I never thought I’d be photographing Tori and Aaron’s Portland, Maine, wedding back when we met in our sophomore year of college. Tori and I clicked quickly, and later I shot her cap-and-gown photos for graduation. So showing up years later to photograph her actual wedding felt, honestly, pretty wild. Full-circle moments hit different when you’re the one holding the camera.

Tori and Aaron met in college, went their separate ways, and lived their lives. They eventually reconnected while both were deep into aviation careers—Tori working as an air traffic controller in Newark and Aaron flying for Southwest, spending lots of time in NYC. Not exactly a low-stress combo, but somehow it worked. They kept finding their way back to each other, even when schedules were chaotic and everything felt like a puzzle. With all that travel in their story, choosing Maine for their wedding made total sense. Tori grew up coming here, so it meant a lot to her. And a destination wedding vibe fit them perfectly.

A Perfect August Day on Peaks Island

If you’ve never taken the ferry out to Peaks Island, it’s such a chill way to start a wedding day. Once you step off the ferry, Peaks Island feels like a different world, in a coastal-New-England kind of way, where everything is bright, relaxed, and a little wistful. The Inn on Peaks Island was decked out with blue and white florals that matched the ocean. It all felt very clean and classy.

The ceremony setup around the gazebo was beautiful, and the weather was perfect—around 70 degrees, sunny, and breezy enough to keep everyone comfortable without messing up hair. One of my favorite parts of photographing weddings like this is capturing the in-between moments, especially with grandparents, because they’re not guaranteed forever.

Coastal Portland, Maine Wedding Portraits

After the ceremony, these two practically floated back down the aisle. You could see it all over their faces, the mix of relief and excitement. We headed down to the rocky coastline, and the light was great. We wandered from the rocks to the dock, and by then the sun had dipped low enough to give us that soft, glowy, golden-hour charm. The water behind them looked like glass.

Days like this are why I love photographing destination weddings. The scenery is great, but the fact is that everyone slows down a little. People are present. Couples breathe deeper. They choose a place that holds meaning for them, and you can feel that in the photos.

If you’re dreaming about your own travel wedding, I’m always down to help bring that vision to life. Let’s make it happen. If you want to see more like this, you’ll love these Las Vegas wedding photos on The Strip.

Vendors

Inn | The Inn on Peaks Island

Ceremony Musicians | Music Mia Bella

Officiant | All In One Weddings

Cake | Nothing Bakes Like a Parrott

Hair | Hair Etc

Florals | Harmon’s Floral Company