Christine’s preparedness was not limited to finding a photographer, and it paid off big on their wedding day, even in the face of record high temps and a micro monsoon—we were just able to sneak their first look in right before it hit! The ceremony and reception took place at the posh mountain retreat, Skiesta House in the western Maine mountains surrounding the Sunday River ski area. The place was amazing, as you’ll see. It was our first time working with Meghan Torrieri, the wedding planner/owner of b merry events & occasions and we were in awe. She displayed the calm composure of a field commander when said monsoon turned a planned outdoor ceremony into an a decidedly indoor affair. Meghan was also very helpful and friendly to us which helped us do our job and made our day that much easier. Christine, Curtis & Meghan were a wedding tour de force and all of their planning and execution is the reason we had to present their day in two parts. Part I chronicles getting ready, the first look and pre-ceremony…(Part II can be had here)

We had been looking forward to their wedding for a long time and were so excited to be working with such interesting and great people! They are both deeply committed to the environment and sustainability and have chosen careers that put them in the front lines. Very admirable indeed. And they’re pretty cute, too. The wedding was, of course, beautiful and we were so impressed by all the details and hard work contributed by all involved. We were also enamored with all their friends and family which reminded us that it’s not a bad gig, being in the company of such fine and friendly people all the time. We hope that we were able to tell their story well through the following photographs and convey even a microcosm of the great love that day. There is a line in an Ani DiFranco song that goes: “It took me too long to realize that I don’t take good pictures ’cause I have the kind of beauty that moves.” Though I’m sure we could all agree that Kristin and Fraser are quite photogenic, I do believe it’s hard to capture the real life beauty of anything and we’re just happy we got to witness it. Congratulations guys and I’m sorry, but I hope your love has a ridiculously huge footprint! ;)

The day was punctuated by the special bond Kim and her family has, her Sisters were all bridesmaids and kept things lively and fun. Also ever-present, was the camaraderie Tim shared with his groomsman. I unwittingly kind of broke up a practical joke that would’ve made for an interesting situation during the ceremony when I asked Tim’s best man Gary for the rings to photograph them. What I, as well as he, didn’t know, was that the rings had been swiped from his jacket! Have to say, it was fun watching him desperately search for them until Tim let him off the hook…I have a great picture of that, which I’m pretty sure is going to appear on Facebook shortly :) Anyway, congrats to you, Kim & Tim! We were honored that you chose Birch Blaze to help you hang on to the great memories of this day!

So the next thing I know, I find myself at the rehearsal. It’s at the gorgeous Moody Mountain Farm on the Wolfeboro/Ossipee, NH town line. We’re standing inside what I’m guessing was once a livestock corral—you can supply your own jokes about being led to the slaughter—the fencing being a 3 foot thick stone wall probably dating back to the 1800′s. It’s now lined with yellow lilies along with other various wild flowers in full bloom and is where the ceremony will take place. I’m watching my little girl… <ahem> Lindsey, listening to Jalum (her Fiancé) and their officiant, Jason, discuss some final details and it happens. You know that commercial, the one where the father is talking to his daughter, sitting in the car, about all the safety precautions she needs to take whilst taking his car out for a drive? Yep, that one. They show the Father’s view of his Daughter and she looks to be about 6 years old…even though she’s really 16 or 17. I studied my Daughter there, saw her furrowed brow squinting out the sunlight, the quizzical look on her face, wondering what would be said next… I was sucked back in time and saw, not a 20+ year old woman standing there, no, it was my 6 year old little Lindsey. And you know what? Her facial expressions were exactly the same!

Two days later, still worried about not losing it during my duties, I walked into the farmhouse where my girl was waiting for me to take her on the walk of her life. Nothing could’ve prepared me for what I was about to encounter. I knew she would be beautiful, but my oh my, she was STUNNING! As soon as I entered the room there was the most amazing atmospheric transformation. The air was replaced with pure emotion. Lindsey, sitting in a pudgy living room chair, started frantically waving her hands and chanting, “Oh, no…no,no!” in an effort to will away the anticipated tears threatening her make up. I looked at her…I tried, I really tried. But that was it. Lost it. There she was, my little girl, looking SO amazingly beautiful. I had no choice but to lose it. A milestone. A moment in time I will never forget. It’s quite sobering. It’s like standing in the surf, watching a wave come towards you….your grandparents, your parents, you. The wave buoys you up, only for a moment, then continues on without you….your children, your grandchildren. It’s part of life though, so what else to do but embrace it? Relish it. The payoff of course, besides the memories, is an ever-expanding family and love. Lots of love. Welcome to my Family Jalum :)

The rest of the day was cake (pun intended). The trepidation of scattered showers dissipated into glorious sun and blue sky. As Jason gave his finest wedding talk, I just took it all in. To all you parents and parents-to-be out there yet to experience the wedding day of a child, I’ll repeat the advice I received from the MOB from one of the weddings we photographed last season. She said, “Just take it all in…it will be glorious!” She was right. The warm summer breezes stroking the fields of wild flowers, the mountains, the diving swallows, a soaring red-tailed hawk. Perfection. Lindsey was truly giddy with happiness and love as she repeated her vows. We ate, we laughed, we danced. It was a good day.

Of course, this was just my perspective that I’m offering you here on our blog. There are many others. We are so grateful to our dear friends, Kevin & Heidi (Kevin is Lindsey’s cousin) of Sweet Pea Photography for coming up from Pennsylvania to photograph and be a part of Lindsey & Jalum’s wedding, allowing me to just be “Dad” (you’ll ‘meet’ them in the second-to-last photo). They’re the ones to blame for Taylor and I becoming wedding photographers ;) and we can’t wait to see their perspective! (we’ll keep ya posted on that) The love of my life, Taylor, looked SO gorgeous this day and I terribly regret not taking a photo of her (K&H are you listening? :) but I thank her for taking most of the lovely images you’ll see below. We begin however, with a series of images I snapped with just my girl and I—no one else in the room (did I mention she was giddy?)—just before our walk down the aisle…

And lastly (above), the hard core crew (AZ representin’!) that stayed till the end. What great time we all had! Thanks to everyone that had a hand in making this an amazing event. And the wave rides on…

View Lindsey & Jalum’s Boston engagement session (with Tay and I at the helm) here. Oh, and thanks to the amazing vintage clothing store, Bobby From Boston for supplying my killer vintage seersucker suit!