A Venue That Feels Like a Different Country

The Ruins at Sassafras Museum in New Lebanon, NY sits just over the Massachusetts border in the Berkshires, and the first time I pulled up, I had to do a double-take. This place looks like Tuscany—rolling hills, restored stone ruins, and light that hits differently here.

The owners took what couldn’t be saved from the original ruins and repurposed it into other parts of the venue. The original wooden doors now frame the bar in the Chair Factory reception space. Salvaged materials became the Moroccan bar for cocktail hour. The grounds offer endless portrait locations—different ruins sites, the pond, terraces—and even in November when foliage is fading, it’s stunning. Plus, the team is incredible to work with and they have an in-house planner.

The Rehearsal Dinner: Where Everyone Gets Comfortable

Rachel and Clem started their wedding weekend with a rehearsal dinner at the venue. Clem’s niece—the flower girl—started the evening hiding behind her parents every time I lifted my camera. By the end of the night, she was posing and smiling, completely comfortable.

That’s the thing about rehearsal dinners. Everyone gets to know me before the big day, and the pictures come out way more genuine because of it. It shows in the quality and variety of wedding photos I’m able to capture. Rachel and Clem later told me having me there the night before was a massive help at putting their nerves at ease.

Wedding Morning: Football Chaos Meets Getting Ready Calm

The next morning, Rachel and Clem got ready in the same house, just a few floors apart. Downstairs, Clem and his groomsmen were glued to a football game, yelling at the screen and having the absolute best time. Meanwhile, Rachel and her bridesmaids were upstairs getting hair and makeup done, laughing as they heard the guys losing their minds over the game below.

When it was time for Rachel to get into her dress, she asked her mom and grandmother to help. Her grandmother’s face while zipping up the gown absolutely wrecked me—so much pride and love. And then Rachel pulled out a watercolor painting she’d commissioned of the three of them in their wedding attire and gifted it to them. I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Hurricane Winds, But Make It Cinematic

There were remnants of Hurricane Melissa in the air that day. Gale-force winds. Chilly temps. The kind of weather that makes you think twice about outdoor photos.

Rachel and Clem didn’t even flinch. We headed to Deere Pond for their first look, and this massive weeping willow tree was billowing dramatically in the wind. Rachel’s veil whipped around. Everyone’s hair was going wild. And in a way that somehow wasn’t chaotic, it felt like watching a movie unfold in real time. The wind created this sense of movement that made every frame feel alive.

The ceremony was set for late afternoon, and it had been cloudy all day. Guests arrived to find warm apple cider, hot tea, and cocoa waiting, along with blankets and hand warmers. And then—right before Rachel walked down the aisle—the sun came out. Just like that. Perfect timing.

Gracie the Diva Makes Her Entrance

Cocktail hour was held in the Moroccan bar, and that’s when Gracie—Rachel and Clem’s French Bulldog—made her grand entrance wearing a collar covered in pearls. Everyone lost it. Gracie was a hit.

But here’s what I loved: even when Gracie wasn’t physically there, she was everywhere. Matchboxes featured a little French Bulldog with a champagne tower on her back. She was on the signature drink sign. She was on the napkins. Gracie was woven into every detail of their day.

Baby’s Breath Clouds and All the Feelings

The reception was held in the Chair Factory, and the floral design by Ani’s Flowers was stunning. The ceiling was decorated with “cloud” of baby’s breath—delicate and dreamy. The tablescapes were simple but elegant: all white florals and candles that made the whole space glow.

And then the emotions hit. Rachel’s grandparents sat listening intently to the speeches, her grandmother with tears in her eyes while her grandfather gently rubbed her back. Rachel’s bridesmaids started crying during her first dance with her dad. The little glimpses Rachel and Clem gave each other during speeches—those quick looks that said everything without saying a word.

One of my favorite things about Rachel and Clem was how intentional they were about staying together throughout the night. Before the reception officially started, they walked through the space together and just took it in—empty and quiet before it was flooded with guests. Those moments of connection showed up in every single photo.

They ended the night dancing with glow sticks in hand and colored sunglasses adding to the vibe. It was the definition of pure joy.

Why This One Hit Different

What I remember most about Rachel and Clem’s wedding isn’t that the weather cooperated or that everything went according to plan. It’s that they showed up fully—for each other, for their people, for the unpredictability of it all. They leaned into the hurricane-strength winds, trusted the process, and created the type of magic couples dream about.

Want Tuscany vibes without leaving New York? Check out The Ruins at Sassafras Museum. And if you’re looking for a photographer who’s down for rehearsal dinners, hurricane winds, and everything in between—let’s talk.