Selina & Rob’s Cape Cod Elopement Was Made for Magazines
SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS & BEYOND
How do I count the ways in which Selina and Rob’s Martha’s Vineyard elopement was one of the most incredible weddings I have shot…ever? I had an absolute blast exploring Martha’s Vineyard with them, I teared up during their ceremony, and I laughed with and celebrated with their friends. By the end of their unreal two-day wedding experience, I walked away feeling like a close friend of theirs. I love all the couples I work with for such a wide variety of reasons, but I never expect them to make me feel like I’ve known them for years. For these two, it was effortless, and I know this isn’t about me, but I can’t tell you how special and lucky it made me feel to be the one chosen to tell the visual story of their day. So to Selina and Rob, THANK YOU! You deserve all the happiness in the world.
Their two-day adventure started with alpacas! Rob organized a special surprise for Selina, who loves animals. They enjoyed their own private alpaca walk and we pet and enjoyed these incredible animals. Such a fun and light-hearted way to start off the day. After the alpacas, we made our way to the famous “Jaws” bridge for some more goofing around, before heading to Edgartown Lighthouse Beach, one of the most scenic lighthouse spots I’ve seen. The flowers were in bloom and everything smelled like roses. It was so fun to explore this area with these two. After a quick game of “who can skip the rock the farthest” (Spoiler: Selina) we started our hike back so we could stop in and check out the ceremony site for the next day- Lambert’s Cove Beach. A little exploration and planning where the ceremony would be the next day and we made our way to our final spot for the day, the incredible Aquinnah Beach and Cliffs. They were up for a looooong walk and the tide was right so we walked on the beach all the way to the lighthouse. The further you get from the trail down to the beach here the more seclusion you find. Just be careful because there are a couple of spots that if the tide comes in while you are walking can trap you there until the tide goes back out as the water reaches the cliffs. There is seriously every color of cliff you could imagine here- from gold, orange, red, yellow, purple, place, white, and light blue. Aquinnah is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and natural serenity, as well as its historical importance to the native Wampanoag people. They danced and romped and even galavanted through the water and along the beach. We watched the sunset from above the cliffs and had a beautiful view of Gay Head Light and wrapped up our first evening together. They were covered in sand and couldn’t be happier as we ate lobster rolls and watched all the light fade from the sky.
The next day was their actual ceremony day and friends and family came in from the mainland in order to celebrate their union. They got ready at the same location their celebration would later take place. A gorgeous rented house with a stunning backyard surrounded by trees and fields. After the “first look” we headed out Lambert’s Cove. Family and friends enjoyed about a half-mile stroll through the sand to get to their ceremony spot. It was a warm day, but the breeze coming off the water felt nice and comfortable. One of my favorite moments of the ceremony aside from their vows was after Selina walked down the sand “aisle” and took her place beside Rob. Their pup, Brembo, saw his parents and took his rightful place directly on Selina’s train. This garnered laughs and applause from all attendees and he stayed there for the remainder of the ceremony until Selina had to walk back down the “aisle” and officiant/best friend Kate had to urge him off of her gown.
We all headed back to the house for formal photos, cocktails, and appetizers while the catering team got to work on the main courses. Lawn games and sparklers kept the kids entertained and the atmosphere was joyful and relaxed. As the sun sank low in the sky toasts were made, more joy shared, and more love felt by everyone in attendance. We ended the evening with the cake cutting and the stars coming out. It was the perfect end to a perfect summer day and the most beautiful wedding on Martha’s Vineyard.
From the couple…
“My now husband and I used Kat from Swell and Stone as our photographer for our small wedding. What an amazing experience we had with her. We can’t recommend her enough. You don’t realize how important it is to be comfortable with your photographer because it shows in your photos!!!
If I could give people any advice from our experience it would be to consider taking photos over two days or more. The reason why is because the whole actual wedding day can be very stiff and more traditional. We spent the first day exploring Martha’s Vineyard island. We took photos all over the island which is what my husband and I are more about. We are the outdoors and adventurer type. This also allowed us to get more comfortable with having photos taken and act like ourselves in front of the camera.
We planned our second day (wedding ceremony) to be more traditional. We had family and friends join us for the ceremony. By day two I was used to Kat being around but I also knew how to pose and move better for the camera. On your wedding day you want a really easy breezy experience. That is what Kat gave us.
In the end my photos are amazing - Better than I could have ever envisioned. Kat is a gem in the wedding photographer world.”
