Madeleine and Shayne were married on August 9, 2025, at the Interlaken Inn in Lakeville, Connecticut. Their wedding brought together an outdoor ceremony beside the lake and a summer landscape that gave the day a strong sense of place.
They chose not to have a first look. Instead, Madeleine and Shayne waited to see one another at the ceremony, allowing the anticipation of the morning to continue until her entrance.
Madeleine’s Preparation
The photographic story begins with Madeleine preparing for the ceremony. Her white and green bouquet introduced the natural palette that continued throughout the day, while the soft window light created a quiet setting for her bridal portraits.
Some photographs concentrate on the carefully chosen details of her appearance: the flowers, veil, jewelry and clean lines of her dress. Others reveal the expressions that appeared between the more formal stages of preparation.
These portraits were not intended simply to record how Madeleine looked. Together, they preserve the stillness and anticipation before she left for the ceremony.
A Lakeside Ceremony at the Interlaken Inn
The ceremony took place on the lawn beside Lake Wononscopomuc. The open water and distant tree line formed a natural background, while the guests gathered closely around Madeleine and Shayne.
Because they had not arranged a first look, their meeting at the ceremony became an important transition in the story. Madeleine approached along the aisle as Shayne waited beside the lake.
The photographs move between wide views that establish the landscape and closer perspectives that concentrate on the couple. Madeleine and Shayne held hands as they exchanged their vows and rings, with the water remaining visible behind them.
Their first kiss brought the ceremony to its conclusion before they walked back through their guests together. The resulting sequence preserves both the beauty of the setting and the expressions and gestures that made the ceremony personal.
Portraits After the Ceremony
Following the ceremony, we moved into the wooded areas of the Interlaken Inn for portraits. The trees created a quieter background and allowed the late-afternoon light to separate Madeleine and Shayne gently from the landscape.
I offered enough direction to establish the composition, but the strongest photographs came as they turned their attention back toward one another. Their expressions became more natural once the pose gave way to interaction.
As the light faded, we returned to the lake for a final silhouette. Madeleine and Shayne stood together at the end of the dock, surrounded by the darker shape of the water and evening sky. The photograph reduced the scene to its essential elements: the couple, the landscape and the final light of the day.
The sequence ends with a less formal moment on the golf cart. Sitting close together with drinks in hand, Madeleine and Shayne paused before returning to their celebration.
Their Interlaken Inn wedding was defined by the progression visible in the photographs: Madeleine’s anticipation before the ceremony, their first meeting beside the lake, the vows they exchanged and the quiet time they shared afterward.
Together, the images preserve not only the appearance of a summer wedding in Lakeville, but also the relationships and natural interactions that gave the day its meaning.
