Warren Conference Center Wedding || Duncan and Meredith
Wow! Been looking forward to sharing this one - Duncan and Meredith’s September wedding at the Warren Conference Center in Ashland, MA. I had been here once before (many years ago), but I was so glad I got to re-visit this space. And of course even better to be there for this joyful couple! I was lucky enough to photograph their friends’ wedding, Liz and Steve, where I first got to join in the fun of this crew. Then, we actually did Meredith and Duncan’s engagement photos at the Warren Conference Center as well (with their adorable dog, who also makes an appearance here!). I knew the day would be a blast, and am so glad that the weather turned out absolutely perfectly for an early fall wedding. We got to take advantage of all the beautiful spots, and even got to take an off-roading adventure in a golf cart.
Ceremony and Reception: Warren Conference Center
I’ve asked the couple some questions about their day, and their answers are throughout in italics.
How did you meet your partner?
We met at Holliston High School in 2008 during soccer practice and began dating in 2010. We went to two separate colleges, Duncan to UMass and Meredith to Keene State. We moved to Tarrytown, NY in 2018 but knew we wanted to get married closer to home.
What is one suggestion you have for other couples who are planning their weddings?
You can't control the weather, so don't worry about it! And get the big stuff out of the way early. Everything falls into place and there isn't one thing we wouldn't change about our wedding.
So much more from this Warren Conference Center wedding below!
How did the day start?
Both of us were worried about the weather, which ended up being beautiful! Meredith had a nice breakfast with her friends, got hair and makeup done, and listened to classic early 2000s girl hits. Duncan woke up with his groomsmen, went to the rope swing on the Ashland Reservoir, and played disc golf in the woods around the venue.
Duncan felt the first look was most anticipated and special moment- seeing Meredith for the first time that day was joyful and awesome.
I am loving the vibrant colorful flowers that Meredith chose.
I am always up for doing photos with your pets! Yes, please! So cute.
What were your goals for your wedding day?
Our goals were to have family and friends come together to join in a celebration. We wanted it to feel like home so we did it close to where we're from and we wanted people there from every point of our relationship. We also wanted an outdoor ceremony because we love that time of year in the area.
I love being able to get some fun shots like these of the guests arriving.
We were nervous before the ceremony but once it started, nothing felt more natural- we wrote our own vows and had one of our best friends preside over the wedding.
This is such a neat space for the wedding ceremony at Warren Conference Center - you get the best of both worlds of a garden and forest.
Meredith’s most anticipated and special moment was during the reading of our vows. To explain and express our feelings for each other and our marriage was emotional and happy- Meredith was worried about crying but didn't ruin her make up.
After the ceremony we took a few minutes to get a few more photos during golden hour. We started at this classic New England old stone wall at Warren Conference Center, where there is also a large empty field which is great blank canvas.
I couldn't believe how many photos we got shortly after the wedding. We loved how vibrant and natural the photos looked- you captured everything we wanted to keep about our wedding day.
Classic black and white! One of my favorites.
The trail to get to the lake was a little golf-cart off-road trek, but I’m so glad we made it! This is such a beautiful spot. It’s so nice to have so many options for gorgeous photo backdrops!
One thing we weren't stressed about was working with you. You made us feel calm about timing and picture taking and the whole process. You had a relaxing presence and made the whole process fun and easy. From engagement pictures to reception, there was never a worry that we wouldn't be getting great photos. We had no hesitation because we saw your work at a friend's wedding and saw the end results! We knew how you operated and the finished product and loved it all.
This space they have with the awning at Warren Conference Center for the cocktail hour is really pretty and unique, then the guests head upstairs to the reception room. Nice to have so many large spaces for all the different parts of the wedding day.
These wedding party entrances were epic! Love it.
Our first dance went very well without any rehearsal or practice! Everyone's speeches during the reception were fantastic, and the band was great so the party was amazing.
What a little shift in focus can do… Meredith’s sister and mom in the background watching the father daughter dance.
Then the amazing Silver Arrow Band cranked it up to 11 for an amazing night of dancing! I love live bands, and this (I believe) was the first time I had working with this band. They were so great!
The vendors that made Meredith and Duncan’s wedding at the Warren Conference Center a reality!
Florist: Petal Pushers
Pies: OutPost Farm
Band: Silver Arrow Band
Jeweler: Holsten Jewelers
Looking for more southshore Massachusetts weddings? Check these out!
Alex and Jackie’s wedding at Independence Harbor