Phippsburg Maine Weddings
The first time I stepped foot on Hermit Island, Maine, a couple of month ago, I was instantly smitten. Located at the southern tip of Phippsburg, Hermit Island is roughly 1.5 miles long and .5 miles wide. Comprised largely of the Hermit Island Campground, with its 270 camp sites, 8 beaches, gift shop, grocery store, snack bar, game room, hiking and biking trails. We were delighted when Grace and Trent chose this little gem for their June 15 wedding venue.
We took the scenic drive, and at one intersection spied a small white sign, with purple letters that read “Grace and Trent”, we paused a moment to take a quick photo. As we pulled into Hermit Island Campground, the parking attendant waved us to a parking spot near the Kelp Shed. I jumped out, camera in hand, and began to photograph the scenery.
During the summer months the Kelp Shed houses the reception desk where the guest check-in is located, along with a large room with a fireplace, pool table, video games and picnic tables, at one end. At the other end is the snack bar, with seating either inside or on the deck. Outside the Kelp Shed is an open area with ping pong tables and a volleyball net.
Inside the Kelp Shed was dark and cool and bustling with activity in preparation for the reception. I started taking photos of the details, many of them nautical in nature, fishing nets, boat winches, dories, buoys and driftwood. We went in search of the ceremony site, one of the prime camp sites situated at the ocean’s edge, and noted a sign with an arrow that simply said “ceremony”. At the designated site we found rows of hand made benches, as well as a roll of white cloth that was to be used as the runner for the aisle. The view was breathtaking! Honestly it looked more like the far side of, say, Monhegan Island than any place we’d ever seen that was within a one hour drive of Maine’s largest city.
Trent, the groom, arrived to take us to the top of Morse Mountain, a few minutes away, where the bridal party would be preparing in two separate cottages. We reached the top of Morse Mountain and gasped…the view of the ocean was incredible, with views on three sides. From here it felt more like the Caribbean than anywhere we can recall seeing in the Northeast. In the distance, rolling waves were slowly dissolving on a sandy shore. What a venue to prepare for your wedding day! We went inside and set to photographing the details of the bride’s ensemble, the shoes, the wedding dress, the rings, the flowers.
Before we knew it, it was time to descend the mountain and head over to the wedding. The ceremony was full of laughter and love. The rings were exchanged. We didn’t put our cameras down for a moment, there was so much to photograph! As we walked with the bridal party down a road towards the beach, the bride wistfully said, “I dreamed of walking down this road and having photos taken on my wedding day…,” and we snapped away, creating beautiful memories that would last forever.
What we loved about this wedding was the fact that it was casual, but very meaningful. It was all about the people, the love, family and friendship. And that is a wonderful foundation to build a successful marriage. Good luck Grace and Trent, you started your married life in the best possible way.
Russell Caron Wedding Photography puts the fun into wedding photography for Maine wedding couples. Feel the love as this dynamic pair effortlessly capture each of your cherished moments, producing natural poses and unparalleled art for your special day. For more information, please contact us right away!