White Mountains, New Hampshire Wedding
I have always thought that the best sign of a strong marriage is a couple who truly enjoys sharing hobbies. There are few couples I know who more perfectly align with my theory than Jen & Brendan. Together they have hiked all 48 4,000 foot peaks in New Hampshire, outfitted their car for overlanding adventures, ski and snowboard relentlessly, and have since moved out to the Pacific Northwest to explore the unlimited natural offerings out there. They both sparked my interest in hiking and exploring the backcountry, which I'm eternally grateful for. It was such a huge honor when they asked me to capture their wedding day!
Getting married? Feel free to reach out to me to chat about your big day!
It is no surprise that they chose an EPIC location for their wedding nestled in the White Mountains overlooking the Pemigewasset Wilderness, which gave us endless possibilities for dramatic photos. They rented a newly renovated jaw-dropping house in Carroll, New Hampshire that made for a perfectly intimate DIY wedding experience. It's a true testament to how a DIY wedding doesn't have to appear that way, as you can see in the photos below. To enjoy your wedding day more, I highly recommend hiring a Day of Coordinator such as Your Day With LK, which is what Jen & Brendan did. Lauren made sure everything ran smoothly while the couple was getting ready.
We were gifted a perfect summer day for their wedding. The rooms where each of them got ready were adjacent to each other, so that made it easy for me to capture both of them getting ready. The lighting couldn't have been more perfect in both rooms for dramatic photos. Their exchange of wedding day notes were some of the most touching photos I've ever taken. Someone described Jen as looking like a Renaissance painting, which I have to agree with.
For the first look, we went up the street to a clearing in a field. Summer was in full swing, so the birds were singing, flowers were blooming and I kept firing away shots of Brendan seeing his gorgeous soon-to-be wife for the first time. I love first looks! It's a chance to get a private moment away from the crowd with the added benefit of giving us lots of shots filled with pure emotion. I'm not crying, you're crying! Well, maybe I'm crying, as well. It's often hard to tell whether I'm profusely sweating out a gallon of water an hour or tearing up, but usually, it's both.
After the first look, we came back to the house to get ready for the ceremony. It was officiated by one of their best friends, Ryan Benson, while Brendan's father set the mood for the ceremony with his guitar. The ceremony location overlooking the Pemi Wilderness was a dream to witness and capture.
The reception took place in front of the house under strings of bistro lights. Instead of a bartender, they had a canoe filled with ice and drinks for guests to help themselves. I thought that was such a perfect fit for the vibe of the whole day. The catering was handled by The Traveling Texas Smoke Shop, which brought BBQ to a level I haven't experienced before. Just WOW!
As the golden hour approached we snuck away to a nearby pond to catch the setting Sun. The Sun truly delivered, providing us with lens flares for days to create unique and vibrate shots! Once the sun set, we headed up the mountain a little bit to another clearing where the valley opened up beneath us. It's hard to pick favorite shots from that day, but these might have been it for me!
We came back to the house to enjoy the rest of the night with friends, family, and lots of desserts courtesy of Autumn Nomad. We capped off the night with a fun shot featuring the Milky Way in the background.
Congratulations to Jen & Brendan on an incredible wedding day! It was a true pleasure to be there and capture it all!
Venue: Beechwood, Carroll, New Hampshire | Airbnb
Catering: Traveling Texas Smoke Shop | Facebook