Who: Sandra and Kendall
What: A family-focused rustically elegant barn wedding for 130.
Where: Ceremony at the intimate Buckfield Community Church in Buckfield and celebration at a private residence, the groom's apple orchard (Cooper Brothers), also in Buckfield.
When: Saturday, October 18, 2008
How: Bridal party hair and makeup at the cozy Cloud 9 Day Spa in Lewiston; wedding gown and veil online through the Bridal Warehouse; bridesmaids dresses through David's Bridal; wedding and groom's cake from the decadent New England Couture Cakes in South Portland; and dirty dancing inspired by the Veggies, a Lewiston-based band that knows how to keep a party going.
Why: The call came early last spring. Through a thick Texas twang, Sandie told me she was a grandmother, divorced for 20 years and until recently, had no intention of ever getting married again. Ever. A traveling nurse, she was talking to me by cell phone on the way to her latest post at a hospital in Massachusetts. Through static and several tolls, we chatted and laughed (Sandie makes you do that!) and I learned how while fulfilling a contract at Central Maine Med's new heart center a few years ago, Sandie had been invited by a co-worker to a local backyard bbq. She was caked in mud from her first Maine ATV adventure and wearing high heels when she was introduced to Kendall, a tall handsome Maine farmer who unbeknownst to Sandie, had been invited to the party for the sole purpose of being introduced to her. "You just have to meet this woman," Kendall had been told by his friend Bob, who was married to Sandie's coworker.
Bob was right and after several years, and several proposals, on a beach in Malibu, Sandie finally agreed to move to a rural Maine farm and spend the rest of her life with Kendall. And the woman who swore she'd never marry again eagerly said yes with only one condition: that they could winter in Texas! "We are in the prime of our lives with the love of our lives," says Sandie.
Given that Sandie's work keeps her on the road, we hadn't had a chance to meet in person before the wedding. All I knew was that she was a grandmother whose grandchildren would be her attendants, that she was unphotogenic (her words, definitely not mine) and that she was marrying a farmer. And so, I admittedly expected something more American Gothic than blonde bombshell. And I am not just talking about her looks! Sandie is smart (she was supposed to sit for the bar in California the week of her wedding) and sassy and fun as fun gets. And Kendall is her perfect match- handsome and humble and hard working. It was an honor to sign the marriage license (they asked me to sign off as one of their witnesses) of two people who are so vibrant and clearly in love. Their wedding was one full of firsts for me (for example, first time a bridesmaid lost a tooth the night before the wedding and was thrilled about it) and was such a memorable way to end my season!
Our day started at the day spa in Lewiston where Sandie, her daughters and their daughters had a girls day out with mani's, pedi's, hair and even makeup.
Sandie's granddaughter really enjoyed the pedicure tub.
Usually, it's the mother helping their daughter into the dress, but Sandie was aided by her daughter and daughter-in-law. I think this images really reflects the day, the bride surrounded by family photos, while her daughter-in-law can be seen in the mirror lacing up the back of the gown. A nice quiet moment.
A final spritz before heading out.
Sandie got a huge kick out of the name of the perfume from Victoria's Secret her maid of honor, who just happened to be her 14-year-old granddaughter, had picked out for the bridal party to wear. I must admit, it did smell good.
The bridal party included Sandie's grandchilren two granddaughters and her new granddaughter-in-law (at center, who lost a tooth the night before the wedding). I thought that was such a smart way to make a potentially overwhelming day for the little ones incredibly meaningful and celebratory.
Sandie often takes her grandchildren to their sporting events or afterschool activities, where she's known as the "hot granny." I bet you can see why! But what impressed me most about Sandie was her strength in raising five children, all who have gone on to be public servants (teachers, EMTs, crime scene investigators), on her own.
Such beautiful buttery light.
When Sandie is in, she is all in (I think it's a Texas thing)! So when she finally decided to remarry, she wanted it to be the total fairytale dream wedding, complete with a horsedrawn carriage to take her to her Prince Charming. As a result, she wanted very romantic imagery, that truly captured her and Kendall's connection. To my delight, they agreed to do these images before the evening ceremony, after we did four-generations of family formals. Once everyone left and I stepped back, it didn't take long for Sandie and Kendall to get lost in each other.
Prior to the ceremony, the flower girl was a little fussy so we were all wondering how her walk down the aisle was going to play out. All was going well, until about halfway down the aisle, she froze sensing all the eyes upon her and then bolted down the aisle (luckily in the right direction) toward her mom. Hysterical!
Sandie is so captivating, so just draws you in the second she walks into a room. So that makes the way she looks up at Kendall all the more adorable. This is the same church where Kendall's parents and his son were married.
Gotta love the best man's face during the ring exchange.
So happy!
Exiting the church (after the groom's son drove back to his house to retrieve the marriage license Sandi had left there in her purse).
Kendall and his brother run an apple orchard that has been in the family for generations; Cooper Brothers apples are sold at Shaws, Trader Joes and Hannafords around the northeast. As a result, the groom's cake, which Sandie worked with New England Couture Cakes to design, was so fitting! It looks like an apple box heaping with apples, but it's actually all edible (even the leaves), and each apple color is a different kind of cake. What a fun idea!
The evening's events were held in a 200-year-old barn that the groom had worked to renovate for the reception. The autumn air left the barn a bit chilly though, so party-goers were eager to start dancing to warm up.
The bride's son and a stylist from the spa where the girls got ready. Too bad he lives in Texas!
Then he took his mom for a spin around the dance floor.
And then things got really wild!
Sandie and Kendall, thank you so much for honoring me with the privilege of photographing such a meaningful day in the history of your two families. Your devotion to each other and your families and your obvious affection for life is infectious, and I wish you both a world of happiness together, knowing that you've already found it.
