An Intimate Cape Cod Backyard Wedding

An intimate Cape Cod backyard wedding.

On Saturday June 20th, I photographed the first wedding of my career!

Due to the recent pandemic, Sarah and Robert had to postpone their dream wedding. They wanted to keep their original date special, so they decided to tie the knot with their parents and siblings while the rest of their loved ones joined them on Zoom. This day was, in my opinion, a dream come true. From the personal touches and sentimental details and the stunning location, to the pure joy and love radiating from every single family member in attendance, I can’t imagine their wedding day could have been any more magical. I mean, I only met them that day and I cried all the way home!

Because this wedding was so small, I had the privilege of getting to know everyone on a personal level. We had time to get to know each other, laugh and joke, and build the kind of connection that can only form over time and with trust. I LOVE that as a photographer, I am invited into a personal space not everyone is welcomed into. I am a storyteller. I take the big picture and break it down into the details that make each story unique and true to my clients. I have been so blessed during this first year as a photographer. I’ve photographed two very intimate milestones, and both stole my heart in ways I could never have imagined. I decided to pursue a career in photography so that I could continue to work with people in a positive way, give my life a little added purpose, and stay socially connected; I never thought this path would bring as much joy as it has, and I never thought that some of the people I would meet would turn into family.

Robert’s sister, Kate, made those delicious cookies you’ve seen! And Sarah got all of her girls matching bracelets, just like the one she wears every day (including today!). One of the other special touches to the day was Sarah’s grandmother’s presence. Sarah wore her garter and her wedding band; both absolutely stunning!

The rooms in this house let in the most beautiful natural light! I loved photographing all of these getting ready shots; the moments are highlighted so perfectly! Not too long into the day, I had everyone commenting on the lighting and they were all taking part in helping me set up shots in the “good light”. So funny! This bunch definitely helped with the results of these images, and I am so grateful they were all part of my team!

The guys were SO over me asking prompting them to look at each other and laugh (what can I say, it’s my thing). To get back at me they decided to all obnoxiously look at me. Well played, guys. Well played.

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Sarah’s mother made this welcome sign. WOW! AND, she made the wedding cake! Everyone came together in such a big way to make this day happen.

So many elements went into this ceremony to make it heartfelt and memorable. Sarah’s sister, Jessica, was the officiant, Sarah and Robert symbolized their union with a sand ceremony, and all of the siblings took part in a reading. The siblings coming together for the reading was my favorite part. They have so much love for one another that it’s hard to even differentiate between families. As they all stood next to Sarah and Robert in support of this marriage, I took a moment to see them through their parents’ eyes; I was suddenly overcome with emotion envisioning Mackenzie marrying into a family as pure-hearted as this one.

An intimate Cape Cod backyard wedding, indeed.

just married!

All the feels during this celebration!

I had the pleasure of chatting with the Father of the Groom after the ceremony. Y’all, HE is the reason I cried at this wedding. It’s not often that I have someone tell me how special I am and voices their appreciation for the love and effort I pour into my work, so I was completely caught off guard when Bill did just that. Have I already mentioned how much I LOVE this family??

Bill and I were also talking about Sarah and Robert’s love story, and how grateful he is that they were still able to carry out their “happily ever after” plans given the current state of the world. He went on to explain that though the wedding planning began after Robert proposed, the real planning began when they first met. That every moment since then has been leading up to this one. I love that perspective. There are layers to our stories, and every minute of every day makes up a different layer; we are planning our dreams for our future without even knowing it. So embrace each day because something beautiful is just around the corner.

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Congratulations to The Hacketts!

Thank you for allowing me to photograph your intimate Cape Cod backyard wedding.

sending love from the lens,

ashley