Cliff House Maine Elopement in Cape Neddick with Rachel + Ben

Rachel + Ben dreamt of a Maine wedding with Bald Head Cliff towering above the crashing ocean beneath and the setting of Cliff House in Cape Neddick as the place they’d say “I do” and dance the night away with family flying in from all over the world.

As is the story with so many (so very many) these plans were just not able to come to life due to the global pandemic.

With concerns of if family would be able to enter the country and quarantine (and then re-enter their home countries) on top of the greater concerns of the health and the wellbeing of those they love dearly, they knew that although the hope was to continue with a smaller celebration, it made more sense to delay to another year.

Rachel + Ben were looking forward to the moments of seeing each other in their wedding attire, taking in the scenery together, and climbing on the rocks for photos all over the beautiful property of Cliff House – so they thought, “why not just do it anyway!”

So on the day they were going to have their full celebration initially, we met up with a few of their close family members (and some friends who excitedly watched from afar) and they adventured alongside me from rock to rock for photos of them dancing, laughing, and enjoying a couple Holy Donuts!

I’ve been looking foward to meeting Rachel because she and I talked frequently and she not only was very understanding of the situation we were in, but she showed such care for me that I simply wasn’t expecting!

She was adamant about having me photograph them when the plans were still a go for a full wedding this year and was more than accommodating with the guidelines I wanted to be sure to follow to keep everyone healthy. I loved that she made me feel like my health was just as important.

So when I met her and saw her beautiful smile and the freckles that fall across her nose and cheeks, my only wish was that I could squeeze her so tight! I felt like she was someone I’d known for a while already and hanging out with both of them made me so excited for the party they will be holding once we’re safely out of this pandemic.

And not only did they bring donuts for the two of them to enjoy, they even bought me a box too – uhhhhhh, YES PLEASE! Those donuts are seriously the best you’ll ever have and they didn’t last 24 hours in our house (no joke).

The icing on top of the donut? Their family and friends were just as incredible too. So caring, so excited and so very happy to be with them as they celebrated this day.

I can’t wait to join everyone and more in 2022 back at Cliff House because if these photos and the joy I had photographing them are any indication of what their party will be like, it’s going to be one incredible day.

Rachel + Ben, thank you for climbing around on the rocks and doing what you do best: loving one another. See you in the pandemic-less future! Say hi to the family for me!