Laura + Eric’s Elopement in Maine

I’m so stoked to share this special Fort Foster, Maine elopement! Laura and Eric got married on a gorgeous Spring day on the coast of Kittery, Maine with their immediate family. In this post you’ll see how they planned the perfect intimate wedding with family, and resources for How to Prepare Your Guests for your Elopement!

Laura and Eric both grew up in Manchester, New Hampshire and knew OF each other, but never actually met! Then they worked at a summer camp in college together and started kind of dating. Eric didn’t know if Laura was going to be his long term girlfriend, but then “she tricked him” (their words, not mine. So cute.) They got engaged on Mount Morgan last May, and the elopement planning began! Their main priority when they decided to get married was to keep the day low-key enjoyable. They’d been to traditional weddings, and they’ve seen how stressful the planning process can be. They just realized that they really didn’t want all that tension around their day, and it just didn’t seem like it would be a fun for them. And that’s when they started looking into elopements and intimate weddings that could include just their immediate families.

Fort Foster, Maine Elopement

They chose a location called Fort Foster in Kittery, Maine. This gorgeous elopement spot was right on the water, lined with trees and plenty of space to explore. They go there often with their dog, Marley, so it was a special place for the three of them. Their vision was to do something intimate with their family surrounding them; and they definitely accomplished that.

Getting Ready at the Wentworth Hotel

The day started off just how they envisioned it; intentional and low-key. The bride and groom spent the morning relaxing together, and then went their separate ways to get ready for the ceremony. The made sure to leave plenty of time to get ready so they weren’t rushing around last minute with hair/makeup. They booked an amazing 2 story hotel room at the Wentworth. Eric got ready in the bottom floor with his parents, and then Laura got ready in the upstairs with her mom and her brother’s girlfriend. Before heading to the ceremony location, Laura and her dad and brother did a sweet little first look outside of the hotel – SO much love in this family!

Wedding Ceremony at Fort Foster

We walked over to the ceremony location together; this large tree overlooking the ocean. Their ceremony was short but so intentional. One thing I loved that their officiant did was he asked both of their parents for some well-wishes and words of wisdom. That definitely got both of them (and everyone) pretty emotional. Their sweet dog, Marley was also in attendance alongside their immediate family. So special to have your core people (and pup) there to celebrate the occasion. They had one of Laura’s professors officiate and he did a wonderful job and it was really special!

Super fun moment when Laura and her dad had a little surprise planned. As they walked down the grassy aisle, they paused – to Eric and make him think that Laura was getting cold feet. Then they broke out in a cute little dance they’d been practicing, it had everyone laughing so joyously. I love those little moments. You can tell how much they adore each other.

Post-Ceremony Celebrations

After the ceremony on the lawn, they did a champagne toast and portraits with their family. As everyone went off to get ready for dinner we the three went off to explore Fort Foster for portraits. We found a little rocky cliff area on the coast where they said their personal vows, just the two of them. (They actually saw this on one of my Instagram posts!) It’s a great way to express your intimate vows with more privacy if you’re not as keen on saying them in front of everyone! After our little adventure portrait time we went back to the hotel for them to get their comfy clothes or their comfy attire on. And then they joined their family for dinner at the Wentworth Hotel by the sea!

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Elopement Ceremony with Guests

Most likely, your friends and family have not attended an elopement, or an intimate wedding such as the one you’re planning. Some people may not even know what exactly it is you’re doing, since the term “elopement” has evolved drastically over the last couple of years! Things like what to wear, what to bring, where to park, and what not to do, can be so easily communicated before everyone starts pestering you for answers as you try and enjoy the engagement season. Providing everyone in attendance with the right resources can make all the difference in the world, and lift the burden of taking care of everyone else on YOUR day!

How to Share Information with Your Guests

Okay so we’ve established that communication is key! But how exactly do you tell your guests the logistics? Below are a few ideas on how to share your elopement details with your guests.

1. Email. Keep it simple and use an interface everyone is familiar with! Create an email list with all of your wedding guests and send out a series of emails leading up to the day! This is great if you have a small amount of guests (I would say up to 30).
2. Through a website. Wedding planning popularized this idea with free sites on the Knot, Minted, or Wedding Wire! You can compile all the information like; addresses, menu, and accommodations, etc. As well as being able to personalize the site and include things like your engagement photos!
3. Through text. Keep it simple with group messages or personal text! This is an easy option if you have very few people joining you on your elopement. Otherwise it can get confusing with too many people! Simply write out a message, or even send a picture of an invite you created.
4. Through a facebook group. This is a fun way to keep everyone in the loop, and also connect your guests to one another (carpooling anyone?) You can create a group or an event and add all of your guests to the list! This only works well if most everyone is actually on the platform though!
5. Through a Guest Guide. Put together an all-inclusive guide for your guests to read through and refer back to as the day approaches. Email it or print it, or both! This is the best way to give you guests the ultimate personalized experience and help them feel included and prepared.

For more tips on having an elopement with friends and family, check out my blog on How to Prepare your Guests for Your Elopement. Okay now time to scroll through the rest of this Fort Foster, Maine elopement!

Contact me to book your Fort Foster Elopement photographer, and be sure to check out my guide for How to Prepare your Guests for Your Elopement!