The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake Standish Maine Wedding | Paige & Miah
The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake Standish Maine Wedding | Paige & Miah

Paige and Miah were married on June 9th, 2018 in Standish, Maine. They both got ready at Paige’s parent’s house, which was at a beautiful location overlooking Sebago Lake. The couple shared a small private wedding ceremony on the deck, which overlooked the lake and set a perfect backdrop for them to exchange their vows.

Following the ceremony, Paige and Miah had their wedding reception at The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. The barn is one of many locations on the Saint Joseph’s College property where couples can celebrate their marriage. The venue space was so beautifully decorated! Reception tables were adorned with lace table runners, elegant China plates, crystal vases with exquisite floral arrangements and adorable wedding favors such as small seed packets and little honey jars.

The couple shared their first dance and were soon joined on the dance floor by their friends and family. They then received two heartfelt toasts and speeches from the Maid of Honor and Best Man. For dinner, guests enjoyed clam chowder, marinated steak tips, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and mixed summer vegetables. After dinner, Paige and her father shared a father-daughter dance inside the barn.

After Paige and Miah cut their wedding cake, open dancing began under the tent. That’s when we took the couple out to the college’s lakefront for a few spectacular sunset portraits. When the couple returned to their reception, they spent the rest of their evening celebrating their marriage with their closest family and friends. It was such a lovely day filled with love, laughter and beautiful details and I’m so honored to have been part of Paige and Miah’s special day.

 

Wedding Vendors:

Venue, Catering, Planning and Coordinating: The Stone Barn at Sebago Lake

Officiant: Debra Wentworth

Second Photographer: Monica Brown Photography

Music: DJ Tommy Blaze Entertainment

Florist: Studio Flora

Cake: Bear Brook Bakery

Hair: Chic Boutique

Wedding Dress: Madeline’s Daughter

Rings: Days Jewelers and Windham Jewelers

 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
The Barn at Flanagan Farm Buxton Maine Wedding | Ellen & Tim
The Barn at Flanagan Farm Buxton Maine Wedding | Ellen & Tim

I was thrilled when Ellen and Tim reached out to me to photograph their May 19th, 2018 wedding at the Barn at Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine. Barn weddings have become increasingly popular in recent years and I have always wanted to photograph a wedding there.

The day of the wedding, it began raining just before the ceremony. I’m glad that didn’t deter Ellen and Tim from exchanging their vows outside. We made use of adorable clear umbrellas for their bride and groom portraits. All in all, everything worked out so well and the couple had a wonderful day celebrating their love with their closest family and friends.

I asked Ellen to tell me a little more about her special day:

How did you envision your wedding being prior to planning? 

I honestly didn't have a huge vision. Just knew I would wear my mom’s dress and thought we would be on Sebago Lake. Once we chose The Barn at Flanagan Farm as our venue, I had a vision of simple and elegant - outdoor ceremony and the barn for the reception. The venue exceeded my expectations. It was perfect beyond words. We were able to move in Thursday and get the whole Barn ready for Saturday. There is a second barn on the property that we had our rehearsal dinner in, followed by a fire with our family and wedding party.

What was your color palette and your style vision? 

My bridesmaids were in a champagne/peach color. It was a two piece dress that gave a bohemian touch which is exactly what I wanted. They had small cap sleeves which also matched my dress. Tim and his groomsmen were in navy suits that were "slim" fit with matching champagne ties, white shirts, brown belts and brown shoes. They all looked handsome. 

What is your favorite moment of your wedding day? 

My favorite moment was our first dance. We hadn't spent much time practicing but the song has been a favorite of both of ours from the beginning of our relationship. It’s upbeat and the crowd got into it — clapping and cheering us on. It felt like we were dancing to our future. 

What song did you do your first dance to? 

Ho Hey by the Lumineers

Tell us about your flowers, your gown, your favors, your cake, etc.

My flowers were from Maine Street Florist in Buxton. The owner, Janet, put together greenery and white flowers to match my vision of simple with an earthy tone. My dress was very special. It was my mother’s dress that she married my dad in. I took it to Maria Antonieta in Portland to have restorations done. There, she made my cap sleeves and altered the neck line and opened up the back with a tear drop but for the most part, I kept the dress the same. We chose to not do a cake because neither my husband nor I care for it. Instead, we had a close family friend make fudge for our guests as their dessert. It was a total hit! 

What advice would you give to couples who are currently planning their wedding? 

Be present in the moment. I don't think I even listened to the ceremony but I can still feel holding my husband’s hands and looking into his eyes. I also recommend saying thank you and hello to your guests while dinner is being served. It was a great opportunity for us to see everyone who made the effort to come celebrate with us.

My last advice would be to have a person who is not in the wedding party but who you can trust to do small, last minute duties! My dear friend from college ended up pressing play and pause for our ceremony music as our DJ did not have the correct versions. It was a last minute panic that she saved the day with! Have a go-to gal — it's so worth it. 

Wedding Vendors:

Photography: Trina Dinnar Photography

Venue: The Barn at Flanagan Farm

Flowers: Maine Street Florist

Bridal Gown Alterations: Maria Antonieta Bridal

Bridesmaid's Dresses: Andrea's Bridal

Men's Attire: Kenneth Cole from Men's Wearhouse

Officiant: Patrick Hoey (Groom's Father)

Rentals: Party Time Rentals, Inc.

Catering: Finest Kind Caterers

 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Lindsey and Chris: Maine Engagement Photography Session
Lindsey and Chris: Maine Engagement Photography Session

After taking a couple months off from shooting, I was really excited about my second engagement photography session this month! Lindsey and Chris contacted me from Massachusetts and were going to be in Maine for a weekend so it was the perfect opportunity to return to one of my favorite coastal Maine locations in Cape Elizabeth.

We were fortunate enough to have a fairly warm day (for a February in New England). Lindsey and Chris brought along their adorable Goldendoodle, Leo, who seemed to really love being in front of the camera!

Here’s my interview with Lindsey:

How did you two meet?

We both went to college at Northeastern in Boston and had a few mutual friends, however, we were simply acquaintances at that time and crossed paths only a handful of times.  Fast forward nearly 10 years, and although we hadn't been in touch, we still shared a few mutual friends.  One friend in particular is one of Chris's best hometown friends, and one of my best friends from college.  She was close to both Chris and I as we were coincidentally going through cancellations of previous engagements/weddings.  She filled us each in on what was happening in both of our lives, and it wasn't long after that we were set up to go on a date.  It didn't take us long to know that we were meant to be!   

What did you do on your first date?

We went out to a nice dinner, caught up on the last 10 years of our lives, and reminisced about times that we were at the same parties and events in college.  We even stumbled upon an old photo on Facebook of us posing together years ago that neither of us had known about.

When and where did you get engaged? Tell us about the proposal.

Chris planned a great surprise and included my family and young nieces and nephews in on it.  Two days before Christmas, we went to Maine to visit family at my sister’s house and they told Chris and I that the kids had planned a scavenger hunt to give us our gift.  We had done something similar for the kids when they visited us, and they had wanted to do one for us.  They all fooled me!  At the end of the Christmas scavenger hunt, Chris pulled out the ring and took a knee for a very sweet proposal with my family all around. 

What are some common interests or activities you enjoy doing together?

We love planning and working on home and outdoor renovation projects together, playing with our sweet goldendoodle pup Leo, traveling, working out, and spending time with family and friends.

Tell us about your wedding plans. When and where it will take place?

We will be getting married in August of this year in Portland, Maine with a small group of close friends and family.  We are planning an outdoor ceremony followed by a dinner and party to celebrate.  

Winter Beach Maine Engagement

 

 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Kimberly and Eli's Ice's Castle's Engagement Session
Kimberly and Eli's Ice's Castle's Engagement Session

When I found out that my cousin, Kimberly got engaged, I was THRILLED! Since it had been two years since my last visit to the Ice Castles in Linclon, NH, it was the perfect opportunity to revisit one of my favorite places and capture this special time in their relationship.

When February 11th came, I was initially worried about the rain. Though it continued to rain throughout the day, Kimberly and Eli were troopers, spending the entire shoot outside and making memories!

 

Here's my Q&A with Kimberly:

How did you two meet?

We met through mutual friends of ours, and were surprised that we hadn’t met sooner because we knew so many of the same people! 

What was your first date?

Our first official date was at a restaurant in Portland called the Green Elephant; my favorite restaurant! 

When and where did you get engaged? Tell us about the proposal.

We got engaged at the botanical gardens in Boothbay during Christmas time (December 9th) when they had Gardens Aglow, and the lights were beautiful. He brought me there during a snow storm, and the snow made everything feel even more magical. He arranged for someone with a camera to come and meet us there, so I thought the surprise was that we were going to have some pictures taken. And in the middle of taking pictures, he got down on one knee! He couldn’t have possibly made it more perfect than it was. 

What are some common interests or activities you enjoy doing together?

We are very different people, which keeps the relationship fun and exciting. However, we do have some important things in common. We both value spending time with our families. And we LOVE spending time with our dog. 

Tell us about your wedding plans. Any thoughts as to when and where it will take place?

For our wedding, we are thinking August of 2019! We do want to stay local so that all of our friends and family can be there. We don’t want anything too big because want to be able to focus on each other and truly enjoy the best day of our lives! 

 

Thanks so much, Kimberly and Eli for embarking on this fun adventure!

 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography
Berry Manor Inn Rockland Maine Elopement | Denise and Matthew
Berry Manor Inn Rockland Maine Elopement | Denise and Matthew

Denise and Matthew traveled all the way from Texas to the Berry Manor Inn in Rockland Maine to exchange their wedding vows on October 28th, 2017. They had a beautiful ceremony inside of the Rockland Talbot House followed by portraits on the grounds of the inn. Named as one the top Bed and Breakfast’s in the United States, Berry Manor Inn lends its guests a historic glimpse into the Victorian era. Combine the beauty and charm of the inn with the fall foliage in full peak and this Rockland location was the perfect place for a small intimate fall elopement.

Here’s my Q & A with Denise:

How did you two meet?

We actually met at my brother’s wedding. The maid of honor to my sister in law is Matthew’s sister! He was there helping babysit his nephew while his sister did maid of honor duties! I tried to flirt with him but he was in such “uncle” mode (his very first time babysitting alone) he didn’t notice the flirting lol he does however remember everything I wore from the dress rehearsal to the way I did my hair on the wedding day. I ended up adding him on Facebook and we just hit it off so well. I knew very quickly he was the one.

When and where did your engagement take place? Tell us about the proposal.

Our engagement was perfect! We came back from a birthday party about an hour and a half away and I came in the house first and there were rose petals all throughout the house leading to the backyard where I walked through an aisle of candles to a bush that was decorated with roses and floating candles. As I walked out there he was right behind me and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I of course said yes! He chose that spot because it was actually the spot where we shared that we were pregnant with both of our parents.

How did you envision your special day being prior to planning?

Growing up I had always envisioned the big wedding big dress I even had Pinterest board. But when we visited Maine about a year ago. We both knew we wanted to elope to Maine. I knew I didn’t want the big wedding anymore. We wanted it to be about us and not worry about the stress of planning a wedding. We found Berry Manor Inn in Rockland, Maine and fell in love! They had everything from the officiant to flowers to the wedding cake all planned for us! It was perfect, it was better than my Pinterest board I made years ago!

What is your favorite moment of your special day?

I think we had 2 favorite parts! One was our first look. I had a great time getting ready with my mom and new mother in law. I loved saying our vows and kissing as husband and wife for the first time. But our first look we both agreed was just so special to us. It was just us getting ready to start our new lives together. We got the nerves out of the way and we’re just able to be with each other in that moment. The second, which really didn’t include anything about the wedding was actually after the ceremony and cake. We had about 2 hours before we met our parents for dinner to celebrate. We actually drove up to Camden Hills State Park! We changed into some sweats and heading out there not knowing what to expect. But once we got to the top it took our breath away! We just stayed up there looking at the amazing views and couldn’t get over how amazing our day was!

Tell us about your flowers, your dress, your cake, etc.

My dress is from David’s bridal. I got it about 3 weeks before we got on a flight to Maine! My mom and sister came with me to look and they helped grab random dresses and I think my mom picked out my dress. I remember looking at all the choices before I tried them on and I saw my dress on the hanger and just knew it would be the one. Sure enough I tried it on and it fit perfectly! Although we did have to let it out 2 inches just for the belly to grow! But we ended up getting it and alterations done within 3 weeks! I actually had no idea what my flowers or cake were going to look like! Berry Manor Inn gave us options and basically asked whatever flowers I wanted. I know nothing about flowers! I didn’t even have wedding colors! But Matthews tie had some pink in it so I just asked for blush pink flowers. And they ended up creating my bouquet for me and added matching flowers as a cake topper! Both came out better than I had imagined! I have to give it to Berry Manor Inn for everything they did for us that day! It was amazing! 

Trina DinnarTrina Dinnar Photography