Getting ready in Woodstock, Vermont
Meg and Sean chose Simon Pearce in Quechee, Vermont for an intimate wedding centered on spending time with their closest people. Their day began at the Vesper Hotel in nearby Woodstock, followed by a first look beside the waterfall, an upstairs ceremony, and dinner together overlooking the river. From getting ready to the last songs on their playlist, the photographs followed the celebration as it happened.
I spent childhood winters in Woodstock, and visiting Simon Pearce to watch the glassblowers downstairs is one of my memories of the area. Returning to photograph a wedding there felt personal. Before Meg and Sean’s day, I visited again to get to know the rooms and the light—a different way of looking at a place I had known for years.
A first look, ceremony, and intimate reception at Simon Pearce
Meg and Sean shared their first look outside by the waterfall. We made time for family photographs before the ceremony, bringing everyone together early so they could move into the rest of the celebration with those portraits already made.
Their ceremony took place upstairs in the main room, followed by a reception in the back room with views of the waterfall and covered bridge. Just after the ceremony, we stepped onto the deck for sunset portraits. With an earlier fall sunset, that brief window of light was something to plan around.
After cocktail hour came dinner, cake cutting, and dancing to a Spotify playlist. The dance floor was small, but the celebration filled it. Those choices gave the evening its own character: a shared meal, familiar music, and their people close by.
Documentary photography for an intimate Vermont wedding
For me, photographing a smaller wedding means paying close attention to the people gathered in the room, as well as the two getting married. The setting matters, but so do the conversations around the table and the way the evening moves from dinner into dancing. My documentary approach to wedding photography leaves room for those moments, alongside the family photographs and couple portraits we plan together.
Planning your own Simon Pearce wedding
If you are considering a similar celebration, think about the experience you want to share with your guests first. A first look and family photographs before the ceremony can help keep the time afterward open for everyone to be together. For a fall wedding, build your portrait plans around the actual sunset time, including any travel between getting ready and the venue.
For current event spaces, guest numbers, availability, and dining options, contact Simon Pearce’s private dining team directly. Meg and Sean’s celebration is one example of how the day can come together; your plans can take their own shape.
The creative team
Photography: Eleni P Photography
Wedding venue: Simon Pearce, Quechee, Vermont
Planning an intimate wedding in Vermont or elsewhere in New England? Explore the wedding photography experience, or get in touch below to tell me about your day.
