June 19, 2019

Alex & Isaiah’s Bar Harbor Club Wedding

I fell in love with Alex and Isaiah when I met Alex and her parents for the first time at a coffee shop. Isaiah wasn't there, but Alex shared the story of how they got engaged, and I fell in love with Isaiah from afar. You see, Isaiah wanted to surprise Alex in a big way, and decided, with help with Alex's parents, to pull off something epic. While Alex and her family were vacationing and hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, Isaiah traveled there secretly, slept in a Wal-Mart parking lot the night prior (he was worried she might spot him), woke up early, and hiked several miles to a waterfall. Meanwhile, Mindy prodded the family to start their hike at an early hour, and Alex had the surprise of her life when Isaiah was there, with Alex's grandmother's engagement ring, asking if she would marry him. How can you not fall for someone after hearing about such a loving plan that was executed so well?

Within minutes of Alex and Isaiah's wedding day I felt like I was a member of their warm and cuddly families. No emotion was held back, no touch spared, and I could tell how much everyone loved each other. Perhaps the cuddliest of all were Isaiah's five (YES, FIVE) sisters, who constantly hugged everyone, cried, and laughed. Perfection. One of my favorite parts of getting ready, which I heard about from my rad second photographer, Ashley, was how Isaiah's grandmother tended to his needs during getting ready- she ironed his shirt, and even wrapped him in towels when he realized he was hungry after getting fully dressed.

We put aside some time during the early afternoon to take portraits at Jordan Pond in Acadia, and lucked out with the sun burning through the clouds just as portraits began. Even though the park was crowded during Memorial Day weekend, we found beautiful little pockets to avoid all the intrigued onlookers. Special props are in order to Bernard, Mitchell, and Michelle, who drove us around the busy park- I was so thankful for their help.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Alex and Isaiah's parents lovingly stood by their sides during an emotional ceremony at the Bar Harbor Club, and after cocktail hour, the evening proceeded with a first dance to Adam Sandler's I Wanna Grow Old With You (which felt like such a perfect choice), tearjerker toasts, and of course, the hora, that had everyone up on their feet. The dance floor was packed, thanks to Greg Young of Northeast Entertainment- he's so good at what he does.

Here's a few of my favorite photos from their wedding day. Enjoy!