Christina and Eric’s Summer Wedding at Valley View Farm

Wedding

May 4, 2021

Christina and Eric’s wedding at Valley View Farm is proof that a little bit of rain (or hail!) on your wedding day is okay, and it will still turn out perfect! While the day started out with some rain and wind, we were able to make it work, and the portraits inside the home are some of my favorites I have ever captured! This couple is the real deal. They are funny and down to earth, and respect one another tremendously! They laugh and love BIG and are so much fun to be around. You can see the love and joy in every single picture!

Christina and Eric met in college, and that’s how I also got to know Christina! Back in the day, I was a Higher Education administrator, and Christina and I worked closely together while she was in grad school. We really hit it off, and when she reached out to me several years later to photograph her wedding, I was so incredibly honored.

Summer Wedding at Valley View Farm

They were married on a beautiful July day. We started their day off at the Hotel Northampton with Christina’s amazing group of friends and a rooftop champagne toast. We then headed over to Valley View Farm to meet up with Eric and his groomsmen and to let the girls get themselves ready. I absolutely love shooting at Valley View Farm! It is a historic farm and orchard and has the most incredible barn, called The Yellow Barn. It has 33-foot ceilings and old wooden beams that are just so incredible. Guests are always in awe as they walk around the property.

When it came time for the first look, our plan was to have it out at this beautiful old oak tree on the property. The wedding venue coordinator came to me with a serious look on her face about 5 minutes before and said “It’s going to start pouring in about 4 minutes”. While we were in the upstairs of the house, Eric looked out the window and started laughing, and says “It’s 100% hailing outside right now”. And it was! We couldn’t believe it.

We made the last-minute decision to do the first look on the porch of the old farmhouse they have on the property. As soon as Christina got on the porch, the skies opened up. It wasn’t just rain. It was a DELUGE. Along with 50 mph wind gusts. We realized quickly we couldn’t stay outside, even on a covered porch, and so inside the house we went.

A Beautiful Wedding – Rain or Shine!

Part of my job as a wedding photographer is being able to think on my feet and keep my cool when unexpected things happen (which, there’s always something that comes up). It’s not typically 50 mph winds, rain and hail – but my experience as a photographer, my solid technical skill, and my background in crisis management all set me up really well to be able to professionally handle whatever the day can throw at me. Even some hail!

It’s also important to have a good working relationship with venues and the staff. As a wedding photographer, this is one of my primary focuses and goals! Valley View Farm is one of my favorite places to work and the staff there is the primary reason (aside from the fact that the venue is STUNNING!). They are just wonderful to work with. And Christina and Eric’s wedding day was no exception.

Almost as quickly as the storm arrived, it left, but as we made our way back up to the top of the property, we quickly realized just how much rain had fallen. It had wiped away all of the decorative chalk signs, and there was about an inch of standing water inside the covered pavilion where the ceremony was being held (also where we had to take formal portraits).

The Perfect Wedding Vendor Team

This is where I have to give Valley View Farm a HUGE shoutout. The minute the rain ended, their team was out in full force. They were re-writing all the chalk signs, they were wiping down the benches where the guests were going to sit, they were re-arranging flowers, they were squeege-ing as much water off the floor of the pavilion as possible. And all of this in the 25 minutes we had before the ceremony started. All while trying to stay out of the way of our portraits. They were simply amazing and incredible and relaxed about all of it.

We got the ceremony started (on time!) and enjoyed the rest of our day together. The sun came out and provided the most beautiful golden hour portraits, we used smoke bombs for the first time and really just enjoyed the rest of our time together. A beautiful day for a well-deserving couple. I am so proud to have been part of this incredible wedding day, as well as working with this wonderful venue. Thank you so much, Christina and Eric, for letting me document your beautiful love story!

Summer wedding details Blush bridal bouquet with ring detail Bride and her bridesmaids getting ready at Hotel Northampton Blush, silver and gray bridesmaids dresses Summer wedding in Massachusetts Groom portraits at the bar at Valley View Farm Bride and groom first look at Valley View Farm Bride and groom portraits inside the Valley View Farm Bride in a satin gown with bead detailing from Pearl Bridal Boutique Bride in a satin gown with low back and beading Blush, silver and gray bridesmaids dresses Summer wedding in Massachusetts Grandmothers as flower girls Wedding ceremony at the Pavilion at Valley View Farm Bride and groom with their dog Wedding portraits at Valley View Farm Sunset bride and groom portraits at Valley View Farm