Bridget & Jacob
Groveland Fairways, Groveland, Massachusetts (Elopement)
October 16th, 2025
Anytime I get an inquiry for a two or three hour elopement, I'm always a little bit concerned that the bride and groom might be missing the full wedding day experience.
It's one thing if a couple just wants to go to a courthouse or a park, say some vows, share a kiss and take a few photos. But if they want something more expansive, I always worry framing their day as a smaller elopement style wedding may leave them disappointed.
But then I meet couples like Bridge and Jacob, whose vision for their October wedding day at Groveland Fairways in Groveland, Massachusetts was so perfect and fit them so well that I know, in my heart, the time doesn't matter ... the memories do.
And this was an elopement neither they nor I shall soon forget.
My coverage of Bridget and Jacob's wedding day began with a teeny, tiny sliver of bride and groom prep as neither Bridget nor Jacob cared too much about getting ready photos. In fact, the photos I took above were mostly just to capture their spirits before they said "I do" as both Bridget and Jacob arrived to the venue in a great mood and ready to get the show on the road.
And that would be the vibe they had all day, though they did occasionally dip their toe in super emotional moments, like when Bridget walked down the aisle and shared an extremely beautiful and poignant hug with her father.
Bridget and Jacob's wedding ceremony lasted just eight minutes but was still beautifully personal and touching, especially as the couple had a family member officiate it.
In fact, the ceremony was so touching and the pair so locked into the moment that they nearly left without performing the sand ceremony they had planned. Luckily, we caught the mistake before they walked down the aisle, had a great laugh about it and capped a beautiful celebration of their love with a beautifully symbolic expression of it.
One of the reasons I loved working with Bridget and Jacob was how easygoing they were. When I asked them where they wanted to have their family and wedding party formal photos, they just pointed back to the ceremony site, making the organizing of it all super easy.
Even better, their wedding party was an absolute hoot to work with and once we finished the "formal" formal photos, the group was down to head outside and get a little weird.
And, boy, did they nail that.
Whenever I am photographing an elopement, my biggest priority is making sure to give myself enough time to capture some nice bride and groom photos and Bridget and Jacob couldn't have been more accommodating of this.
Even though it was a little chillier than we would have liked thanks to the quickly approaching middle of fall season in New England, the newlyweds stayed outside for a half hour while we walked the beautiful property at Groveland Fairways.
This was the perfect amount of time for me to capture a wide variety of photos for this pair. In fact, it's more time than I had with most couples in 2025.
Bridget and Jacob's bride and groom portraits were also some of the most fun I shot in 2025. This couple was the absolute sweetest and most adorable and truly down for whatever ideas I had.
Even more importantly, they had such a beautiful connection with each other that I couldn't help but keep asking "Can we do one more?" as I saw the colors of the sky start to turn.
What a magical pair and an even better collection of photos that showcase them so well.
The bride and groom portrait portion of Bridget and Jacob's day went so well, I almost forget this was an elopement and not a full fledged wedding on my end.
After we finished up with their portraits, I went inside to capture some detail photos and was stunned to see I had about 45 minutes of time left with the couple ... which was crazy to me because it felt like I just got there.
Thankfully, the bride and groom needed a few minutes to spruce up for their reception and I was able to capture all of the little touches they put on display for their wedding, all of which complemented the room and theme of the day perfectly.
From the minute Bridget and Jacob entered their reception, I knew we were going to pack a lot of special moments into a short period of time but I don't think the bride or groom minded as their main priority was spending as much time with their friends and family members as possible throughout the night.
We began their formalities with a lovely first dance set to “Never Fade” by Jack Johnson and things only got better from there.
As beautiful as Bridget and Jacob's first dance was, what really hit me in the feels was watching her combined dance with her father and mother. It was so sweet watching this bride realize, in the moment, how special this day was for both her and her parents and I can't blame any of them for letting a few tears out along the way.
How could you not, right?
Bridget and Jacob capped the formalities of their reception off with a lovely cake cutting and two sweet toasts and, before I knew it, my time with the couple came to an end.
As I packed my gear up following Bridget and Jacob's elopement, I couldn't help but laugh and smile comparing their special day to some of the longer weddings I had in 2025.
It's always amazing to me to see how vastly different weddings are treated from couple to couple but I don't think I've seen a couple approach their day like Bridget and Jacob did and the fact that they hit it out of the park is just a testament to their vision for what they wanted and what they knew mattered to them.
Bridget and Jacob's wedding was one of my favorites in 2025 and with good reason. It was just a joyful day and a reminder of what really matters when a couple says "I do." So, thank you Bridget and Jacob for a beautiful elopement that I definitely needed in the midst of my most grueling stretch of weddings and I wish you all the best on this new chapter of your lives together. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
