Sunny Sherwood Inn Wedding in Skaneateles
A nostalgic Skaneateles weekend spend exploring the lake, a wedding at the Sherwood Inn, and dancing so hard you forget the cake cutting.
Favorite things about M and C’s wedding weekend:
The weather: Perfect day!! Not too hot or cold, it was sunny, and bright for August. Anytime I can spend a wedding day outside, play with sunshine and shadows and it’s my favorite thing in the world.
The ceremony: Everyone was so present during the ceremony. There was an energy in the air that made everyone watch, participate and sing, and cheer when the were announced. There was also honking in the background from car, but they were getting married on Main Street in Skaneateles.
The guests: everyone couldn’t wait to get M and C married!! The wedding party was pumped, the fam was overjoyed. Also, the dance floor? Poppin. The couple had said in their inquiry that they were big party people and by golly, they were not joking.
Take me back! Oh wait, I can because this is a lil look at the gallery.
Here’s what M and C’s first inquiry to me —
“We’re big social people so there'll be 150 guests and 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen. The whole goal of the day is a fun and colorful dance party with all our favorite people in the world…We love a more documentary and candid type style, it feels like you capture the day in motion and the day doesn't stop to get the posed photos (though we do want some of those :)”
M and C’s review after the wedding:
“Working with Juliette was nothing short of a DREAM! She helped with everything from creating the timeline to aesthetic ideas and really helped the day run smoothly. Truly don’t know how we would’ve done it without her. Such a kind and encouraging presence on the wedding day and throughout planning! Whether it was bringing us dessert because we hadn’t gotten a chance to sneak over to the table yet or reminding us of the pic we wanted to make sure we got- truly truly fantastic!!! Not to mention just how beautiful the photos are! We could not be more in love! Such a quick turnaround so we could reminisce on the honeymoon. Juliette is a GEM!!!”
I love what I do, and the people I meet :)
Should We Do An Engagement Session?
This blog post answers the question so many newly engaged couples have — an engagement session is included in my package…should we do it?
If you’re reading this, you’re either:
A) Engaged (yay!), and may have seen how engagement sessions are included in photographers’ packages.
2) You’re not engaged, but you’re interested to find out this inner circle wedding thing called an engagement session.
Welcome, regardless, to my Ted Talk about Engagement Sessions.
What is an engagement photo session?
An engagement session is a photoshoot before you get married (thanks, captain obvious). Usually, the photos you take during this session are used for your wedding save the dates, wedding invitations, and your wedding website, but are not limited to putting as your phone background or posting constantly on social media.
This session can be as long as you’d like, but they normally last 1-2 hours at a location of your choosing.
What’s the point of an engagement session?
I suggest my couples do engagement session for three reasons:
Reason #1: Get to know each other
It can be overwhelming to meet your photographer on the day of the wedding, so engagement sessions are a perfect way to get to get to know your photographer and for them to get to know you!
Being able to see how a couple interacts with each other, what jokes make them laugh, what posing prompts they really enjoy, or if they like PDA, etc. The goal is to get comfortable in front of the camera!
Reason #2: The chance to get comfy with the camera
Being comfortable in front of a camera is easier said than done. Some people are naturals and some are camera shy. Doing an engagement session allow couples to experience the photo prompts they may have on their wedding day but with much less going on - so it’s a perfect time to practice and get comfortable!
Plus, you don’t get engaged everyday, and it’s fun little excuse to plan a date night.
Reason #3: The chance to be camera ready
Once the wedding day arrives, we have met in person, we all know each other, and we can also create some of those cute engagement photos! You and your family/friends have seen a full gallery of photos, and you already can’t wait to see what’s next. Most importantly, you feel confident and comfortable in front of a camera while you get to marry a really cool human.
“We’re SO awkward. What if it’s a trainwreck?”
I don’t believe it one bit !!!!
What if I told you all the couples in the above photos said the same thing? Because they did, but they look adorable. With the right photographer giving you prompts that help you forget that you’re being photographed, that awkwardness melts right away.
I always recommend seeing these photos as an excuse to plan a perfect date, so you’re doing the things you love most, with the person you love most.
Thinking of a photo session this way makes everything look more natural, and you won't feel like you're not just posing for the camera.
Clever secretly planned this session to propose to his high school sweetheart, Niamh at Wildflower Creek Farm during prime bloom time because Niamh loves flowers.
He had reached out to me a few weeks prior to a Pick and Pose event for couples, and wanted to know if he’d be able to do something similar but in the morning so they can spend the day celebrating, and for a little longer. Clever had said he wasn’t sure when he wanted to pop the question during the session, but when he felt like the time and place were right, he would give a signal (see the first image hehe).
After a very teary and happy engagement, the two frolicked around the field and spent the rest of the day celebrating :)
Van and Alex are both are filmmakers and artists, so they wanted an engagement session that matched that vibe. They chose Ithaca to do their session and started at Angry Mom Records to look at vinyls and the huge display of VHS tapes. After, we stopped at the local arthouse cinema, Cinemapolis, where they purchased some popcorn and we hung around the hallways in the coolest light (see above) for some fun vibey shots.
What do we do at this session?
Let me roll out the list of fun things to do on your engagement shoot:
- Grab a cup of coffee/tea at your favorite coffee shop
- Going to a museum of a shared interest
- Going to the farmers market or botanical gardens
- Having a little pizza picnic where you first met (or at your wedding venue)
- Bar hopping
- A friendly game of tennis or pickleball
- Picking flowers at a flower farm
- Bike riding or rollerblading at a local park
- Cooking at home or at a cozy Airbnb
- Thrifting
- Hiking your fave trail
- Making snowmen outside (hot chocolate optional)
So what now?
think about the season you’d want your photos to take place
think about the location you’d want to go
do you want a more nature-y scene or cityscape?
what’s your favorite things to do together?
From there, we’ll schedule your session depending on your favorite month/season, and plan an activity you both enjoy and look forward to doing.The goal is to make you look forward to this and to celebrate your whimsical, unique, weird little love :)
Visit your favorite library or bookshop!
“I also like that most of your photos seem organic. They're still capturing people in the best light while seeming natural. That's what's really important to me because I want everything to be as genuine and natural as possible (but with some artistic editing to make it look better ha)”
let’s ride a luggage cart!
“We love a mix of documentary and editorial styles—absolutely adore the candid, in-the-moment memories, and also appreciate some direction with posing”
have a drink at your fav bar!
get ice cream :)
cuddle up!
take photos on a picnic!
hang out and have fun together!
make a silly face!
have a picnic in the park!
get engaged in a super beautiful spot!
play arcade games!
“I feel like your photos really reflect what I want out of photography - they capture real moments and don't feel posed or stiff. I love the documentary style, romantic vibe.”
go on a drive!
sit by the lake at sunset
take a walk
have a little bevvy!
shop for records!
“I can FEEL the yearning in your pictures and I am here for it. I read way too many romance novels and I want my pictures to feel like I am in one.”
sit in a beautiful garden!
be adorable :)
Have a question? Want to get in touch? Ready to plan your session??
— Meet Your Photographer —
I’m Juliette and I’m an Upstate New York photographer and videographer specializing in weddings, lifestyle and branding.
My interest in photography started by taking portraits of my pet chickens as a 6 year-old, and has since then expanded into documenting cinematic and nostalgic shenanigans and stories for humans nationwide.
I’ll tell you to sing silly songs to each other during your session, or proclaim 100 times about how good you both look and show you sneaks during each set of photos.
When I’m not editing, you can find me watching The Great British Bake Off, making food with my husband, Teddy, or playing the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. :)
