Vermont Wedding Photographer: A Backyard Vermont Wedding

Amanda + Ben – Full Gallery

As a Vermont wedding photographer, I was so excited to receive this couples inquiry and work with Amanda, and Ben. The two planned such a unique wedding experience, with loads of vintage and sentimental touches. Amanda got ready in a vintage Dior slip dress, and borrowed loads of family heirlooms for her wedding attire. Their Vermont wedding reflected this aesthetic with lots of gold, black, and white, and a vintage movie playing on a projector during their first dance.

A wedding dress hangs on a porch with lots of fall leaves on the ground captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

A pair of heels, some pearl hair pins, and a veil sit on a chair captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The details of the bride, Amanda, laying on a table: heels, perfume, veil, a piece of her dress, hand bag, rings, pearl earrings, and hair pins, fur stole captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

A pair of heels and a veil sit on a chair captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Amanda's feet, wearing peal slippers lay out on the bed captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Getting Ready at the Inn at Water’s Edge and an AirBnb

The couple got ready in two different spaces for their backward wedding in rural Vermont. Amanda got ready at the Inn at Water’s Edge, and Ben got ready at an AirBnb down the road. The Inn at Water’s Edge is a modern, renovated bed and breakfast — while retaining the historic property’s architecture and character. The rooms are light, open, and modern, with updated bathrooms, and tv’s.

The getting ready space for Amanda was the downstairs breakfast space, and a living area. The two rooms functioned perfectly for getting ready. There were plenty of outlets, lots of light, space for folks to lounge, and more. As a Vermont wedding photographer, having these eclectic, light spaces served perfectly for portraits, and beautiful getting ready photos.

Amanda gets ready for her wedding day with a makeup artist in a vintage Dior slip captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Amanda with her bridesmaids getting ready in a wide living room captured from a far by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Direct flash image of Amanda getting ready with a makeup artist.

A direct flash photo of a man buttoning his vest. The man's shirt is white and his vest and pants are black. The photo is of his torso and hands as he buttons his vest.

Image of a boy with his vest on his head, while his dad buttons his shirt for him captured by a Vermont wedding photographer using direct flash.

The groom photographed by a Vermont wedding photographer looking to the side holding his bow tie in his hands.

The grooms hands tying his shoes photographed using direct flash by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride's hair as the hair stylist places some of the last pearl hair pins photographed by a Vermont wedding photogrpaher.

The bride with her fur stole, wearing vintage Dior, and holding a wine glass photographed by a Vermont wedding photographer.

A mirror on the wall, with the bride in the reflection laying on a bed wearing vintage Dior captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride lounges in the bath tub wearing a vintage Dior slip, pearl slippers, and holding a glass of champagne by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Amanda with all of her bridesmaids sitting on a couch together by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Using direct flash this Vermont wedding photographer captured the bride getting her dress zipped by a family friend.

One of the bridesmaids gushing over how gorgeous Amanda looks in her Vermont wedding dress.

The dress as the bride gets her wedding dress on photographed by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The Vermont wedding bride walks down the stairs to her reveal with the bridesmaids.

The bride with bridesmaids standing around her gushing as she gets ready.

The bride sits on a chair while getting her shoes on by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Multiple Reveals Before the Wedding Day

I really enjoy using the term reveal over first look — I find that couples get very performative with the term first look, and often just do what they see other folks do in images and magazines. So instead, I like to call these moments reveals so that folks feel encouraged to do what feels natural for them.

Generally speaking, as a Vermont wedding photographer, I’ve noticed a lot of things in Vermont weddings. Timelines can run quickly, and be jam packed — I often hear how the day just went too quickly. Of course, to help couples, I like to offer reveals. By doing the different reveals, it transitions your mind away from the “getting stuff done” mindset, allowing you to enjoy more of the Vermont wedding day.

Reveals with Wedding Parties

Of course, reveals with wedding parties are one of my favorite moments in a wedding day. Seeing your favorite people hype you up, and gush with emotion is always something I’ll appreciate. For this backyard Vermont wedding, Amanda did a reveal with both wedding parties, separately. The girls gushed, and so many tears were shed. We walked through the hallway to another portion of the inn to capture a reveal with the boys.

The bride showing off her wedding dress to her bridesmaids as they gush over how gorgeous she is.

At the Inn at Water's Edge Amanda shows off her wedding attire to the groomsmen.

Reveals with Family Members

When we arrived to the family property, I did a reveal with various family members. It was such a great thrill to see the grandparents well up with tears seeing their grandson dressed for his wedding day. Both moms cried so much, and it built emotion as folks walked into the wedding ceremony. Indeed, I find that reveals allow folks to settle into the emotions of their wedding day just before the ceremony, and give more individual time with various loved ones.

At their backyard Vermont wedding, the groom surprises his grandparents.

At their backyard Vermont wedding, the bride surprises her mom and aunt.

At their backyard Vermont wedding, the bride surprises his mom.

Couple Reveals

The two chose to have a reveal before their backyard wedding ceremony. The foliage was perfect for a Vermont wedding – and the colors surrounding them in the yard at the Inn at Water’s Edge was perfect. As a Vermont wedding photographer, I’m a big fan of couples reveals. It allows you time to have by yourself, without any distractions, or interruptions. Having time together like this on such a busy day is essential.

The Vermont wedding couple see each other for the first time.

A Vermont wedding photographer captures the bride, and groom seeing each other for the first time.

The bride looks back at her groom after the first look.

The bride looks back at the Vermont wedding photographer after the first look.

Having Wedding Portraits Before Your Ceremony

Amanda and Ben opted to do as many of their Vermont wedding day portraits before their ceremony. As a Vermont wedding photographer, I loved this goal — it allowed us to use more of the property at the Inn at Water’s Edge. We walked through the back of the property to the lake’s edge, and did wedding portraits there with both wedding parties, and Amanda, and Ben.

This allowed me to break down their couple’s portraits into a few sections instead of doing one large wedding couple’s session. I snuck about 5 minutes of wedding portraits into their reveal, before, and after their wedding party portraits, and then during cocktail hour, and sunset. Using this method allowed the couple to have predictable moments to slow down, and reflect on their Vermont wedding day together.

By a Vermont wedding photographer, the wedding party and bride and groom pose for an image.

A portrait of the bride by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride surrounded by the bridesmaids by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The couple look back at their Vermont wedding photographer.

The couple pose with a friend before their Vermont wedding ceremony.

Creating Elegance in a Backyard Wedding — from a Vermont Wedding Photographer

An elegant tent or backyard wedding starts with a sailcloth tent. One of my favorite wedding environments to photograph in, sailcloth tents soften flash when bounced off the tent ceiling. The space organically looks a bit upscale with the canvas tent, and wooden poles. Amanda had the space decorated with large paper lanterns, and lots of twinkle lights and vintage touches. The space was reminiscent of a luxury Vermont wedding venue.

The caterers created an incredible grazing table for guests to enjoy while passing modern, upscale fresh appetizers. For dinner there were stations of a variety of cuisines, allowing folks to graze and eat what delights them for this Vermont wedding.

A wide image of the wedding ceremony location showing the very tall trees with full fall foliage.

The interior of the tent reception captured by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The favor and guest book table photographed by a Vermont wedding photographer.

A grazing table put together by the wedding caterer.

A Casual and Elegant Backyard Wedding Ceremony

Lined with ferns, and using upscale chair rentals, the two held an old Hollywood themed Vermont wedding ceremony beneath the Vermont foliage. With historic old trees lining the ceremony space, the two married surrounded by color from the Vermont fall foliage. Friends and family seated as the wedding party stood at the front of the wedding ceremony space.

Amanda’s processional was short — flower girls walked down the aisle just before her. As a surprise, Amanda wore a vintage veil down the aisle, a little something different from her reveal with Ben. The aisle was lined with a black rug, and lights donned the arch behind them. As a Vermont wedding photographer, the simple elegance of the wedding ceremony decor was perfect.

During their wedding ceremony, a family member presided — sharing their story, with a family friend sharing a story towards the end of the wedding ceremony. The two cried through their wedding ceremony, excited for the next steps in their journey together.

The groom and wedding guests look on as the bride walks towards the wedding ceremony.

The bride walks towards the aisle emotional seeing her groom by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride, Amanda, wipes away a tear at her wedding ceremony while listening to the grooms wedding vows.

A wide image of the Vermont wedding ceremony with the tall fall foliage trees in the background.

Family of the couple look on as the wedding ceremony continues.

One of the bridesmaids reads a passage from a story that's been shared at 4 of the friends weddings.

The backyard Vermont wedding captured from behind the arch by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The couple share a first kiss by a Vermont wedding reception.

A bride, and groom share a first kiss at the end of the aisle as guests clap by a Vermont wedding photographer.

A photo of the family at a backyard Vermont wedding.

Standing, the bride and groom embrace wearing a suit and lace wedding dress with a veil, by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride and groom open a bottle of champagne with a sword.

The couple twirl photographed by a Vermont Wedding photographer.

A portrait of the bride standing with her veil on with the fall foliage behind her.

A closeup of the vintage wedding veil by a Vermont wedding photographer.

From a Vermont Wedding Photographer: A Backyard Wedding Reception Filled with Vintage Touches

For their Vermont wedding reception the two opted for an intimate tent reception in the backyard of a family property. With a sweet heart table matched with a couch the two were able to snuggle up, and relax on the vintage couch. With wonderful drinks, and food the wedding reception went well into the evening with a small after party at the Inn at Water’s Edge.

Friends and family remove the veil from the bride's hair by a Vermont wedding photographer.

The bride seated at the couch at the sweetheart table with her train fanned out.

One of the parents of the couple stand at a microphone to tell a speech at the Vermont wedding reception.

By a Vermont wedding photographer, the couple are photographed sitting on a couch at their sweetheart table to listen to speeches.

The grandmother and grandfather watch a speech by one of the groomsmen by a Vermont wedding photographer.

Using Both Direct Flash, and Ambient Light during a Wedding Reception — From a Vermont Wedding Photographer

As a Vermont wedding photographer, it’s important to me to create a variety of images using different skills and modalities. I chose to go between direct flash with shutter drags, and ambient light. Using both skills allowed this Vermont wedding photographer to show off how the wedding reception looked in the moment, and create vintage styled-wedding photos.