When I met with Mike and Kate last year and got to hear a little about what they were envisioning for their wedding, I left thinking…now that would be a blast to photograph. An elegant ceremony and reception in an industrial mill-turned museum setting. Exposed brick, huge windows, not to mention exhibits that include a Model T Ford, steam-powered fire engines, a vintage watchmaker’s shop, and incredibly cool spaces filled with art installations, artifacts, and 100-year-old machines built to perform tasks most of us wouldn’t recognize today. That, alone, would have made for an incredible experience, but even luckier is that Kate and Mike are some of the nicest people I’ve worked with. Their day was relaxed and fun, and the element of having a gathering in a museum added so much in that the guests, and Mike and Kate, had so much fun interacting with the exhibits and walking around the space to take it all in.

They decided to do a ‘first look’ before the ceremony, so we had a chance to snap some pictures of Mike seeing Kate for the first time in her dress. It was really such a special moment.

Instead of a guestbook to sign, everyone was asked to hammer their initials onto plates using metal letter stamps. It was a huge hit, and people had such fun hammering away at little messages for the new couple.

Table assignments were typewriter-typed on vintage time cards, and guests punched-in on an original punch clock. Honestly, as if this wedding wasn’t incredible enough without all of the fantastic details…

They also decided to give their own toasts. They greeted and thanked their guests for spending the day with them, and gave thankful acknowledgment of the example and lessons passed down from their parents. It was beautiful.

Location: Charles River Museum of Industry, Waltham, MA
DJ: Mike’s Music Mix
Kate’s hair: Shannon McCarthy
Kate’s make-up: Robin Powers