What comes to your mind when you think of a fall New England wedding? For me, it’s the crisp Autumn air, the burnt orange leaves falling from the trees, a gorgeous outdoor wedding ceremony under the most magical golden lighting, the fresh breeze, mismatched warm colored bridesmaids dresses and all the red, pink, yellow and orange florals. When I tell you that this wedding had it all, I mean it. But you have to see for yourself…

Peirce Farm at Witch Hill Mansion, wedding venue located in Topsfield, MA

Fall New England Wedding Venue

Pierce Farm at Witch Hill is an elegant Victorian mansion that was restored and turned into a wedding venue about 10 years ago. You probably won’t believe me when I say that this historical property is only located 50 minutes north of Boston in Topsfield, Massachusetts.

The start of it all…

I swear I’m not exaggerating when I say this wedding holds a very special place in my heart and in my career as a wedding photographer. I will never forget the day I received Victoria’s first inquiry about her wedding. The way she described her vision and feels for her big day totally resonated with me and my style! I loved the way she wrote about her fiancé David, and when the three of us met up to chat more about their wedding photography dreams it all clicked immediately. It felt like we had known each other forever and it was evident we were meant to work together.

From here, I not only did their engagement photos but also photographed their wedding and many more memories that came after!

Their wedding day morning

Victoria & David’s wedding was surely one for the books! Their special day was met with blue skies, warm weather and all the good vibes! The day started off early at the bridal suite in the mansion with Victoria and her bridesmaids getting ready together. You could hear from downstairs all the giggles, laughter and of course, Taylor Swift’s music playing in the background.

The Details

I arrived an hour and a half early, as I usually do for weddings, (I’m a bit of a psycho when it comes to being on time) and began photographing the prettiest details! Prior to the wedding, I had asked the couple to gather all of their details in a box for me to photograph at the beginning of their day. I typically ask for all three rings (both wedding bands + engagement ring), formal invitation, save the date, envelopes, seal stamps, any jewelry, shoes, veil, both vow books and any extra florals or greenery!

Getting Ready

The coolest part about Victoria is that she did her own natural looking make-up on her wedding day and it looked absolutely stunning! She opted for a classic half up-half down hairstyle with soft waves.

While the bride and her bridesmaids were getting ready on the second floor of the mansion, downstairs we had the groom and his groomsmen getting ready and also having a good time!

David’s suit is one of my favorite suites I’ve ever seen! I love how he went with an all white jacket, a classic black bow tie and suspenders. This elegant and classy look is unmatched! Also, let’s not forget about the black buttons, they may seem like a small detail but I swear it makes ALL the difference!

Victoria and her mom Nancy looking stunning!!

Satin robes for getting ready is my ultimate favorite for the bride and her bridesmaids!

Victoria and her dad shared THE SWEETEST first look and let me tell ya… it was beyond emotive!!! You can tell by these pictures that this was a very special moment for the two of them! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t drop a tear or two while capturing it. Victoria is the oldest daughter of three girls, making her the first daughter to get married which is always so special for a parent!

Victoria wiping her tears away gets me EVERY.TIME!!!

Another very special moment from this gorgeous wedding was Victoria’s first look with her bridesmaids! The excitement these gals showed when they first saw Victoria in her dress was so refreshing and darling. Their reactions were truly priceless which made this a moment to remember! Also, let’s take a moment to appreciate their mismatched fall colored dresses and how stunning they are!

We recreated the classic high school prom picture and look how cute it turned out! AHH this group of girls was so amazing to work with!

Victoria & David’s First Look

Where do I even begin? Back when Victoria, David and I first toured their wedding venue we talked about where they would be having their first look and we all came up with the untraditional idea of doing it inside the mansion on the stairs! I know, you must be thinking “Whaaaat??”. It’s not common to see first looks done indoors. Most couples choose to do it outdoors and although there’s nothing wrong with that, we all fell in love with the inside of the mansion, especially with this incredible staircase so I wanted to showcase it in their pictures.

Victoria walking down the staircase to reveal for the first time her bridal look to her husband to be.

Personal favorite thing right here: when a groom cries seeing his bride for the first time.

Private Vows

Now this is where this wedding gets really EMOTIONAL. Victoria and David shared with one another the most vulnerable, tender and honest vows I’ve ever heard at a wedding before. I think it’s safe to say we were all crying at this point because of how real and raw their words were.

If I had to choose my favorite part of this wedding it would definitely be this moment. I wish you could have listened to their vows, it was such a gift to get the opportunity to be a part of such a meaningful and intimate moment.

Following their vows reading we headed outside the mansion near the big pine tree where we did some bridal portraits of the two of them. The sunshine was hitting perfectly from behind the trees making for the perfect fall backdrop!

Victoria’s incredible fall bouquet was made by the talented Homegrown Blooms.

Of course we can’t forget about the guys! These dudes nailed their photos and made it such a fun and enjoyable moment!

The Ceremony

Their ceremony took place on the courtyard next to the mansion beneath this beautiful gigantic tree. From this space you get to see the farm grounds of the property which made for the perfect backdrop for their afternoon ceremony.

David carrying his bride while leaving the ceremony is probably the most epic and dramatic exit I’ve ever witnessed and I couldn’t be more obsessed with it!

Sunset Bridal Portraits

Doing Bridal portraits during sunset is something that I do NOT negotiate with my couples and there’s a GOOD reason why I’m so adamant about it. Sunset is the BEST time of the day to get that dreamy, soft, flattering and golden lighting that we all love for portraits! When couples look at my portfolio they notice that all of my photos have that distinct warm, glowy look. This is because I mostly only shoot during golden hour (AKA 1 hour before sunset). The light at this time of the day is nice and soft with a beautiful golden tone, making pictures look romantic and cozy! Therefore, when I’m creating my client’s wedding day timeline I always make sure to reserve at least 30 minutes before sunset to do their bridal portraits. If you’re in the process of planning a wedding and are considering doing it, this is your sign to GO FOR IT. I promise you, you won’t regret it!

Undeniably, the BEST part of having your wedding at Peirce Farm at Witch Hill is that you get to take pictures with their donkeys and you can even pet them over the fence! We lucked out with donkeys, the second Victoria & David got close to the fence they immediately came up to them looking for some pets and of course hoping for a snack!

I will be forever in love with Victoria & David’s sunset bridal portraits. More than anything, I wanted their photos to showcase their affectionate, caring and devoted love for one another. Being in the presence of their love is something magical, it’s unlike anything I’ve felt before. The two of them together AND individually just radiate pure joy, happiness and true love. Their love and they themselves are a GEM that I am so grateful I came across!

The Most Epic and Fun Wedding Reception Ever

Victoria and David’s grand entrance to their Reception at the barn.

Bridal Party Grand Entrances

Victoria & David’s First Dance

Such a memorable first dance!!! Their perfectly choreographed first dance blew everyone away to the point where the crowd couldn’t stop clapping and cheering them on. The energy and excitement during this part of the reception was unreal!!!

Grab tissues because the following photos are so moving!

Time for the CAKE!!!

SURPRISE!!!

David and his darling mom, Susan, performed the funniest, coolest and most legendary surprise dance ever!!! I personally had NO IDEA LOL, that they had this surprise dance planned. Right after they finished their traditional mother-son dance we all thought that was the end until we noticed David theatrically slowly taking his jacket off, that’s when we knew something GOOD was coming. You have to see it for yourself…

I’m sure this special and unique Mother-Son dance meant a lot to the both of them. This hug right here and Susan’s eyes and smile say it all.

GET READY TO PARTYYYY

David & Susan’s impressive performance got all the guests beyond excited to join the dancefloor and show their own dance moves! Here’s where the reception gets REALLY GOOD…

Victoria’s dad, Mark killing it on the dance floor

Are you ready to see the WILDEST dancefloor photos to ever exist?

To wrap up this incredibly bombastic night, Victoria & David shared a one last dance, but this time it was just the two of them, me (their photographer, duh) and the music.

Their special day couldn’t have been more perfect. Specially this last private dance that for sure is unforgettable!

Did you notice Victoria’s phone on the table recording the moment? HOW CUTE!!!

SEND OFF

As everything else, this wedding had to come to an end (unfortunately). I remember wishing “If it could only just last forever”. However, this was a happy ending, but it wasn’t really the end. This was just the beginning of their life together as husband and wife. From here, only better things would come for the two of them. Back on their wedding day, I couldn’t help but having a bittersweet feeling when we were getting close to end the night. At one point during their reception I broke down and tears were rolling down my face as I was expressing to David how grateful and lucky I was to be a part of the most important day of their lives. Despite their wedding day ending and our photographer-client relationship coming to an end as well, they promised this wasn’t the end of our friendship. Hearing those words meant more to me than I could ever be able to explain. They instantly put a smile on my face and made the tears actually worse because I was getting so sentimental. The three of us hugged tightly and continued the celebration.