While there had been a slight breeze at The Moorings Inn, where Sara and Ben had their first look and did family portraits, none of us could have ever predicted what was awaiting us at the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, where Sara and Ben planned to have their ceremony. A windstorm. I cannot emphasize this enough- it. was. windy. I could feel gusts of wind pushing my body around, despite the fact that I was weighted down by two heavy cameras. Sara’s veil acted as a sail, dancing to and fro. Everyone’s hair was somehow thrown in multiple directions all at once. We all kind of gaped for a second, but we were on a mission, and Sara and Ben’s families surrounded them in a tight circle and the ceremony commenced. Their closeness was mostly because the wind drowned out Sara, Ben, and Sam’s (their officiant and friend) voices, but it also had a protective and warm quality that made their ceremony feel all the more lovely and profound.

Once we finished the ceremony, we stayed on Cadillac a little bit longer, despite the wind (how Sara stayed warm in her sleeveless dress is beyond me- she’s a true Mainer, clearly, and Ben must have been such a source of warmth), then traveled to Otter Point for more portraits. The skies were gobsmackingly gorgeous, which is, without fail, one of the perks of having a wacky weather wedding day (and it’s why you should never be too worried about “imperfect” weather on your wedding day!

Sara and Ben met at work. He noticed her immediately, and while she was dating someone at the time, it didn’t take long for Ben to sway her over to his side. They had their second date on Cadillac Mountain, which became an important location to the two of them (and thus the perfect location for their ceremony), and eventually surprised Sara by proposing to her at Gardens Aglow in Boothbay Harbor (if you haven’t been yet.. what are you waiting for? It’s an incredible, Christmas-y experience!)

Here’s a few of my favorite photos of Sara and Ben’s Acadia elopement. Enjoy!

Amanda and Dylan have always enjoyed exploring national parks together, and so it was a natural decision to get married in one of our nation’s 61 parks. But which one? Although Zion is Amanda and Dylan’s favorite (they opted to do their engagement portraits there), they wanted to choose a location that was close enough for their immediate families to easily attend, and so Acadia National Park, another favorite of theirs, seemed like the obvious choice. And on a beautiful day in September, Amanda put on her dress in the forest (still my beating heart) and walked down a set of stairs to Little Hunter’s Beach, where Dylan was waiting for her, his smile as bright as the sunshine. After a short ceremony, the waves gently crashing on the pebbly beach, Amanda, Dylan, and I drove around the park, exploring Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mountain, and enjoying what felt like one of the last days of summer.

Amanda and Dylan both met at a wedding. Dylan was an usher at the wedding, noticed Amanda, and told his friend “I’m going to escort her,” which he did. The pair eventually went on a date, hit it off, and over the next few years traveled to many national parks, falling deeper in love among America’s best backdrops.

Here’s a few of my favorite photos from Amanda and Dylan’s Acadia elopement. That sunlight, am I right?

Vendors:

Photographer: Kate Crabtree
Officiant: Lynn Hunt, Vows by Lynn
Dress Shop: J&B Bridals
Dress: Mori Lee