"As we approach the one year anniversary of our wedding on May 22, 2021, we’ve been able to reflect on the magical weekend that took place at Lion Rock Farm in Sharon, Connecticut. Nearly two years of planning came to fruition and the entire weekend was truly unforgettable, in the most perfect setting we could’ve ever imagined. Every facet of the event, from rehearsal, to ceremony and reception, to the brunch the next morning was absolutely perfect, and we are so grateful for all the people who worked tirelessly to make our dream wedding come true.

We found each other in 2017 at difficult times in our lives, as we began our recovery from alcoholism and addiction. All the ups and downs, friends who have come and gone, families who have gone through the wringer, all led us to that moment on May 22nd, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way. With our two year old niece Zoey leading the way as flower girl and our dear friend and ordained minister Duane conducting the ceremony, we walked the aisle and found each other hand in hand taking vows that we never thought would be possible for two people like us. As Duane asked us mid-ceremony to look out into the crowd and see the smiling faces of our dearest friends and loving families, we were overcome with emotion. And as we walked back up the aisle for the first time as husband and wife while the sounds of Talking Heads’ “Naive Melody” played in the background so perfectly singing “Home, is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there”, we began this new chapter in our lives.

Capping the night was a sunset for the ages, as the sky lit up red and orange and pink providing a breathtaking array of pictures that our amazing photographer Dave Noonan was able to capture. Dave harnessed the emotion, the tears of joy and gratitude, and the incredible setting with such professionalism and mindfulness, we are so grateful for him and couldn’t have asked for a better man to provide us with photos of the best day of our lives."

-Kari & Jesse

Photographer: Dave Noonan

Wedding Planner: SHG Event Planning

Caterer: Hunt & Harvest

Florals: Country Gardeners Florist

Hair + Makeup: Simply Gorgeous by Erin

Venue: Lion Rock Farm

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My favorite part of being a wedding photographer is finding the moments in between.  These moments, unplanned and filled with authenticity, tend to tell the larger story that is often unseen.  I search for these evocative moments at every wedding.  Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, always 100% real moments.

Enjoy a few images I've collected of these candid moments.

Social Distancing Weddings, Micro-Weddings, and the emergence of the “Marry Now, Party Later” movement are here and they are here to stay for a while with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  Many couples are choosing to keep their original wedding dates for an intimate ceremony and portrait session with their closest friends and families, all while staying within their local guidelines.  Adapting with technology, brides and Grooms are using Zoom to welcome virtual guests and it’s pretty inspiring.  All in all, these weddings are exactly what we need right now.  More of what matters, and less of the noise that a large wedding often carries with it.

Taylor and Ben kept their original date and opted to have a small backyard ceremony with their loved ones.  Next year, they will have a reception at their original venue with all of their guests in attendance.  Taylor explains exactly how she planned for her micro-wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic and the seemingly daily changing rules and guidelines.

“While it was disheartening, making the final decision felt so, so relieving. It was the hardest decision but a huge weight was lifted afterwards. One of the challenges was definitely letting all of our guests know but with the help of family, we made it work. Choosing who would be at the ceremony was actually an easy decision for us. It was immediate family, parents and siblings. I’m extremely close to my entire family but for us, knowing we needed to keep it small, we knew we just wanted parents and siblings." -Taylor

Taylor's Dad, who lives in California, has been battling some serious health issues during the wedding planning and it was heartbreaking that he may not be able to travel for the wedding.  Technology, and more specifically the Zoom app allowed him to attend and it was very emotional moment when he saw his daughter in her dress for the first time. 

Taylor goes on to say "During the planning process, and the months leading up to the wedding (even before it was postponed), this was always a difficult topic of discussion. Of course I wanted him here more than anything but given his health, the virus, and his upcoming surgery, we knew it wasn’t safe. Having him on zoom actually ended up being even more meaningful to me because a few months ago, I didn’t even think he’d be alive to see me on my wedding day so seeing him on an iPad was a miracle. He still got to see his little girl dressed up and that’s all I could ask for. "

"Now thinking to next year, it’s hard for me to imagine beating this day. I know we will be so busy but it’ll still be amazing. We plan to do the ceremony again and then just a fun reception with all the traditional wedding activities. Challenges of course will just be planning the wedding sort of all over again but I’m up for that challenge. It’s also exciting knowing we will be celebrating twice!" -Taylor

"While it wasn’t what we planned, it was honestly more than I could’ve dreamt. I spent so much quality time with my immediate family that I know I wouldn’t have been able to if we had our big wedding. After our first dance, we ate some pizza, drank some margaritas and sat around the fire- what more could I have wanted? This situation was the greatest blessing we were given. This wedding will forever be the most magical day of our lives. There’s always a silver lining to any situation. Our wedding day was even more than that, it was best day of my life with the most important people." -Taylor

"All of our vendors were absolutely amazing and great to work with. However, our venue wasn’t willing to refund our deposit which really made the decision for us to have the wedding again next year.  But In general, all of our vendors were awesome and so willing to work with us." -Taylor

After the intimate ceremony, some of Taylor and Ben's friends arrived and formed a large social distancing circle and welcomed the new couple for their first dance. It was really something to see. 

Oh yeah, Father/Daughter Zoom Portraits are now a thing!

I hope this blog helps couples looking to still have their dream wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic.  There are options, don't be afraid to explore and create your own new traditions.

We will never charge you a fee to move your wedding date due to these types of issues. For booking and inquires: www.modernfotographic.com

Photography: Dave Noonan

Wooden Flowers: Wood And Word Blooms

Future Wedding Reception Planner: EngagedCT

Future Wedding Reception Venue: Talcott Hill Estates

Officiant: - Libby, Taylor's best friend

Eliza + Christian

Venue: The Surf Club

Photography: Dave Noonan

When James and Jennifer asked to hire me to photograph their destination wedding in The Dominican Republic, I was ecstatic.  How could I refuse going to a tropical island in December on my birthday week?  The main reason they booked me was for my in depth knowledge of / and use of lighting as their wedding would be taking place at sunset and the majority of the activities were going to be after dark.  Thankfully, I have lights and will travel! We had the best time with their closest family and friends and I loved working with every single one of them.  I could go on and on all day about this wedding but I'll just let the images tell the story.

Love what you saw?   Leave a comment and share the love!  Want to work with me? Click here