Fall Wedding at Bloom Meadows | Williamstown MA Wedding Photographer

Some wedding days are special because of the beautiful venue, the details, or the incredible moments that unfold throughout the day. And then there are weddings that are especially meaningful because the people in front of my camera are family.

Aliyah and Ben’s Bloom Meadows wedding in Williamstown, Massachusetts was all of those things.

October 21st brought us a cold and very rainy fall day, but absolutely nothing could dampen the excitement surrounding these two. They were surrounded by family and friends as they exchanged personalized vows and officially became husband and wife.

And despite the weather, we were even lucky enough to sneak outside after the ceremony and capture some of that incredible fall scenery that makes Bloom Meadows so beautiful.

A Rainy Fall Wedding at Bloom Meadows

Bloom Meadows is such a beautiful wedding venue, especially during the fall.

The mountains surrounding the property were covered in autumn color, creating an incredible backdrop from the patio. Inside, the white wood walls and family-style tables filled with tall white candles created a completely different feeling—warm, romantic, and intimate.

Unfortunately, the rain had other plans for the outdoor ceremony.

With the rain coming down heavily for much of the day, Aliyah and Ben made the decision to move their ceremony indoors. It wasn’t the original plan, but that’s wedding days for you!

Sometimes plans change, and you make the most of what the day gives you.

Thankfully, shortly after their ceremony, the rain finally stopped. We didn’t waste any time getting everyone outside for portraits while we had the chance.

Ben’s First Look Didn’t Go Exactly as Planned

This may still be one of my favorite first-look stories.

While they were planning their wedding, Ben decided that he wanted to do a first look with Aliyah. He thought seeing her before the ceremony might help calm some of his nerves.

Aliyah agreed.

Or at least, Ben thought she agreed.

When the moment finally arrived, Ben stood waiting for his bride. He turned around expecting to see Aliyah…

…and found his best man standing there instead.

His expression was priceless.

There was a brief moment of complete confusion before he realized exactly what Aliyah had done and burst out laughing.

Sorry, Ben! No first look for you.

He would have to wait until the ceremony to see his bride for the first time.

A First Look With Dad

Aliyah did decide to have one very special first look—with her dad.

It was such a sweet moment between the two of them. Her dad was trying his hardest to keep it together while Aliyah warned him not to cry because she knew if he started, she would too.

Those quiet moments before a ceremony are some of my favorites to photograph.

While waiting for the ceremony to begin, Aliyah also opened her wedding gift from Ben and discovered that he had surprised her with a beautiful Louis Vuitton purse.

Aliyah had a surprise for Ben, too—but his wedding gift was definitely for his eyes only!

Judging by the groomsmen’s faces while Ben read his card, I think we’ll just leave that one between the bride and groom.

Personalized Vows and a Ceremony Full of Personality

Their ceremony was the perfect combination of sentimental and fun.

As the groomsmen made their way down the aisle, they tossed beer and shots to the guests. Everyone was laughing and cheering, and it immediately set the tone for the celebration.

Then it was time for Aliyah.

After successfully avoiding a real first look, Ben finally got to see his bride as her dad escorted her down the aisle.

My Uncle Bill—who is also Aliyah’s uncle—officiated the ceremony, making the moment even more personal.

Aliyah and Ben had written their own vows, and both of them struggled to hold back their tears as they read them to one another.

Their love for each other was so easy to see.

Taking Advantage of a Break in the Rain

After the ceremony, we photographed their family portraits indoors before realizing something wonderful had happened:

The rain stopped!

We moved quickly.

We headed outside for bridal party portraits and photographs of Aliyah and Ben with the gorgeous mountains and fall foliage behind them.

Then we ventured farther into the property to one of my favorite locations of the entire day.

Deep in the woods at Bloom Meadows is a rustic wooden bridge.

After a week of rain—and an entire wedding day of even more rain—the wood was soaking wet and incredibly slippery. And I’ll admit, seeing the water below through the spaces between those wooden planks wasn’t exactly my favorite thing!

I just kept moving and tried very hard not to look down.

It was completely worth it.

The rain-soaked trees and darker woods gave those photographs an almost moody, romantic feeling that was completely different from the rest of their gallery.

They ended up being some of my favorite images from the entire day.

A Wedding That Meant Even More to Me

Photographing a family member’s wedding is incredibly special.

Aliyah is my cousin. Her dad, my Uncle George, is one of my dad’s younger brothers, and growing up, he was one of the uncles I remember spending a lot of time with my dad.

My dad passed away in 2019, so moments that bring him back into our conversations always mean so much to me.

During the wedding, Uncle George told me a story about the two of them that I had never heard before.

For years, my dad thought Uncle George liked Coors Banquet, so he always made sure he had some waiting whenever George came over on a Friday or Saturday night.

Years went by before Uncle George finally admitted something:

He didn’t actually like Coors Banquet.

He liked Coors Light.

Apparently, my dad laughed—and then yelled at him for waiting all those years to tell him.

So at Aliyah and Ben’s wedding, Uncle George brought out a Coors Banquet in honor of his brother – My dad.

It was such a small gesture, but it meant more to me than I can explain.

I love hearing stories about my dad that I’ve never heard before. In some strange way, hearing a new story almost feels like getting a new memory with him, even though he’s no longer here.

Aliyah and Ben also had a memory table honoring the family members who couldn’t physically be there with us. Seeing my dad’s photograph among them was incredibly emotional.

I’ve photographed memory tables at countless weddings. But when you’re standing on the other side of it—when one of those photographs belongs to someone you love—you realize just how much those little details can mean.

Aliyah + Ben

Aliyah and Ben, I love you guys.

Thank you for trusting me to photograph your wedding and allowing me to be both your photographer and your family that day.

Your Bloom Meadows wedding may have been cold and rainy, but it was filled with laughter, tears, family, memories, and so much love.

And I’ll take that kind of wedding day every single time.