Autumn Wedding at The Thompson Inn | Documentary + Editorial Wedding Photographer in New Hampshire

Documentary + Editorial Autumn Wedding at The Thompson Inn & Cyderhouse

There are wedding days that unfold exactly as planned — and then there are wedding days that become something even better.

This autumn celebration at The Thompson Inn & Cyderhouse in Durham, New Hampshire was one of those rare, beautifully unpredictable days where intention met flexibility, and storytelling took center stage.

As a documentary wedding photographer serving New Hampshire and the greater New England region, I approach weddings with a balance of candid observation and thoughtful editorial direction. My goal is always the same: to preserve the feeling of a wedding day honestly, while still creating heirloom imagery that feels timeless decades from now.

Rain arrived when it wasn’t expected.

Timelines shifted.

Portrait plans changed.

And somehow, everything became more meaningful because of it.

Unpredicted Weather On Wedding Days

What I noticed right off the bat and found to be the craziest part? The sun was BEAMING…I mean, it was truly showing off. And yet, the entire day was projected for a huge rainstorm.

It was the kind of magic everyone hopes for if rain is projected—rains only when you don’t need the sunshine or when people are meant to be inside.

I’ve never been able to quite explain it, but you know you’ve witnessed magic when it was supposed to rain all day, yet it holds off until the absolute last second for people to either already be inside.

Or, you are finished getting THE shots (first looks, outdoor family photos, outdoor wedding portraits with the stunning hydrangeas on-site).

Truly…magic.

This wedding at The Thompson Inn in Durham, New Hampshire had such a striking blend of candid storytelling imagery and editorial portraits throughout the day which easily made this one of my absolute favorite wedding days to document.

Photographing Family Heirlooms

The morning felt incredibly calm, which doesn’t always happen on wedding mornings. This morning in particular while working on detail photos, I had the opportunity to incorporate my couples’ family heirlooms.

Whenever I get to photograph special family heirlooms, I am seriously over the moon.

I nerd out on those things, ya know? I’m a huge thrifter, antique collector, and heirloom keeper—it’s my everyday life…

When you give me pieces of your history to document, I’m gunna get sappy. These pieces of your history have been loved and cherished.

These little pieces of history deserve to have a little moment of their own, too, ya know?

Getting Ready at The Thompson Inn Wedding Suites

Getting ready was a breeze especially with how The Thompson Inn‘s getting ready suites are set up—they are seriously next level. This is coming from someone who has documented in hundreds of getting ready spaces. The natural light? Epic. The open concept and clean decor? Goals. The historic charm of the inn? Seriously a dream. I would honestly rank The Thompson Inn as one of my all-time favorite getting ready locations ever. This will also come into play later in the day for some editorial wedding portraits (*wink wink*).

Incorporating First Looks Into A Wedding Day Timeline

What I have absolutely loved from weddings these past few years has been witnessing more and more couples bringing intentional moments with their loved ones.

For this wedding, my couple chose to include multiple first looks with different family members, and each one was incredibly heartwarming. Adding intentional time with your loved ones after you get ready always makes me emotional, and it’s the perfect way to slow the day down.

Take a few moments with your loved ones—it’s worth it.

I do recommend adding enough buffer time in the beginning of the day for these. So many couples say, “it’s going to be super quick—5 minutes in the timeline tops.”

I like to use the rule of thumb to allot a minimum of 15 minutes for each first look you choose to have. This accounts for any time you’re running behind, for getting everyone in place, and to actually spend the intentional moment you wanted to with your loved one in the first place.

Mornings can feel like a race with time.

Buffer time allows you to spend meaningful moments with your people without feeling rushed.

Catholic Ceremony at Corpus Christi Parish in Portsmouth

Their ceremony was held at Corpus Christi Parish in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This Catholic church is absolutely stunning, and it really was the perfect location for both the couple and their family to hold their ceremony.

Editorial Wedding Portraits Indoors During Rainy Wedding Days

This is when the rain comes into play. The moment we stepped into the car to make our way back to The Thompson Inn, it POURED (seriously…I’m talking a wave of water).

When we arrived, though? It stopped.

Just stopped.

Like I said—magic.

They ate brunch together and had a chance to refresh before the party started back up again. We dove into their outdoor wedding portraits, had a BLAST taking an editorial approach with their indoor portraits (these two were giving VOGUE), and then finished with their family portraits.

The moment we were done with their family portraits?

It poured again.

I’m talking, our noggins were under the roof and the rain flooded in not even a second later.

Uncanny timing, and my jaw was on the floor in disbelief over it all (still is while I’m writing this to be honest haha).

Receptions At The Thompson Inn Cyderhouse

At this point in the day, the couple was all set—all formalities for the day were done, they could say hello to their guests and start the reception knowing it was party time.

We took some detail photos before guests rolled in, and then the party started!

We also watched while guest-after-guest ran in with their umbrellas ready to kick the rest of the night off, and the energy just felt so right.

For the rest of the night, the formal dances and speeches brought happy tears, and the dancing brought joy. When the time came for us to leave, I found my “goodbye” hugs felt heavier with an outpouring love for these two and everyone there.

Such great people, so much joy, so much love, and…magic.

Why Documentary + Editorial Wedding Photography Worked Perfectly For This New Hampshire Wedding

So, why did the documentary and editorial photography approach work so well for this day?

At every stage, we knew we were going to get the moments regardless of the rain’s plans for us that day. I knew that this couple valued time spent with their loved ones, but not at the sacrifice of quality or without artistic flare.

My couple knew that—rain or shine—they were getting true-life moments that were lived in. They knew they would get quality heirlooms, because I was confident in all lighting and location scenarios (again…rain or shine).

The best part? We had FUN—regardless of the weather.

Why The Thompson Inn Is Perfect for New Hampshire Wedding Weekends

The Thompson Inn was also perfect for what this couple wanted—space to do their fun flash portraits while their loved ones relaxed and got ready for the reception. There was enough covered space for them to do their first looks outdoors by the hydrangeas.

Honestly a 10/10 venue in New Hampshire.

I’m going to leave you with some key takeaways from documenting at The Thompson Inn. Already knowing that both getting ready spaces are fantastic, you will also want to also know of the following:

• Ensure you have a good, flowing experience for your guests during cocktail hour. With the outdoor space, the immediate welcome space to their Cyderhouse, and the downstairs cellar, there are multiple levels that your guests will be spending their time while you may be taking wedding or family portraits. Consider having your welcome table with your guest book in the space, an audiobook, like After The Tone, and tasty treats and drinks to entertain. Weather pending, any outdoor games would also be a huge hit.
• Bring clear umbrellas. This may also already be offered by The Thompson Inn staff, so I would ask! Having these for you and your wedding party/family will relieve any weather stresses. It’s better to have them and not need them, than need them and not have them, ya know?
• Take advantage of portraits both inside and outside (ESPECIALLY BY THE HYDRANGEAS—HOLY MOLY). The inside of the inn is stunning, and there is so much opportunity to take some stellar editorial-style or poetic wedding portraits. It has the perfect balance of inn-charm and elevated, updated character for wedding days. The outdoor landscaping at The Thompson Inn is absolutely breathtaking, and should absolutely be taken advantage of.
• Their staff is beyond incredible. I have absolutely zero complaints from a vendor perspective, but I also know my couple and all of their guests left raving. The staff is beyond supportive, attentive, and always ten steps ahead. I adore them, and would 100% love working with every single person there again.

FAQs

What is documentary wedding photography?

Documentary wedding photography is the approach a photographer takes in both the moments they capture and how they capture them.

Oftentimes, photographers are more “hands-off” when they take the documentary approach. They are more interested in letting moments unfold naturally and honestly than interfering to stage the “perfect” moment.

This is where you will hear a lot of documentary photographers talk about “candids”—wedding photos that are not staged and capture the honest moment.

While I would consider myself to be a documentary wedding photographer, I do believe in having a solid foundation of support for my couples. I think there is so much beauty and honesty that comes from candids wedding photos, but I find a lot of my couples do look for a little bit of guidance and support at certain stages.

In those cases, I will help guide my couple by helping to root them in the moment and know what to do with their hands or where to stand in the most flattering light.

Do you photograph both film and digital weddings?

Yes! We are what is called a “hybrid” photography team.

Both my second photographer and I specialize in both digital and film photography, and offer a blend of both digital and film moments in our couple’s final wedding gallery.

Film photography offers a stunning dynamic to a final wedding gallery that (in my opinion) feels very grounding and real.

Film also brings another level of intention to your wedding day that forces you (and myself as the artist) to slow down.

Do you travel throughout New England?

I do! While I’m based in New Hampshire, I do travel throughout New England.

For locations within 2 hours of my home base (Epsom/Concord, New Hampshire), travel is included. For anything above 2 hours, additional travel fees will apply, but only what the cost of a hotel for 2 nights would cost.

Being close to your venue the day of and being able to drive home at a safe hour of the day is incredibly important. This ensures my team AND your photos get home safely!

Vendor Team:

Wedding Venue — The Thompson Inn & Cyderhouse | Durham, New Hampshire Wedding Venue

Wedding Florals — Erica’s Garden, NH Wedding Florist

HMU — Nicole Glams NH (makeup) ; La Marie Beauty (hair), New England Hair + Makeup Stylists

Catering/Bartending — The Thompson Inn & Cyderhouse | Durham, New Hampshire Wedding Venue

Dress — VOWS , Wedding Dresses of New England

Tux — The Black Tux , Wedding Tuxes of New England

Photography — Sydney Kerbyson Photography , New Hampshire Based Documentary + Editorial Style Wedding Photographer

Videography — Shutter And Sound , Handcrafted Cinematography

Event Coordinator — Erin O’Neil from The Thompson Inn & Cyderhouse | Durham, New Hampshire Wedding Venue

Live Band — “Men In Black” , Live Wedding Bands of New England

Linens Rental — Lakes Region Tent & Event , Lakes Region Wedding Rental Company

New Hampshire Documentary Wedding Photographer | Candid New England Wedding Photography | Film Wedding Photography NH