Meaghan & Chris
Kilburn Mill at Clarks Cove, New Bedford, Mass. (Ceremony & Reception)
December 6th, 2025
Whenever I walk into the final wedding of a year, I always think to myself "Man, I've been waiting for this day for so long" and usually it's in a figurative sense as I'm thinking primarily of how wiped out I am mentally and physically from the end-of-wedding-season rush that every Fall in New England brings. But, in the case of Meaghan and Chris, who said "I do" at Kilburn Mill at Clarks Cove in New Bedford, Massachusetts back in December, it was both literal and figurative.
I first met Meaghan and Chris at a bridal expo in South Kingstown, Rhode Island in 2019 and, even then, they were years into their relationship and planning a wedding. Then a global pandemic happened. And then life got in the way.
So when I finally walked into Meaghan and Chris' wedding day, after that long wait AND a 53-wedding-season at that point, I truly had no idea how they would match my expectations for a day that seemed ages in the making. Turns out, they didn't match them. They exceeded them. And I couldn't have asked for a better wedding to close out my craziest wedding season ever on. Talk about going out on a high note.
I knew walking into Meaghan and Chris' wedding day that BOTH the bride and groom were likely to be a little bit stressed. In all of my conversations with Meaghan and Chris prior to their big day, it was clear to me that they both had high expectations for how things would go and a clear vision for what they wanted.
I wasn't fully prepared for how much Chris looked like he was running a small business as he got ready though, with the Bluetooth piece in his ear going off as he scrambled to get last-minute details just right but, honestly, that made me laugh because it just showed me how much he cared.
And Meaghan? She was insistent on having things run on time and the more I told her not to worry too much because weddings can't start without the bride, the more she seemed to panic.
I never take offense when couples are a little bit anxious before walking down the aisle. It's a stressful thing and I knew, without a single doubt, that once we got this ceremony started, both Meaghan and Chris would laugh at how crazy it is to stress on a wedding day.
One of the first things I fell in love with at Meaghan and Chris' wedding was their color scheme. These two were getting married a few weeks before Christmas and made the perfect call in incorporating reds and greens into their theme. I especially loved how it looked on the corset back of Meaghan's dress. It really popped beautifully and, thankfully, once we got Meaghan in her dress, I could see the worry melt away from her. As it should.
Meaghan and Chris were married inside the ballroom area at Kilburn Mill, a space I've VERY familiar with as I've not only shot a number of weddings here but have done a TON of creative photo shoots with my photo best friend Becky MacDonald of Pretty Nerdy Photography, who runs a studio out of the Mill, in that very room.
I'm very glad I'm familiar with this space as it could be tricky to light given how bright it was on the afternoon of Meaghan and Chris' wedding. In fact, the only thing shining brighter than the backlit curtains behind the bride and groom were the smiles on their faces as they walked down the aisle.
You would think Meaghan and Chris didn't care much about the ceremony portion of their wedding day given that it only lasted five minutes but you couldn't be further from the truth.
Meaghan and Chris' wedding ceremony might have been short on time but it wasn't short on meaning. The two shared a lot of beautiful looks at one another and it was clear they were both stepping outside of their comfort zone to share this moment in front of a large crowd of people but I could sense in that room that this was something they both imagined happening for YEARS before it did and it was everything they could have asked for and more.
Meaghan and Chris concluded their ceremony with a fun photo holding hammers at one another and, for a brief time in the lead up to the wedding, I felt like they were going to hold one up to me every time I suggested going outside for their formal photos.
Meaghan and Chris had a clear vision for how they wanted to do their family and wedding party formals. They didn't want the typical "Everyone stand in a row" shots and chose, instead, to do some more casual photos sitting on furniture outside the lounge area of the Mill.
That didn't mean I was going to let them get through their wedding without going outside for some sunset shots once we finished the formal ones though and the SECOND we opened the doors of the Mill and saw how amazing the sunset was — and, arguably it was the best one I had all year long — they were so thankful I insisted.
Meaghan and Chris' sunset shots were some of my favorite bride and groom photos, not just of the day but of the entire season. Why? Because we got through them in five minutes, got a bunch of the poses I wanted to get in in AND, most importantly, left time for them to be their silly selves and have fun with it.
I think both Meaghan and Chris were worried this part of their day would feel like pulling teeth but, afterward, they told me how much they loved these shots and I have to agree. They were something special.
With their bride and groom formals out of the way, it was time for me to head inside and scope out the now fully-turned over Kilburn Mill ballroom to see just how Meaghan and Chris decorated for their special day and, as expected, the details leaned heavy toward a winter/Christmas color scheme and really popped against the warm tone of the room as a whole.
Meaghan and Chris had a pretty elaborate wedding reception planned, with a lot of high concept formalities but my favorite, by far, was the one that showed just how sweet and caring they are as people. In a moment where a traditional first dance would take place, Meaghan and Chris threw the spotlight on one of their children who never got to experience a traditional prom dance because of the pandemic.
It was a beautiful surprise that set the tone for the evening quite well.
And even when Meaghan and Chris DID get to have their first dance, it was about other people as they asked their wedding party to hold photos of the friends and family members they lost as a way of honoring the special people in their lives who couldn't be there to celebrate their big day together.
And that's not where the special moments ended either. After Meaghan shared a beautiful dance with her father, Chris had my favorite moment of the night by surprising his mother during their mother-son dance with rocking ponies they used to ride when he was younger. It was one of my favorite moments during a reception all year and something that no one in the room could help but smile at/laugh at/cry at.
Add in a toast from one of the couple's children and a cute cake cutting and I'd say these two really nailed the big moments of their reception quite well.
The only question I had heading into Meaghan and Chris' wedding was how much dancing there would be as, honestly, I couldn't get a read on their crowd. And while things started a little bit slow, once the party picked it, it PICKED UP.
I loved seeing Meaghan and Chris finally cut loose and enjoy their time with friends and family members and the joy on the dance floor was simply beautiful.
Meaghan even managed to make time for a special moment between her and her now husband, surprising him with a gift that he wanted for some time and sharing some final silly photos together in the bridal prep suite before we all went back out to close the night out.
And that last little bit of the reception? It may have been the best part as this crowd really closed the night out on a high note with a lot of fun performances on the dance floor.
When it was finally time for me to pack my gear and call it a night with Meaghan and Chris, I felt a tremendous sense of relief knowing I had finally wrapped the 2025 wedding season and did so with an absolutely awesome final shoot to boot.
The 2025 wedding season was, without question, the longest and toughest of my career but it was also one of the most rewarding and it's all because of couples and weddings like Meaghan and Chris.
Though I may have been tired, and beaten up, and it may have taken me all the way until mid April to catch up on photo editing and blog writing from a 54-wedding season that seemingly never stopped, I can't think of anything I'd rather do professionally or anything more rewarding than capturing moments that matter for couples like Meaghan and Chris who literally wait a lifetime for a day like their wedding day.
So, thank you Meaghan and Chris and thank you to all my 2025 clients for an amazing season. It was one I will never forget and I hope you all feel the same way.
Now, if you'll excuse me ... it's time for me to have some long-awaited rest ... for all of 30 hours before I jump right back into the 2026 season. See you all very soon. :)
