Sunday River Jordan Terrace Newry Maine Wedding
Sunday River Jordan Terrace Newry Maine Wedding

Sunday River Resort, located in the heart of the mountains of western Maine, is the perfect destination to say “I do.” I was thrilled when I learned that Elizabeth and Robert would be having their wedding at Jordan Terrace, which is one of the many locations at Sunday River that hosts ceremonies and receptions.

Their wedding ceremony at Jordan Terrace offered scenic views of Sunday River’s alpine Jordan Bowl, which provided a picturesque outdoor ceremony. Following the ceremony was a lovely wedding reception at Sliders Restaurant, whose intimate post-and-beam architecture made for a unique location.

Perhaps the most amazing moment was when a rainbow appeared right over the mountains surrounding Jordan Terrace. It was truly a sight to be seen!

I asked Elizabeth to tell me a little more about her and Robert’s special day:

How did you two meet? 

We met in 2012 when I first started my big girl job at UPMC. 

When and where did your engagement take place? Please describe the proposal. 

I actually proposed to Rob. Our 3 year dating anniversary was coming up and I decided to pop the question when we were heading south to Hot Springs, North Carolina Memorial weekend. I ordered his engagement/wedding band online from Ireland before hand and it was burning a hole in my pocket. On our get away, we went for a short hike and had BLTs’ for lunch and I knew if I didn’t take the opportunity then to do it, I would lose all confidence in ever doing it. So, I told him “You can’t say no.”, pulled out the ring box from under the couch and slid the ring on his finger. He was bit confused then asked if we were officially engaged. 

How did you envision your wedding being prior to planning? 

I knew I wanted a small, relaxed, chill wedding with minimal planning involved but with delicious food.

What was your color palette and your style vision? 

We chose lilac, grey, and champagne and wanted minimal decorations/planning involved with the wedding because at the time we were living in Pittsburgh and anticipating a move in December up to Boston.

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day? 

Watching everyone enjoying themselves

What song did you do your first dance to? 

Thousand years cover by Boyce Avenue

Tell us about your flowers, your gown and your cake.

I folded both paper bouquets. It took about 8 months to do, made the pistol and stamen for some of the flowers using wire, a hot glue, and yellow nail polish, and added fake baby’s breath.

My gown is a homage to both the Korean and American culture. The white dress color and veil was the Western take on the outfit where the East was a modern twist on the Korean traditional hanbok/paebak dress including the headpiece, petticoat, socks, pants, and shoes. 

Our cake was a basic cake with Maine blueberry filling. 

Wedding Vendors:

Venue: Jordan Terrace at Sunday River

DJ: M&M Entertainment (Mike Mahoney)

Catering: Sliders Restaurant

Wedding Dress (store and brand of dress): 진성한복 (Custom made in South Korea)

Bride's Shoes: 진성한복

Men's Attire: Mens Warehouse

Wedding Rings: Groom ring is from My Irish Jeweler. Bride’s from James Allen

Jewelry/Hairpieces: 진성한복

Bridesmaid's Dresses: Vow to be Chic

Cake & Desserts: Heavenly Delights Bakery

Officiant: Heather Rose

Stationary: Vista Print

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Wentworth By the Sea New Castle New Hampshire Wedding
Wentworth By the Sea New Castle New Hampshire Wedding

On June 10th, 2017, Jillian and James were married at the Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, New Hampshire. Their ceremony took place outside at the gazebo and it was the perfect warm, late spring day for the couple to exchange vows. After the ceremony, we did portraits all over the lovely property of the resort. There were so many beautiful locations that included flower gardens, open areas of perfectly-mowed lawn, and even a quaint little arbor. Once we finished the portraits, a lovely reception followed in the Wentworth Ballroom. Jillian and James were announced in and their wedding party surrounded the dance floor as the couple shared their first dance. Next, they received four heartfelt speeches and toasts. After the cake was cut, there was a garter and bouquet toss. The rest of the evening was filled with laughter, dancing and unforgettable memories.

I’m so honored to have been part of Jillian and James’ special day and had a blast working with them. I asked Jillian to share a little more about their love story:

When and where did your engagement take place? Please describe the proposal.

Our engagement happened on Valentine’s Day of 2016. James had the whole day planned out with some funny jokes along the way. All day he had been giving me joke gifts: in the morning he came down with a ring box and got on one knee, when he opened it it was a candy ring. This threw me off so I had no idea we would be getting engaged that day. He took me out for coffee at our favorite shop in Kittery, Lil’s Cafe. After that he asked if I wanted to go to Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH for a quick walk, I was hesitant since it was the coldest day of the winter that day but we went. He took a gift bag out of the car and we walked over to the bench we had sat on our first date. He had me open the gift and I took out a necklace box and I just assumed this was a valentine’s gift, I opened it up and it was a candy necklace :)  I laughed and turned to put it down and when I turned back around he was down on one knee with the actual engagement ring.

What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?

I always envisioned our wedding in the summer somewhere close to the ocean. I have grown up on the coast of New England my whole life so being near the ocean was important to me. I went through many theme and color ideas but I really just wanted a classic, timeless style wedding.

What was your color palette and your style vision?

Our color palette was Shades of Blue, grey and white. James and I's favorite color is blue so we definitely knew we wanted lots of blue. My style vision was a classic New England coastal wedding, which is why we went with the Wentworth as a venue because it really shows that historic feel of this area. We were both born and raised in New England, on the coast and we truly love this area.

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day?

My favorite moment was when my dad first saw me, and also when I walked down the aisle and saw James. He looked so happy and stunned which is what I was hoping for! We also of course loved the dancing! It was really hard to pick a moment because we thought the whole day was so perfect!!

What song did you do your first dance to? 

Our First dance was to Everything by Michael Buble. We chose it because it was an upbeat and fun love song!

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

My gown was a Maggie Sottero, trumpet style gown, champagne color under the lace overlay. It had rhinestones around the sweetheart neckline. For our flowers we wanted to have garden flowers: Peonies, Garden roses, tweedia and lots of greenery. I wanted the style of flowers to be natural and free flowing. The centerpieces had blue and white hydrangeas, white peonies and dark blue delphinium to contrast the white and light blue. Our cake had three different flavors: Lemon strawberry, middle layer was carrot and the top layer was a lemon ginger. The cake was white decorated with blue hydrangeas and white roses. Our favors were made by my Mom Bernadette, who has her own garden pottery business. She made the little boxes and they were filled with mints.

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

Advice for couples planning their wedding is leave the stress out of it and just enjoy the process. I went into our wedding feeling so relaxed because we hired such great people to handle everything. Don't stress because it's one of the happiest times of your life, so even if things don't always go perfectly always have fun with the process and especially on the day of your wedding!

Wedding Vendors:

Venue: Wentworth by the Sea

Wedding Planner & Coordinator: Abigail Lajoie

DJ: Clark with Fred Pappalardo Disk Jockeys

Florist: Jardiniere Flowers

Dress: Pure Bliss Bridal Boutique in Newburyport, MA

Men's Attire: Tuxedos and Suits with Style in Newington, NH

Bridesmaid's Dresses: Weddington Way

Cake: Jacques Pastries

Officiant: David Tompkinson

Stationary: Portsmouth Invitation Company & Wedding Paper Divas

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Freeport Maine Wedding
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Freeport Maine Wedding

It was such an honor to photograph Stacey and Eric’s June 3rd, 2017 wedding! The wedding ceremony took place at the Sacred Heart Church in Yarmouth, Maine and was followed by an elegant reception at the Hilton Garden in Downtown Freeport. After the parents, wedding party and bride and groom were announced into the reception, they received heartfelt toasts and speeches from the best man and maid of honor. Everyone then enjoyed a buffet-style dinner which included various salads, roasted vegetables, chicken and carved beef. Stacey and Eric took the dance floor and shared an unforgettable first dance, followed by Stacey’s dance with her father and Eric’s dance with his mother. After the cake cutting, they did a bouquet and garter toss and the rest of the evening, the dance floor was open to everyone. All in all, it was a beautiful day. I asked Stacey to share a few more details about their special day:

When and where did your engagement take place? Please describe the proposal.

Eric proposed to me by China Lake in China, ME two days before Christmas 2015. Eric and I went out for a drive and made a pit stop at China Lake. Sometimes we do this to just enjoy the beautiful views of the lake, so I didn’t really think anything of it. We got out of the truck and before I knew it, he was on one knee with a ring in his hand asking me to marry him. It all happened so fast and was a complete surprise to me!

What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?

Prior to planning, we thought we wanted something small and low key. As we got into planning and really envisioning what the day would look like and who we wanted to be there, the wedding grew to be a much larger event. In the beginning we were toying with a country theme, maybe a barn wedding like so many do these days. However, as we looked at venues, our vision changed to a more elegant look—we eventually settled on a church in Yarmouth and a reception location at the Hilton Garden Inn in Freeport. We were very happy with our choice!

What was your color palette and your style vision?

Our wedding was a mix of rich royal blue and even toned yellow colors. We were going for a summer feel and the colors ended up being beautiful together. It’s funny because one of the main colors for my mom’s wedding was royal blue---I had no idea when I chose my colors, but it just goes to show the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It’s something I will always look back on with a smile.

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day?

The favorite moment of the wedding day was being able to share the experience with all of our closest family and friends. It was a day filled with love, laughter, and contentment. Oh, and saying “I do” was pretty great too!

What song did you do your first dance to?

Our first dance song was Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not by Thompson Square. That has been “our” song since we started dating 6 years ago so we knew it had to be the one we danced to on our wedding day.

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

As I mentioned, the wedding colors were royal blue and yellow---the bridesmaid dresses were royal blue, so the flowers were yellow. The bridal bouquet was a mix of yellow roses, yellow carnations, green hydrangea, and baby’s breath. The bridesmaid bouquets were a mix of yellow carnations, green hydrangea, blue irises, and baby’s breath. The blue irises in the bridesmaid bouquets were my favorite.

My wedding gown was by far my most favorite part of planning the wedding. The satin gown featured an illusion neckline with a gorgeous lace back. It fit like a glove!

Wedding Vendors:

Venues: Sacred Heart Church and Hilton Garden Inn 

DJ: Double Platinum Celebrations

Second Photographer: Autumn Wells

Florist: Wildflower Florist

Hair: Epic Image Salon

Dress: Blush Bridal

Men’s Attire: Men’s Warehouse

Rings: Day’s Jewelers

Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Andrea’s Bridal
 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Ocean Woods Resort Kennebunkport Maine Wedding
Ocean Woods Resort Kennebunkport Maine Wedding

Rebekah and Samuel were married on May 14th, 2017 at the Ocean Woods Resort in Kennebunk, Maine. While it was a rainy spring day, they made the most of it and enjoyed every moment celebrating their love with family and friends. The details were beautiful – colors of coral, white and green, lovely patterns and succulent favors, which made unique table centerpieces. The couple shared such an amazing first dancethat every eye in the room was turned to them. Their wedding guests soon joined in on the dancing and the rest of the evening was filled with laughter and memorable moments that Rebekah and Samuel will look back on for many years to come. I asked Rebakah to tell me a little more about their special day:

What did you envision your wedding being prior to planning?

I always knew that succulents (the plants in the centerpieces, the cupcake toppers) were going to play a large role in our wedding. I also knew that I wanted it to be a spring wedding, although I didn't envision the spring showers that came along with it!

What was your color palette and your style vision?

The color palette we decided on was coral, white, and the green color found in the succulents. Our style vision was clean and romantic, while at the same time having ornate details such as the succulents or the pattern on the wedding dress.

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day?

Our favorite part was the dancing. Since we don't normally dance we got to see entirely different sides of people and it helped loosen the whole party up. The first dance went off without anything going wrong either, which was a big plus! My husband's grandmother told us afterward that our dance looked like something from the movie La La Land.

What song did you do your first dance to?

Time after Time by She and Him

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

The bouquet was simple, made from white roses and white oriental lilies. The dress was a part of the wedding that I felt extremely confident in, before I even saw it in person. When I went dress shopping, I tried on a few dresses before I tried on the one, everything was very beautiful but I didn't feel like I did when I put on my dress. I always loved big puffy dresses as a little girl, so it was a dream to be able to walk down the aisle in one. The favors were succulent plants which have covered my room for years, and have always brought me a lot of happiness it seemed almost crazy to not have them as our favors. Our cake and cupcakes were made by some wonderfully talented friends; they put so much effort in months in advance. The cupcakes were lemon with a raspberry filling and chocolate with a mousse inside. The cake was chocolate with mousse and vanilla frosting. 

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

Weddings come with a lot of details, some that don't matter in the long run. Focus your attention on the details that really matter to you both and you won't regret it. Also it’s easy to get caught up in all the stress, but on your special day try your hardest to just enjoy it because it goes by fast. 

 

Venue/Catering: Ocean Woods Resort

DJ or Band: Marc Worrell

Florist: Bouquet’s by Sam’s Club

Wedding Favors: Urban Succulents

Hair Stylist: Rachel Morais (Bride’s Sister) (bridesmaid)

Make-up Artist: Paulina DeCastro (Groom’s Sister) (bridesmaid)

Videographer: Joe Genender

Wedding Dress: Andrea’s Bridal, Allure Bridal

Men's Attire: Tuxedos on Broadway

Wedding Rings: Day’s Jeweler’s

Bridesmaid's Dresses: Azazie

Cakes: Melissa Worrell and Liz Garcia

Officiant: Stan Hallett (Bride’s father)

Ocean Woods Resort Outdoor Tented Wedding

 

 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Granite Ridge Estate & Barn Wedding | Ann Marie & Andy
Granite Ridge Estate & Barn Wedding | Ann Marie & Andy

In early March of 2016, Ann Marie and Andy reached out to me looking for a wedding and engagement photographer for their October 1st wedding. Upon talking with them more, I was thrilled to learn more about their plans for a rustic chic Maine wedding at the Granite Ridge Estate and Barn in Norway, Maine.

In June, I photographed Ann Marie and Andy’s engagement session at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, NH. The park offers a beautiful open landscape, lovely ocean views and a rocky coastline. It was a wonderful evening for their session and the sunset was breathtaking.  The image collages below show a few of my favorites from their engagement session.

When October 1st, 2016 arrived, I took the two hour drive up to Norway, Maine to the Granite Ridge Estate and Barn. Let me tell you that it is well worth the drive. Granite Ridge is one of the most beautiful wedding venues that I’ve ever been fortunate enough to visit. Perched on its own 128 acre mountain, the Estate is the ultimate location for a rustic destination wedding. There is an elegant timber frame lodge combined with a 3500 square foot Maine barn that is unparalleled by spectacular mountain views.

Ann Marie and Andy got ready in the estate lodge, which is perched on its very own granite ridge. The massive fireplace was lit and the girls got ready in a room filled with windows that had the most amazing views. The ceremony took place on the venue’s outdoor ceremonial space. It is a large gravel clearing that was filled with benches for the wedding guests. The couple exchanged vows under a handmade birch arbor surrounded by their closest family and friends.

The reception took place inside the barn, which included spacious, natural wood floors, vaulted ceilings, exposed beams, and exquisite chandeliers. The tables were decorated with tree rounds, gold table numbers and teal colored napkins. The couple was announced into their reception where they went right into their first dance. Soon following were the parent dances, toasts and speeches and a buffet-style dinner. The remainder of the evening included a fun photo booth and lots of dancing!

Vendors:

Venue(s): Granite Ridge Estate and Barn

Wedding Coordinator/Planner: Paula & Courtney of A Family Affair

Second Photographer: Peter Greeno

DJ: Versatile Sound Productions 

Catering: 111 Maine

Florist: Andy's mother and sister  

Hair and Make-up: Blushing Brides

Transportation - L/A Luxury Lim

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography