On a warm July afternoon, these two were married in a venue close to the bride’s heart. India is the queen of DIY brides. She made almost every part of this day herself, from the cake to the decorations!

I first met India at church over 10 years ago. I was still in college, and home in Maine on a short visit from Washington. India and her family had started attending the church while I was in school, so I didn’t get to know them well right away. When I moved back to Maine later on, I started helping out in the youth ministry, where I became close with a small group of High School girls, including India. We went on camping trips during the summer, held car wash fundraisers, had sleepovers at the church, and did plays together for our annual “No-Talent Show.” India always stood out to me. She was fiercely independent and confident, while also so lighthearted and fun to be around. As I watched India graduate and become an adult, I was always amazed by who she was as a person. Then one day, she introduced me to Alex. Now the first thing anyone notices about Alex is how tall he is. I’m 5’10”, which is pretty tall for a girl, so when I say he’s tall, I mean REALLY tall! But the other thing I noticed about Alex was the kindness in his smile, his gentle but confident disposition, and how he treated India with the kind of respect that you don’t see every day. Alex asked me to photograph his proposal to India last December, at Portland Headlight, which went perfectly (besides the fact that my fingers were frozen)!

For their wedding, India and Alex chose to get married at Camp Mechuwana. This venue is special to India because of the many times she’s spent here with friends (including me!). As I mentioned, India handmade almost every part of this wedding. She tediously cut out and strung together tissue paper to create the hanging wisteria about the ceremony arch. She made all of the flag banners that ran along the ceiling of the reception. She made the invitations and most of the signs, she picked the ferns from her front yard, baked and decorated the cake, and she even crafted all of the bouquets the morning of the wedding! Friends and family helped with projects too, from collecting the plates and glassware to cleaning and setting up the venue.

The morning of the wedding, I met India down the road from Camp Mechuwana, at her house. As the bridesmaids got ready there, my second photographer, Trina Dinnar, was busy photographing the men getting ready in the cabins at camp. Alex and his groomsmen are all a part of the United States Coast Guard, and they looked so handsome all dressed up in their dress blues! We all met up a few minutes before the ceremony to do a “first touch”. India and Alex decided they didn’t want to see each other before the ceremony, so instead they chose to exchange letters and pray together, all without seeing the other! The ceremony took place in a wooded clearing near the lake, which was stunning! During the reception, everyone enjoyed some dancing and a taco bar! After the sparkler exit, I jumped in the car with India and Alex and we drove up to Newport to take pictures in the most beautiful lavender field in Maine! Scroll down to see more of this fun camp wedding!

Venue: Camp Mechuwana, Winthrop, Maine

Lavender Field: Moore Manor Lavender, Newport, Maine

Dress: Dreams Bridal Boutique and Tuxedo Center, Augusta, Maine

Photographer: Andrea Simmons Photography LLC, Augusta, Maine

Second Photographer: Trina Dinnar Photography, Old Orchard Beach, Maine

And now my favorite part! The owners of Moore Manor Lavender Farm in Newport, Maine, graciously allowed us to come by while they were closed. This small lavender farm is such a peaceful place to visit, and I’m so glad India and Alex decided to make it a part of their wedding day! The owners even gave us a basket of dried lavender to use for photos, and with the sun setting, it was the most perfect end to a perfect day!