When you arrive at a wedding location to find the bride’s mother assembling local flowers from the market in vases, her baker cousin putting the finishing touches on mini cupcakes in the communal kitchen, her brother setting out the table cards, and his girlfriend hanging delicate Chinese paper art, you know you’ll be treated to a homespun, family centered affair that’s sure to be touching.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that my cheeks hurt at the end of the night from smiling so much as I photographed Moira & James’ wedding at Pioneer Valley Cohousing. Maytal Saltiel did a beautiful job officiating their heartfelt ceremony- they were both glowing, and their joy radiated out to the family and friends who gathered outside in the warm late afternoon light to see them exchange vows that they wrote themselves.

The food was delicious! Hillside Organic Catering out of Bernardston, MA provided mouth-watering dishes (Javanese salmon, chicken piccata, portabella and porcini cheese stuffed ravioli….mmm…). I’m going to recommend them to my future couples because I want seconds of everything they served. Moira’s cousin Loren from Simply Sharon’s made the delicious and adorable mini cupcakes that people gobbled up.

And the dancing! I cannot believe the spirit and stamina this group maintained all the way to the very last song, Closing Time by Semisonic. The photo of Moira’s brother suspended in the air behind her and James was not Photoshopped- he was airborne!

Moira & James, it was an honor!