Photographing a Barn Wedding for Jake and Dean in Grand Gorge

By Jonathan Ment Photography

Jake and Dean are so in love. It was obvious in every photo, in every smile, in every moment of their DIY barn wedding in the Catskills.

We got together for a little in-person time ahead of their big day – though we previously discussed how the two met, something I strive to learn about  every couple I photograph.

I read about the romantic escape they took to celebrate their engagement on their wedding website. Their sense of adventure, from that early trip to putting this large wedding together themselves, was admirable.

Jake was in the midst of preparations for the largely outdoor event – then a week or so out.

There was a truck stuck in the mud (prelude to the caterer’s truck on the big day), walls in need of paint, a chandelier to be hung.

While all these details mattered, and Jake was overseeing just about everything personally, he assured me he and Dean were very easy going.

We discussed priorities and talked about the flow for the day- when to plan portraits with family, what might happen before and after the ceremony, special touches. We considered where to set up family portraits, and additional portrait sessions with various family members, friends and other guests.

It’s always good to have a heads-up if someone will be shot out of a canon. There are no retakes… (at this particular event, no plans had been made for a cannon.)

Everything got done, it seemed, by the time the wedding day arrived.

While the barn itself was a modern pole barn, the finish and décor was one-of-a-kind:

… A rugged chandelier made by Dean and his family

… Every large mum they could find from within a 20-mile radius.

… Pictures from the courtship (those aren’t so uncommon) and a propeller for guests to sign (a first) as a sort of guest book.

During the evening there was a sort of couple’s toast, or chug – some awful tasting hard to find beverage, I think, is how Dean described it.

Other toasts from family mostly ended in tears of laughter or joy.

The Shoe game – sort of a ‘Match Game’ or “How Well do You Know One Another”  was played during the reception.

With the exception of a basic catering breakdown (the worst execution I’ve ever had the misfortune to witness), which was the only time I saw the couple at all disappointed, their exhaustive efforts paid off.

Wishing this Mr. – Mr. Wedding couple a multitude of magnificent years and many more adventures to come.

Glad I could be there to photograph the incredible event!

Thanks for reading,

Jonathan Ment

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