Man, I had no idea what was in store for Grace + Ben’s Merepoint Yacht Club wedding on a semi-sunny day in September, however, I would soon find out that the days-long-party was only taking a temporary backseat to do the final preparations before the real party got underway.
Grace had spent much of her childhood vacationing in the Merepoint neighborhood and everyone knew everyone and it was like a giant big family… and then for the wedding they invited all of their favorite people who were staying in all of the houses in the neighborhood that were for rent. Both Grace and Ben went to big competitive universities, and in the case of Grace, Clemson University went deep into her family and they were proud alumnus of their alma mater.
Grace planned a beautiful wedding along with planners Alane of Salty Sea Events in Brunswick. The coastal Maine wedding vibes, the personal touches throughout, the beautiful flowers that complimented the colors of the wedding, everything was perfect.
The bond that Grace had with her mom, Vicki, was something to strive for. Her mom was so proud of Grace in so many ways and it was clear just by looking at how her mom looked at Grace. The emotions were strong! I wasn’t crying – YOU were crying!
Pretty Flowers matched all the colors of the wedding theme perfectly. (read: Clemson U colors!) They also used seasonal florals like these picture perfect dahlias and little sprigs of ranunculus and seeded eucalyptus.
There is a story behind this but basically the flamingo lived on this golf cart all weekend and I couldn’t get enough of it. (note to self: SARAH! REFRAIN from photographing the flamingo so much!)
Ok. Seriously. Just LOOK at this bridal party.
Grace and Ben opted for the First Look option and I am seriously still so happy that they did! The fog had begun to roll in at this point and the bay was beginning to disappear rapidly. Eventually, visibility was down to maybe 50 feet for the rest of the day and night which made the backdrop for their wedding less distracting, however, as you will see later on down the track of images here, you will see a photo of a sailboat…
This is what bride-and-groom-portraits should always have for a backdrop. Well, not always, but seriously. The prettiest fog rolling in did not disappoint.
Eventually, the rest of the bridal party made their way over for their turn in front of the camera, and this photo just below is a little taste of the excitement and next-level partying that was to occur very, very soon!
#bridalpartygoals
The fog has officially taken over the bay and there are no longer visible peninsulas or islands. NONE. It’s like they were married in front of a giant grey wall with water right in front of it. (NOT complaining!)
The ladies took a truck ride to make their way back to the house before the ceremony and that, in itself, was a party. All the guests exiting their houses to head down to the ceremony site were excited and singing, and hooting-and-hollering and the excitement was palpable. PALPABLE!
Here’s the sailboat I mentioned earlier. I think it must’ve made 30 passes throughout the ceremony so that they could watch. They circled around and around just off to the left / east of the point and enjoyed being an indirect part of their wedding day experience.
Exeter Events & Tents and Maine Event Design & Decor killed it! The lighting, the drapery, the tablescapes, were so perfect. It was the perfect Nautical-meets-Clemson-University wedding that I have ever seen. <3
The Merepoint Yacht Club is this cute old yacht club located on the eastern side of the peninsula near the point. It was built over 100 years ago and resides in the town of Brunswick on Mere Point.
Grace + Ben entered into the reception to Clemson’s fight song “Hold That Tiger!” which got so many people PUMPED!
Still doing their Clemson cheers~
Before dinner began, everyone linked hands around one table and reaching across to the next, to give thanks and wish the couple all the happiness in their marriage.
Merepoint Yacht Club Wedding Dance Floor!
Oh, that dreamy fog rolled in even thicker than before which gave the tent and the yacht club a magical glow.
A few guests “snuck” into the club before the dancing began and wanted to eat. that. cake. while I was testing lights. Of course, I needed to light a subject, so they happily obliged. 🙂
LET THE DANCING BEGINNNNNNN!!!!!! Mike Mahoney of M+M Entertainment kept the party going strong through the entire evening and the dancefloor remained full the entire night!
All the line dancing happened and no one was sad about it. My friend and second shooter, Bret, is also the master of dance floor photos and if there is a party, he will capture all the fun. There was plenty of dancing and fun to photograph at this wedding! We were definitely busy!
Photographer: Sarah Jane Photography
Second / Assistant Photographer: Bret Labelle
Planner: Salty Sea Events
Venue: Merepoint Yacht Club
Officiant: Family Member
Florist: Pretty Flowers
Caterer: Coastal Critters Clambakes
Cake: Union Street Bakery
H+MU: Alicia Rush
DJ: Mike Mahoney at M+M Entertainment
Lighting: Maine Event Design + Decor
Rental / Tent: Exeter Events + Tents
Transportation: Custom Coach + Limousine
Are you planning a killer party for your family and friends to celebrate your nuptials? I would love to be a part of your day and help create some of those tangible memories for you to hang on to. Hit me up!