Mixing vintage & western touches for a modern wedding.
When I first met Annie and Zack, we bonded over our shared love for antiques, dogs and Western Americana. Bringing all of these aspects into a New England wedding was made simple by Oakholm Farm Estate in Brookfield, MA. The antique charm and details make you feel as if you’re stepping back in time.
On a phone call during the planning process, Annie had mentioned to me that, “We aren’t sure if we want to do the dip and kiss at the end of the aisle on the way back down after the ceremony. We know that it’s something you’re supposed to do for photos but we aren’t sure.”
As a documentary photographer, I often draw inspiration from the way things were before social media. What photos actually mattered before we thought about plastering them on instagram and looking “perfect”. I push my couples to dig deep and ask themselves these questions as well. To me, a dip and kiss feel performative; the only purpose being to get a “good photo”. To be honest, most of the time the nerves in that moment lead to a more hectic, imperfect dip and kiss – flowers blocking your face, dress trains getting in the way, etc. It feels like a missed opportunity to take in the moment and emotions with your partner in exchange for a photo that rarely goes as planned anyways. The mile wide grins, hand in hand with your partner are more valuable in my opinion, because they’re real.
After having this conversation about the “dip and kiss”, Annie sent me a message that has forever stuck in my heart…
“I found my grandmother’s wedding album while looking for photos for a memory ladder. And my favorite picture of them in this album is them walking down the aisle with these big smiles on their face. And my second thought was you explaining the dip in the aisle how unnatural it can be sometimes. And this picture of my grandmother right here is the photo that you were talking about.”
And so with that, we agreed to take a note from our family members about being present and not putting on a performance. Presence is timeless, and following trends, solely because they’ve become common, takes away from your experience.
Annie brought her family heirloom album to the wedding and allowed me to see some of the analog film photos in real life. And they truly were a time capsule, both for the film format and the perfect presence I strive for on a wedding day. Annie spent some time with the album before the ceremony while I sat quietly in the background, documenting. And the results will forever be some of my favorite moments and photographs.
Getting Ready at Oakholm Farm Estate
The environment was slow, calm and present. First looks with Annie’s dad, with each other, and with their fur baby, Frank. A mix of digital and film photography, to really capture the essense of the vintage details at Oakholm.
Why do a first look?
A first look can be such a beautful thing… but not for the reasons some photographers may tell you. The biggest thing to consider is how you wish to spend your limited time on this one day. If you forgo a first look, your time with your partner will be limited to the few hours you spend at your venue after the ceremony.
If you choose to do a first look, you will be able to spend the majority of the day with your partner and calm so many nerves that you might have if you had to wait all day to see eachother. And from a photo perspective, you’ll be able to get a lot of the “traditional” photos done before the ceremony. Meaning less rush after the ceremony, and getting to be present with your friends and family during cocktail hour.
Antique Wedding Decor & Details
Why Choose Documentary Photography?
Documentary photography prioritizes how something feels over how it looks. Presence, authenticity and people being people – the good stuff.
Annie and Zack truly embraced every piece of the day – the chaos, celebration, unpredictable, disorganized, fleeting, intimate + honest moments.
Elevated Tented Reception Space
Oakholm Farm Estate has one of the most stunning, permanent tented reception spaces that I’ve seen. The chandeliers and tiled floors create an elevated feel compared to temporary tented spaces. String lights can be seen both under the tent, and outside of it. The decor and ambience feels warm and intimate.
Dancing the Night Away
Reception Photography on 35mm Film and Digital
35mm film photography adds such a depth and texture to your wedding gallery that digital just can’t duplicate. The photos are grainy, sometimes blurry and a bit unfocused, but they capture the ambience and feeling in a way that take you right back to that time and feel tangible.
A Wedding Gallery That Will Become a Family Heirloom
At the end of the day, trends will change and social media may not always exist. Rather than revolving your day and decisions around things that will fluctuate, find your roots in what will stand the test of time. Your day can be whatever you want it to be.
Looking for a Massachusetts wedding photographer? I’d love to connect with you.
Vendor Team
Photographer: Megan Niger Photography
Venue: Oakholm Farm Estate
Wedding Dress Shop: Lastrina Girls Bridal Salon
Caterer:B.T.’s Smokehouse
Florist: The Witt Farm
Wedding Cake / Desserts: Publick House Sturbridge
DJ: Champagne Toast DJs
Videographer: Mixing It Up Productions
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