jessica and matt’s rehearsal dinner at castle hill

photos by mariah:

jessica and matt’s big weekend kicked off at castle hill with a cozy, intimate dinner for their families and bridal party. the chalet at castle hill was the perfect venue. the wine was flowing and the fire was crackling as everyone chatted, laughed, and got to know each other a little in the relaxed atmosphere. i love photographing the rehearsal for this very reason, not only do i get to meet all the key players but i can get fantastic candids of everyone enjoying themselves before the nervousness and wedding day stress sets in. i think everyone feels more comfortable being photographed on the wedding day when they’ve already met me the night before. i enjoyed matt’s parents presenting the bride and groom with their heirloom toasting glasses, freshly inscribed with the newest member of their family’s name… jessica! i also got a kick out of matt customizing the gift boxes of the presents for his groomsmen with funny snapshotos of him with each of his 12 attendants! for those following the blog, you’ll recognize jessica from her photodate a few weeks ago. because her family grows cranberries just like mine, we’ve dubbed each other “cran-sis”… so of course, cranberry cheesecake was on the menu – yum!

 stay tuned for the wedding coming up next!