Allison + Terry

The view from Allison and Terry's wedding site at the beautiful Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vermont. You could tell right from the beginning that it was going to be an amazing day.





As always, I was thrilled to be assisted by the gifted Kelly Fletcher, who caught this portrait of the dress, Allison, and two of her bff's.

[Just click on any image if you'd like to see a larger version.]













While Kelly was with the girls, I was catching some of the reception details that Allison (and friends) spent fun hours creating this summer.

Many of the antique buttons on the napkin rings came from Allison's grandmother's collection.
























Terry and Allison had use of several of the historic Landmark Trust properties during the weekend, including the 1820s Dutton Farmhouse.





































Terry and his family were down the road at the Rudyard Kipling House, where the author penned some of his most well-loved stories.





























A niece and nephew theoretically spread flower petals at the beginning of the ceremony. Mainly, they just looked really cute.






























One part of the ceremony was a Quaker community circle, where friends shared bits of marriage wisdom and humor.





































The vows brought laughter . . .













. . . and tears.


















The first kiss.





















The second kiss.


























Then it was on to the reception at the Scott Farm.




















Catered by Terri Ziter and her team at A Vermont Table, the reception was a combination of wonderful food in a beautiful setting with good friends and family—what could be better?
























An edible finger-food plate. Love the tie.














Memorial candles for special guests who were with us in spirit.













Allison and Terry rocking the house with their first dance.





























































I'd like to provide the link to the hairdresser's website, but I couldn't understand a word this girl was saying.




























After dinner, Allison and Terry took a few minutes to get some [in]formal portraits in the warm evening light.

























With their buddy Zeke. One of my favorite images from the day.























































































Dad entertains the guests with stories from Allison’s formative years.













Mom has a few stories of her own.















Friends, all who could be working in stand-up comedy, treat the guests to some of the vital details of Terry and Allison's relationship.










Allison in a modified planking pose.
















Terry's mom and dad show how it's done.
















































The limbo was hot. I still can't believe how many pictures I took—I kept thinking "this will be the last person who can pull this off. . ."














Allison's uncle wishing her every success and joy in her marriage to Terry.

Congratulations you two! It was so fun to be with you on your special day!

Madame Sarah

Last week I did a photo shoot with Sarah Waggener at Madame Sherri’s castle in Chesterfield, New Hampshire, just across the Connecticut River from Brattleboro.

Sarah is a dancer, a yoga instructor, and a recent graduate of the New England Center for Circus Arts. She designed the birdcage for her senior performance.

It kind of goes without saying that it takes amazing strength to pull off something that looks like a beautiful dance, but is probably closer to a gymnastic routine.










We did the photo shoot in the early evening, when the light was soft, and the mosquitoes were thick.
















Madame Sherri's castle was the site of some allegedly wild parties when her high-society friends would come to visit from New York City. The castle burned in 1965, but most of the beautiful stonework remains. Her seemingly endless supply of money came from her work as a costume designer for the Ziegfeld Follies.









Sarah's love for vintage clothes, and of living in the backwoods of southern Vermont, made this location a perfect spot for these portfolio images.
















This move came about 45 minutes into the shoot, and was not a transitional element. Sarah held this position while I got the right angle for the image.










A living statue amidst the pillars.

















I try not to bore folks with technical details, but I want to give a shout out to my Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens. This fast lens allows me to shoot with a shallow depth of field, so just Sarah is in focus, drawing your eye to her immediately. The 70-200 is my favorite lens, and I use it almost all the time.































Yes, the hikers using the local walking trails had a puzzled look on their faces as they passed by.











One of the last images of the photo shoot, and my favorite.

Thanks to Sara for sharing her incredible gifts with us, and also for sharing her excellent bug repellant.