This Gould Barn Wedding in Massachusetts is the epitome of a fall New England wedding. The best time of year in the northeast combined with vintage details and historic buildings- it just feels like a movie! Sydney and Matt’s wedding fit perfectly into the scene. They came all the way from Portland, Oregon to get married here. These two are so fun-loving and hilarious. They really embraced every part of the wedding day. Singing while getting ready. Sharing inside jokes during the first look. Genuinely cracking up together during the ceremony. Treating photo-taking as an excuse to have fun together. Listening to stories from their best friends during speeches. Then hanging out, playing cornhole, and chatting with friends during the reception. This was the absolute opposite of a stuffy wedding. Exactly the way it should be!

Getting Ready

When I pulled up to where Sydney and her bridesmaids were getting ready, my jaw dropped. The place they booked was a gorgeous historical house with soft lighting and incredible 1880s architecture. It’s on VRBO so you can book it for yourself! Inside, I was greeted by the kind of bridesmaids that make you feel more like a friend than a vendor. I actually shot maid of honor Emmeline’s wedding back in 2019! There were definitely times I had to stop myself from having too much fun in order to grab shots, I absolutely loved this group of girls.

While slipping into dresses and putting on antique jewelry, the band Queen provided the soundtrack. Can you talk about fun?!! They danced around, belted their hearts out and then all of a sudden it was time to head to the venue. No more Queen 🙁

JUST KIDDING. Sydney walked down the aisle to Another One Bites the Dust. Man I adore these people. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Rewiiiiiiiind….

The First Look

When we got to the venue, it was time for the first look! I set Matt up in front of one of the buildings at the Gould Barn wedding venue and had Sydney come up behind him and tap him in the shoulder. Make sure not to scroll past those pictures below. They’re some of my favorites from the day! Their reactions to eachother was so happy and genuine. After taking a moment to eachother, they went ahead and took turns reading their vows to eachother. It’s rare to see couples exchange vows privately, apart from their ceremony. I thought it was an amazing idea! It can be a little awkward reciting the most vulnerable words you’ve ever written in front of all your friends and family. Let’s normalize private vow exchanges!

The Ceremony

Okay fast forwarding once again! Moving on to the side of another building, Sydney and Matt had set up an intimate space for their friends and family to watch them seal the deal. Of course, the addition of Queen songs made it all the more perfect. I just loved how this couple poured their personalities into every part of the day!

You could just tell how much fun Sydney and Matt have together by how much they made eachother laugh during the ceremony. I just wanna hang out with them!

Walking back down the aisle together, they were all smiles and fistpumps. They also realized that they forgot to exchange the rings. Oops. Not to worry, just slip em on while in the middle of a crowd of your favorite people all hugging and congratulating you! That feels nicer anyway.

The Reception

After having a total blast hanging out and taking photos, Sydney and Matt entered their reception to You’re My Best Friend by Queen and danced together while their guests looked on, smiling at every moment. The speeches given by Emmeline and Dan were hilarious and heartfelt. Capturing all those laughs just made me love my job so much in that moment.

The rest of the night was so chill. Like a backyard party with the best people in your life. Guests got together and played cornhole, drank delicious beer (shoutout to Shipyard Brewing for their insanely delicious pumpkin ale), and danced in the old barn. As a wedding favor, Sydney and Matt provided a case of hot sauce they made together, called TannenBOMB, a play on their last name. Instead of cake, they had cupcakes and whoopee pies! The dishes were all antique and twinkling stars hung from the ceiling. It was just so magical and cozy all at once.

Having a wedding at Gould Barn? I may live across the country but will still travel out to Massachusetts! Click here to get in touch!

Venue: Gould Barn
Caterer: Bianco & Sons
Hair and Makeup: The Artists
DJ: Rhythms Professional Audio Services
Dessert: Topsfield Bakeshop