This wedding was extra special for me to photograph because the bride - who is also named Melanie - and I have been best friends since we were four years old. From the moment Melanie introduced me to her then boyfriend Shane, I had a hunch they would walk down the aisle together; they just seemed to “radiate” happiness when they were around each other.
Spring is the perfect time of year for daffodils, rabbits, and weddings in Rhode Island! Kayleigh and Brian tied the knot at The Chanler at Cliff Walk just as all the florals in Newport were bursting!
It’s not everyday you get to photograph your childhood friends’ wedding… and it’s certainly not everyday you get to photograph part of the wedding at your own parents’ house. For this reason, this wedding was an emotional one to capture. Kristie and I - along with her brother, Scott - grew up together. I was either down at their house or they were up at ours. We spent Saturday nights and holidays together, swam on the same teams, fished our neighborhood creek together, terrorized the neighborhood on bicycles together, and got into good-ole fashion mischief together.
If you live anywhere near the east coast of the USA, then you know Charleston, South Carolina is a hot spot for destination weddings. If you’re familiar with Charleston, then you know Lowndes Grove - is a mecca for destination weddings. We had the pleasure of flying to Charleston from Bermuda to capture the union of Dee & Drew at this amazing venue. Positioned along the Ashley River, Lowndes Grove offers a picture-perfect location for weddings. With a rustic “Lowcountry Vibe” - their wedding day had all the Southern Charm Charleston has to offer.
What you might not know about Charleston is that it’s also a popular musical tour stop for the jam-band, Phish. Big Phish Phans, Dee and Drew planned their wedding day as closely as they could around the band’s Fall Tour Schedule. With this in mind, Dee and Drew opted to tie the knot over Veteran’s Day Weekend so their guests could travel during the three-day holiday weekend. A few short weeks after the wedding, Dee and Drew would be able to kick off their honeymoon in Charleston at Phish’s opening night. Perfect!
With something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in the bride’s shoe - literally - the couple said “We Do” at sunset.
Photography: Fiander Foto
Venue: Lowndes Grove in Charleston, South Carolina
Wedding Planner: Erin Altman of Ooh! Events
Beauty: Ashley Campbell of Vanity Salon Bridal Hair/Make Up
Catering + Bar: Kailin Good of PPHG (Patrick Properties Hospitality Group)
Band: Soul Fish
Florals: Kaitlyn Haas of Out of the Garden
Rentals: Ooh! Events & Snyder Events
Transportation: Lowcountry Valet
I had the absolute pleasure of photographing Janine & Karl’s wedding in Scotland. It’s a bit of a funny story about how the bride and I met and like all good ones, our story starts at a bar. We had just completed a two-day wedding photo workshop - Photography Farm - during which, Janine had stumbled across my Instagram feed. With the workshop coming to a close, all the participants went to a local pub for a “wee dram”. Before we walked in, Janine introduced herself and said, “I’ve seen your portfolio and I’m ready to sign a contract. We’re getting married next May”. Without skipping a beat I said, “I’ll be there”.
Fourteen months later, my husband, Jim, and I flew across the Atlantic from Bermuda to photograph their wedding at Errol Park Estate. When travelling for work, I like to arrive early to do some “location scouting” before the big day - A.K.A. “checking out cool spots for photos”. Upon our arrival, it was clear that we’d have lots to work with at Errol Park; the grounds of the rural estate were pristine with some of the sweetest horses and highland cows you’ve ever seen.
Photographer’s Tip - when possible, photograph the details a day or two before the wedding. This will help to save time on the actual wedding day so the photographer can focus on capturing the couple, their family, and friends during the “getting ready” process. This is what I did for Janine & Karl’s wedding; the bride’s shoes, invitation, rings, and two dresses - one for the ceremony and one for the reception - were photographed the day before. A charming note about the second dress: it was the bride’s grandmother’s wedding dress, who would be in attendance but did not know that her granddaughter would be wearing it. (Keep scrolling to see Janine’s grandmother’s reaction to this surprise.)
With the detail photos being taken early, I was able to focus on the “action” that was going on the morning of their wedding - such as, the hair/make-up process and a few champagne toasts between Janine and her ladies.
Once Janine was in her wedding gown and was holding her stunning bouquet, we took a few moments to capture some solo portraits with classic window lighting. After which, Karl and his groomsmen arrived just in time to pin their buttonholes on. The boutonnières were made of baby’s breath, fern, and thistle - Scotland’s national emblem.
Like any good Scottish wedding, it rained a bit - just a drizzle - but it didn’t slow these guys down from having a bit of fun! Decked out in tweed suits, Karl and his groomsmen were ready for the wedding.
With rain in the forecast, the couple decided to get married on the estate’s grand historic staircase. From a photographer’s standpoint, I was very excited about this “plan b” because to me, the staircase was the “heart” of the venue; a natural location for everyone to come together for the joining of the two families. With the arrival of the guests and the quaich in place - the wedding could begin! Following the bridesmaids and flower girl, Janine was escorted down the stairs by her father. Their celebrant, Lucie Johnson, from The Humanist Society conducted a very touching ceremony; it was hard to keep a dry eye for this one!
The wedding was concluded with a quaich ceremony. For this final portion of the wedding, the quaich - a two handed up - was filled with a bit of Scottish Whiskey and Irish Whiskey. The two whiskeys blended together represented Janine’s family from Scotland and Karl’s from Ireland.
The clouds cleared just in time for bridal party portraits and photos of the bride and groom to be shot outdoors. The freshly fallen rain made the new spring growth appear almost "neon” in colour. The Scottish springtime landscape was certainly “showing off” with everything in bloom from the Daffodils, Wisteria, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons. A more romantic atmosphere could not have been asked for on this wedding day!
Months leading up to their wedding, Janine and I chatted about their portrait session being held at Errol Park’s folly, which was built in 1746. If you know me personally, then you know I’m a bit of a “history nerd”. To say that I was excited to shoot at this charming folly with Gothic-style windows is an understatement. In fact, I think all of us - the bride, groom, Jim, the videographers, and Colin, the owner of Errol Park - were all excited about these photos! It provided the perfect backdrop for their fairy tale wedding.
Guests were “pipped in” to the reception space by a Scottish Bagpiper, which was held on the lower level of the circular stable block, which was built in 1811. The reception was “kicked off” with the cutting of the cake; sliced and diced with a very long military sword. The reception continued with speeches, the first dance, and a scrumptious dinner meal.
Remember the second dress I mentioned above? Well- it’s coming up right now! After dinner and a few drinks, Janine swapped her outfit to surprise her grandmother. Everyone lined up for the "rose petal” toss - rose petals that the bride had been drying out for a year (#seriousDIYmove) I might add. The couple walked out with their hands clasped together and big smiles on their faces. Janine rocked the vintage gown with burgundy Prada shoes. Her grandma’s reaction was priceless!
The reception continued with live music and loads of dancing. My favorite moment of the evening was when the band played “Strip the Willow”; a popular dance for large gatherings. It may go without saying that this dance got everyone on their feet! The reception concluded with sparklers, a bonfire, and a few nightcaps.
Many congrats to Janine & Karl! Your wedding was an absolute fairy-tale to photograph; thank you for letting me capture and be a part of your special day!
Photography: Fiander Foto
Bridal Dress #1: Still White | Bridal Dress #2: Grandmother’s Wedding Dress Circa 1950
Bridesmaids’ PJs: Jean Alice | Hair: Carol Zarebski Duffy | Make Up: Catherine McCarter
Rings: T. Paterson Jewellers | Bridal Shoes: Prada | Groom’s Attire: Marc Darcy
Florals: Amy Annand | Cake: Abbie Dobson | Linen & Candleabras: 88 Events
Officiant: Lucie Johnston of Humanist Society Scotland
Venue: Errol Park Estate | Catering: Season Catering
Video: Little Films | String Quartet: Arta | Band: Northern Star
I had an amazing time working on this stylized shoot with Callie Lindsay! Below are our list of vendors:
Venue #1: The Franklin Farmhouse | Venue #2: Harlinsdale Farm
Florals: Swank Floral & Interiors | Stationary: Empress Stationary
Models: Katelin & Chris August | Hair/Make-Up: Katelin August
As a destination wedding photographer, I enjoy creating and designing stylized photo shoots as a way to push my creative energy. With a strong interest in the history and culture of Scotland, I organized this stylized shoot to take place in and around Glen Coe, which is a little village right at the start of the Highlands!
Initially, the shoot started out very basic with only a model to play the role of the bride in a dress with a bouquet. My plans quickly escalated when I reached out to other wedding vendors in Scotland within a Facebook Group that's dedicated to stylized photo shoots. From there, I was able to connect with several Scottish vendors, venues, and models whose work I thought would go well with the overall vision I had in mind.
The landscape, flora, and fauna of this section of Scotland were also important to the photo shoot. Part of the reason why Scotland is such a great location for weddings is because of its' richness and lush scenery - even in March!
In terms of weather, we were very lucky having just missed the infamous "Beast from the East" . We flew to Edinburgh from Bermuda - with our winter clothing, rain gear, and wellies in tow - rented an SUV that could tackle most snow storms and took off for Glen Coe. To my surprise, on the morning of the photo shoot it was bright and sunny. By the afternoon, the clouds had rolled in and provided a softer light. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I look forward to planning my next stylized photo shoot!
Stylized Wedding Shoot: Glen Coe, Scotland ~ 3.12.18
Stylist & Photographer: Melanie Fiander of Fiander Foto | Venue: Glencoe House | Make Up & Hair: Clare Pearson
Dress: BHLDN | Suit: Slader Menswear | Bride's Shoes: Rainbow Shoes | Groom's Shoes: Vans
Flat Lay Jewelry: BHLDN & Family Heirlooms | Bride's Jewelry & Hair Piece: Gioiamia
Cake: Rosewood Cakes | Floral Designer: Narcissus Wedding Flowers by Susan
Stationary: Bottled Love | Silk Ribbon: Pom Pom Blossom
Models: Chloe Connelly & Phil Griffiths
Melissa & Mark's Wedding at the Chevy Chase Club in Maryland
Melissa & Mark ~ 10.28.17
Venue: Chevy Chase Club
Hair/Make-Up: Up Dos For I Dos
Florist: Darling & Daughters
