In the spring of 2016 I joined my dear and talented friend Brooke of Brooke Allison Photography to photograph the elegant tented wedding of Dan and Danielle on the shoreline of CT. Dan and Danielle are both wedding industry veterans. They even met while at an industry conference while Dan was living in CT and Danielle was still out in CA. Now Danielle has moved to CT and owns her rental and design business called Gather and Lounge while Dan runs his own event lighting business called Shindig Lighting. So you can imagine that these two were fully prepared to host an absolutely gorgeous and thoughtful wedding, full of gorgeous blooms, beautiful decor, and lots of sentimental touches. Their day was full of laughter, joy, and some incredible love.

Shoreline Love Story: Getting Ready & First Look

Danielle and Dan chose pinks, peaches, and blues for their wedding colors and we started the day capturing their details and final touches as they each got ready for their first look. Danielle had a special and emotional first look with her Dad at the hotel before heading to the venue to have her first look with Dan. When these two did see each other for the first time that day, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other. They were so obviously in love and were so excited to be together and be getting married. They were seriously glowing when they got to see each other for the first time.

Textures Abound: Bridal Party & Ceremony

Their first look flowed right into bridal party and family photos so that all of their formal portraits were completed before the ceremony. This is one of the huge benefits of a first look. You get lots of time for all of the images you really want, you have a (mostly) private reveal moment with your soulmate that is just for the two of you, and you can head straight to your cocktail hour without missing any of the party after you say “I do”. Danielle incorporated textures into her wedding thoughtfully with each bridesmaid wearing a different dress, some with lace, some with ruffles, some with pleats. And she and Dan created an elegantly draped backdrop accented by greens for their ceremony. 

Elegant Tented Romance: Reception & Decor

The tented reception space was an absolute dream! Again, texture played a role in different table cloths and toppings lending diversity and visual interest to the space. And of course there was an abundance of flowers and candles to set the mood of elegant romance. They added chandeliers and created a centerpiece for the rooms with a stunning wall backing their sweetheart table with the saying “and I’m happy it’s you” painted on it. With all of the beautiful details, their love still shone through as the most special part of the day. They were so genuinely happy together. Cheers to your first year of marriage and to a truly unforgettable wedding day! XO

If you loved Danielle and Dan’s tented fete as much as I did, you might also love Rebecca & Charley’s tented wedding on Rose Island in Newport.

If you want to see more real moments and emotions then hop on over to my portfolio for a collection of some of my favorite images displaying joyful love and authentic moments.