There’s something special about engagement sessions that don’t feel like a photoshoot. Shannon and Connor’s evening in Kennebunkport was exactly that. It was a chance to slow down, spend time together, and document this season of their lives in a place that feels quintessentially New England.

We spent the evening wandering through downtown Kennebunkport, making our way along the waterfront and stopping wherever caught our eye. One of my favorite things about photographing couples is when a session feels less planned and more like a reflection of who they are together. There wasn’t any rush to get from one spot to the next. Instead, we spent the evening laughing, exploring, and enjoying the kind of summer night Maine does so well.

As the sun began to set, we had beverages at Baston River Brewing to celebrate this season in their lives. It was simple in the best way—a beautiful sunset, dinner by the ocean, and two people soaking in a quiet moment together before heading into the excitement of wedding planning.

When couples ask me what they should do for their engagement session, my answer is almost always the same: make it feel like you. Your favorite place, your favorite meal, an activity you’d do on any given weekend together. Those are the moments that always photograph best because they’re real.

Shannon and Connor’s Kennebunkport engagement session was a reminder that it doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful. Sometimes all you need is a summer evening on the Maine coast, lobster rolls at sunset, and the person you love beside you.

Planning an engagement session in Kennebunkport, Maine or along the New England coast? I’d love to help you create something that feels true to your story.

Graduation portraits always carry a different kind of energy at Dartmouth College. There’s pride, of course, but there’s also reflection. Especially at the end of a master’s program, when the campus has quietly become part of daily life for years. The buildings, pathways, and routines stop feeling like landmarks and start feeling personal.

For this session, family had traveled in from afar to celebrate alongside him, which shifted the portraits into something more meaningful than a standard graduation session. Instead of simply moving from one iconic location to the next, the afternoon became a walk through the places that had shaped this chapter of his life.

We started on the Green, where graduation season at Dartmouth College always feels especially alive. Families drift between portraits, students reconnect, and the entire campus carries that mix of excitement and exhaustion that comes at the end of years of hard work. The light stayed soft throughout the afternoon, giving everything a quieter atmosphere despite how busy the campus was.

From there, we made our way toward Tuck School of Business for portraits that felt a little more reflective of the academic side of his experience. Between family photos and individual portraits, there were small moments of storytelling woven throughout the session—pointing out buildings, sharing memories, revisiting spaces where long hours had been spent studying and building toward this milestone.

Anyone can take a portrait in front of a campus building, but sessions like this become far more personal when they’re rooted in memory and connection to place. The conversations while walking between locations, the familiarity of certain corners of campus, the pride from family members seeing these spaces for the first time—it all adds another layer to the images.

What stood out most throughout the session was how grounded the entire experience felt. There wasn’t pressure for the portraits to feel overly formal or staged. Instead, the focus stayed on documenting this season honestly: the achievement itself, the support system behind it, and the environment that held so many years of work.

By the end of the session, it felt less like photographing graduation portraits and more like documenting the closing of an important chapter. Not just for him, but for the family members who had supported him through it all and finally had the chance to see the places that had become part of his everyday life at Dartmouth College.

Rain settled in early and never really left on May 24th. By the time guests arrived at Graceful Gatherings at LedgeRock, the sky had already softened into a steady overcast that stayed for the rest of the day. But instead of flattening the atmosphere, it seemed to pull everything closer together. Colors felt richer, table lamps glowed earlier, and every floral installation, fabric texture, and carefully chosen detail stood out a little more against the muted light outside.

This was the kind of wedding where you immediately understood that the couple cared deeply about experience and design—not in a performative way, but in a personal one. Every part of the day felt curated around what they genuinely loved. The florals alone transformed the space entirely. Pinks, oranges, yellows, layered textures, movement everywhere. Arrangements spilled across tables and climbed into corners of the venue in a way that felt immersive rather than decorative. It was less “wedding flowers” and more floral artistry woven directly into the atmosphere of the day.

The same level of intention carried through the paper goods. Invitations, save the dates, signage, and stationery had all been hand illustrated by an artist, giving the entire wedding its own visual language before guests even arrived. Nothing matched in a rigid way, but everything belonged together. It felt creative, thoughtful, and deeply reflective of the couple themselves.

Fashion played just as large a role in the story of the day. The bride approached styling with the kind of eye that makes details feel worth documenting. Her accessories, layered textures, and carefully chosen pieces photographed almost like editorial still lifes during the morning flatlays. Meanwhile, the groom brought just as much personality into his look—a forest green suit, loafers, a custom lining hidden inside the jacket, and subtle details throughout that made the styling feel completely his own. Together, they looked less like they had stepped into a wedding trend and more like they had built an aesthetic world that genuinely fit them.

One of the most grounding parts of the day was the absence of a formal wedding party. Instead of structured matching attire and timelines built around a wedding party formals, the morning unfolded with family and close friends naturally moving in and out of the space while the couple got ready. It changed the atmosphere entirely. The day felt quieter, more connected, and far less performative.

After their ceremony, the couple shared a private first dance away from the crowd. It was one of those moments that briefly slowed the pace of the day back down again. No audience, no production around it—just the two of them fully present for a few minutes before joining to the celebration.

And then there were the church bells.

Getting to ring them themselves became one of those unexpectedly memorable moments that no one could have planned better. The kind of detail that instantly roots a wedding into memory because it feels so specific to the people experiencing it.

Throughout the day, the vendor team elevated everything around them. The floral design completely transformed the atmosphere of the venue, while the catering and bar staff kept the evening moving effortlessly despite the weather outside. The DJ crew carried the energy through the reception without ever overpowering it, and alongside me was one of the kindest camcorder videographers I’ve ever worked with—someone whose presence matched the warmth of the day itself.

From a photography perspective, weddings like this are always a reminder that the most compelling celebrations are rarely built around perfection. They’re built around people with strong points of view, thoughtful details, and the willingness to make the day feel like their own. The rain, the overcast skies, the saturated florals, the layered textures—it all worked together to create something that felt immersive and deeply personal from beginning to end.

Vendors:
Photographer: Kate Elaine Photo
Videographer: Nightfox Films
Venue: Graceful Gatherings at LedgeRock
Catering: Party Man Catering
Bartenders: Buffalo Bartenders
Hair: Hair Collective 716
Make-up: Artistry by Alexa
Florals: Wild Root Floral
Reception Entertainment: H&H Entertainment
Favors & Stationary: Olivia de Recat
Cake: Butter Block

Attire:
Dress: Kamperett
Earrings: Jenny Bird
Veil: The Fall Bride x A.M. Faulkner
Shoes: Larroude
Suit: BUREAU
Rings: Cadette Jewelry

Rain settled over The Preserve at Chocorua for nearly the entire day. A steady drizzle moved in early on May 17th, wrapping the mountains and surrounding trees in fog that never fully lifted. The kind of weather that softens edges and quiets everything down a smidge. At a venue like this, tucked into the landscape of the northern Lakes Region in New Hampshire, it somehow made the entire celebration feel even more intimate.

This wasn’t the couple’s ceremony day, which shifted the energy in the best possible way. They had married privately in the fall of 2023 with their immediate family, allowing this spring celebration to exist purely as a reception centered around gathering everyone together. There was less pressure attached to the day and more space for people to simply enjoy being there. You could feel it from the beginning.

The design leaned classic and restrained in a way that fit the setting perfectly. Crisp whites and layered greens carried throughout the reception filled with soft candlelight, balancing beautifully against the darker tones outside from the rain and overcast skies. The groom wore a sharp black tuxedo with a bowtie and slicked-back hair, while the bride chose a strapless crepe gown with a fitted silhouette and soft flare that felt timeless without trying too hard. Everything about the styling felt clean, intentional, and quietly editorial.

One of the details that made the day feel especially personal was the floral design, created by a family friend of the couple. The arrangements never felt overly formal or disconnected from the atmosphere around them. Instead, they added softness and movement throughout the space, complementing the mood of the day rather than competing with it.

Throughout the entire celebration, the team at The Preserve at Chocorua was exceptional. Even with rain lingering outside for most of the day, everything moved seamlessly. The staff created an environment where guests could settle in fully without ever noticing the logistics behind the scenes. It’s the kind of venue experience that stays with you afterward and the kind of team that makes you want to return again and again.

As the evening unfolded, the energy shifted completely. What started as quiet and atmospheric turned into one of the most packed dance floors imaginable. The DJ kept the room moving all night long, and guests never really left the floor once the music started. It changed the tone of the evening in the best way—less formal reception, more celebration in the truest sense of the word.

From a photography perspective, the weather ended up giving the entire gallery a sense of depth that bright sun never could have. The fog hanging low around the property, the muted light filtering through the windows, the contrast between the calm atmosphere outside and the energy inside—it all worked together naturally. Nothing felt forced. The day simply unfolded as it was.

At The Preserve at Chocorua, even a rainy spring wedding felt warm, grounded, and completely alive by the end of the night.

Vendors:
Photography: Kate Elaine Photo
Venue & On-site Lodging: The Preserve at Chocorua
Coordination team: Willow Tree Events
Catering: Mezzanine Catering
Make-up: Making Faces Weddings
Hair: Hair The Moves
DJ: La Bella and The Beat
Rentals: Showcase Events
Dress: Madeleine’s Daughter Bridal Boutique, Amsale
Shoes: Franco Sarto
Suit: State and Liberty

Working with a strong creative team always changes the way a design comes together. This project started with a Boston-based collaboration between planner Clover Roe Events and floral studio Fleurish Design Studios, alongside stationery work from Nashville designer Taylor P Vaughan Co. Even though everyone came at it from slightly different places, the foundation stayed rooted in a shared idea: build something layered, intentional, and not overly prescribed. From there, we decided not to force everything into one direction, but to let two very different tablescapes exist side by side.

The first table leaned garden-forward. It felt light and easy in the way early summer does, greenery doing most of the talking, florals moving softly across the table, nothing feeling overworked. The palette stayed restrained, which let the textures come forward instead of the color. It had that feeling where everything looks effortless, but nothing actually is.

The second table went in the opposite direction. Same starting point, completely different outcome. Peach and burgundy set the tone, with fruit worked directly into the floral design so it felt more lived-in and a little unexpected. It was richer, heavier in the best way, and shifted as the light changed across the table. Still refined, just with more contrast and depth.

What made it work was how each vendor approached it without over-directing the outcome. Clover Roe Events kept everything grounded and cohesive, making sure both directions still felt like part of the same world. Fleurish Design Studios built florals that responded to each mood instead of repeating a formula, and Taylor P Vaughan Co. added stationery that quietly anchored both tables without pulling focus.

Photographing both setups side by side made the contrast more obvious. One was soft and green and understated. The other was deeper, fruit-driven, and a little more expressive. Neither felt like a “theme,” just two different ways of interpreting the same starting point.

In the end, that was the most interesting part of it. Not picking a direction, but letting multiple ideas sit in the same space and still feel connected.

Vendors
Planner & Stylist – Clover Roe Events
Florist – Fleurish Design Studios
Stationery – Taylor P Vaugnan Co.

September in the Finger Lakes has a way of slowing everything down. The air is warm, the evenings stretch a little longer than you expect, and the whole town feels like it’s leaning into the last bits of summer instead of rushing through it. It’s the kind of setting that doesn’t need much added to it. It just holds people well.

At Hartlot Happening, that feeling carries through in a really grounded way. This Finger Lakes wedding venue sits just outside the village, where things open up a bit and the landscape starts to do most of the work. It doesn’t feel overbuilt or overly styled. It feels like a place that gives a wedding room to breathe, which matters more than people realize until they’re actually in it.

This particular intimate wedding was small in the best sense of the word. Not just a reduced guest list, but a day that naturally moved at a slower pace because there wasn’t anywhere else it needed to be. Getting ready didn’t feel rushed. There was time for small conversations, for people drifting in and out of rooms, for those quiet pauses that usually get lost in bigger timelines.

What stood out most was how much space there was for the in-between moments. The kind you don’t plan for but end up remembering later. A glance exchanged before walking out, a hand resting on a shoulder for a second longer than necessary, guests settling into the evening like they already belonged there. Nothing felt performed. It all just unfolded.

As the day moved outside, the light started to shift in a way that only happens in late summer. Everything softened a bit. The rain earlier in the day was hardly remembered. The tables, the movement of people, the background of historical buildings and open air—it all felt connected without trying too hard. Hartlot Happening really works in that way. It doesn’t compete with the moment, it just holds it.

Dinner felt unhurried. Conversations carried. Glasses clinked. People stayed seated longer than they normally would, not because there was a schedule to follow, but because no one was in a rush to leave the table. That kind of ease changes the tone of a wedding in a noticeable way. It stops feeling like an event and starts feeling like a shared experience. Scratch Catering has a way of making that happen.

From a photography standpoint, those are the weddings that stay with you. Not because everything is perfectly styled or because anything is overly curated, but because there’s space for real moments to surface. The kind that happen when people are comfortable enough to stop thinking about being photographed.

By the time the evening settled in, the light had slowly faded into that soft blue that sits right before night. Nothing dramatic. Just steady and calm. It felt like the day ended the same way it began—unforced, intentional without trying to be, and centered around the people who mattered most.

Intimate weddings have a way of making that kind of celebration feel natural. And Hartlot Happening fits into it without friction. It’s not about creating a perfect scene. It’s about letting a real one happen in a place that knows how to hold it.

Vendors
Venue – Hartlot Happening
Catering – Scratch Farmhouse Catering
Cake – Sweet Praxis
Brewery – Talking Cursive Brewery

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Hey hey hello!

I’m so excited to have this journal up and established! After about 13 years photographing people, I have never had the time to write and share my travels, favorite spaces, weddings and sessions I’ve photographed, and more. But now, being fulltime, I have the space for it and the time!!

For a very fitting first journal entry, I would love to shoutout the design elements that you see around my website. This site looks as beautiful as it does thanks to some amazing designers and photographers who have captured the essence of Kate Elaine Photo and all its beauty.

First and foremost, thank you to Showit for providing a platform that was super easy and quick to set up my new website! My previous provider announced that they were not going to be supporting their platform anymore after this fall and so starting in November, I began to recreate and update my website on Showit in my spare time. It couldn’t have been any more easy if I tried! Between the support team, online articles, and youtube videos, I was able to answer any questions that I had while designing.

Secondly, a huge shout out goes to the photographers I’ve worked with through the last few years to curate headshots, branding shots, and working shots that you see all over my website and social media.

Credit: Heather Nyquist Photography

Credit: Savannah Kay Photography

Credit: Annie Elizabeth Photography

Credit: Carly Storro Photography

And thirdly, a huge shout out to my amazing brand designer, Pine & Park Design Co.! Alyssa worked with me for months to determine the perfect logo, fonts, and colors to complete the feel for Kate Elaine Photo. I couldn’t be more happy with everything she does and continues to do for the brand!!

Finally, a HUGE shout out to all of you for continuing to support me and my business! I can’t wait to share with you all my adventures, likes & dislikes, helpful tips & tricks, beautiful work I’ve created, and more! In the meantime, join the email list to stay up to date when I post new content!

There’s something so magical about the holiday season in Upstate New York. The crisp air, the scent of pine, and the joy of traditions make it the perfect backdrop for celebrating love. One of my favorite sessions from 2015 took place at a Christmas tree farm in Horseheads, NY, where Ally & Russ spent the afternoon searching for their perfect tree — and I got to capture every cozy, candid moment.

This wasn’t an engagement session or a styled shoot — just the cutest couple creating new holiday memories together. That’s what I love most about a couple’s session: it doesn’t have to be tied to a big milestone. Sometimes, the most meaningful photos are the ones that capture the everyday traditions you’ll cherish for years to come.

We started the afternoon with a quiet walk down a wooded trail, the last of the autumn leaves still clinging to the trees. The couple linked arms as they wandered toward the rows of evergreens, laughing together as they talked about which one might make the best Christmas tree for their home. The rustic trails and pops of color from the late fall foliage created a natural, warm-toned backdrop that felt straight out of a holiday postcard.

As they browsed the trees, I stepped back to let them interact naturally. I always find that the best photos happen when couples are simply enjoying each other’s company, not focusing on the camera. They teased each other over tree heights, shared inside jokes, and paused for cozy moments wrapped in scarves and jackets. The energy was lighthearted and fun — exactly what a holiday photo session should feel like.

The highlight of the session was watching them cut down their tree together. It’s such a simple act, but photographing it told such a powerful story about teamwork, tradition, and building a life together. Once the tree was down, they carried it back along the trail, laughing the entire way. It was one of those moments where you can truly see love in action — not in grand gestures, but in the little things. It’s a session I remember fondly to this very day, 10 years later!

Couples sessions like this one are a beautiful reminder that photography isn’t only for engagements or weddings. Documenting a seasonal outing, a favorite tradition, or even just a quiet afternoon together creates images that feel personal, genuine, and timeless. For this couple, their Christmas tree farm photos will forever remind them of that season of life, the traditions they built together, and the joy of simply being present with one another.

If you’re considering scheduling your own holiday photoshoot, a Christmas tree farm is the perfect setting. It combines natural beauty, festive atmosphere, and plenty of opportunities for candid, authentic moments. Whether you’re dating, married, or celebrating your first holiday season together, it’s a wonderful way to capture your love story in a cozy, seasonal setting.

Interested in planning your own Christmas tree farm photo session? I’d love to help you create holiday memories you’ll treasure for years to come!