Sarah and David 2009 sneak peek

Usually on Labor Day weekend I'm relaxing and trying to figure out the best way to attend as many gatherings as possible with the least amount of driving. However this year my weekend was busy for reasons disconnected from barbecues and the end of the summer.

Sarah and David were meant to be married in August, but on the day of their wedding tragedy struck and they couldn't go forward. They changed their plans and brought me in for their rescheduled event at the beautiful Daniel Webster Inn in Sandwich.

Parking outside was a bit trickier. Across the street from the inn an art fair had established itself, the kind that typically appears during summers on Cape Cod with pictures of beach scenes, paintings of lighthouses and knick knacks carved from driftwood.

I met up with part of the team of wedding coordinators, who took me quickly around the grounds. The light was fairly even throughout, probably the best I'd had since I started doing wedding photography. We stepped outside into the garden, over some hedges (on someone else's property) the bagpiper practiced.

After the few minutes of touring I stopped in to the bride's room to get some of the preparation photos. Much of the hard work had already been done and all that was left was to knit things up with some bobby pins.

From the moment I stepped into the room and took off my lenscap I felt quite welcome. It was a small wedding of close friends and family and it was hard to loom in the background. I got to sit and eat and share and for a while feel like a part of the celebration rather than a mere documentarian.

The ceremony was short and outdoors, followed by some formal photos. Then the bride, groom and I went to a nearby beach to get some photos while everyone else waited eagerly for something to eat (but they were rewarded with some of the best food I've had at a wedding).