Oooh, I was so excited to be back at the gorgeous Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain for Lauren and Derek’s summer wedding! I got there a little early and took my time strolling the gardens and getting lots of photos of the beautiful flowers and landscaping all around. Then Lauren and Derek arrived and things started to roll! From their emotional first look, to their private last dance in the woodland gardens, this one has it all. And I absolutely loved their energy throughout the day - taking everything in, enjoying their small guest list to be more intentional and present during their wedding day. And Lauren’s big smiles and reactions! What a fun wedding to be a part of.

Venue: The Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain

I’ve asked the couple some questions about themselves and the wedding day, and Lauren’s answers are in italics below.

How did you meet your partner and/or get engaged?

Derek and I met on a dating app called Hinge! We got engaged on a trip to Newport, Rhode Island in 2024, five days before Christmas. Our friends invited us on a weekend away, making it appear like Derek wasn’t involved in the planning at all. We went for a walk along the water where we had walked when we visited back in the summer, and that is where Derek got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!

Keep scrolling for lots more from this wedding at the Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain!

details of flowers at gardens at uncanoonuc white roses purple flowers

lauren gets into her wedding dress, details of hands buttoning up the back of the dress

wedding dress with train hanging in front of large french doors at the cottage at uncanoonuc mountain, white rose bouquet with green accents

This little cottage at the Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain is the perfect spot to get ready. The light is beautiful and there’s plenty of space for lots of people moving around in the hustle and bustle before the wedding!

black and white photos bride gets emotional after putting on her wedding dress

wedding first look in the stroll garden at the gardens at uncanoonuc mountain

groom reacts to seeing bride for first time

This was such a joyous and emotional first look and private vows! I always try to stay as far away as possible so that the couple can stay in the moment and not notice me during these private moments. But so glad I was able to capture all of this emotion!

lauren and derek's private vows before their wedding ceremony, laughing and crying

What we truly loved the most about working with you was your calm demeanor and the way you blended in so well that we didn’t even notice you were there during our ceremony and reception. During our first look and cocktail hour, you gave us guidance on poses, but not so much direction that our photos looked fake. You genuinely captured the essence of Derek’s and my love.

bride reaches out to touch groom's cheek as he reads his private vows to her in this beautiful garden

I can’t get over the detail and design of all the gardens here! As a gardening novice, I’m quite jealous.

lauren and derek cheering yay we did it! after their private vows

bride and groom surrounded by greenery in this gorgeous garden uncanoounuc mountain

We chose the Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain for our wedding for a couple of reasons. The first being the stunning grounds covered in gardens and beautiful scenery. The second being that they offered an intimate wedding package, and we knew from the start we wanted to keep our wedding small and really meaningful.

yellow grassy shrub in foreground of photos of bride and groom in gardens

bride gets emotional while walking down the aisle with her mom

My mom walked me down the aisle, which was such a meaningful experience for us as she pretty much raised me on her own. Having her with me to see all the faces smiling at us as we walked down was so calming. I felt nothing but love and genuine happiness during our ceremony, as Derek’s brother was our officiant and he could hardly hold himself together which was so sweet and heartfelt.

bride and groom exchange vows surrounded by beautiful white hydrangea bushes at their wedding

moms looking on at their kids during wedding ceremony at uncanoonuc mountain

beautiful wall of hydrangea bushes creates a natural focal point for wedding ceremony backdrop with iron arbor at the center

What were your goals for your wedding day?

Our number one priority was staying true to ourselves. We are both people who don’t love being the center of attention, which is pretty unavoidable on your wedding day, but we wanted to be the center of attention with only our closest friends and family. Our total guest count was just under 40 people. Our vision was an outdoor wedding with lots of natural beauty and simplistic décor. What we cared about most was being able to fully be immersed in our day and spend quality time with all of our guests and to not be pulled in a thousand different directions.

bride and groom first kiss wedding ceremony

lauren and derek cheer as they're coming back down the aisle after ceremony

details of wedding under the tent at gardens at uncanoounc mountain, with greenery running down the long wooden tables, candles in hurricane glass and white and green bud vases

What a gorgeous tent set up! The classic white and green details on the farmhouse tables came together beautifully, and blended in so well with the backdrop of the venue. And I love that they have two tents at the Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain, depending on your guest count. This was a perfect size for a smaller wedding of less than 50 people - in the bigger tent you would’ve felt it was a bit cavernous without the guests to fill it up.

golden light cocktail hour photos at gardens at uncanoonuc

We took just a few minutes at the end of cocktail hour for some golden hour photos.

bride and groom in hydrangea garden at uncanoounc mtn

couple running and laughing in their wedding finery

What is one suggestion you have for other couples who are planning their weddings?

Do not let anyone change your vision! Stick to what you and your partner want and do not waver from that. If you try to consider everyone’s opinions, schedules, locations, etc., you will drive yourself mad. Do not overthink the trivial things like cocktail napkins or having activities during cocktail hour. Your guests will be perfectly happy with mingling, good food and good drinks. Stay true to who you both are and remember the day is for you two, and no one else!

cocktail hour photos of guests and wedding couple walking around grounds

Did you have any hesitations at first? Did I overcome the doubts?

My only worry was that we would spend too much time taking photos, and we did not at all! You took our family photos during cocktail hour in such a good amount of time that we still got to enjoy time with our guests.

lauren and derek coming into the tent for the first dance and cheering

bride's mom looks on with hands clasped as bride and groom have their first dance

first dance under classic sailcloth tent at uncanoonuc mountain

If I am being completely honest, I think Derek and I both felt awkward during our first dance! You don’t realize how long your song is until your dancing to it with 40 sets of eyes on you, but looking back I am so happy we laughed our way through it and still had a blast.

lauren reacts to toast and derek looks at her smiling, father laughs

bride and groom big laughs during wedding toasts, with greenery and candles on the table in front of them

an emotional moment during toasts as bride and her mom look toward her brother

lauren and her family react to her friend's wedding toast

The candid photos were some of our favorite because it captured the true feelings of the day, especially the photos taken during speeches at the reception. We got some great laughs from the photos taken on the dance floor.

bride and groom look at each other with tenderness during wedding toasts

dinner buffet set up from common man, cookie favor on napkin, cats and cocktails

Catering from the Common Man Restaurants - highly recommend! And of course I love the way they incorporated their cats into the day.

photo dash at wedding with guests coming to the couple

This is a great alternative to the “photo dash” trend I’ve been seeing lately. Instead of the couple going to each table, have people come to you! You can get lots of fun shots and people can get a little more creative and come up in different groups. It also makes it easier on me as the photographer - especially if your reception is in a venue with difficult lighting conditions (it’s hard to adjust my lighting setup for each guest table in a few seconds!).

private cate cutting in the garden at uncaoounuc mtn, tent lit up at twilight

bride dances with her moms, sings, hugs at end

guests on the dance floor, singing and waving light up batons

bride and groom hug and kiss on the dance floor

bride on dance floor with light up baton, slow shutter to show light and movement

Our reception was everything I wanted it to be and more. With a small guest count, you would think the dance floor would be quiet, but it was anything but! We danced from the moment dinner was over until the end of the night and our friends and family made it so special.

And DJ Dee definitely helped keep the party moving - she was awesome!

bride and groom have last dance surrounded by guests

groom picks up bride and swings her around while kissing at last dance

wedding couple under the cafe lights in the woodland gardens at night at uncanoounuc mountain

The most special moment from our wedding day was our last dance in the Woodland Gardens at Uncanoonuc Mountain. Everyone had left and we went down to the woods with only our DJ and photographer. We danced to “You and Me” by Lifehouse under the string lights hung up in the trees and I couldn’t stop crying from all the joy and fulfillment of the day!