“Hey! We are planning a giant wedding due to my giant family…….if you're up for shooting big crazy family weddings I would love to hear from you!” I can’t believe that was really part of the first message Ashley sent me when she inquired about me photographing their celebration; only because that statement could not have been further from what we actually ended up planning due to COVID. These two met at a ski hill when Dave moved here and the rest is history.
Between joking about what time it’s socially acceptable to have a drink (ps the morning is the best time- if you’ve never tried Cabot Trail in your coffee, Ashley + I both tell you to give it a go instead of Baileys), some Facetimes with their puppy during isolation, and just learning about what makes Ashley + David them; they ended up deciding that rather than postponing the wedding because of family restrictions (Dave is from Australia) and guest counts, that they would go ahead, take the time off to take it easy doing what they love for two days in the mountains and elope.
Since they truly wanted to make it as fair as possible for both families, seeing as it was going to be the whole fam damily originally, they asked if myself and my best friend would sign as witness for their official certificate and date, which was spent arriving, relaxing in the park waiting for the marriage commissioner and finishing the day with Dave’s favorite pizza ever. The unofficial date, which they decided was going to be the day the celebrated, was the following day and it was truly spent doing the best things; waking up lazily late to make breakfast and Cabot Trail coffee, hiking, rock climbing and taking our time getting Ashley ready. We all stayed together in the sweetest *mountain view* room, visiting until the stars were higher than me, sleeping in late, and then my best friend, Allyson, and I did Ashley’s hair and makeup before spending the evening celebrating what will be their forever day.
We picked a wide open field to marvel at the mountains around us, a widely draped juniper plant to host them for their first dance while Can’t Help Fallin in Love With You played (Dave picked and downloaded it just before we left so you should definitely listen to it while you scroll through), layed in the grass as the sun finally went down just the way they do after work every day, and all of it couldn’t have been more them.
“This feels like exactly the wedding we were meant to have.” I would soOOoooo agree, and what an honour and fkn privilege it was to be a literal witness for you both. Savie Davie’s, hot pies, clementines, sweaty toast and you two are things I will never ever forget- here's to you Mr. + Mrs. Bassett(i) <3
