty just anyway, but these bouquets are exceptionally well-formed. These were created by Dawson’s Florist, out of Willimantic, CT. As much as I like DIY flowers and such, it makes such a huge difference in photos if the bridal bouquets have lively flowers, flowy greenery, and are full and designed well. I say this because I feel that some DIY bouquets can be made quite small. I was really happy to be photographing these lovely bouquets that I knew would be really perky even towards the middle-end of the reception when this shot was taken.
Loving this shot of their first dance together. I love this, and I wish that my husband could have danced with me at least some point during OUR wedding but we didn’t plan a first dance for our DIY wedding because he just didn’t want to. Matthew and Tristyn, I wish I could have remembered which song you danced to, but nevertheless it was sweet anyway!
This was a shot during the reception towards the end of night. After everyone enjoyed the pig roast/BBQ, amazing bacon mac’n cheese, and some drinks, everyone partied it up. It was chilly, so a campfire by the pond was perfect, and as a guest you were free to change into more casual warmer clothes to hang outside, enjoy the campfire, and just relax.
We also set up my Gif Booth to capture some more outdoor reception photos for this crazy Gif Booth. What is a Gif Booth? It’s a smart, alternative photo booth, but instead of photos, it records and sends you GIFs of your crazy moves in hi-speed. So many guests had so much fun with this…no props necessary!
Matthew and Tristyn, thank you so much for the honor of photographing just a small segment of your lives together. Best wishes for everything, and I can’t wait to show you the rest of your wedding images and to share them with your family and friends!
Vendors:
DJ: friend
Florist: Dawson’s Florist, Willimantic, CT
Hair Artist: Brandy Crawford
Makeup Artist: self
Caterer: friend John Finch of Fine Swine Roasting Service, Stafford, CT, 860-463-0949
Officiant: Pastor Jinny Smanik, Hampton Congregational Church
Cake Artist: A Cupcake for Later, Willimantic, CT (amazing cupcakes!)
Gif/Photo Booth: Gif Booth, Woodstock, CT
Wedding Dress: Vow’s Bridal Outlet, Watertown, MA
Tent, tables, chairs, dance floor, lights: Party Patrol Rental, Southampton, MA
