Anna & Mikayla's Casually Elegant Wedding at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton, MA

We try to watch a movie we love before each wedding we photograph; it helps us visualize space in new ways, gets our creative brains turned on, and more than anything inspires us to see cinematically. Our recent re-watch of Greta Gerwig’s Little Women had actually nothing to do with Anna and Mikayla’s wedding directly, but a week ago in Canton, MA we arrived at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate to learn it had been featured heavily in the movie we’d seen so recently and it got us pretty dang excited to watch how the day would unfold in this environment. The building feels grand but not excessively so - its staircases and chimneys and gorgeous wallpaper dripped with character while feeling cozy still, the formal gardens out back (where the ceremony was held) were beautifully maintained but invited guests to explore their many paths, and the property though vast was kept largely and charmingly wild.

Anna and Mikayla, more than anything, wanted to plan a day that would allow them to focus on one another and their loved ones in the most relaxed way possible. They wanted to walk hand in hand down the aisle and through the day together, going where the moment lead them, and staying present and engaged as much as the heat would let them. This meant less time spent on big group photos and more time spent on trying to get quality time with their favorite people, which afforded us the opportunity to candidly document things as they happened. The summer solstice sun brought with it a hazy, pink light that seemed to last forever on this day, and after a quick ceremony in the gardens folks spent cocktail hour spreading out across the property, finding their own little nook to enjoy or wandering into the woods to explore while a light but welcome breeze danced through the tall grasses and around tablecloths. Anna and Mikayla, returning to the party for dinner and dances, were all smiles all night. Toasts from friends and a shared mom dance jerked tears from many an eye before the tone shifted (thanks in part to Cotton Eye Joe??) and open dancing commenced. It was so beautiful to watch them feel the love their friends and families have for them as well as photograph the love they clearly have for one another. Overall an entirely lovely day to spend documenting love, wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Venue: Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate
Catering: Fireside Catering
Florals: The Wild Dahlia
Music: DJ Michael Phillips
Hair/Makeup: Beauty Boston
Bridal Boutique: Anthropologie/Flair
Film/Processing: Kodak Portra 400 / Kerry’s Warwick Photo