The Crane Estate Wedding Photographer :: Sandra + Scott

If you've never visited The Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA then you're missing out. It's possibly the most beautiful wedding venue on the North Shore. The Crane Estate encompasses more than 2,100 acres in Ipswich, Massachusetts and includes Castle Hill, a National Historic Landmark that is the home of The Great House, a spectacular venue for weddings.

Anytime I'm hired to photograph a wedding I see it as a huge honor. When Kerianne Steele, Director of Weddings & Events at Les Fleurs, the most stunning European-style flower shop in Andover, MA and familiar with many of best wedding photographers in the area got in touch to see if I was available to photograph this amazing wedding I felt extra-honored! Kerianne was responsible for the event design and execution for Sandra's (owner of both Les Fleurs and Savoir Faire Home) wedding to Scott. Prepare yourself for the most visually and emotionally beautiful pictures!

I wish you could feel the weight and texture of this beautiful letterpress stationery by Gus & Ruby in Portsmouth, NH:

Some of the wedding details:

Upstairs at the Great House at Castle Inn Sandra was getting ready and putting on earrings, a thoughtful gift from Scott's mother:

Beautiful bouquet...

...personalized with a brooch:

As guests arrived and enjoyed a welcome cocktail on the lawn...

...Sandra watched it all happening from upstairs. As Scott and the boys arrived there were some happy tears:

Scott has three sons and he helped them with their suits and jackets

Sandra has two sons and they came up to check in on Mom:

I've seen similar signage at other weddings but it was never more true than at this wedding which was just as much about their five boys as it was about Sandra and Scott:

Signs pointed the way to the ceremony and even the Griffins of The Crane Estate wore their wedding best:

Scott and his sons walked down the aisle:

Followed by an emotional Sandra proudly escorted by her sons:

Happy Scott:

The ceremony officiated by Rabbi Goldstein, a close family friend, started with the lighting of a unity candle by the five boys:

The weather threatened to storm and rain all week and we thought the ceremony would likely be indoors but then this happened :) Weddings at the Crane Estate have The Grand Allée as a backdrop. This half-mile-long, 100-foot-wide perfect lawn, bordered by two rows of trees, connects the Great House on Castle Hill to a cliff overlooking the beach and an expansive ocean vista beyond.

There were lots of happy smiles and little glances between Sandra and Scott:

Chicago industrialist Richard T. Crane, Jr. first purchased the 2,100 acres that would become The Crane Estate in 1910. In 1928, he crowned the estate with a grand 59-room, Stuart-style mansion, designed by the world-renowned architect David Adler. Sandra's nephews held the chuppah:

The always amazing Audrey was photographing with me and these are her pictures of Scott breaking the glass:

First kiss as Dr & Mrs!

Immediately after the ceremony we took some relaxed yet totally mantel-worthy family pictures:

Sandra and Scott really wanted to enjoy cocktail hour with their friends and family so they decided on a 90 minute cocktail hour - super smart move :) We spent a little time exploring the verdant and architecturally amazing grounds including the Italian garden:

One last image to show off Sandra's bouquet and stunning dress from J. Mendel, Paris, France

I loved this alternative to the guest book. Friends and family left personal messages around wine bottles:

Cocktail hour out on the patio of the mansion:

Guests found their table numbers via this wine cork board and left their cards in the moss-covered monogrammed box.

Knowing that I'd be doing family and couples pictures during cocktail hour and Audrey would be setting up the photobooth, I brought in the talented Kat to help capture all of the amazing details. The next four pictures are Kat's :) Guests enjoyed the most amazing food from Fireside Catering including a raw bar:

Heading into the Great House I was completely wowed. Kerianne and the Les Fleurs team made the room look amazing (not to mention the perfume of the flowers and the rosemary topiaries). I didn't know what to photograph first!

The calligraphy throughout the wedding was done by the immeasurably talented Elizabeth Porcher Jones - love love love!

Scott's father and Sandra's brothers welcomed guests to dinner and said blessings over the food and wine:

I'm not a big cake fan but let's just say I was forced to eat a slice (thanks Kerianne!) and wow - so good! I believe there was some kind of meringue buttercream involved?

Scott is a world-renowed orthopaedic surgeon and he spoke of how well he knows shoulders (raising a laugh from everyone there) and how Sandra's shoulders are so broad to carry two successful businesses, the role of mother and now the role of wife. It was very touching.

The boys. Scott's sons had a surprise grand finale to end the toast and announce that the dancefloor was now open, starting with Sandra and Scott's first dance, which naturally ended up involving one of the boys:

Guests at the wedding enjoyed the most delicious cannolis from Modern Pastries along with light-as-air macaroons, biscotti and other sweet treats along with the espresso bar:

DJ Mike Paganelli from C-Zone kept the music coming and the dance floor packed:

A final thoughtful gift of French sea salt for departing guests:

And that's it for today! Sandra & Scott - thank you so much for trusting me to photograph your wedding. It was a joy to document your two families becoming one and I hope you like this handful of pictures. Lots more to come!

 If you were a guest at the wedding make sure you like Leah Haydock Photography on facebook as the photobooth pictures will be up on Monday....next up will be Lea & Aidan's North Shore engagement pictures followed by Sarah & Kevin's wedding at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common.

Vendor Information
Venue: The Great House on Castle Hill,  The Crane Estate
Crane Estate Wedding Photographer: Leah Haydock
Officiant: Rabbi Goldstein
Event design and coordination: Kerianne Steele, Les Fleurs
Bride’s dress J.Mendel Paris
Groom’s clothing: Hugo Boss
Boy’s clothing Brooks Brothers with Vineyard Vines ties
Wedding stationery: Gus & Ruby Letterpress, Portsmouth, NH
Flowers: Les Fleurs, Andover, MA
Hair: Navid Nickpour at Salon Navid
Make up Megan Buttry
Limo: Four Star Limo
Cake: John Haroian at Johnny Cakes
Dessert Table: Schocolat, Jennys Mac, Modern Pastry
Catering: Fireside Catering (Maura McCarthy)
DJ DJ Mike Paganelli at C-Zone Music
String Quartet: C-Zone Music
Favors: Savoir Faire Home, Andover, MA
Rentals (tables, chairs, linens): Matt Zablock Petersons Party Center 

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