Oh, here’s a fun one from last year! Maria and Andy really put a lot of their personalities and DIY touches into their wedding at Beverly Golf and Tennis. I was so happy to be a part of it!

Wedding ceremony and reception: Beverly Golf and Tennis, Beverly, MA

I asked Maria and Andy some questions about their story and the wedding and their answers are in italics throughout.

How did you meet your partner?

Andy and I met while working at the Music Theatre in Beverly, MA. We was the head of the Sound Department and I was the Assistant Technical Director. Our friend group hung out all together for a while, and eventually we found ourselves having lunch together and doing more and more one-on-one hang outs.

What were your goals for your wedding day?

Since we were asking half of our guests to travel, we were really just trying to make it as hassle-free and enjoyable as possible.

This was a different way to do a first look! The groomsmen blindfolded Andy before the whole wedding party left together to go to Endicott Park. Once we got to the park, they set him in front of Maria and… voila!

This is such a pretty backdrop for wedding photos at Endicott Park in Danvers! A classic old red barn in New England.

But there are sooo many amazing spots around Endicott Park! This was my first time shooting wedding photos there (or actually ever even visiting there).

So many of the pictures on your website are of beautifully and artfully planned weddings, and we knew ours was going to be a little more low-key. You managed to make an overcast day and a bunch of goofballs look pretty dang good.

Well, thank you, but I didn’t really need to work at all to make you guys look good!

Then we all headed over to Beverly Golf and Tennis for the ceremony and reception.

We felt surprisingly worry free all day! A lot of planning went into the day, but we hired a lot of amazing people that were really on top of their game (including you!) so I got to really be in the moment. Neither Andy nor I like to be the center of attention so a lot of the day felt kinda surreal.

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The ceremony was short, but so sweet, and maybe just a few tears.

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This was also my first time photographing a wedding at Beverly Golf and Tennis. What a pretty venue!

There were definitely some Star Wars elements happening… I’ve been seeing more of these cute “guest books” (I’m not sure what to call them?!) So unique and something you’d want to keep on your wall forever. Also loving these DIY paper flowers.

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Toasts really are one of my favorite moments of the wedding day. I get to learn all the funny stories about the couple!

When we were researching photographers we were really drawn to how natural and at ease everyone looked in your photos. We also loved how everyone called you the photo-ninja. (What a great nickname!) We definitely had a similar experience. You disappeared from our views, but still captured so many beautiful, personal moments throughout the day. You were so accommodating when family members decided to take a bunch of extra pictures, and super efficient so we actually got to spend more time enjoying the company of our guests.

The photos just make me smile. You made everything look so beautiful and seeing all of our friends and family warms my heart.

I hope I have earned my (self imposed) “photo ninja” nickname by now! :D

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Okay, so. Dancing dinosaurs. This was so much fun. Maria and Andy knew their family had some sort of surprise up their sleeves for the reception, but were pretty surprised. Maria’s reactions during all of this were priceless.

It was an amazing surprise when my brother and cousins-in-law came out in dinosaur costumes and danced the Macarena. I still kinda can't believe it happened. The funny part is that my older brother came up with the dinosaur idea completely separately from my cousins-in-law. My sister-in-law figured it all out on the day of our wedding, and got them to coordinate and come out together. It was hilarious, amazing, and really touching actually.

What is one suggestion you have for other couples who are planning their weddings?

Make a list of your priorities and must-haves before you start really planning. Everyone is going to have opinions and it can be easy to lose sight of what matters most to you and your SO. Oh, and a thorough budget breakdown.