Dockside Restaurant on York Harbor Maine Wedding | Emily & Kim
There are so many great images to share from Emily and Kim’s wedding — it was hard to narrow down which ones to share in this post! I’ve been looking forward to photographing this wedding since last year, when I met these two and photographed their engagement session with their three dogs.
Emily and Kim’s wedding took place on June 30th, 2018 at the Dockside Restaurant on York Harbor, which is a lovely coastal southern Maine wedding venue that offers picturesque views of the ocean along with yachts, lobster boats and everything that is at the essence of nautical New England.
On the day of the wedding, both brides got ready at Dockside Guest Quarters, which is a historic inn on the property that faces the Atlantic Ocean. The ladies had their hair done by Kate Write and Kaylee Donovan of Wink Salon and Spa. Make up was done by Rachel Murphy of Wake Up Pretty. Once Emily and Kim were ready, they did a “first touch” which is an alternative first look where a couple doesn’t see each other; instead, they hold hands around a corner or doorway.
The ceremony took place on the front lawn of the inn, overlooking the water. The site was decorated beautifully with floral arrangements and nautical décor. Both brides walked down the aisle with their dads and the couple exchanged their vows and wedding bands as a representation of their commitment to one another. One of the best ideas was for me to get a group photo of everyone at the wedding immediately following the ceremony. Everyone was so joyous and excited to celebrate the occasion!
Emily and Kim’s reception took place inside the Dockside Restaurant. After everyone was announced in, the couple shared their first dance and each shared a dance with their dad. After dinner, Emily and Kim cut their wedding cake, which was a lovely ombre four tiered cake with a nautical theme, created by Danielle Thibodeau of Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique (based in Hampton, NH).
My favorite part of the evening was going out at sunset for portraits. We utilized all the property has to offer by taking photos at the gazebo, on the dock and on the lawn. All in all, it was a perfect day and I’m so honored to have been part of Emily and Kim’s special day. You can learn more about the couple’s wedding and their vision in our Q&A (below the photos).
Wedding Vendors:
Venue: Dockside Restaurant on York Harbor
Photography: Trina Dinnar Photography
DJ: DJ Jodi Entertainment
Officiant: Jim Larson (Emily's Cousin)
Florist: Flowers By the Sea
Cake: Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique
Hair: Wink Salon & Spa
Make up: Wake Up Pretty
Emily's Dress: Andrea's Bridal
Kim's Suit: Little Black Tux
Wedding Invitations: InspirationIDoDesign (Etsy)
How did you envision your wedding prior to planning?
Kim and I envisioned our wedding at the place we love the most! The ocean has always been our place and it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t celebrate such a special day there. We wanted our big day to be somewhat traditional, simple, and elegant. We always dreamed of celebrating this amazing moment with all of our family and friends and that is exactly what we were able to do!
What was your color palate and your style vision?
We did mainly mint and navy, with white and hints of coral. We went for the more rustic nautical.
What was your favorite moment of your wedding day?
Our favorite moment was seeing each other for the first time that day, when I saw Kim standing at the altar and when I was walking down the aisle towards her. It was such a beautiful and surreal moment all I could think about was her. We also really enjoyed seeing the overwhelming happiness of our family and friends as they celebrated us.
What song did you do your first dance to?
Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur
Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.
Patti Gregoire from Flowers by the Sea did our flowers. Kim and I wanted beautiful peonies to be the main focus of our flower arrangements, along with simple beautiful white flowers to accent them.
I purchased my dress from Andrea’s Bridal. I went with a champagne blush color to compliment Kim’s ivory suit.
Danielle Thibodeau with Wicked Sweet Sugar Boutique created our beautiful ocean themed wedding cake.
The buoy centerpieces were designed and painted by Kim and myself and were custom made by BeardBuilt (which is owned by my dad and brother, Tim and Lucas de Gonzague) BeardBuilt also made the beautiful signing board, card box, and cake stand.
Our favors were an alternative twist on welcome bags, they were goodnight bags and we also had a serve yourself popcorn and taffy bar. We got the popcorn from Coastal Maine Popcorn, the flavors were Maine Maple, Marshmallow Krispy Treat, and Chocolate Caramel and Sea Salt. In the goodnight bags we also had Maine chocolate covered blueberries.
What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding?
Even though wedding planning can be very stressful, keep your eyes on the bigger picture and the outcome that you are working so hard towards. DIY stuff can be a major contributor to the stress, but these small personal details are sure to add that special touch to your big day! We had so many people complementing us on the personal details that we had made ourselves. It was all worth it in the end when you hear that everyone loved all the small details and it was the best wedding they have been to! It is all worth it in the end!