On a warm September’s day, Julie + Tim celebrated their coastal elopement with their friends and families in the states. While they’re both from the US, they live in Germany, and had already officially tied the knot together. However, they still wanted to have a day to celebrate with their loved ones, to wear the white dress, and to have some photos to commemorate the occasion.
When Julie + Tim first got in touch with me, they mentioned that they loved the beach, and that they wanted to have a first look of sorts together at Nubble Point in York, Maine, a spot they used to visit in the early days of their relationship. I was so excited by that thought, as that had been a favorite spot of mine, too!
So we met by the rocks of the Nubble Lighthouse, and had fun walking around the area and getting some sweet photos of the two of them before their coastal elopement. Julie + Tim didn’t classify themselves as ‘traditional,’ and they really wanted to make sure they had fun, and that the photos felt like them rather than being placed into stuffy poses the whole time. I loved hearing this from them, because it allowed us all to relax a bit, and just have fun with it all! I think you can definitely see their belly laughs, and Tim’s sillier moments, in these photos, which I think is a major takeaway for any couples reading this. You don’t have to take everything so seriously! You should feel like you’re having FUN on your wedding day, and especially during your wedding portraits. Be silly, let your goofy side out, because the photos will feel SO much more natural and enjoyable if you do.
I have to share a funny yet cringey side story from this day…it equally makes me want to bust out laughing every time I think of it, but also makes me want to crawl under a rock…So at one point, there was finally a clearing at Nubble Point where the lighthouse was right in front of us, so we scooted in there to get some photos with it in the background for them. We had been setting Julie’s beautiful bouquet down in the box the florist had supplied because it was a sizable bouquet (which I’m personally a big fan of), and it was heavy. Julie didn’t want to hold her bouquet the whole time, so we simply placed it in this cardboard box during the moments she wasn’t holding it. When we got to this area at Nubble Point, Julie wanted some photos in that location with her holding her bouquet. My husband, Tre, was my second photographer at the time because, at the time of their wedding, he was a part of my business. Anyway, he ran and got her bouquet for her out of the box and handed it to her.
Julie + Tim were feeling much more comfortable in front of the camera at this point, so we were really getting into the portraits, when all of a sudden, a big gust of wind came by and it scooped up the cardboard box in its gust. It all happened so fast, but before we knew it, the cardboard box had flung into the ocean, which was totally out of reach from where we were on, essentially, a cliff. We were all stunned by this and didn’t know what else to do with ourselves but to bust out laughing. We were bent over in fits of laughter and just couldn’t stop! It was so hilarious, but my heart was also cringing!
I’m quite the environmental enthusiast, and I’m big on sustainability, so seeing the cardboard box just floating away in the ocean like that made me so sad! It was a total accident, and there was no way for us to retrieve it, and I felt guilty about it. I still do! When I realized there was nothing I could do to get the box out of the water, I had to keep moving on with the photos for Julie + Tim. I was so embarrassed, but my focus had to remain on Julie + Tim, and making the most out of this awkward experience. They started joking that maybe a stray cat would find solace in the cardboard box, and would use it as a boat, which, typing this, doesn’t actually sound that funny, but man oh man did we crack up over that the whole rest of the day!
I learned from this experience to always have something on me that I can place on a bag, or in a box, if we’re outside, just in case a gust of wind should come along. I also learned how to not let something out of my control rule the rest of my day or my job performance as your wedding photographer. Yes, I do still cringe at this story, and I wonder if I should even share it because I don’t want this to somehow discredit all the good I’ve done for the environment in my decades on this planet, but I think it’s these moments that helps you realize that your photographer is a human, and that humans can make mistakes! It’s how we rectify and roll with them that makes the difference. I think shedding light on this story, and the lessons I learned, could potentially either make you chuckle today, or teach you what not to do to avoid a similar awkward situation.
After the cardboard box mishap, we moved along the coastline to the other side of Nubble Point, which happens to be my favorite section. I wanted to keep this area for last during Julie + Tim’s elopement, as it allows the couple to go explore the rocks off in the distance by themselves, and gives them a moment to themselves. I also find that my couples enjoy this section more when their nerves have subsided, and they can just relax, soak in the view, and hang out together on the rocks. It was a great way for Julie + Tim to have a quiet moment together before heading down to Short Sands Beach in York, ME for their ceremony with their friends and families.
Julie + Tim got permission from the city to host their ceremony in the gazebo right next to the beach. It was reserved for them, so there were no passerby in the background, and it was a sweet spot for them to vow a lifetime to each other (publicly this time), with their favorite folks in attendance. It was a short, sweet, and beautiful ceremony that Tre and I were honored to document for them.
After the ceremony, we popped some champagne to celebrate, and then we took photos of Julie + Tim with their family + friends. It was golden hour at this point, and everyone was in such high spirits. It was a lovely, relaxing time, and it was so lovely to see them off before they went and enjoyed an after party reception. They chose not to have that part of their day documented professionally, so we gave them squeezy hugs and wished them all the best!
I’m so dang glad that Tre and I were trusted to document Julie + Tim’s laid-back and sweet elopement! It’s one that I look back on fondly, and one I don’t think I could ever forget.
Thinking about eloping yourself? I’d love to help document your day! I still have some 2024 availability, and I’ve started booking into 2025, so get in touch today so I can hear all about you, your partner, and your wedding day!
Speak soon!
Christy
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