Ally & Mark's Maine Wedding at Portland Headlight and Grace Restaurant in Portland
Ally & Mark made one of my dreams come true last weekend. Yes, I know. It was their wedding day. Not mine. But when Ally contacted me 15 months prior to their wedding day almost immediately following their engagement, I jumped up and down in excitement as she told they were hoping to have their reception at Grace Restaurant in Portland, Maine. I'm a huge Grace fan and I've always wanted to capture a wedding there. Flash forward to this past weekend, and they made that dream come true.
And what a day it was! Ally spent the morning at Knaughty Hair getting dolled up with her hair being styled by Liz (amazing work!) before putting on the finishing touches at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Waterfront in Portland. Meanwhile, Mark was spending time with his brothers just a few floors away. With the details put together, it was off on the trolley to the quintessential Maine landmark: Portland Headlight. With the couple choosing Maine for their destination wedding, it was such the perfect spot to tie the knot. Combine that with their spinning pinwheels lining the aisle, the hand fasting ritual they did, and their grandparents serving as the ring bearers and flower girl (SO CUTE!)... it could not have been more perfect.
One of the most awesome aspects of Grace Restaurant is just how darn picturesque it is in that area of Portland never mind the Grace itself. I loved that Ally & Mark planned their timeline such that we were able to explore the area while taking more fun portraits of them with their bridal party and still made it back in time for some of their cocktail hour.
Their reception was held in the totally unique hall in the lower level of Grace Restaurant. The windows, the pillars, the chandeliers... what an awesome space! And then you see the food.... queue the jaw drop. It was so delicious! Then there were lots of laughs and a few tears during the toasts by Ally & Mark's siblings and Ally's dad. Reenactment of that leaping dance move from Dirty Dancing during Ally & Mark's first dance (so awesome!). An incredible unfrosted wedding cake that the bride and her family prepared. And even a surprise from their ladies and guys with a prepared dance off. Needless to say, perfect in every way.
We wrapped up the night watching the sunset over Portland's Back Bay. It was a great way to reflect on the day and how fast the past 15 months have flown by.
Ally & Mark, I hope that your trip home as newlyweds went smoothly. Thank you so much for having me there to capture your day for you. It was such a blast! Here is a sneak peek of all the images you have coming your way.
Date: June 6, 2015 | Getting Ready Location: Courtyard Marriott Downtown Waterfront in Portland, Maine | Ceremony Location: Portland Headlight in Cape Elizabeth, Maine | Reception Location: Grace Restaurant in Portland, Maine | Bridal Boutique: Madeleine's Daughter in Portsmouth, Maine | Caterer: Grace Restaurant in Portland, Maine | Ceremony Music Duo: Harbor Island Duo | Ceremony & Reception Music: The Music Man DJ Service in Kennebunk, Maine | Florist: The Manchester Flower Studio in Manchester, New Hampshire | Officiant: Nick Hammer | Hair & Makeup: Knaughty Hair in Portland, Maine