Veils and Cufflinks Photographic Art

Breana and Adam's Fairytale Fall Wedding at Saint Clements Castle

Breana and Adam's Fairytale Fall Wedding at Saint Clements Castle | wedding photography by Veils and Cufflinks

Breana and Adam woke up to torrential rain on October 13. By ceremony time the clouds had broken, the Connecticut River was glowing behind the arbor, and 225 of their favorite people were gathered on the lawn at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, Connecticut.

We met these two while photographing Liz and Jeff's wedding in Aruba, and we could tell right away their own day would be something special. They built a handmade fairytale inside one of Connecticut's most storied wedding venues, from five different DIY centerpiece designs to custom favors honoring the rescue where they adopted their dog Rosie. We got to photograph every minute of it.

Why Saint Clements Castle is made for a fairytale wedding

Saint Clements Castle sits on a bluff above the Connecticut River in Portland, CT. Howard and Gertrude Taylor began building it in 1902 as their summer home, and New York architect Sidney Algernon Bell pulled the design from the 16th century castles of Europe. The house was finished on November 23, 1902, the feast day of Saint Clement, which is where the name comes from.

The estate later passed to Wesleyan University (yes, the same Wesleyan you might know from The Barns at Wesleyan Hills), and today a nonprofit foundation keeps the castle restored and protected. Couples now get stone walls, vine covered courtyards, manicured gardens and a long, open view of the river, all on one property.

For planning, that matters. Your ceremony, cocktail hour, portraits and reception all happen in one place, so there are no shuttles and no lost hour in traffic. The location in central Connecticut also makes it an easy drive for guests coming from New York City or Boston.

Our favorite photo spots at Saint Clements Castle

Breana and Adam named their two favorite scenes, and we agree with both.

The arbor on the river

This is where they said their vows. Late afternoon light comes across the water and gives you that soft, glowing backdrop you see in the ceremony images below. If you only get ten minutes of portraits, spend them here.

The vine covered courtyard

Stone, ivy and filtered light. It feels like a European village, and it photographs beautifully in any season. This is where we went for the quieter, closer portraits of the two of them.

The castle itself

Archways, doorways and stonework give us frames everywhere we turn. They also give you a real backup plan. If the weather turns, the castle still gives you dramatic, storybook portraits without anyone standing in the rain.

Fall on the Connecticut River

Mid October brought cooler air and color along the riverbanks. Breana and Adam picked their date for the weather and their work schedules, and fall at the castle rewarded them for it.

Breana and Adam's wedding, in their words

Why did you choose your wedding date?

The cooler weather and consideration of work schedules.

What was the weather like, and how did it shape your day?

Unfortunately, we woke up to torrential rain on our wedding day. While initially stressful, we knew going in that this was something out of our control and we had taken the necessary measures to ensure that everything would go on without a hitch. To our surprise and delight, the skies would open up in the afternoon a few hours before our ceremony, and our outdoor ceremony was picturesque!

(Rain on your forecast? See why you might actually wish for rain on your wedding day.)

What made the dress THE ONE?

The corset and the classic "bridal" look just made me feel like a princess. Augusta Jones, Keira with English mesh sleeves added and a gold crystal and opal belt from Sabina KW Design (purchased at White Dress by the Shore).

What was the most memorable part of your photography experience with Veils and Cufflinks?

To be honest, we very much liked the relatively fluid agenda and the thrill of not knowing exactly what scene or layout would be happening next. Besides capturing our special moments in the most incredible ways, we never had to be concerned with what to do because the creative vision of Jerome and Jen is second to none, and we simply just had to "follow the leader" when it came to taking pictures. Veils and Cufflinks brings the perfect marriage (pun intended) of creative vision, execution and personality to make the best of your photography experiences.

What do you remember most about the ceremony?

Having the opportunity to see each other for first looks was very special, as it provided us a few minutes to embrace each other and know that there was nothing else that we needed to do other than enjoy what would soon follow. For the ceremony itself, it would have to be a tie between our personal vow exchanges and the scene of having our nearest and dearest gathered on the beautiful grounds of Saint Clements Castle with the backdrop of the Connecticut River.

How many guests did you have?

We had 225 amazing guests attend our special day, which featured some of our closest family, friends and colleagues who have had such an influence on both of our lives. It admittedly was never difficult to get to this number, only to keep it from getting exponentially bigger!

What was the funniest moment?

A very close premature kiss during the first of two personal vow exchanges. Fortunately, our officiant Quinn Levey, a great personal friend, intervened to prevent it from happening ahead of his formal permission! Naturally, Quinn handled it with his own personal style of class and humor, and it was good fun for us, our bridal party and all guests.

How did you make the reception your own?

We personalized essentially everything for our "Fairytale" themed wedding. From 5 unique do-it-yourself table centerpiece concepts to handcrafted wedding favors acknowledging our donation to a local organization where we had rescued our dog Rosie two years prior, everything about the reception was "us" and it was very special to see it all come together on the big day.

What was your favorite photo or moment?

The character of Saint Clements Castle offers so many scenes for photography, but we would have to go with either the scenes under the arbor with the Connecticut River backdrop, or the scenes under the vines in the courtyard. There are many incredible scenes from our special day, but either of those two are arguably the best!

What is your most vivid memory of the day?

For the both of us, besides marrying each other, the most vivid memory that we have of the day was being surrounded by all of our guests with genuine love and happiness for us.

Tell us about the details you wore.

For the bride, bespoke Harriet Wilde blue suede shoes with our wedding date and "Mrs. Walker" on the soles, an EDEN LUXE Bridal bracelet and Ilona Rubin Petite Delights earrings. For the groom, a Jos. A. Bank navy blue suit, Bows N Ties light blue and sage green ties, two tone dress shoes from Macy's, a traditional white dress shirt and tan belt, and boldSOCKS "Kraken" dress socks to "Release the Macken" (Breana's maiden name).

Where did you go after the wedding?

We elected to do a "mini-moon" to allow us more time to spend with our guests following the wedding and to plan (and save) for a honeymoon the following year. Our mini-moon was in Skaneateles, New York at Mirbeau Inn & Spa, which was four amazing days of relaxation, wining and dining, exploring the local area and enjoying our first days as husband and wife. We highly recommend this for any couple looking to get away for a few days without the worry of travel logistics immediately following their wedding. Later that spring, we headed to Greece and France for our honeymoon.

Planning a Saint Clements Castle wedding? Five tips from Breana, Adam and us

  1. Do a first look. Breana and Adam said those few private minutes took the pressure off the whole day. It also frees up cocktail hour for river and courtyard portraits.
  2. Make a weather plan, then let it go. They planned for rain, woke up to rain, and still got their outdoor ceremony. A good plan is what let them enjoy the morning anyway.
  3. Start the DIY projects early. In their words: "Don't procrastinate." Little projects add up fast, so recruit family and friends sooner than you think you need them.
  4. Leave time for golden hour. The arbor and the river face the light late in the day. Ask your planner to protect 15 minutes near sunset.
  5. Consider a mini-moon. A few quiet days right after the wedding, with the big trip saved for later, took a huge stress variable out of their planning.

Breana and Adam's Saint Clements Castle wedding vendors

Saint Clements Castle wedding FAQ

Where is Saint Clements Castle?

Saint Clements Castle is at 1931 Portland-Cobalt Road in Portland, Connecticut, on the east bank of the Connecticut River in Middlesex County. It is about 25 minutes from Hartford and roughly two hours from both New York City and Boston.

Can you have your ceremony and reception at Saint Clements Castle?

Yes. Breana and Adam held both on site, with an outdoor ceremony at the river arbor and the reception inside the castle.

How many guests does Saint Clements Castle hold?

Wedding listings put the capacity at up to about 260 guests. Breana and Adam had 225 and the castle handled it comfortably.

What is the best season for a Saint Clements Castle wedding?

Every season has its look, but fall is hard to beat. Cooler temperatures and color along the river make October a favorite for us.

Is Saint Clements Castle the same as St. Clement's Castle?

Yes. You will see it written as Saint Clements Castle, St. Clements Castle and St. Clement's Castle. They are all the same castle in Portland, CT.

Love a good castle wedding?

See how Stephanie and John Paul did it with fireworks and Ferraris at Oheka Castle, or catch more of the Connecticut River on Anna and Nikolas' CT River cruise wedding.

Planning your own Saint Clements Castle wedding? Check our availability and tell us about your day.

Is your date still open?

Our schedule is limited. Tell us about your day and we will reply personally.

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