Chase & Corey

August 15, 2020
Private Home | Presque Isle
Photography by Corey Gross

Chase Vogel and Corey Park met in 2016 in Washington, D.C. From the beginning, the two were bound by their agricultural upbringings. Chase’s family raised lambs and chickens in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Corey grew up on his grandparents’ potato farm in Presque Isle, Maine. On their first date, they shared memories of their home states. Chase described his days of being a prized chicken showman, and Corey reminisced about picking potatoes by hand in Aroostook County during Harvest Break. After a year of exploring D.C.—during which Chase traveled to Maine for the first time, and Corey to Wyoming—they rented their first apartment together.

In May 2019 Chase and Corey traveled to Yellowstone. Corey had bought a ring the week before the trip, thinking it would be a perfect opportunity to propose. On their first day, they made a stop at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Corey found a secluded path still partially covered in snow and led Chase down it. At the edge of a thousand-foot canyon and overlooking a waterfall, Corey proposed and Chase said yes.

The two knew without question they would hold their wedding on Corey’s family’s farmstead in Aroostook County. The weeks before the wedding were a frenzy of activity. Chase’s relatives arrived from Wyoming, and the two families got to work. An arbor was built from a fallen cedar tree, potato barrels were lowered from barn rafters, tractors were washed, wildflowers were picked, and music and aerial trapeze were practiced.

By the time the wedding day arrived, the two grooms were exhausted. But what they had built together was uniquely theirs, which made the merriment even more meaningful. Kelsey Park—Corey’s sister and officiant—acknowledged in the ceremony the importance of celebrating the marriage of two men in rural Maine. Two men who, not too long ago, wouldn’t have been able to legally commit to one another as husbands were now doing so in an atmosphere where the joy and acceptance of family and friends was palpable. With a nod to the beauty and heritage surrounding them, Kelsey shared a poem that her and her brother’s great-grandfather had read during an address at the Presque Isle Opera House in September of 1920. It was the Maine centennial and Presque Isle’s traditional Old Home Week, when people who had grown up in the municipality but moved elsewhere in adulthood came home to visit.

Up where the hand clasps a little stronger,
Up where the smile dwells a little longer
That’s where Aroostook begins.

One hundred years later, during Maine’s bicentennial, Corey and Chase’s life as husbands began.

Gina & Doug

September 7, 2021
destination wedding | Acadia National Park
Photography by Bridget Stephenson

Gina and Doug met online in 2018. On their first date, they went for a hike at Patapsco Valley State Park near Baltimore, where they were both living, and their love for nature formed an immediate connection between them. By the summer, they’d moved in together.

For much of the 2020 quarantine, Gina and Doug sheltered in place at Doug’s parents’ mountain house near Shenandoah National Park in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. They fell in love with the wetlands, water-falls, and rocky peaks of the park, returning again and again to Hazel River Trail. One snowy morn-ing in January, Doug suggested they go for that hike. Secretly, he had packed wine glasses, wine, and an engagement ring in his camera bag instead of his camera. Once they had made their way up the mountain to an outcropping of rocks with a beautiful view and spread out their picnic, Doug popped the question.

Gina and Doug wanted a wedding that would give them several nuptial experiences rolled into one. They started their special day with an intimate elopement at Beehive Loop Trail in Acadia National Park. In their wedding attire and hiking boots, they climbed the steep rocks just as the sun started to rise above the horizon. Later in the day, they met their imme-diate families at Sol’s Cliff House, where everyone was staying for the week, and went to the Ocean Path Trail for couple and family portraits. At sunset, with their family surrounding them, Gina and Doug self- officiated a more official marriage ceremony at Otter Cliff. Their family members shared stories and read poems, making it a uniquely intimate experience. A few days later, overlooking Frenchman Bay, Gina and Doug celebrated their marriage with friends and extended family back at Sol’s Cliff House. They hope to make the move to Maine sometime in the near future.

Kenya & Eben

June 20, 2021
Bell Buoy | Camden Harbor
Winterberry Farm | Belgrade
Photography by Natalia Provencher

Kenya and Eben met on Penobscot Bay in the summer of 2015. Set up by mutual friends, they spent their first date sailing a Boston Whaler in Camden Harbor, lost in conversation while trying not to get lost in the fog. Kenya was enamored by Eben’s playfulness when he pretended to leave her on a bell buoy; Eben knew she was a keeper for putting up with it.

When Eben decided that he was going to propose to Kenya, he worked with Fish-bone Metal Works to have a ring made that symbolized Kenya’s love for the ocean. The day the ring was ready coincided with a Maggie Rogers concert in Portland. Eben’s proposal plan was elaborate, involving mountains, fall foliage, dogs, and a perfectly timed rainstorm. But as soon as he got the ring, he knew he couldn’t wait another day. When they got back to Camden after the concert, Eben proposed a midnight skinny dip in the harbor. After they plunged into the cold water, he pulled out the ring and proposed they spend their lives together.

Due to COVID Kenya and Eben’s wedding was split across two years. In 2020, for their official marriage, they took their immediate family, in a flotilla of 13-foot Boston Whalers, kayaks, paddleboards, and rowboats, to the same bell buoy from their first date. Since it’s not technically legal to stand on a bell buoy, there was an element of adventure and risk that complemented the existing butterflies in their stomachs. After they said “I do,” Eben and Kenya jumped off the buoy into the ocean.

On the summer solstice of 2021, exactly a year after their official nuptials, Kenya and Eben celebrated their marriage with friends and family at Winterberry Farm in Belgrade. Their wedding celebration was homegrown, casual, and full of laughter. They planned and organized everything themselves and enlisted friends and family for DIY projects to make the day special. The celebration took place as Maine’s COVID restrictions were easing, so it also served as the first social gathering since the beginning of the pandemic for many people in attendance. The couple says their favorite memory from the day is arriving at the celebration in a 1945 Jeep Willys and seeing everyone they love waiting there for them.

The day went by in a blur of laughter, tears, and love, concluding as Kenya and Eben departed through an arch of sparklers on the way to their next adventure: the cross-country move to Colorado. Their anniversary falls on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, symbolizing their love for adventure and for filling their days to the brim.

Jennie & John

September 2, 2021
Private Estate | Bailey Island
Photography by Braedon Flynn

In 2017 Jennie and John were living in New York City when they met on an app called the League. For their first date, John suggested the Monkey Bar, a classic drinking spot near the Museum of Modern Art. By their third “date,” a getaway weekend to visit John’s family’s summer home on Bailey Island, they were in love. That weekend, Jennie was introduced to John’s extended family, where she learned about the life John wanted to build, with an emphasis on faith, family, and country, values Jennie felt were hard to find, especially in New York City.

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, John suggested a hike in the Hudson Valley to enjoy the fall foliage. After a three-hour rock scramble up Breakneck Ridge, with views of the Hudson River and the rolling, tree-lined hills beyond, John dropped to one knee and proposed. From his backpack he pulled out a small velvet box containing an heirloom diamond that had been passed down in his family from the 1600s, and which he had reset at a favored jeweler in his West Village neighborhood. When they reached a nearby hotel where they would stay for the night, John’s family—many of whom had flown in from out of state—surprised them with a champagne toast and dinner.

The two wed back on Bailey Island, where John’s family had created memories for generations. They began the day with a first look and photo shoot on the rocky cliffs in the rain—which stopped miraculously just in time for their outdoor ceremony overlooking Mackerel Cove. During the ceremony, the couple incorporated Korean traditions from Jennie’s heritage, like the exchanging of bows, as well as holding a moment of silence for her grandfather who had passed away the week prior.

The reception took place in a clear, light-filled tent with a view of the water. The custom menu included elements of both Jennie and John’s backgrounds: European, coastal Maine, and Korean. The lush rose garnish in their “secret cocktail,” was a nod to the couple’s beloved Bar Hemingway in Paris. To kick off the festivities, Jennie and her girlfriends put on a surprise dance to Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” for the wedding guests. After the reception, everyone piled into Cook’s Lobster and Ale House for a final toast to the bride and groom.

Shirley & John

September 11, 2021
O’Maine Studios | Portland
Photography by Far Out Feeling: Meaghan Boegel and Brendon Cook

Shirley and John fell in love over the course of many dates eating their way around Boston, particularly Chinatown. They got engaged in May 2019 after an arduous sunrise hike to the top of Mount Masada, an ancient mountaintop fortress in Israel, where Shirley’s family is from. By the time they reached the plateau, with Shirley’s adrenaline already pumping from the climb, she turned to see John down on one knee. She said yes, and back in their tour bus full of sleeping strangers, buzzing with excitement, they had to stop themselves from shouting out their engagement.

They were married in Portland in the fall. Chucking tradition, they decided to get ready together at their Airbnb, the Francis Fassett House, a beautiful historic Victorian in the West End. They pulled up to the venue, O’Maine Studios, in a 1970 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, a favorite car of Shirley’s late father, who passed away just a few months before the wedding date. Inside, to honor his memory and to give his artwork a place in their ceremony, they had hung several of his photo-graphs from the walls.

Shirley and John walked “down the aisle” arm in arm, which felt like the right way to start their new lives together. Shirley’s brother married them under a canopy of flowers, which they couldn’t help but glance up at all through their ceremony.

Because food and travel have played an important role in their relationship, bringing their friends and family together around food at their wedding was something that mattered to them both. They served a Tuscan-inspired family- style dinner, and the act of sharing a meal turned out to be a profound experience for them and their guests, many of whom were finally reconnecting for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Back under the flowers, Shirley and John danced with their friends and family all night long, which is exactly what they hoped would happen. In fact, the festivities lasted so late that even the DJ was surprised.

Christina & Colin

September 18, 2021
Harris Igloo | Deer Isle
Photography by Courtney Elizabeth

Christina and Collin first met during their freshman year at the University of New Hampshire. But it wasn’t until the day after college graduation that Collin asked Christina out on their first date. Since the pair lived in separate states, Collin made the trek down to New York City to visit Christina for the weekend. The two were instantly inseparable, staying up all night to talk about their love of family, outdoor adventures, traveling, and food. They spent the majority of their first year in a long-distance relationship, traveling between New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

Collin knew that choosing where to propose to Christina would be very important. He decided on Acadia National Park, where Christina spent many of her summers growing up. The couple, along with Christina’s sister- and brother-in-law, headed out on their usual hike, Mansell Mountain on the western side of the island. Collin had packed a bottle of champagne, and after popping the question at the summit, they toasted to the happy news.

Christina and Collin decided to wed on Deer Isle. Worried about the unpredictable Maine weather, they picked up the southern tradition of burying a high-end bottle of bourbon on the property beforehand to bring good weather. The day ended up being classically Maine, with fog in the morning that burned off in the afternoon just before it was time to walk down the aisle. After their first look, Christina and Collin dug up the Woodford Reserve they had buried days before and celebrated the weather gods.

The reception, a night of food and dancing with family and friends, was followed by a late-night after-party DJ’d by two close friends in a nearby barn and a midnight skinny dip in the ocean with the bridal party.

Wedding Resources

CHASE + COREY

Aerial Trapeze Artists:
Go Ninja Fitness
facebook.com/GoNinjaFitness

Boutonnieres:
Cook Florist
presqueisleflowershop.com

Cake:
Shari Ward
(family friend)

Catering:
Governor’s Restaurant
governorsrestaurant.com

Centerpieces:
The Park family farmstead

Clothiers:
J.Crew
jcrew.com

Oliver Wicks
oliverwicks.com

Drinks:
Baxter Brewing Co.
baxterbrewing.com

First Mile Brewing Co.
firstmilebrewing.com

Geaghan Brothers Brewing
geaghans.com

Flowers:
Mapleton Flower Farm
facebook.com/Mapletonflowerfarm

The Park family farmstead

Gifts:
Potato Candy from Governor’s Restaurant
governorsrestaurant.com

Music:
Donna & Larry Park
(Corey’s aunt and grandfather)

Officiant:
Kelsey Park
(Corey’s sister)

Photographer:
Corey Gross Photography
coreyjgross.com

Rentals:
Northern Events
facebook.com/northerneventsllc

Rings:
Tiffany & Co.
tiffany.com

Stationery:
Sam Vogel Creative
linkedin.com/in/sam-vogel-43611a3a/

Venue:
The Park family farmstead

Wedding Party Dresses:
Banana Republic
bananarepublic.gap.com

GINA + DOUG

Accessories:
MLine Jewels
etsy.com/shop/MLinejewels?ref=-simple-shop-header-name&listing_ id=1101829081

Cake:
Affectionate Confections
affectionateconfectionsbarharbor.com

Catering:
Acadia Takeaway
acadiatakeaway.com

August Moon Catering
augustmooncatering.com

Flowers:
Fern + Sunpalm
etsy.com/shop/Fernandsunpalm?ref=-simple-shop-header-name&listing_ id=857110561

Gown:
Galatea by Willowby Watters
watters.com/willowby/products/galatea

Officiant:
Bridget Stephenson (photographer)

Photographer:
Bridget Stephenson
bridgetstephenson.com

Rentals:
Grand Rental Station
grandrentalmaine.com

Rings:
Rissing family heirloom
(Gina’s ring)

Populent
etsy.com/shop/Populent?ref=sim-ple-shop-header-name&listing_ id=388055938
(Doug’s ring)

Venues:
Acadia National Park
nps.gov/acad
(wedding)

Sol’s Cliff House
solscliff.com
(reception)

KENYA + EBEN

Catering:
Bleecker & Greer
mainemeat.com

Cafe Miranda
cafemiranda.com

Morse’s
morsessauerkraut.com

North Haven Oyster Company
facebook.com/Northhavenoysterco

The Uproot Pie Co.
theuprootpieco.com

Centerpieces:
Winterberry Farm
winterberryfarmstand.com

Clothiers:
Art of the Gentleman
artofthegent.com

Ralph Lauren
ralphlauren.com

Wise Guy Suspenders
wiseguysuspenders.com

Drinks:
Allagash Brewing Company
allagash.com

Maine Root
maineroot.com

Flowers:
Winterberry Farm
winterberryfarmstand.com

Gifts:
Homemade Wild Blueberry Jam
(by Kenya & Eben)

Gown:
Daughters of Simone
daughtersofsimone.com

Hair & Makeup:
Apollo Salon & Spa
apollosalonspa.com

Officiant:
Noah Barnes
(family friend)

Photographer:
Natalia Provencher
nataliaprovencherphotography.com

Rentals:
Wallace Events
wallaceevents.com

Rings:
Fishbone Metal Works
fishbonemetalworks.com

Stationery:
Emilie Huber
(family friend)

Venue:
Winterberry Farm
winterberryfarmstand.com

JENNIE + JOHN

Accessories:
Jennifer Behr
jenniferbehr.com

Mark Ingram Atelier
markingramatelier.com

Cake:
Bear Brook Bakery
bearbrookbakery.com

Calligraphy:
Kate’s Calligraphy
facebook.com/katescalligraphyprints

Catering (Reception):
Walkers Maine
walkersmaine.com

Catering (Welcome Dinner):
Foster’s Clambakes & Catering
fostersclambake.com

Coffee:
Flor de Café
flordecafecoffee.com

Clothier:
Knot Standard
knotstandard.com

Flowers:
Minka
minkaflowers.com

Gown:
Monique L’huillier
moniquelhuillier.com

Lighting:
Maine Event Design & Decor
maineeventdecor.com

Music:
Blackstone Valley String Quartet
blackstonevalleyquartet.com

Officiant:
Reverend David H. Kim
goldenwoodnyc.org

Photographer:
Braedon Flynn
braedonflynn.com

Planner:
Nicole Mower Events
nicolemower.com

Reception Gowns:
Alex Perry
alexperry.com.au

Carolina Herrera
carolinaherrera.com

Rentals:
Sperry Tents
sperrytents.com

Rings:
Marisa Perry Atelier
marisaperry.com

Stationery:
Meghan Carey Design
meghancareydesign.com

Venue:
John’s family home on Bailey Island

Wedding Party Dresses:
Wedding Salon of Manhasset
weddingsalononline.com

SHIRLEY + JOHN

Accessories:
Borrow Love Return
borrowlovereturn.com

Eton
etonshirts.com

Jade Oi Studio
jadeoi.com

Day-of Coordinator:
Weddings by AG
Allison Gjeltema
weddingsbyag.com

Doughnuts:
The Eighty 8 Donut Cafe
eighty8donuts.com

Catering:
French Picnic Catering
frenchpicnicmaine.com

Centerpieces:
Yellow Twist Floral Design
yellowtwist.com

Clothiers:
Bella Bridal Shoppe
bella-bride.com

J.Crew
jcrew.com

Bartenders:
French Picnic Catering
frenchpicnicmaine.com

Flowers:
Yellow Twist Floral Design
yellowtwist.com

Gown:
Hayley Paige
jlmcouture.com/Hayley-Paige

Hair & Makeup:
Flawless Pros
flawlesspros.com

Lighting:
Maine Event Design & Decor
maineeventdecor.com

Music:
Kim Collins Entertainment
djkimcollins.com

Officiant:
Yotam Barkai
(Shirley’s brother)

Photographer:
Far Out Feeling
faroutfeeling.co

Rentals:
One Stop Event Rentals
onestopeventrentals.com

Rings:
Brilliant Earth
brilliantearth.com

Laura Preshong
laurapreshong.com

Shoes:
Angela Nuran Shoes
angelanuran.com

Salvatore Ferragamo
ferragamo.com

Stationery:
Artifact Uprising
artifactuprising.com

Zazzle
zazzle.com

Venue:
O’Maine Studios
omainestudios.com

Venue (After-Party):
Three Dollar Deweys
threedollardeweys.com

Venue (Pre-Wedding):
Francis Fassett House
airbnb.com/rooms/12338433?source_impression_id=p3_1652972501_POMUBm%2FhM8T4kAl2

Vintage Car Rental:
DriveShare
driveshare.com

Wedding Website:
Riley & Grey
rileygrey.com

CHRISTINA + COLLIN

Accessories:
Family hair comb dating back to 1859

Pocketwatch
(Collin’s grandfather’s)

Shaw Contemporary Jewelry
shawjewelry.com

Cake:
Isabel Smith
(family friend)

Catering:
The Country Fare
countryfarecatering.com

Centerpieces:
Miller Gardens
207.288.4023

Drinks:
Bramble Bar Co.
bramblebarco.com

Mast Landing
mastlandingbrewing.com

Flowers:
Miller Gardens
207.288.4023

Gifts:
Bird Dog Bay
birddogbay.com

Gown:
Bijou Bridal & Special Occasion
bijoubridal.com

Hair:
Lindsay Block Style
lindsayblockstyle.com

Makeup:
The Glöw Method by Aquene Raven
@glowmethodbeauty

Lighting:
Griffin & Griffin
griffingriffinlighting.com

Music:
Silver Arrow Band
silverarrowband.com

Officiant:
Christopher Le Vine
(family friend)

Photographer:
Courtney Elizabeth Media
courtneyelizabethmedia.com

Planner:
Landfall Designs
Brigid Amendo
landfalldesigns.com

Rentals:
Wallace Events
wallaceevents.com

Rings:
Summerwind Jewelers & Goldsmiths
summerwindjewelers.com

Stationery:
Kristen Fogarty
kristenfogarty.com

Pen & Paper
610.525.6870

Venue:
Family friends’ private residence

Read More:

• 
  Get Married in Maine
• 
  A Coastal Wedding in Southport Captured by SP Films
• 
  This Mountainside Wedding at Sugarloaf Includes a Stunning First Look Backdrop
• 
  A Couple’s Family-Filled Ceremony at Sugarloaf Mountain
• 
  Laisee and Luke

The post Get Married in Maine appeared first on The Maine Mag.

SP Films is a wedding videographer based in Maine that believes that the first step to creating an outstanding film is to build a strong relationship with its clients. You can see more samples of their work and contact them about capturing your special day by visiting sp-films.com.

How did you two meet?
We met in college. Emma remembers meeting Jake during orientation, right after he was hypnotized by a hypnotist who came to campus. Jake doesn’t really remember that, but he does remember living in the same house as Emma sophomore year and going on lots of outing club trips together.

Why did you choose to get married at the location that you did?
We both love Maine. Jake grew up there, Emma visited with her family a lot growing up, and we both went to college there. We wanted to get married somewhere not TOO far from Bowdoin, and we stumbled across Newagen during online searches. Although it’s a little bit of a haul to get there, the first time we visited, it was so beautiful and relaxing that we knew pretty quickly that’s where we wanted to get married.

Were there any happy surprises that happened at the wedding?
Emma did know ahead of time that Jake was going to play his song, but it was still so awesome to see him do it (and with such great accompaniment on the fiddle by Finn). Especially because it’s rare to get Jake to play in front of people. The rain during the ceremony was not an especially happy surprise, but the sun coming out and the ospreys flying overhead toward the end were!

What moment sticks out to you above all of the others from the wedding?
It’s kind of impossible to pick just one, but being doubled over in laughter throughout my brothers’ toast was pretty fun. We also had the best time on the dance floor all night.

Now that the wedding is over, what are you going to do with all of your free time?!
Free time? Hah! Go to 5 more weddings this year—no joke! But also, cuddle the dog and try to enjoy this awesome time of year in Colorado.

Resources

Venue: Newagen Seaside Inn
Planner: Purple Orchid Event Planning
Photographer: Brendan Bullock
Ceremony musicians: Downeast Strings
Band: Kahootz
Additional musicians: Finnegan Woodruff, cocktail hour
Dessert: Wild Oats Bakery, Gelato Fiasco
Lighting: Maine Event Design and Decor
Florist: Coco Design Co
Stationary: Little Ivy Paper Goods
Hair and makeup: Posh and Pinned
Dress: Lovely Bride, New York City
Groom’s suit: Indochino
Officiant: Rabbi Eddie Schecter
Rentals: Wallace Events, Custom Coach and Limo
Transportation: Country Coach Charters
Rings: Metal Mark, Denver

The post A Coastal Wedding in Southport Captured by SP Films appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Seasons of Love

Brooke and Chris met through a mutual friend after attending two different high schools in Maine. “He wore a shirt of a rival football team from where I was going to college,” says Brooke. In an admittedly rough start, Brooke told Chris that he should “probably burn his shirt,” but it got his attention. Life soon pulled the pair in different directions, but they reconnected eight years later in Colorado. Brooke was visiting her college roommate in Denver, and Chris was living nearby in Colorado Springs. “We spent months talking back and forth while I was living in Georgia,” says Brooke. After a year of making long distance work, Brooke and Chris both moved back to Maine.

One Memorial Day weekend, the couple had just arrived home from a weekend at camp with family. Chris disappeared upstairs almost immediately, and Brooke assumed he was just unpacking for a while. When it was time for bed, the couple made their way upstairs. Chris walked into the room while it was dark and accidentally ran into the corner of his dresser. “I started laughing and wondering what was going on with him,” Brooke says. When she turned on the light, a ring box was sitting on the bedside table. She was absolutely shocked. Chris got on one knee. “I have absolutely no idea what he said,” Brooke says. “I stuck my hand out, and he said, ‘So, is that a yes?’”

When it came to the wedding day, August 31, 2019, Brooke and Chris wanted a relaxing day that they could share with the people that mean the most to them. They ditched the standard wedding traditions and spent most of the day together. Having the wedding at Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley made the weekend extra special—almost everyone stayed on-site, so there was a ton of extra time for friends and family. It was especially rewarding to see everyone having fun and exploring the place the couple loves so much. 

The First Look

The couple shared their first look at the Outdoor Center. Brooke walked up behind Chris and whispered that she was in her PJs. The photographer immediately shouted that Brooke was actually in a T-Rex suit. “At every ‘big’ moment in our relationship, one of us has done something weird, silly, or embarrassing,” says Brooke. “That’s just our brand of love.” Afterward, they went to the clubhouse to share a drink and relax before the ceremony. 

“We spent so much time planning and getting ready for the day, it was nice to just be able to enjoy it all together.” 

Brooke + Chris

Resources

Accessories: Crystal Corridor

London Jae Apparel

Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff

Cake: The Bankery

Catering: Sugarloaf

Centerpieces: Before Noon Paperie

Skowhegan Fleuriste + Formalwear

Day-of Coordinator + Planner: Kayla Thompson

Flowers: Skowhegan Fleuriste + Formalwear

Gown: Watters

Hair: Studio 88 Salon Brittany Johnson (207.846.1646)

Lighting: Maine Event Design + Decor

Makeup: Whitney Beal Beauty (207.812.6179)

Music: M+M Entertainment

Officiant: Dorothy “Dot” Riendeau (family friend)

Photography: Breezy Photography

Rings: Day’s Jewelers

Stationery: Zazzle

Tuxedos: Men’s Wearhouse

Venue: Sugarloaf

Wedding Signs: SweetNCCollective

The post This Mountainside Wedding at Sugarloaf Includes a Stunning First Look Backdrop appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Greg and Chelsea met for their first date on the Boston waterfront. “The dollar draft beers were flowing, as well as the conversation,” she says, as they bar-hopped around the neighborhood. When the evening began to wind down, Greg and Chelsea made their way to the subway, dancing hand-in-hand through the brick and cobblestone streets of Boston. Greg’s grip wasn’t overly tight, and Chelsea accidentally tripped on a loose brick and fell. But, she says, “Greg picked me right up, and we shared our first kiss.”

As they continued to see each other, Greg knew that he had found someone special. He planned an elaborate proposal around a hike to the Poplar Hut (part of the Maine Huts and Trails system) in Carrabassett Valley—but a delay in shipment at the jeweler meant he didn’t have a ring to propose with. “Next came the best customer service experience of my life,” he says. A store manager from Day’s Jewelers drove three hours on a Saturday to deliver the ring, just in time for sunset. With only 30 minutes of daylight remaining, Greg had to devise a new plan, fast. He took Chelsea to the top of Ira Mountain and proposed while looking out at 10 inches of fresh snow and the setting sun.

It was important for Greg and Chelsea to have their family involved in the ceremony. At the August 3, 2019 ceremony, both of their mothers gave readings, and Chelsea’s uncle played guitar for the processional. Greg and his father built the pergola that the couple was married under, and their brother-in-law officiated the ceremony. “All of these personal touches made the ceremony truly amazing,” Chelsea says.

Love at Its Peak

The Location
Greg has been going to Sugarloaf his entire life. He introduced Chelsea to skiing when they first started dating, and she instantly fell in love with it. They spent countless weekends together at Sugarloaf while Greg taught her how to ski. “Having Greg as my ski instructor was a real test to our relationship,” she says, “but we passed with flying colors.” Over the years they watched their love strengthen and grow on the mountain.

The post A Couple’s Family-Filled Ceremony at Sugarloaf Mountain appeared first on The Maine Mag.

Luke and Laisee both grew up in Cape Elizabeth and played ice hockey together in high school. In 1999, Laisee’s mom paid Luke $20 to drive Laisee and her date to the prom. Fifteen years later, the two friends reconnected and for their first date, Luke, who founded Luke’s Lobster in 2009, naturally took Laisee out lobstering. Their long history also played a role in the proposal; Luke put together a scavenger hunt with clues and gifts from their time in high school, including a boomerang that Laisee had brought back for Luke from a family visit to Australia. The memorable day ended with Laisee’s surprise when both of their families showed up to help the newly engaged couple celebrate.

For their wedding day, Luke and Laisee wanted “an oceanside ceremony followed by a fun evening of delicious Maine food and nonstop dancing,” says Luke. “We felt very lucky to have the wedding at the house in Cape Elizabeth that Luke’s parents had just purchased,” says Laisee. The night before, the couple hosted a boat cruise around Casco Bay with drinks, pizza, and a stunning sunset, one of Luke’s three favorite memories from the wedding festivities. A second favorite was the “electric” dance floor, which the Felix Brown Band kept full all night long. Luke’s third favorite memory is Laisee’s mother, Halorie’s, speech at the reception. “If you’re a young girl reading Snow White, it becomes pretty obvious that there are two kinds of men in the world: dwarfs and Prince Charming. And the odds are seven to one against you finding the prince. But amazingly enough, Laisee beat those odds. She found the guy.”

Home Grown Love

The Food
“Obviously Maine food is a big passion and part of Luke’s life, so it meant a lot to share it with our guests,” says Laisee. Instead of a sit-down dinner, the couple had food stations set up with chicken, steak, lobster bisque, salad, Luke’s Lobster rolls, and grilled lobster tails. All of the ingredients were locally sourced. Drinks were Maine brands such as Shipyard, Baxter, and Allagash beers, and desserts included a wedding cake and cupcakes from Love Kupcakes, plus pies, cookies, and whoopie pies from The Cookie Jar and Two Fat Cats Bakery.

The Gifts
Luke’s brothers Bryan and Mike each gave the couple unique wedding presents. Bryan built tables out of Maine wood for the reception, including one made from reclaimed hemlock for guests to sign with a heat pen in lieu of a traditional guest book. Mike gifted them cornhole boards made from reclaimed oak, personalized with L&L, plus the Georgetown and University of North Carolina logos, Luke and Laisee’s alma maters, respectively.

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Jess and Chris first locked eyes on a London dance floor in 2013. “We knew pretty quickly that we were a great match—we both value our independence but have awesome adventures together, and we love spending time outdoors,” says Jess. Chris, who was working in Houston, Texas, at the time, would fly home to London every month for date night.

Ever since they started dating, Chris and Jess would visit his great-grandparents’ place on Lake Onawa. Usually, the pair spends the first few days of the trip re-exploring their old haunts, swimming to a nearby island, checking on the beaver dam upstream, and hiking up Borestone Mountain. During their trip in 2017, the first few days were cool and foggy—perfect for hiking—and Jess couldn’t understand why Chris wanted to spend so much time inside, playing Scrabble. On the third day the clouds finally broke, and the couple set out for a hike. When they reached the top of the mountain, Chris proposed with a ring that was “very precariously” zipped into a pocket in his running shorts. After Jess said yes, they spent the rest of the day celebrating in their old row boat with a bottle of Champagne.

A Love Worth Flying For

The Cake
Jess’s parents had always dreamt that their only daughter would have a traditional English wedding, and while it took some convincing to get them on board with a stateside celebration, they finally agreed. However, they would not compromise on the wedding cake, which had to be an English fruitcake served with Wensleydale cheese, as is the tradition in Yorkshire, England, where Jess grew up. The cake was ordered from a baker in Yorkshire, and Jess’s father, Julian, created a special suitcase to safely fly the cake to Maine for the on August 7, 2019 celebration.

The Lake
Neighbors on the lake pitched in to make the day special. It was very hot, and after the ceremony, the bridal party walked down to the docks to find neighbors waiting with cold towels, pontoon boats and magnums of Champagne on ice. Chris’s cousin Dave took the newlyweds for a ride in his seaplane. To cool off, the bridal party skinny dipped in the lake; the bridesmaids showed up at the reception with their dresses on backwards and the groomsmen with their shirts inside out.

Resources

Accessories: Annoushka Ducas

Bridesmaid Dresses: Ghost London

Cake: Amanda Earl Cake Design

Catering: Applecroft Catering

Flowers: Marigold Floral

Gown: Jenny Packham

Hair & Makeup: K. Hilton Hair Artistry

Officiant(s): Jesse Elzinga (Chris’s brother-in-law) and Julian Campbell (Jess’s dad)

Photographer: Jamie Mercurio Photography

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On a quiet night at Rockland’s In Good Company, Emma and Scot caught one another’s eye. The restaurant’s chef-owner, Melody Wolfertz, is close friends with Emma, and she knew Scot from his work in the wine industry. After noticing the pair’s encounter, Melody told Emma that she had “always liked that one,” referring to Scot.

The couple’s first years together were spent sharing mutual passions, such as favorite foods and wines, experiences in art and music, and delighting in time spent with Emma’s two sons. To celebrate their third anniversary, Emma and Scot made a reservation for the evening at the Captain Lindsey House in Rockland. They exchanged gifts, which happened to be identical wall clocks that they purchased from the same store, and love notes, which both alluded to wanting to spend the rest of their lives together. Afterward, the couple revisited In Good Company and shared a beautiful anniversary dinner. At the end of the meal, and much to Emma’s surprise, Scot got down on one knee and proposed. With a tearful and joyous look, Emma said, “Yes! Of course!”

Mutual Passions

The Décor
The styling was envisioned by Emma from the beginning. While Scot and Emma both share a love for art, Emma’s career is in art direction and graphic design. For the big day, she imagined a ceremony and reception full of warmth, comfort, and boho-chic sophistication. The color palette came naturally, and Emma and Scot spent many afternoons at flea markets, curating the decor to include special details. These included one-of-a-kind antique napkins at each place setting, sentimental mirrors, rocking chairs, and a family-heirloom Hoosier cabinet that was whitewashed to serve as a coffee and tea station. Emma hand-painted all of the day-of signage, and antique frames for each sign were sourced by the couple.

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Kimberly and Shane met in Spanish class on their first day of junior year at Windham High School. Through a few school projects and a shared love of skipping track practice, they quickly became best friends. Months of friendship extended into years, and they began to prepare for their final year of college. Kimberly had plans to study abroad, and when she left, Shane had a revelation that she was all he had ever wanted. “After some aggressive flirting on his part,” Kimberly says, she gave him a chance.

On the days they skipped practice, Kimberly and Shane would escape into the woods behind their high school; a wooded trail along a river quickly became their favorite place. Almost a decade later, Shane knew this would be the perfect place to ask Kimberly to marry him. He spent months planning the perfect moment. On the nine-year anniversary of when the couple first met, Shane asked Kimberly to go on a walk on the trail. When they arrived, Kimberly was greeted by a magical scene, festooned with fairy lights and rose petals. Shane took her hand and led her over a bridge, where a photographer was waiting, ready to capture the moments that followed.

Magical Moments

The First Look
Originally, Kimberly and Shane had planned their first look at a Christmas tree farm, with a backdrop of the White Mountains. But when Kimberly and her bridesmaids arrived early, the site was under construction and trees were being cut down. They needed to improvise. “We decided to do what any Mainer does—strap on your boots, head into the forest, and see what happens,” says Kimberly. Shane waited in the woods outside of their lodge at Hardy Farm with his back to Kimberly and her bridesmaids. With the sun setting through the trees and everyone freezing their ankles in the snow, it was time for Shane to turn around. His beautiful bride was waiting with a new backdrop of their friends and family. When he did, “He completely lost it,” says Kimberly. “It was the happiest, most personal moment for us both.” Sharing it with their loved ones only sweetened the moment further.

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Erin and Michael met on match.com and became pen pals, writing to each other while living miles apart in two different worlds—Michael in Manhattan and Erin in an old Airstream on her parents’ property on a dirt road in Freedom. “We had both been married before and broken by divorce,” says Erin. A month after falling in love over the phone and through letters, they met for the first time over dinner in Portland. “We never looked back,” says Michael. They bought an old farmhouse in Freedom and began building a life together. Four years later as they sat in front of their stone fireplace on a quiet Sunday evening after dinner, Michael asked Erin to marry him.

Their wedding on August 24, 2018 was relaxed and freeform, a simple, backyard ceremony followed by a casual, colorful, late-summer feast self-catered by Erin—the chef and owner of the Lost Kitchen in Freedom—and friends. “We wanted to get married at home on a Friday afternoon with our chickens running wild and free around the yard while we sipped champagne and binged on oysters followed by hot fudge sundaes,” says Erin. Her 16-year-old son, Jaim, walked her down the aisle to the ceremony in their barn, where she and Michael said the vows they wrote themselves in front of Michael’s closest friend, Rev. Shawn Amos. Afterwards, guests gathered around picnic tables in the yard for the wedding feast.

Second Chances

The Menu
Wooden tables set out on the lawn held John’s River oysters on the half shell, cheeses, charcuterie, bread, and pickles, served on vintage china. Guests also dined on fried Maine clams with frites and coleslaw, served in wooden berry baskets; heirloom tomato salads with mozzarella, basil, and marigolds; and tiny lettuce head salads. Uproot Pie Company’s mobile pizza oven offered a variety of wood-fired pies. In lieu of a cake, there were peach galettes from Tinder Hearth Bakery in Brooksville, and Erin’s Airstream was turned into a dairy bar serving hot fudge sundaes. Drinks included gin and tonics with cucumber and blackberries, nectarine and basil lemonade with Cold River Vodka, Lanson Champagne, and wine from the Corbières region in southern France.

Friends & Family
Erin and Michael enlisted friends and family to create a deeply personal celebration. Michael’s dad painted the postcard wedding invitations, which were calligraphed by the couple’s friend, Nancy Buckley. “We had friends help us build out our barn and perennial gardens, and friends helped us build the tables and benches from wood that came from our friend’s land,” says Erin. “Friends grew our flowers, made our rings, sewed our napkins, shucked the oysters, fried the clams, and foraged for ferns and moss in the woods.”

Drinks: Cold River Vodka; Lanson Champagne

Flowers: Belladonna Floral

Gown: Laure de Sagazan

Music: Soulbenders

Officiant: The Reverend Shawn Amos (Michael’s closest friend)

Peach Galettes: Tinder Hearth

Pizza: Uproot Pie Company

Stationery: Hand-painted postcard by Michael’s dad, calligraphy by friend Nancy Buckley

Photographer: Wylde Photography

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Ryan and Anthony met online. “Our first date ended with a first kiss at the end of a long pier while looking at the sea and stars,” says Ryan. A few months and several dates later, the couple rented their first apartment and began their lives together. Through the next six years, Ryan and Anthony moved around southern Maine, grew their collection of unique and vintage wares and antiques, and adopted a corgi puppy named Toby. After they purchased a home together, Ryan knew he wanted to take the next step.

The day Ryan proposed didn’t go as planned. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon in East Boothbay, and he intended to take Anthony out to Cabbage Island, which has been owned by Ryan’s family since 1989, but no boats were available. Plan B was to walk along Ocean Point, but it was high tide and the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Ryan realized his window of opportunity was closing, and as they headed to the car after a short walk, he stopped Anthony, got down on one knee, and told Anthony that he wanted to spend the rest of their lives together as soon as possible. The couple cried together, Anthony shrieked, and finally he said, “Yes!”

Cabbage Island Courtship

The Location
Ryan took Anthony to Cabbage Island for their second date. There was a thick fog, and waves were crashing over the dock as Ryan pulled the boat up. “I was certain Anthony thought we wouldn’t make it,” Ryan says. They’ve been returning to the island ever since, working in the summers for the family business, Cabbage Island Clambakes. Several family members have been married there, and when it came to Ryan and Anthony’s wedding, there was no other place in the world that the couple wanted to celebrate. Instead of the traditional lobster bake, however, they hired Stone Cove Catering so that all their guests could enjoy the day.

The Décor
In an effort to be sustainable, the couple and family foraged the island for centerpiece materials: mosses, driftwood, pine cones, plants, and flowers. Ryan’s mom, Kathy, worked on floral arrangements using native and exotic plants and flowers. The picnic tables were kept casual with blue burlap and touches of rocks, shells, sea glass, and moss. The items that came from the island were returned to nature at the end of the wedding.

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