When Lisa and Chris first contacted me about their Massachusetts intimate wedding, I was thrilled. Beachside elopements are right up my alley. Not to mention, Lisa is the sister of my own sister’s best friend whose wedding I photographed a few years prior. Not only did I know and love her family prior to their wedding day, it’s such a huge compliment to be invited back into a family’s life to capture another special day.

What Can I say about a Massachusetts Intimate Wedding on the Beach? It’s True Love.

No, seriously! What could be better than a weekend on the Cape to photograph a beautiful couple’s elopement on the beach? Not much beats that.

While I don’t typically meet with my intimate wedding and elopement couples before their wedding day, we do have a lot of communication prior to their ceremony. Approximately a month before the big day, I send over a final detail planning questionnaire. This helps ensure that my couples and I are on the same page heading into their event. We then try to get on a call to go over everything in the questionnaire a week prior.

Lisa and Chris were dream clients for me. Their wedding was about their marriage and their closest friends and family being there to witness their union. They wanted nothing more than the special moments captured with their family and their fur-babies on one of their favorite Cape Cod beaches- Marconi Beach. In fact, when asked if there were specifics they wanted me to capture they told me they really just wanted me to ‘do my thing.’ Best. Clients. Ever.

Earlier in the week, the weather forecast threatened rain, then sun, then back to rain. Lisa and Chris stayed surprisingly calm and kept reiterating that they knew it would “all work out”. They were right! The day dawned sunny and warm. Storm clouds rolled in right as their ceremony ended, but never dropped anything from the sky. Instead they provided a super cool looking sky for some beach portraits before dinner.

Lisa and Chris got themselves ready in Chris’s family motel across from Marconi Beach then we headed across the street for the first look. Because of the intimacy of the event, the whole family was able to stand by and watch the couple see each other for the first time in their wedding day finest. The sand dunes provided an epic backdrop for the gorgeous colored dresses all the women donned.

The groom’s Aunt welcomed the families and performed an emotionally moving ceremony. Happy tears were all around the glowing couple as they exchanged vows and rings.

What does an elopement package cover?

A typical elopement package is just enough time for some getting ready portraits, a first look (or not), ceremony coverage, and then some family and couples portraits. Once Lisa and Chris said “I Do!” we were able to transition right into the wedding portrait portion of our day since we were in the most gorgeous spot possible! Can you believe this couple told me that they didn’t think they were photogenic?! Blasphemy!

While a forecast with zero predicted clouds/rain is less stress, the stormy sky provided an amazingly cool backdrop for what turned out to be one of my favorite images of 2019:

If you’re planning an elopement or intimate wedding in Massachusetts in 2020, I’d love to chat about documenting your big day!

XO- Lyndsay