Cape Cod is a special place for so many couples and families, filled with childhood memories and love stories. Our first Lake Love couple of the season, Alex and Erik, had been counting down the days ‘til their Cape Cod nuptials, just as we were all counting down the days 'til it truly felt like Spring. We had our fingers and toes crossed for the weather on April 14th to be filled with the sunshine that we had all been waiting for, the sunshine that Alex and Erik deserved! And on the Cape's first true day of Spring, the sun WAS shining, and Alex Kelleher and Erik Brennan said their “I do’s” with the brightest of smiles.
The crisp, cool morning celebrations started at the Razmatazz Salon in Mashpee, a stylist’s gem, camouflaged in its classic, Cape shingles. As the bridesmaids and mothers arrived, a sea of fun, pink robes came strolling in. Laughter was everywhere you looked. Bridesmaids were editing speeches, some finishing touches for the deserved bride, as hair and makeup were also fine-tuned until all ladies were feeling their best for the bride. Snacks made their way into the waiting area, nerves and laughter mixed and mingled, and every few minutes, bridesmaids and mothers took turns hugging and smiling with their bride-to-be.
Meanwhile, the gentlemen relaxed at a nearby Cape house to the tunes of beers clinking and dude-laughter. Man, guys really do get a bit more leisure time on the morning of their wedding! Something that always gets me when I’m reviewing photos from the day is how relaxed the groom and his groomsmen get to be, or should I say ‘choose’ to be, on the morning of the big day. We all know they don’t have to put their hair and makeup together, but maybe there can be more relaxing on the morning of the big day for all! Kudos to the groomsmen for inspiring me to get outside and play Kan Jam on my upcoming wedding day.
The father of the bride doubled as a chauffeur all morning and afternoon, and he was ready to help out with anything he could to make the day run smoothly! An excellent reminder that family just rocks, especially Alex and Erik’s family. Everyone hopped onto a school bus, very fitting for our teacher-couple, and headed over to the New Seabury Country Club where the getting ready would continue and speed up!
We entered locker rooms which were fit for a king and a queen, or a bride and groom looking for a place to get ready for their ceremony, only hours away! White walls, floral carpet, and plenty of space for relatives and loved ones to check in from time to time. I was blown away by the support that Alex and Erik received throughout the morning. There really was such a selfless, ‘what can I do for you’, energy that permeated the room. This doesn't always happen!
The gentlemen moved their relaxation-station to their locker room with some card games (and believe-it-or-not, more laughter!) and soon-after began to suit-up, while the ladies jumped into their bridesmaid dresses and gathered up their gorgeously color-coordinated bouquets. Alex gave herself some space to enjoy a special moment with her mother, Anne, during which she put on her meant-to-be bridal gown. The mother of the bride took caution with all of the intricate lace and buttons, and continued with care as she fanned out the cathedral veil and train. The bride requested to have a special reveal with her team of bridesmaids and future mother-in-law. Happy tears filled the room and continued when Alex and her mother took some time to sit in front of a mirror for a special mother-daughter moment that is also beautifully captured in a keepsake photo with Alex's grandmother and great grandmother dawning the same pose.
All of this attention to detail is most certainly the mark of a teacher-bride: the pearls, the lace clutch, the multiple pairs of bridal shoes, a nautical touch on the invitations. As we wrapped up our photoshoot downstairs, the groomsmen worked upstairs with photographer-Alex to fasten their boutonnieres. (At this point in our wedding photography careers, I will say that I think photographer-Alex has become a semi-expert on this skill.) As guests coming into the venue caught a glimpse of the groomsmen’s matching socks and spirits, Erik was daydreaming of his bride (and I’m pretty sure he was also daydreaming about the golf cart adventure after the ceremony).
Alex followed her glowing parents up the stairs to join her bridesmaids, lined up for the ceremony. Music started to play, and the bride and her parents, one on each arm, entered the sunlit room to see guests also aglow with excitement. It’s always fun to see the groom waiting patiently for his partner, and boy, are we glad we snagged some images of the first look he had of his bride. Erik was beaming! Alex looked so ready! The ceremony began as the mother of the bride greeted all of the guests and started to share her hand-crafted, heartfelt ceremony.
Family and friends were invited to sing special songs dedicated to the bride and groom. Family members, who live on in the hearts of the bride and groom, were honored with memorable items, an item or two, unique to each individual, sparking joy and remembrance. Family members gave blessings and shared readings. Thematically appropriate, family was certainly at the center of this couple’s ceremony, and it made the exchanging of the rings and the vows even more special than we imagined! The love, from the bride and groom’s family members, that built-up over that ceremony felt like it was practically lifting Alex and Erik out of the ceremony space and into their new chapter together as wife and husband!
Alright, TIME FOR THE GOLF CARTS!! We were lucky enough to head straight to an army of forest green golf carts that would caravan us down to the (rather chilly) beach for wedding party and family photos. I have to admit that this was probably my most thrilling photography adventure yet. Since there wasn’t enough room for me to sit in one of the golf carts, I had the fortunate and adventurous chance to cling (for dear life) to the back of photographer-Alex’s golf cart while shooting photos of the entire wedding party that trailed close behind! IT WAS AWESOME. I would have photographed their wedding just to experience this hilarious moment.
The cold and windy weather had us all questioning our drive to the beach. Extreme golf-cart joy quickly shifted to, “How much longer do we have to stay down here for photos?!” But…let me tell you folks, it was worth it. I kept claiming to all of our photo models that they “didn’t look cold at all!”, and I think these photos prove that ambitious statement. I’d also like to take a moment to give a personal shout-out to the bride’s cousin, Megan, who has successfully assisted us (as a bridesmaid) for TWO Lake Love weddings. She made our day easier, and she is a personal rockstar. Thanks, Megan!
When I announced that we were all set with beach photos, I have never seen people run so quickly to golf carts! We zipped back up to cocktail hour to snag some photos of the decor in the reception space and reception intros were nearly minutes later!
The first dance as newlyweds was danced to their romantic tune of choice, surrounded by their wedding party on the dance floor. Shortly after, guests took their seats and listened to heartfelt toasts from family, friends, and the sweetest cousins that had us all teary-eyed. Three parent dances ensued and I was crying quite a bit, behind my camera lens, during the mother-daughter dance. There is something so special about a mother-daughter bond that is inexplicable and truly beautiful. It was one of my favorite moments of the day. (Shout out to Anne, mother of the bride! Happy Mother’s Day!) With a tall order of family photos, we were extremely impressed with this group’s ability to gather for photos on the dance floor. The coordination required to get this next photo is noteworthy- a tribute to Alex's grandfather, Grandpa McDowell, who used to carry around these infamous red noses to brighten everybody's day!
Everyone was eager to dance as the reception continued, and the DJ began mixing all of the bride and groom’s favorite tunes, old and new. Cookies with nautical shapes of sharks, lighthouses, sailboats, and more were spread across the dessert table, while coffee and assorted specialty cupcakes just seemed to appear out of nowhere to keep the party going! I admit to following Alex around for the last thirty minutes of her wedding day in an effort to round up some family for a few last minute photos before we headed home, and it seemed like all the guests had the same idea! I always love to see the bride and groom become instant celebrities on the day of their wedding and the pictures that result are just fantastic. I personally think teachers should be treated like celebrities on a regular basis, but Alex and Erik know that!
The new, Mr. & Mrs. Brennan provided a Spring-time, Cape escape for all of their family and friends. We witnessed the smiles, the kind you can't quite wipe off your face, when the guests reluctantly walked away from the evening of celebration. If I had to guess, I'd say that Alex and Erik will be smiling for a long time...maybe they're even smiling right now reminiscing about their special day. I think these two newlyweds would tell you that their wedding day was everything they wanted and so much more, and I bet they'd say the same about their love for each other, too.
