Mandi & Rob (& Madison): French's Point Wedding

Who: Mandi and Rob
What: An elegant pink-and-brown soiree for 100 or so on the Stockton Springs side shores of Penobscot Bay
Where: Waterside ceremony and ballroom reception at the regal Retreat at French's Point in Stockton Springs
When: Saturday, August 1
How: Bride and bridesmaids' dresses from David's Bridal, hair and makeup on-site by the Belfast-based Lisa Nichols Salon, flowers by Jeanne Russell from Island Flowers, candy bar favors from CandyWarehouse.com, cake from Sweet Sensations in Rockport, and ceremony and reception music from DJ Reuben Staton of DJ Dana Lavertu DJ Entertainment.

Why: A native Chicagoan, Mandi was in Maine at her grandfather's funeral when a little girl she'd never met confidently came over and crawled right into her lap. Later in the day, the father of that little girl, who Mandi later learned was named Madison, introduced himself and remarked how out of character it was for his daughter, who wasn't yet two and had a history of being hesitant in approaching adults, to be so bold. And despite the deep hurt of that day, Mandi's heart felt hope when she looked into the sparkling blue eyes of this new man, and watched him delicately and diligently and devotedly dote on his daughter. She felt safe, and though 1200 miles from the place she had spent her entire life, Mandi knew she was home.

Mandi has a quote from Marilyn Monroe in the signature line of every email she sends out that reads "...sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together." Their story that started that day speaks to that, and the main characters are not just Mandi and Rob, but Mandi and Rob and his daughter. Their daughter.

Nine months later, she moved to Maine and last summer, four years after they met, the couple began planning their August 2009 wedding. But the lupus Mandi had been fighting with aggressive chemotherapy treatments since she was nine flared up last fall, and boy, was it mean. And so on a crisp November day, in the living room of the Bangor home they shared, they quietly and intimately were married. When Rob promised her he'd take care of her, in good times and in bad, sickness and health, he knew all that entailed, and he meant it when he said "I will."

Having dreamed of her wedding day since she herself was a little girl, and wanting to share that princess-for-a-day milestone with Madison, Mandi and Rob decided to hold their original wedding ceremony and celebration as planned, and many of the guests never even knew they'd already "officially" been married. "I know weddings are special to everyone," Mandi told me before the wedding. "But this day means even more to us than the average couple, because we weren't really sure if we were ever going to be able to celebrate our love in a traditional way with all our friends and family because of my health."

While perhaps their lives to date hadn't gone as planned, everything about their French's Point wedding day was as intended. Maybe even better.

The bridal suite where the girls got ready overlooked the ceremony site and a brilliantly blue Penobscot Bay behind it. What a view!


To provide Mandi some peace during her preparations, her hair was styled behind a screen. I was back there photographing her, but couldn't resist peeking through the panels to shoot this bridesmaid during her own preparations. Sneaky, sneaky.


I can't help but notice the bride's hands as she is undergoing the long preparations process. Mandi, like many of my brides, was quite fidgety, and she told me she wished she could just hurry up and just see Rob, who'd she'd been apart from all day.


Speaking of Rob, she did get to speak with him by phone. I love this image because it captures the multitasking often needed in the final hours to get everyone and everything where it needs to be.


Unfortunately, during that call, Rob informed Mandi that her father, who flies for fun and had flown in from Chicago on his plane for the wedding weekend, wasn't yet back to the hotel following his ride around the region. Mandi's reaction to her mother's reaction to that news (it went something like "If he's late, I am going to...") was priceless. Luckily (for him!) he arrived at the wedding with time to spare.


Madison, who was so central to Mandi and Rob meeting, made a most beautiful flower girl.


She paired perfectly with Mandi, who could be a bridal model. So stunning, inside and out.


I loved her flowers. I can almost still smell them looking at this image.


The regally restored retreat makes for such a dramatic background for the bride and her father to begin their long walk down to the gazebo on the water's edge.




It was such an awesome August day, a great kickoff to what, for the most part, has been a most idyllic month in Maine weather-wise, albeit a bit warm.


Married!


And I love this shot taken from a slightly different angle because you can see Madison following close behind.


She finally caught up, and together, they receded up the steps.


Their first family portrait.


And the bride and groom.




What most attracted Mandi and Rob to the Retreat at French's Point was that the rolling lawn, complete with two Adirondack chairs overlooking the seascape, was an almost identical view to one in a painting Rob had purchased as a gift for Mandi. They specifically asked for an image of them in these chairs, but in the context of the greater scene.


The tables were tastefully topped with simple pink buds encased in glass vases, and the simplicity of the scene was such a compliment to the graceful architecture of the retreat itself, and view out of the windows that line the reception room.


Even in black and white, the lines of the room make for such a stunning scene.


Mandi's maid of honor, Kelly, was her dearest friend from Chicago and the two were so close they seemed more like sisters than friends. I love how Mandi held her hand tenderly throughout the maid of honor toasts as both struggled to keep from crying.


A different detail shot of the cake, which was fantastic.


After dinner, all the guests headed outside for a group shot. This isn't the tightest portrait I took, but I love how it showcases both the people and the place that made up Mandi and Rob's wedding day.


I also had a few moments with Mandi and Rob and the buttery, setting sun. When Mandi had booked me last August, she'd mentioned how much she loved how I work with negative space, hence the angle of this shot.


Then it was inside for a night of wild dancing. Of course, things began quite calmly with Mandi and Rob's really intimate first dance.


Then a joint father-daughter dance, with Mandi and her dad, and Rob and Madison, who perched on her father's feet. So cute!


And then the dance floor just erupted. If I had to select one shot to capture the chaos and fun, this would be it, but do watch the couple's slideshow to see more of the shenanigans.


As an aside, this was my first time shooting at the Retreat at French's Point, though I've spent many days on Penobscot Bay, sailing with my dad or alongside the harbor in neighboring Belfast, where my dad lived for several years and still owns a home. What I always find so striking about this area is how dramatically the light changes throughout the day, and this awesomeness was only amplified on such a clear and sunkissed Saturday as this one. For fun, here is a look at how the light on the ceremony site evolved through the day, and night.











Madison, Mandi and Rob, I am so happy to finally celebrate your secret and couldn't be happier that you all have found each other. What a beautiful family you make, and your already confirmed commitment to each other shows that you together, you can combat any of the challenges that confront you, especially the first grade ;)