KIND WORDS FROM STORIED FOLK

“Mads!! I am constantly blown away with every aspect & detail of your amazing work. Thank you so much for capturing our day and our love the way you did. You truly helped make our day what it was: PERFECT. You were with us in the intimate moments, kept things running smoothly, & brought so much joy! We had a ton of fun with you. We love you SO much and appreciate you!” // Bridget

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I swear winter has a way of slowing the world down. It has its own rhythm, unfolding gently and quietly, prompting us to move the same. 

As Kevin and Bridget got married in an intimate ceremony at an idyllic winter wedding venue following the first snowfall of the season (how lucky were we!), we found ourselves many moments of seemingly gifted pause under the cover of the pines. 

Moments for Kevin and Bridget to rest in each other’s presence, for Kevin’s hands to find the small of Bridget’s back like they always do. Moments for them to actually be with their family instead of rushing past them on their way to the next something-or-other. Moments for Bridget to notice how Kevin grinned down at her every chance he got and for Kevin to gape at how stunning Bridget looked grinning right back, as her dress brushed along the forest floor.

It’s these moments of pause that make up a life together. What better time to create them than at the start of it?

VENDORS || Venue: Pinewood Weddings and Events | Catering: Winchester and Rye | Hair and Makeup: WarPaint Beauty Agency | DJ: Nora Events | Beverages: Liquidmotion Bartending | Day of Coordinator: Revelyn Minneapolis

Winter Wedding Venue: Pinewood Weddings and Events

Pinewood Weddings and Events has always been one of my favorite venues to capture any wedding, winter or otherwise. But the snowfall that Kevin and Bridget had hoped for, blanketing the brush and boughs, certainly elevated this winter wedding venue to top-tier status.

I mean, the way the snow accentuated the black trim of the winter wedding venue’s A-frame or how it gently grazed the stacks of firewood scattered around the grounds? It doesn’t get any better than that.

Well, until you add the sweetest bride and groom to the place. Then you have some real magic on your hands.

Kevin and Bridget share that best-friend kind of love that everyone hopes to find one day. It’s patient and sweet, filled with Kevin’s energetic antics and Bridget’s soft smile in response to every single one of them.

Ever since they met in college, their relationship has been filled with intention and respect– qualities that you can see in every single photograph. (I’m good with a camera, but I’m not that good— it was ALL them.)

What I can take responsibility for is always, always encouraging my couples to structure their wedding day in a way that gives them everything they want in their photos AND the space to breathe and enjoy what’s most important to them.

In Kevin and Bridget’s case, it was their families.

A Winter Wedding Centered Around Family

Every decision made in this intimate Harbor winter wedding was for the sake of their families. Not for tradition. Not for the aesthetic (whatever that is!). Simply for their families, and their families alone.

That meant surprising both of their fathers with a private toast to their late grandfathers, using both grandpa’s favorite shots. 

It meant honoring the Irish heritage that runs deep through their families, from having an Irish priest preside over their ceremony to ringing the Irish wedding bell that signifies restored harmony in a relationship. (While I know Kevin and Bridget didn’t have anything to do with it, we even got one of those fleeting, without-warning storms that Ireland is known for– rainbow and all. Coincidence? I think not.)

It meant heartfelt speeches that brought tears streaming down every face in attendance, mine included.

It even meant including roses in their reception, because Kevin’s grandfather, father, brother, and now Kevin, give their wives a single rose each and every month of their marriages. (Kevin’s dad hasn’t missed a single month in the forty years he’s been married to Kevin’s mom. Feel free to be as impressed as I am.)

No matter if your family is chosen, adopted, or God-given, carving out the time to be with each other and honor your history is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself on your wedding day.

Kevin and Bridget trusted me completely to craft a timeline and experience that would center around family, making it the thread that wove their winter wedding day into something meaningful beyond measure.

In the end, it’s the moments like these that linger well beyond the wedding day— the pauses, the intentionality, and the deep connection to family.

Kevin and Bridget’s celebration wasn’t just about the stunning snowfall or the perfect winter wedding venue (although those were both magical in their own right). It was about the family that surrounded them, the love they all share, and the memories they created together throughout their wedding day. 

And that, I think, is what makes a winter wedding— or any wedding, really— truly unforgettable.