Rachel and Clay, Midcoast Celebration: The Samoset Resort, Rockport

Who: Rachel and Clay
What: An elegant green-side wedding for 250
Where: Ceremony and celebration at the elegant Samoset Resort in Rockport.
When: Sunday, October 12, 2008
How: Bridal party hair at the Coppola Salon and Day Spa in Rockland; bridal makeup by Jen from the Beauty Mark in South Thomaston; wedding gown from Andrea's Bridal in Portland; and bouquets from Hoboken Gardens, also in Rockport.

Why: Everyone who knows Rachel Mae knows her as "Miller". It's the surname that connects her to the two parents she is so close to, and the lobster pound on Spruce Head where she spent happy childhoods working alongside them. The name and all it represents is so dear to her, that she even had it put on her license plate, right next to the "Eat lobster, wear Grundens" sticker. It was only for Clay, the man who loves her unconditionally and values and respects her family as much as she does, that she was willing to consider taking on a new name and last Sunday, she did.

Whether they are snowmobiling in New Hampshire, playing golf in coastal Maine, or simply hanging out at home, Rachel and Clay are all about having fun, and together, they have the most fun. Their sophisticated but definitely-not-stuffy wedding reflected their love of life, family and a great party! I am so happy for Rachel and Clay and for their families and dear friends. Their tenderness toward each other is so sweet to see. Good luck on the links in Cabo and congratulations on your new home and marriage.


Rachel is an accountant and has been busy prepping returns for the October 15 deadline, so her visit to the hair salon in the morning was one of the first times she's found in months to really sit down and (try to) relax. Magazines proved a nice distraction from those surprising last minute jitters!


As an only child, Rachel and both of her parents are exceptionally close, so it was very meaningful to her mom (center) to spend the day with the girls. I love the way she looks at Rachel as the veil goes on.


The bridesmaids all wore flowers in their hair.


Rachel and her little cousin Jenna simply adore each other and so of course Jenna wanted to wear a crown just like Rachel's.


There was some rather funky light in the suite where the girls got ready, and so I had to get creative in shooting Rachel's makeup application in a way that didn't block the window light from the makeup artist. Luckily, there was a mirror leaning on the windowsill a few feet away and I found the perfect angle in which to shoot this portion of the preparations.


A funny little scene setter.


Rachel's dress detail matched the room's baroque wallpaper almost perfectly.


Nothing beats a beaming bride.


I love this pre-getting into the dress shot as Rachel's mom and maid of honor prep the dress while Rachel buckles her shoes.


There is the moment when the bride sees her groom, and the moment when the groom finally sees his bride. But my favorite of favorite moments, is when they finally get settled in at the alter and really see each other for the first time.


It was such a beautiful fall afternoon, and I can think of few better spots to enjoy it than the lawn at the Samoset with the rolling greens down to the ocean.


The first of many kisses!


I have to thank Angie, one of my all-time best brides, for referring me to Rachel, who was a bridesmaid in Angie's fall wedding last September. Angie is a live Samantha Warren Weddings infomercial, and referred three weddings to me this summer alone. I am so grateful for her support and her friendship.


Rachel really looked amazing! She is always so happy and having so much fun that it's easy to see not only why she has such a large circle of close friends, but also why she caught Clay's eye (I am sure it didn't hurt that she was driving her father's Corvette at the time either).


The flowers really were fantastic and the purples really popped against the green grounds of the resort.


Before the wedding, Rachel had warned me, and I quote, "Clay hates cameras- good luck." But luckily, we had broken the ice with an engagement session last year at the bride's family's lobster pound so Clay seemed to feel pretty comfortable with me and my camera this time around. We even got a few smiles out of him!


As always, after I did the more traditional formals, I told Rachel and Clay to enjoy a few quiet moments together before they entered the reception and I stepped back and documented them together. Rachel quickly settled into Clay's chest, which she proclaimed "her spot".


They both look so blissful!


I told you there was more kissing.


The sunset over the Samoset. Love those cotton candy skies!


Once inside, we found the reception room lit by soft candlelight as guests awaited the wedding party. The first thing I noticed was that yummy looking cake!


Rachel is so expressive, and this is just one of her many faces during the toasts. It's so telling, you don't even need to know what was said to imagine what was said...though I will hint it had something to do with the logic of two teenage girls in deciding to throw a party while their parents were away.


Knowing how close Rachel and her dad were, everyone was prepared for full on waterworks during the father-daughter dance, including me. They held it together for much of the dance, but emotion came over in the end and everyone was left wiping their eyes (seriously- after three years of weddings, you think I'd be better at that).


"Stop right there!" Before you go any further.... you need to know that Rachel loves, love, loves to dance.