I was thrilled when Ellen and Tim reached out to me to photograph their May 19th, 2018 wedding at the Barn at Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine. Barn weddings have become increasingly popular in recent years and I have always wanted to photograph a wedding there.

The day of the wedding, it began raining just before the ceremony. I’m glad that didn’t deter Ellen and Tim from exchanging their vows outside. We made use of adorable clear umbrellas for their bride and groom portraits. All in all, everything worked out so well and the couple had a wonderful day celebrating their love with their closest family and friends.

I asked Ellen to tell me a little more about her special day:

How did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?

I honestly didn't have a huge vision. Just knew I would wear my mom’s dress and thought we would be on Sebago Lake. Once we chose The Barn at Flanagan Farm as our venue, I had a vision of simple and elegant - outdoor ceremony and the barn for the reception. The venue exceeded my expectations. It was perfect beyond words. We were able to move in Thursday and get the whole Barn ready for Saturday. There is a second barn on the property that we had our rehearsal dinner in, followed by a fire with our family and wedding party.

What was your color palette and your style vision?

My bridesmaids were in a champagne/peach color. It was a two piece dress that gave a bohemian touch which is exactly what I wanted. They had small cap sleeves which also matched my dress. Tim and his groomsmen were in navy suits that were "slim" fit with matching champagne ties, white shirts, brown belts and brown shoes. They all looked handsome.

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day?

My favorite moment was our first dance. We hadn't spent much time practicing but the song has been a favorite of both of ours from the beginning of our relationship. It’s upbeat and the crowd got into it — clapping and cheering us on. It felt like we were dancing to our future.

What song did you do your first dance to?

Ho Hey by the Lumineers

Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.

My flowers were from Maine Street Florist in Buxton. The owner, Janet, put together greenery and white flowers to match my vision of simple with an earthy tone. My dress was very special. It was my mother’s dress that she married my dad in. I took it to Maria Antonieta in Portland to have restorations done. There, she made my cap sleeves and altered the neck line and opened up the back with a tear drop but for the most part, I kept the dress the same. We chose to not do a cake because neither my husband nor I care for it. Instead, we had a close family friend make fudge for our guests as their dessert. It was a total hit!

What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?

Be present in the moment. I don't think I even listened to the ceremony but I can still feel holding my husband’s hands and looking into his eyes. I also recommend saying thank you and hello to your guests while dinner is being served. It was a great opportunity for us to see everyone who made the effort to come celebrate with us.

My last advice would be to have a person who is not in the wedding party but who you can trust to do small, last minute duties! My dear friend from college ended up pressing play and pause for our ceremony music as our DJ did not have the correct versions. It was a last minute panic that she saved the day with! Have a go-to gal — it's so worth it.