Portsmouth New Hampshire Wedding Photographers : Jessica + Bruce

She was drawn to the words “wild & free” on my site and then the photos of the couples running in the mountains, eloping on sailboats, and venturing out into the woods set her on a mission to reach out to me.

When we spoke on the phone her soft voice and the words she shared resonated so deeply with me – she was a lover of everything natural and the healing properties of being outdoors, she’s a wanderer who’d moved from Alaska to the Adirondacks where she, her fiance and their dogs forage for food and live in a self sustaining home. She’s in love with the wild and she was ready to marry the man who filled her every dream.

They’re laid back and didn’t want to be confined by a minute by minute playbook of the day and decided to let life take the lead and let the day unfold before them. I loved their relaxed outlook but promised that a loose timeline of the day’s plans would give us just the right parameters to guide our day along and wouldn’t hinder their vision. She resisted a little but let me do my thing – and we were off!

They envisioned a wedding in the fresh January air and a celebration along the water’s edge in Portsmouth, New Hampshire while not batting a lash at the unknowns of what the weather could bring. Rain, snow, sun – it didn’t matter as long as they were outside as they said I do. And on top of that, each time we talked she reiterated that what was most important was to get portraits of them out in the natural surroundings of the day like the photos she fell in love with on my site – basically she made me the happiest ever!

In fact it was so important to her to get those outdoors portraits that even when her heels only lasted the length of the walk from the hotel room to the elevator where they quickly were tossed aside with NOTHING to replace them, she still was firmly set on getting those photos.

So she was barefoot in January. Outside. In the snowy grass. Next to the ocean’s lapping water. I love the couples that come to me – always ready for whatever!

So with a small ceremony in Prescott Park among a few family + friends, they said their vows, photographed some quick family pictures and then we were off to take those photos.

Her small frame shivered in the cold, but Bruce pulled her in close and showered her with kisses. After some photos near the water I eyed the small beach covered in seaweed that the low tide had exposed but I figured it would be too much to ask them to venture out – but before I could look away from the water she asked, “Could we go down there?” – yes please!

Her dress draped beneath her picking up the sand and the earth but she didn’t flinch, she just held tight to her husband. And when her shivering began to subside we knew it was time to get her warmed up and off we went to The Martingale Wharf where she hopped up on the bathroom sink to soap up the bottom of her dress, adjusted her deep green wreath atop her hair, and joined her husband to celebrate with dinner and drinks while the floor to ceiling windows looked out at the ocean water beneath.

It was magic, it was perfect…it was wild and free.

Oh and that loose timeline I insisted would help keep things moving along they were resistant to (because all weddings, no matter the size always run at least a little behind!) – by the end of the night they were so happy to have had it! They laughed and said that without it they probably wouldn’t be married yet!

Jessica + Bruce, I wish you all the best in your adventures together. It’s going to be a beautiful life for you two, I just know it.

Ceremony: Prescott Park
Portsmouth New Hampshire Wedding Photographers: I AM SARAH V Photography
Reception: Martingale Wharf
Hair + Makeup: Solari Spa

Maine & New Hampshire wedding photographers, I AM SARAH V Photography, photographs events for wildly in love couples seeking NH & Maine wedding photographers with a photojournalism + fine art approach. You can see more of my work online at www.iamsarahv.com or on Facebook. I photograph many locations including being a Portsmouth, New Hampshire elopement photographer. If you’d like to contact me directly, please email me at hello@iamsarahv.com