What a fun treat for me to be able to photograph a beautiful January wedding this year! Korey and Sophia had their winter wedding at the Common Man Inn in Claremont, NH. And it’s a perfect spot - the industrial mill vibe is a fabulous backdrop with the high ceilings, cafe lights, and brick walls in the reception room. And the ceremony was in the cozy library, complete with a fireplace and huge wall of shelves of books.

Korey and Sophia wanted a relaxed day focused on having a great time with their family and friends and that goal was definitely achieved! I knew it would be a great time after their engagement session when we walked all around the town of Meredith, NH last summer.

I’ve asked the couple some questions about their story and the wedding, and the answers are throughout in italics.

How did you meet your partner and/or get engaged?

Sophia I met as so many people do nowadays: on a dating app. It was Bumble, where women initiate conversations with men. We matched about a month into the Covid-19 pandemic, so Sophia started with: “So what are we doing once the pandemic’s over?” and I, trying to make a good impression, came up with every answer he could think of that sounded fun. About a month of virtual, socially-distanced later, we met in person and went to a drive-in movie theater for our first official date.

We got engaged under the lights of the pergola in our backyard. It was a special moment for both of us, who didn’t want a flashy, public proposal. I was going to propose a few weeks earlier during our trip to Ireland, but bad timing, large crowds, and a Covid diagnosis kind of spoiled that.

What were your goals for your wedding day? (ie, what was your vision, what did you care about most?)

We had two goals which we believe were met perfectly. First, we wanted to spend as much time celebrating with our family as we could. Second, we wanted things to be simple. We’ve seen so many complicated weddings that cause so much stress. That wasn’t worth it to us.

Keep going to see more from Sophia and Korey’s winter wedding at the Common Man Inn in Claremont!

details for winter wedding in new hamsphire

bride gets ready in classic industrial mill building in nh

groom getting ready putting on tie in black and white

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

There are probably going to be moments when the planning process is stressful, but every moment leading up to your wedding day is part of the journey. Enjoy all the moments – big and small – and plan for the wedding that you’d love to be a guest at. Make sure you plan time for the things you want to include and you want to remember.

winter wedding first look in northern new hampshire with snow covered mountains in the background

Korey: The most special moment was definitely the first look. Sophia woke up and left our room that morning quietly, so I hadn’t seen her once, and I barely heard from her all day. That’s unusual for us. So the eagerness and anticipation was growing as she was getting ready, and then turning around and seeing how perfect she looked – the dress, the hair and makeup – everything!

korey and sophia laughing after the first look

We were drawn to you because of your style. We scrolled through so many photographers who really leaned into the cooler color temps for winter weddings – and they were really well done – but to us, it just didn’t feel authentic. We wanted our memories captured exactly as we saw them.

details for wedding at the common man in claremont nh with personalized cookies, cake, greenery covered tables, guest seating chart

We wanted a place that had a lot of character and charm. After touring a number of venues, we almost settled on one that we weren’t in love with, but did fall within our price range. Neither of us were ready to admit it wasn’t the right fit, but Sophia continued to research before discovering the Common Man in Claremont, NH had outfitted an old mill building into a venue. We traveled up to Claremont for the day, toured the venue, strolled around town, and had dinner at the Common Man Restaurant. When we were driving out of town that night, we were both on the phone with our parents telling them we’d found the perfect place.

beautiful long lace dress for winter wedding bride and groom photos, wearing a white faux fur shawl

winter wedding with groomsmen in dark blue, mint green ties, bridesmaids wearing cool mint or sage green with white flowers

What were your first reactions to the photos?

They were exactly what we were hoping for! They captured us perfectly, and we now have several incredible memories hanging on our walls at home. We tried to pick out some less-serious ones, too, to really capture just how much fun we have.

outside of common man claremont winter wedding photos, brick in foreground with couple on the deck

beautiful january wedding bride and groom photos outside the common man inn

sophia and her dad walk down the aisle inside ceremony

wedding ceremony inside the common man inn at the library with wall of books in the background and fireplace

Korey:

During the ceremony, it really felt like it was just Sophia and me. It sounds cheesy, but for the most part, I forgot there was anyone else in the room.

emotional wedding ceremony photos in black and white

Sophia:

I was nervous to stand in front of everyone for the ceremony (but had zero nerves when it came to marrying Korey). Once we got up there, it really was so easy to forget everyone else was there with us. It was so fun to compare what Korey and I had written about each other to our officiant and compare our notes the next day.

Sophia: The most special moment to me was the ceremony. Even if we try, it's not everyday that we have an opportunity to really profess all the things we love about each other. I didn’t think I would cry at all but all the love from the ceremony ultimately got me.

first kiss at wedding ceremony wide angle with shelves of books in background

korey and sophia walking back down the aisle as husband and wife with arms raised and everyone clapping

couple stop in the aisle after wedding ceremony for a kiss

What did you like best when working with me (as the photographer)?

We worked with you for probably about nine months leading up to our wedding, including an engagement shoot, which really put any fears to rest. Your communication can’t be beat, your turnaround time was incredible, and the little touches you added every step of the way made every part of our process feel so special.

couple enter reception and high five the guests all around

bride and groom reception first dance at common man inn wedding surrounded by guests and the industrial mill room is decorated with cafe lights and white draped fabric

parents lovingly watch the bride and groom first dance

ending the wedding first dance with a spin

Korey:

The first dance was definitely special, we had practiced our big spin move (ok, so I can’t dance) about 20 minutes before. It was a special moment.

Sophia:

The first dance was great because it was Korey but being the center of attention for that one was definitely not the highlight of my night. Luckily, we still had fun giggling about the awkwardness and Korey’s impeccable rhythm.

wedding couple laughing through best man's toast, and guests and parents reactions

bride and groom and guests raise their hands in the air on the dance floor while singing

Korey:

The party was a blast. Neither of us sat down the whole night. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun at a wedding (but I’m biased).

fun candid wedding photos at reception of everyone dancing

bride having fun on the dance floor singing and in the center of the guests laughing smiling

wedding reception dancing photos at the the common man claremont

Sophia:

Korey said it perfectly, the party was definitely a highlight for us. It was great seeing our families getting so involved in the dancing and singing and to really let loose and celebrate with my new husband.