Martha's Vineyard Tented Wedding - By Halie Photography

Couples portrait for Martha's Vineyard Tented wedding

Izzy and Tyler’s wedding brought me back to my favorite island – Martha’s Vineyard – for their tented wedding! While Manhattan is their home, the island has a lot of sentimental significance and history for Izzy and Tyler. They met in college and were close friends for many years before their relationship evolved into something more. Throughout the weekend, both family and friends mentioned watching their relationship truly begin before they were able to see it for themselves. There is an undeniable bond between Izzy and Tyler!

I met Izzy and Tyler for the first time the night before their wedding, as I captured their rehearsal dinner! While there are always some photo jitters when first meeting, Izzy and Tyler were complete naturals and let their love and attention for each other guide us through the photo process. I had no worries about that heading into the main event of their wedding weekend!

A Rainy Day for a Martha’s Vineyard Tented Wedding

2023 was an infamously rainy wedding season — truly, the rainiest to date in the eight seasons that I’ve photographed weddings! For such a rainy year of weddings, Izzy and Tyler’s wedding may have been the rainiest day of them all. With a grim forecast and an expected treacherous day, Izzy and Tyler decided days in advance to move their ceremony and cocktail hour to an extra tent at their venue. It was certainly the right call! We planned to be flexible for portraits and see what the day would bring.

Izzy and Tyler each got ready in downtown Edgartown – each group gathering in a different house across town from one another. Both houses had spaces with ample natural light for us to capture Izzy and Tyler as they finished getting ready. Famous amongst her friends for her fashion sense, Izzy’s gown was a classic, A-line strapless dress, with various accessories planned for different phases of the day. The dress was timeless and chic, with just enough flair to be uniquely perfect for Izzy! She’s naturally stunning and during her getting-ready portraits, she was glowing with excitement for the day.

Navigating the First Look & Portraits in the Rain

Just as we prepped to meet for the first look, the rain began! We were hoping to have enough time to use a beautiful garden at one of the homes, but with no sign of the rain letting up, we pivoted to Plan B! Both homes had covered porches and everyone liked the idea of a natural walk up to one another onto one of the porches. With transportation originally in place to bring Izzy to the home where Tyler got ready, we opted to use his porch!

We provided Izzy with a clear umbrella as she stepped out into the rain and made her way to Tyler. He was ready and waiting on the porch to see his bride! The photo and video team stood in the rain and captured this moment as it unfolded. It was heartfelt and beautifully perfect, even if not what any of us had originally envisioned. Izzy and Tyler put a lot of trust in us to make these last-second decisions for them and I loved that this setup felt authentic and not overly produced.

After the first look, the full group was transported to the venue for family and wedding party portraits. With the rain coming down outside, we used a room inside the home that fit the full group and had ample natural light. In some of the close-up portraits of the flowers and bridesmaids, you would never be able to tell these were taken indoors with such great lighting!

Edgartown Wedding at a Private Home

Izzy and Tyler were married under their floral-filled tent! Rain stormed down all around, but everyone was able to stay cozy and comfortably witness them tie the knot. The heavy rain made for a lot of wet moments as some guests needed to leave the ceremony/cocktail tent once the ceremony was over. The groomsmen stepped up to help remove ceremony chairs from under the tent – some sporting ponchos and others ditching their shoes and jackets – as they ran through the rain to get the job done!

At the very end of cocktail hour, the rain finally let up, although it wasn’t long before a light sprinkle returned! It was the first time since their morning prep that they were able to be outside without cover so we quickly made our way to the dock to snap a few more portraits of the two of them. Tyler’s best man retrieved Izzy’s veil from inside and helped put it into her hair for some of the photos. Almost instantly, a gust of wind swept the veil out of her hair and sent it across the lawn! Our best man dashed to grab it and put it back into her hair one more time. The set of photos genuinely represented Izzy and Tyler embracing the moment for what it was.

A Martha’s Vineyard Tented Wedding Reception

The reception tent was filled with natural greenery, floral pops of color, and an arrangement of disco balls – a sure sign of the party to come! Both Izzy and Tyler altered part of their attire for a fresh reception look before being announced for their first dance. As the sun set and dinner service began, we heard heartfelt toasts from family and friends before the band officially kicked off the party. A final outfit change for Izzy included her infamous cowgirl boots that a few of the toasters had referenced in their earlier speeches! The band kept the group moving well into the night!

Despite the treacherous rain, this was one of my very favorite weddings of the year! The energy between the couple and their guests was incredible accompanied by lots of style, fun details, and stunning decor! There was a level of authenticity throughout Izzy and Tyler’s day that made the “imperfect” day feel absolutely perfect.