Super excited for Jake and Rae’s Danvers wedding at Glen Magna Farms today! They had an absolutely perfect day with their family and friends surrounding them, many traveled for the wedding so it makes it that much sweeter when the whole family can get together for such a beautiful occasion!

Rae and Jake are a super fun laid-back couple who had an incredible day north of Boston at Glen Magna Farms in Danvers, Massachusetts. They got ready nearby on the ocean in Beverly at a light-filled AirBNB which had plenty of room for all the gals to get their hair and makeup done, drink champagne and hang out before heading to Glen Magna for the first look photos. I knew it would be a fantastic reception, too, since they booked Men In Black as their wedding band - they always keep the dance floor full ALL night and really make it fun and interactive for the guests as well.

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

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

Jake and I met my freshman year of college at a bar near campus (like any good love story). We had an instant connection and dated for the next 5 years. Shortly after moving in together we took a vacation to Denver, CO and he proposed to me on a hike near the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

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

A secret about me and Jake is that we actually got married in my parents backyard in 2021 prior to him deploying for 7 months. There were only 10 people in attendance. With the formalities out of the way, our biggest priority was to have a great time celebrating with our 100 closest family and friends. My vision for decor and design was really all about simplicity and a focus on smooth logistics and making the most of the night. I cared the most about the entertainment, and we made an amazing choice going with Men in Black as our wedding band. I barely left the dance floor all night!

So many fun photos from this Glen Magna wedding in Danvers!

bridesmaids in pajamas with champagne getting ready for wedding

closeup photo of makeup and brushes and bride getting her hair done

maid of honor helps bride get her shoes on and zips up her dress

Rae’s dress was perfect for a summer wedding in a garden! Although I do love dresses with the big trains, too, there is something to be said for something a bit more streamlined. And that lace detail!

bridesmaids all react when they see bride in her dress with cheering and big smiles

bridesmaids in getting ready suite at glen magna farms

groomsmen share a toast before the wedding

It’s so nice to have the guys right next door to the main suite to grab some photos of them toasting and hanging out.

bride has a big smile as she looks at herself in full length mirror and her mom is behind her

black and white photos of bride and bridesmaid getting ready before wedding

I chose you as our photographer because of your approach to capturing the candid moments of the day. I knew that I was going to want to spend the majority of my day being in the moment and not taking a really long time on formal pictures and I think the balance we struck was really nice. I have definitely been in some weddings where it feels like we are taking pictures forever!

First look in the garden at Glen Magna never disappoints!

rae and jake have big smiles when they see each other for the first time on their wedding day

bride and groom photos in garden with purple flowers in foreground

danvers wedding in garden bride and groom photos

Just in case you’re planning your wedding - this what the garden at Glen Magna might look like in late June if that’s when your wedding is. I do love that they keep everything fresh and up to date. I never know what to expect each time I’m there.

wedding photos under green vines on columns and pergola

Did you have any hesitations at first? Did I overcome the doubts?

My only hesitations were that Jake and I are pretty awkward when it comes to posing for pictures, so I was worried with not a lot of coaching on poses we wouldn't like the way the pictures turned out. I think overall they turned out amazing and we were able to get some amazing pictures of us that we will cherish forever.

zoomed in photo of bride and groom laughing surrounded by wedding party

groom and groomsmen looking dapper in their tuxes with hands in their pockets

bride walking arm in arm with her bridesmaids

Classic black for the bridesmaids dresses, but make it super stylish and unique to each person!

bridesmaids in black dresses in different styles

And then the way these gorgeous bouquets pop from the black background of the dresses…

casual chic photo of large wedding party

wedding photo under old tree at glen magna farms

beautiful summer wedding bouquet with pastel colors

personalized champagne with couple's name on it for wedding with floral background

candid black and white photo of bride and groom before wedding

Some fun candid photos with mirrors as the wedding party takes a break after the formal photos and before the wedding ceremony…

groomsmen before wedding hanging out reflection in mirror

bud vases for wedding reception centerpieces

And then I’m all about getting sooo many shots of the tent set up and all of these beautiful bud vases.

How did you choose your wedding venue?

Jake's family is from Gloucester, MA and that is a very special place for them. They go back every summer for a family reunion and I have attended almost every year since we have been dating. My family is from Kentucky so I wanted to find a venue that still felt like a little slice of home which Glen Magna perfectly captured with their amazing landscape scenery. Also when we toured venues, the staff and coordinators at Glen Magna were hands down the most organized and professional that we met. We had no hesitations about their capability to execute our vision!

details from wedding at glen magna - flowers in garden, cake, centerpieces

bride getting walked down the aisle by her dad with flowers in foreground

wedding ceremony wide angle photo from the back

emotional moments during wedding ceremony, groom wipes tear away from bride's cheek

So sweet, Jake wiping away the tears from Rae’s cheek 💕

wide angle photo of wedding ceremony with garden and arches and blue sky

The ceremony was way more emotional than I thought it'd be. One thing we did differently this time around was writing our own vows since we were really doing more of a vow renewal ceremony since we were already married. This reflection on our relationship and making our promises to each other was extremely special.

bride and groom walk down the aisle as married couple looking at each other with sunny garden glowing behind them

big smiles as rae and jake head into the tent walking down the aisle after ceremony

collage of candid photos of wedding guests at cocktail hour talking drinking

One of the benefits of doing a first look is, of course, that you get to spend the entire cocktail hour with your guests! And it’s great for me to get lots of fun candid photos of everyone hanging out.

bridesmaid's wedding bouquet on her chair and discarded high heels on the floor by the chair

I just feel like that bridesmaid’s bouquet with the discarded heels tells a story 😂

bride and groom enter wedding tent with arms up cheering

The first dance we actually felt slightly awkward (not too uncommon for me/us) because we felt like we were the only two on the dance floor for such a long time. We were relieved when the band invited everyone else to the dance floor to join us!

bride and groom laughing during first dance at wedding glen magna farms

wedding toast dad plays ukelele and aunts are all crying

The most special moment actually wasn't anticipated at all. My dad surprised us during his speech by playing and singing a love song on his ukelele. We had an original idea of doing a song together, but since we live over 2 hours apart we couldn't find the time to practice. I was so proud of him and it was a moment I'll never forget!

bride giving the "cut it out" motion during her dad's toast at wedding

best man giving toast and all the guests raising their drinks in the foreground

couple laughing during wedding toast with garden behind them

fun candid photos of bride and groom in garden at sunset

wedding photos of bride and groom at sunset in danvers massachusetts

Another amazing thing about weddings at Glen Magna - with the tent right next to the garden, it literally just takes a couple of minutes to go out and do some golden hour photos during the reception (bonus, it gives you a bit of a breather and some time for yourselves before the action starts!).

wedding band gets the guests on the dance floor in this tented wedding with cafe lights

And then the amazing band Men in Black took the stage and basically made my job extremely easy! The dancing did not stop all night and that is of course what I like to see 📷

large group of women crowd the front of the stage to sing along to wedding singer everyon has their hand in the air

men in black boston wedding band rocks this wedding with guests dancing all night

guy does dance move in the middle of a circle of people surrounding him

bride onstage helping to play guitar at wedding

The party was awesome. Easily my favorite part of the day, jamming out with everyone. All cares about perfect hair and makeup glam went out the window!

so many fun dancing photos at this wedding in danvers massachusetts

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

Live in the moment and don't get too stressed about the details. My approach was more about making memories than finding that perfect aesthetic. I tried to find vendors that were professional and seemed to understand my vision, then let them run with it!