By a Massachusetts Micro Wedding Photographer Who’s Been There

When it came time to plan our wedding, my husband and I quickly realized that the traditional big wedding wasn’t actually what we envisioned for ourselves. We’re lucky to have large families and amazing friends who we love—and who love us back—but the idea of a huge party, navigating logistics, and making sure everyone felt included started to feel overwhelming.

What we really wanted was something more personal. Something intentional. Something that reflected us, where we could focus on what the day really meant to us.

So we planned a non-traditional wedding that gave us the best of both worlds:
One day for intimate moments, and one day for celebration.

The Dream I Let Go (and Why I’m Glad I Did)

There was a time when I dreamed of a huge, formal New Year’s Eve wedding—full of sparkle, gold bridesmaid dresses, fanfare, and dancing until midnight — just ask my girlfriends, they all knew about it. I imagined the champagne toasts, a packed dance floor, and an epic celebration to ring in the new year and a new chapter of life. It felt magical… in theory.

But then, I actually met the love of my life, and slowly, that dream started to shift. And this is where “I” turned to “we.” When I personally imagined that NYE wedding, it was a vision I dreamed up as a single woman, who wasn’t in love and sharing a life with someone. We’ll leave the finances out of this because hello we all know weddings can be expensive in general, but that wouldn’t have been fun to consider either. Now, this is not to say that a big NYE bash wouldn’t still be amazing, but for us, it didn’t light our hearts up.

Suddenly, all the over-the-top plans felt less important…and less like what we wanted our day to represent. What we wanted more than anything was to be present with the people closest to us and to focus on the love we were building—but instead of feeling excited, I started to feel stressed. The pressure to plan a Pinterest-perfect day, to meet [perhaps unspoken] expectations, to do things that everyone else had done and was now a “standard”, to make it “worth it”—it was a lot. And it didn’t feel like us.

Even dress shopping looked different than I imagined. I went with my mom, and while I’m so grateful for that time with her, [it was a beautiful moment that we were able to share that this time had finally come] it wasn’t the emotional, champagne-popping moment the bridal shows promised. I remember walking out of the store—no dress in hand—and turning to her and saying, “I don’t care what I wear. I just can’t wait to marry Mike. And I don’t want to do this again.”

And as if it hadn’t clicked earlier than that—on that day I realized: this day wasn’t about the dress, the fanfare, or the timeline. It was about us. And we’re blessed that our families and friends completely understood and supported our decision.

How We Split Our Wedding Into Two Days

We decided to have a small, intentional ceremony and dinner on a Thursday afternoon with our immediate families first consisting of just twelve family members. Finding a venue that would host a smaller gathering was no easy feat, but we were lucky to find The View at Pepperrell Cove in Kittery, Maine. Read more on Micro Wedding Venues in Southern Maine here.

It was beautiful, elegant, emotional… and after dinner quite the party — complete with a Bohemian Rhapsody dramatic sing-a-long.

We have so many special people in our lives that we knew we still wanted to celebrate with our friends and family — and we knew it didn’t need to be some formal event.

About six months after we said our vows, we hosted a reception at a local brewery with all of our friends and extended family. Something more casual, with beer, and good food…enter Craftroots, Oliva’s, Three Sons Grilled Cheese and Basic Batch Donuts. I even got to wear my wedding dress one more time - highly recommend! We laughed, we ate, and celebrated—without the pressure of a formal timeline or packed schedule.

This approach gave us space.

On our ceremony day, we weren’t rushing around trying to greet 150 guests—we were present, we were together, we were fully engulfed in our family and created special memories with them that we probably wouldn’t have made if we had just one larger wedding. Fully in the moment. And when it came time to party, we could actually celebrate with our people without the weight of expectations.

Why a Micro Wedding Was Right for Us

(And Why It Might Be Right for You Too)

Having a micro wedding or intimate ceremony doesn’t mean you’re excluding people or that you don’t love your people. It just means you’re choosing to honor what matters most to you—whether that’s quiet vows, time with your closest family, or skipping wedding favors and seating charts in favor of something more true to your values.

If you’re planning a non-traditional wedding in New England, or you're considering splitting your celebration into multiple days, I want you to know this: it’s okay to do things differently.

You don’t have to follow every tradition for your wedding to be beautiful or meaningful.

There’s no “right” way to get married—only your way.

Planning a Non-Traditional Wedding? I’m Here to Help.

As a New England-based micro wedding and elopement photographer, I bring my own experience and empathy to every couple I work with. I know what it’s like to want a wedding that feels intimate, authentic, and deeply personal—without sacrificing the joy of celebrating with everyone you love.

Whether you're planning a quiet backyard ceremony, a Boston City Hall elopement, or a two-part celebration like ours, I’d be honored to help you document it with care.

👉 Reach out here to connect, or tell me what you're dreaming up. Let’s create a day (or two!) that feels like you. Because at the end of the day, your love deserves to be celebrated—on your terms.

I’M KARA | New England Wedding Photographer focusing on preserving intimate and intentional celebrations for you and your favorite people. I believe your wedding day was meant to live in the moment and not endure a day-long photoshoot. Rest assured, we’ll make time for photos but you can sit back and enjoy your day the way it was meant to be. Breaking the traditional wedding “rules”? I’m here to support you in making your day as special, and unique as you are as a couple. If you’re ready to plan an unmatched and intentional wedding celebration, I’m here to document all the moments that will become your legacy.