Joel & Amy | New Hampshire Wedding

Recently featured on Style Me Pretty’s New England blog. 

May, 2009: “Dear Lauren, you don’t know me, but a friend of a friend of a friend of your aunt said that I should get in touch with you, as I’m trying to come to Italy sometime this Fall. I’m a photographer trying to partner with some Christian ministries in Rome when I come to visit. Any chance you need some photography work done?” // “Sarah!! We would love to have you!! My roommate Amy is in the States right now, and she’ll be just a couple hours away from you this Summer. You should meet up!” // “Dear Amy, can we do coffee sometime while you’re in the States?”

August, 2009: Coffee with Amy in Charlottesville, and I discover a new kindred spirit. I never ended up going to Italy (YET!!!), but I gained a darling friend, which is better in my opinion.

January, 2010: Phone call from Rome, catching up on life, and ending with a “Sarah, I met someone…”

July, 2010: Andy & Lauren’s wedding, where Amy was a bridesmaid. I got to meet Amy’s “someone,” Joel. (Andy & Lauren are that darling couple pictured near the bottom).

August, 2010: Coffee & early morning photoshoot with Amy in Charlottesville.

March, 2011: Amy calls me via Skype: “Sarah, Joel asked me to marry him! And I said yes!!!”

August, 2011: Joel & Amy celebrate their wedding in the charming little New Hampshire town of Lebanon, and I had the incredibly joy of photographing for a friend.

. . .

Note: Sometimes I find that words can disrupt the flow of storytelling in a wedding blog post. But there are a few things to make note of as you look through these pictures. Amy is a darling artistic person, and made most of the decor herself. Including the vintage paper backdrop at the reception. The bunting is made from her grandmother’s scrap fabric bin. Amy hand-drew the olive-leaf motif on their invitations and program. The bride’s bouquet was just some wildflowers gathered together from a flower-grower/wholesaler nearby. They all got ready in an old Shaker hotel & museum. They had friends & family fly in from all over the world— literally— to be part of their wedding. Because Rome is where they live, they had many Italian friends and Italian traditions incorporated into their wedding day— Scripture read in Italian during their ceremony, Italian food at their reception, gelato with the wedding cake, and the Italian ribbon-cutting ceremony as Amy left for the ceremony. They served dinner and dessert on china that Amy collected for months before the wedding. And— Joel & Amy lived in Rome for most of their engagement, so this was, essentially, a destination wedding.

Given all of that context, enjoy this wedding.

Vendors

Ceremony: Valley Bible Church  |  Getting ready & reception: Enfield Shaker Museum  |  Wedding gown: Ann Taylor  |  Bridesmaids dresses: J Crew