Vibrant & Tight-knit Crofter’s Green Wedding in Montgomery, VT

Scenes from Rayn & Abby’s Crofter’s Green wedding day.

It’s often been said that time gives photographs meaning. The inverse is also true in the sense that photographs are objects made at least in part of time itself, and give shape to the ever flowing river we all find ourselves in. Photographs are essential tools in understanding our relationships and making sense of our days, and like the saying goes, seem to crystalize and clarify more and more as the years pass. The same could be said of experience itself.

As a wedding photographer, my working life dictates that I operate in two distinct modes. Between May and November I rarely take the camera away from my eye and live within a strict cycle of highway miles, new faces/places, teary speeches, cathartic dance floors, thousands of exposures, lots of computer time, hotel rooms, rinse and repeat. I love this time of year. It feels like an alternate form of consciousness and the barrage of joy, community, and connection I get to witness fills my cup increasingly every year. That being said, it’s not until the new year rolls around that I actually have space for reflection. This kind of distance changes your relationship to an event or experience. It becomes less about details and viscerality and instead shifts towards what is essential and enduring.

Nearly 6 months after Rayn & Abby’s Crofter’s Green wedding weekend in the woods of Montgomery, VT, the words summer camp are what foremost arrive. There’s, of course, the obvious parallel regarding scenery. Crofter’s Green is nestled within 25 acres of peaceful verdant woods minutes from the bucolic northern Vermont village of Montgomery Center and features a winding cluster of inspired cabins and creative dwellings. There’s an event barn that makes for a perfect central gathering space, several ceremony location options, and a network of easy-meandering trails that quickly connect each feature. Physical space aside, what truly earns Crofter’s Green the summer camp comparison is the feeling of familiarity and friendship it fosters. Despite it being my first time photographing the venue, Crofter’s Green felt like somewhere I half remembered from childhood. Most of the guests were strangers and yet spaces like this enable instant community and camaraderie.

Rayn & Abby’s wedding day was vibrant and tight-knit. Close family, incredible friendly community, a cocktail hour before the ceremony (yes, you’re allowed to do this), vows under a shady canopy of trees, golden hour portraits in a stunning flower garden, and an ice cream truck appearance to round out the night. If you’re considering planning a wedding day in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom or nearby, and value time spent with loved ones in a setting that feels friendly and familiar, Crofter’s Green is worth a visit.

Venue: Crofter’s Green

Catering: Woodbelly Pizza

Ice Cream: Palmer’s Creemee Truck