"Julie Frances Photography is a MUST HAVE for your wedding! Julie went above and beyond for us, spending hours working with my husband and I to make sure our wedding day went exactly as we wanted." -Sarah M.
Sarah and Levi’s Wedding at The Augusta Country Club in Manchester, ME was one I won’t soon forget. Have you ever just talked with someone over the phone and somehow felt as though you already “knew” the person? Well, this happened for me very quickly, after talking with Sarah for the first time regarding her wedding photography. Sarah had a loving, positive attitude that I could “feel” before we ever met in person.
After meeting Sarah & Levi for the first time during their Engagement Session at Camp KV, I surely knew I was going to love working with this fun, loving, smiley, great-natured couple!! I was like a kid in a candy store heading home to see all of fun and beautiful images that I had captured of these two! Sarah & Levi were upbeat, playful and up for trying out all of my creative ideas!!
At our Post-Wedding Consult, Levi shared with me that it was at their Engagement Session when he knew that I was indeed THE Photographer for them…it made me very happy to know that he appreciated my jump-in attitude to “get the shot”, climbing up & down my ladder, traipsing through the woods, and basically doing whatever it took to not only get the best images, but to incorporate those things that were important to the two of them!
“But why Camp KV”, you might ask?
Sarah and Levi met while working with kids as camp councilors at the beautiful Camp KV nestled in the woods in Readfield, Maine. Their love for nature led to them to a first date of hiking in Belgrade. And anyone who knows Levi, knows he has quite a love for fishing…I think it is fair to say, that these two enjoy the outdoors very much, making Camp KV the PERFECT, beyond perfect location for these two to celebrate their love-story with their Engagement Session!
To check out more and see their incredibly fun-loving Engagement Session at Camp KV, along with their epic canoe shot, click here.
Sarah is a Kindergarten Teacher where she is continuing her love of working with children! This couple truly rocks…they love kids, their families, the outdoors, and each other! I was honored to see and capture firsthand, their love for each other as they were HAPPILY married in the presence of their family and friends! Even during their ceremony, Sarah & Levi had everybody listening, laughing and sharing in their love for each other!
These Two most certainly represent the JOYOUS, FUN, LOVING Couple who ENJOYED their Wedding Day! This is truly my biggest wish for EVERY Couple who I photograph and have the privilege to get to know…I wish for each couple to be present & enjoy their Special Day!
I love to photograph laughter…they laughed! I love to photograph pure joy…and they fully participated in their day; they smiled, they cheered, and they enjoyed every minute of their amazingly FUN Reception!!
And above all, I LOVE to photograph LOVE! And let’s just say they didn’t disappoint, Sarah & Levi shared a special love for each other’s families, their friends, and everyone who was involved that day! I was honored to capture their LOVE for each other!!! These two make quite a TEAM!
The day began upstairs in the Bridal Suite of the Augusta Country Club with the talented Megan Hendsbee-Peaslee from Synergy S.P.A. in Augusta, doing her thing and styling away! As it happened to work out, Sarah ended up being 3rd in line to have her hair styled, instead of last. I couldn’t help but notice how much more relaxed Sarah seemed for the remainder of the bridal-prep time. Sarah later explained that she really liked having her hair done earlier, knowing she had time to make changes had she wanted to and still had ample time for touch-ups. It was great getting to photograph Sarah in her casual moments of talking, laughing, and gift-giving with all of her ladies as they were getting ready without her feeling as rushed.
Sarah’s flowers were beautiful…like REALLY beautiful. I LOVED the deep reds in the bouquets and the colors complemented not only the wedding colors, but the time of year perfectly. Kudos to Berry & Berry Floral!
After carefully capturing all of Sarah’s AMAZING Bridal details, it was so fun watching Sarah help her little sister, Emily aka the Flower Girl! You couldn’t miss the striking resemblance of Sarah & Emily! Emily looked just like a mini-version of Sarah. And, Emily had THE BEST Flower Girl dress! Jillian (my 2nd Shooter/Assistant & Daughter) and I captured her TWIRLING throughout the day and later captured her being twirled on the dance floor! You could tell without a doubt, that she simply LOVED it!!!
Meagan, Sarah’s sister and Bridesmaid, was also providing another integral job on the wedding day. She was the make-up artist for the wedding party on this special day!
We took a little break from the Bridal Suite to head down and spend some time with Levi and the men!!! Levi was looking ever so dapper. It was quickly apparent that Levi & his BM (Colby) were not at all familiar on the “how-to’s” of attaching a boutonniere, lol. They were however full of laughs and kept us smiling!
Sarah & Levi had written each other personal vows in the form of letters, and we were the privileged “Deliverers” of these special letters. We found a quiet spot for Levi to sit and read the words that his soon-to-be wife had hand-written to him. We hung out in the wings as we captured this precious moment!!
After parting from the guys space, we headed back up to the Bridal Suite where it was time to capture this simply beautiful, young lady being transformed into the most STUNNING BRIDE from head to toe. Oh my gosh, her Wedding Gown was beyond GORGEOUS!!! (Sarah LOVED her dress and paid thanks to her Mom as the one who had picked it out!) Sarah was surrounded by her beautiful Mom (Sue), Mother-In-Law (Michelle), MOH (Desiree), BM & Sister (Meagan), Flower Girl & Sister (Emily), and her Grandmothers throughout the process of assisting her with all of her finishing touches.
Desiree was such a wonderful Maid-of-Honor, from helping Sarah and assisting with Emily to jumping in and giving us a hand when I looked around and had the idea to move all of the girls bags & accessories, along with some extra furniture all to one corner of the room...for optimum photo opportunities, of course, lol! Let's just say, Desiree, Jillian and I moved things around in record time! Thanks, Des!
And then it was Sarah’s turn…she sat on the floral printed couch in front of a wall of lights in her fabulous gown with a sweet, “I am ready” smile and she was handed her letter from Levi. As she sat and read the words that Levi had written to her, she smiled, laughed, and cried; all with such a happiness that you couldn’t help but feel it too!
(Can you tell? I absolutely love being able to capture these once-in-a-lifetime moments for my couples!! My heart is full.)
It was finally that time, Dad (Rob) made his way up to the Bridal Suite where he saw his gorgeous daughter waiting. Waiting…isn’t that always the hardest part?! We captured some photos of Bride & Dad, and then we were headed down to the Ceremony!!!
The Ceremony had such a warm feeling to it! Sarah & Levi’s love truly shined through, as they were married in front of the fireplace in the Dining Room of the Augusta Country Club. I loved being able to hear everything that was being said, and their Officiant, Don Ashmall did a fantastic job!
Sarah & I had worked out the perfect plan almost a year before the wedding to capture the outdoor portraits on this very cold, late-November day. These "pre-wedding" chats and the Pre-Wedding Consult are super important to figure all of these details ahead of time.
So knowing all of this on the day, I headed out earlier and scoped out the grounds to find the perfectly lit location, so we were able to take Sarah & Levi straight to THE spot when it was time! And, I have to say with our proactive planning, mother nature’s cooperation, and Sarah’s trust in my vision and plan…we were able to seamlessly pull of an absolutely FABULOUS series of outdoor Bride & Groom Portraits on this frigid day.
We headed back in for some family portraits in the warmth (giving Sarah a much needed chance to warm up her bare arms!), and then we dashed back out with the Wedding Party and the Bride & Groom to capture some more outdoor fun, all before the sunset!! SUCCESS was had and it was time to head in, get warm, and join the party!!
And what a celebration it was from the Formal Introductions to the Last Dance of the night! I am so happy that Sarah & Levi chose to have us cover their entire day because I surely wouldn’t have wanted to miss the FUN during their Reception. Dinner was delicious, and Ridge and his Staff at the Club were on top of everything!
Jason Everett from The Music Crew and his assistant, Kyle really know how to keep the crowd engaged and having fun! There was so much laughter, friendly competition, great music, celebrating, more laughter, and tons of dancing!!! I had an absolute blast not only capturing the incredible moments, but watching Sarah & Levi having the time of their lives with with their friends & family! What an amazing night!
I can only end this post one way, saying THANK YOU & CONGRATULATIONS again to SARAH & LEVI for choosing Julie Frances Photography to capture your Big Day! Jillian and I had such a fantastic time! It has been an honor and we are so happy for you both:)
Looking forward to shooting your ANNIVERSARY SESSION!!! I can’t wait to hear all about your first year memories!!
XOXO
-Julie
Vendor Credits:
RECEPTION/CEREMONY VENUE: Augusta Country Club
PHOTOGRAPHY: Julie Frances Photography
FLORIST: Berry & Berry Floral
CAKE: Kennebec Chocolates
DJ/ENTERTAINMENT: The Music Crew/Jason Everett
HAIR ARTIST: Megan Hensbee-Peaslee/Synergy SPA
BRIDESMAID DRESS: David’s Bridal
MENS WEAR: Kohl’s
OFFICIANT: Don Ashmall
BRIDAL GOWN: David’s Bridal
JEWELER: Day’s Jewlers
INVITATIONS: Sam’s Club
Hi, I'm Julie!
If you're looking for a professional Wedding Photographer and it seems to be a bit of a daunting task...let's see if I can help. (and btw, it shouldn't be daunting! It should be FUN!)
For me, it's about YOU! Creating the Beautiful, Real, Storytelling photographs that you see here comes from the personalized experience that I take every one of my couples through! I've put together a few Questions for you below to see how we fit!
Ask yourself the following:
1. Do you catch yourself looking at photos where you can feel something...maybe you see joy, the gaze of a couple's stare, a tear, pure laughter in the moment, a crowd cheering, a smirk, a kiss, or even notice that special sparkle in someone's eye... you see love in an image and you don't even know these people?
(Are you saying YEEEEES? We need to talk because YOU & YOUR-Story are what matter to me and capturing beautifully REAL images is the foundation of the entire experience when you work with me!)
2. Are you incredibly busy but are in hopes that you land a wedding professional who gets you and will be there to help you every step of the way making sure you get the full wedding photography experience?
(Saying YES? Well, I've got YOUR back! I work hard throughout, from the initial phone call to the final delivery of products to plan, prepare and keep your desires at the TOP of my list! YOU matter when we work together and I understand BUSY!)
3. Do you value receiving your photos in a tangible high-quality Custom Album that you can share after your wedding with family & friends for years to come?
(Saying, heck yeah? Then that's FABULOUS...because I include one in EVERY Collection and I can't wait to share all of the options that are available to you!)
4, Do you want to ENJOY your Wedding Day, be present in the moment and celebrate with your guests...all while knowing your wedding story and precious moments are being captured for you?
(Saying YES? FANTASTIC! My 2nd shooter and I work together to capture everything that matters to YOU...from details to dancing and everything in between! The experience includes your WEDDING-DAY QUESTIONNAIRE and PRE-WEDDING CONSULTATION which are just a few of the steps to be sure that we know everything that matter to YOU!
If you found yourself answering YES to any of the above, than Hey There! Let's chat! You and I sound like we may be on to something EPIC! I can't wait to hear more about what you're dreaming up!
Limited 2021 dates are available and 2022/2023 bookings are happening now!
