Summer Wedding at the Isle of Skye in Scotland :: Skeabost Hotel Elopement :: Catherine and Patrick

Driving around the Isle of Skye after Catherine and Patrick's wedding ceremony by the water at the Skeabost Hotel will likely be one of my most memorable wedding day experiences. It was a day full of laughs and adventure.. which sounds exactly right if you know Catherine and Patrick! In Scotland they drive on the left side of the road and those roads can get quite narrow with little room for oncoming traffic to bass by. That in and of itself made the trek notable. When we stopped by some cliffs off the side of the road though, that's when it got even more interesting. These cliffs were beautiful. The sun was shining. And Catherine and Patrick were game for utilizing all of the possibilities we saw there. In their formal wear these two made their way with Jeff and I down the side of this cliff on paths that looked liked they were made and meant for the sheep.. not us. We stopped a few times for photos as we wound down the paths to the water but eventually started to hurry as the notorious midges of Scotland set upon us. We have gnats here in the States which seem to be the same but these little things were vicious. At the bottom, there were rocks along the oceanside that the waves hit and and the remaining walls of an old factory exemplified so much of the stone work we saw along the road. It was an incredible setting!  It even made the hike back up, which was very steep and included the swarming midges, worth it.  

Later, after dinner, we set back out again for Neist Point and arrived around 10pm. Did I mention that it didn't seem to truly get dark out until midnight there? What an incredible place to watch the sunset and spend some time at twilight. 

Below is just a sneak peek at the day we had.. there are so many photos to share and I can't wait to go through the rest of them!

Wedding Ceremony and Dinner at the Skeabost Hotel in Scotland
Wedding Gown by Lotus Threads from BHLDN
Groom's Suit from Nordstrom

Backyard Engagement Session :: Country Fields and a Happy Pup :: Catherine and Patrick

As some of you may already know, Jeff, Bailey and I moved last Summer. Our new home comes with some beautiful property, including a field and some woods in the back. I love getting to photograph here and it's even better when you get to capture photos of people like Catherine and Patrick. Whenever I see these two, laughter is imminent. They're both so easy going and fun to be around. And this time they brought Finley, their puppy, to join us for their engagement session. Just look at that adorable puppy face! I think he had a great time too, he did escape the fence to romp around in the field with us!

I'm looking forward to seeing Catherine and Patrick's smiling faces more this week! You'll want to stay tuned for those photos!

Rustic September Wedding at a Private Family Farm :: Maplewood Farm :: Mountaintop Ceremony and Tent Reception :: Lizzie and Eric

Last year I got to photograph Lizzie and Eric's wedding day at a private farm in Connecticut. It was an incredible day and I don't know if I could describe it any better now than I did when I posted their sneak peek so, in case you missed it, I'm including what I wrote before below for you as well as a super sweet review that Lizzie left me later!

Lizzie and Eric really have a laid back warm nature and you can tell that they really value living in the moment together. Their way of planning and playing with wedding traditions, to truly make them their own, made so much of their wedding really unique and beautiful. It was something you could see at the very start of the day when they opted not to have any kind of formal first look but instead start the day with a champagne toast together with their wedding party and families. And their wedding venue.. Maplewood Farm is the home that Lizzie grew up in. Getting ready in her childhood home, having a hilltop ceremony overlooking the property, and celebrating in a tent set between the house and barn added even more meaning to a beautiful day. 

The styling, some of which you can see below, was elegant while also speaking to who they are as a couple, from the books (each special to them) that marked the tables at the reception to what their wedding party wore (a color palette focused on 'earthy elegance' with blues and greens, that each person kept in mind while getting to choose their own outfit and style). The florals were wild yet composed. There were flower crowns of baby's breath for each of the ladies. These two even forged their wedding bands! They worked on them with Stephanie of With These Rings and each crafted a ring with the other in mind.. the design incorporating engraving or texture to communicate extra meaning.

There were also some really unforgettable moments. In the field beside their ceremony site a little after they got to say 'I do', their wedding party held hands and danced around the newly weds. I realize that it sounds a little corny, but they were all in on that, embracing the silliness, and it was so much such fun! Just check out the huge, smiles on Lizzie and Eric's faces below! This was a first for me and now I hope that it isn't a last! Another standout of the day was during the toasts at the end of dinner. Lizzie's brother and sister shared some stories, some truly touching words, followed by an amazingly funny video (think a montage of singing/dancing) that had the entire tent laughing and crying. But that wasn't it. They ended it with, what would most accurately be described as, a flash mob. They started dancing and then other guests joined in, only a couple at first and then it slowly built until the dance floor was full, in a choreographed dance for the bride and groom!

I'm still smiling when I think about Lizzie and Eric's wedding last year! And Lizzie wrote me such a sweet review.. I wanted to share it here with you!
"Michelle Girard is fantastic, hands down. From the moment we first began talking to her on the phone, we knew she was just what we were looking for. She was relatable, personable, super easy to talk to. We had a few strong ideas of what we wanted out of a wedding photographer and she was open to everything we wanted to do, especially if it was out of the ordinary. On the wedding day, Michelle and her second photographer arrived and immediately got to work without much direction. Michelle fit right in and was really fun to have around. She felt like a friend. She gave clear direction when needed - large family photos, etc. and then took candid shots very well. It was clear that she wanted to make sure we were getting everything we needed and wanted from her. Overall, she has excellent communication and a fantastic personality - a gem!"

Wedding Ceremony and Reception at Maplewood Farm, the Bride's Family Farm
Florist: Barry Webber
Band for Reception: Silver Arrow Band
Caterer: The Old Inn on the Green
Rentals (Tent, tables, benches, chairs, plates, and silverware) from Tents Unlimited, Torrington CT
Wedding Gown by Rue de Seine from The Dress Theory
Bride's Shoes by Eric Michael
Groom's Suit by Bonobos
Bridesmaid Dresses and Groomsmen's Suits were self selected with a focus on blues and greens
Wedding Bands forged by the Bride and Groom with help from Stephanie of With These Rings
Wedding Favors: Maple syrup from Maplewood Farm