New Haven CT Wedding: Cali + James | Britt Hill Photo

New Haven CT Wedding: Cali + James | Britt Hill Photo

If there’s one thing you need to know about Cali and James, it’s that their people are everything to them.

Their New Haven wedding was about gathering their favorite humans in one place, getting married by the water and throwing one heck of a party afterward.

And that’s exactly what they did.

On a bright July afternoon, family and friends gathered along the shoreline in New Haven to watch these two say “I do” with the beach as their backdrop. The sun was out in full force, the water sparkled behind them, and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. It was a classic, balmy New England summer day.

After their beachside ceremony, guests headed off to cocktail hour while Cali and James kept to the beach for their portraits together and with family. The midday sun gave us that classic shoreline glow. They spent the time between shots sneaking off quickly to say hi to guests watching the photos – they loved their guests so much. Because they opted out of a first look, cocktail hour (following ceremony) was the best time for any and all portraits. But they also really wanted to be with their people – and I honestly adored it. We made it snappy and simple, with varying shots but also enough time for them to join cocktail hour for a bit before reception started.

Cali danced a choregraphed number with her dad. What started as a sweet father-daughter dance quickly turned into a fun moment that had everyone cheering and laughing. It perfectly matched Cali’s personality and set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Then came the speeches.

James’ best friend gave a heartfelt speech, as did Cali’s sister and father. I always appreciate the balance of tears and laughter during this time of the day – equally intimate and heartfelt and genuinely cracking people up. That’s life, bb!

As the sun set outside the ballroom windows behind Cali and James’ head table, the dance floor filled up and stayed packed with guests dancing to their completely personalized playlist of 70s disco and 90s hip-hop. My kind of people.

For couples planning New Haven weddings, waterfront celebrations, or even intimate New Haven elopements, it’s hard to beat a shoreline Connecticut wedding filled with sunshine, family, and a dance floor full of your favorite people.

Thanks for having me, C+J. xoxo