Okay, I don’t want to play favorites, but Grace and Tucker’s Mountain Top Inn Vermont wedding has a special place in my heart! I was Grace’s high school senior photographer years ago and we got to know each other even better when she interned with me last summer. Unbeknownst to me, she was already engaged at that time, and after helping me photograph a couple of weddings she told me she absolutely had to have me come to Vermont and shoot another wedding–for her! I was so honored and said, “LET’S GOOO!!!”

I already knew what a wonderful person Grace was, and once I met “Tuckey” at their engagement session (I nicknamed him Tuckey because he is seriously the sweetest guy) I fell in love with both of them together!

Before we jump into the wedding though, I always love a romantic back story, so here you go!

How Grace and Tucker Met

These two first met in eighth grade. Tucker was new to the school and he and Grace happened to be on the same football team. Yes, Grace is a badA$$ and played tackle football. I’m not surprised btw. (When asked how they met, Tucker will simply say, “We met playing football.” He rarely includes context, haha!) A year later, Grace moved away, but despite the distance, they stayed in touch, and during the summer of 2019, Grace found herself in the same area as Tucker again. This is when the two of them became close, and Grace’s mom is always reminding her that she knew Grace liked Tucker way before Grace would admit it to herself. Moms always know!

Later that year, Tucker enlisted in the Marine Corps, and Grace missed him during his time at boot camp more than she could have imagined! And the next spring, Tucker was stationed in the same area Grace was attending college. Funny how life works!

Not even COVID could deter their relationship, and in December of 2020, Tucker proposed. It was only a few weeks later that he left for an 8-month deployment, followed by time in Afghanistan during the height of the conflict. They maintained their relationship though, and while Tucker was serving and traveling, Grace occupied her time with school, fostering kittens, and, of course, wedding planning! And all that planning certainly paid off–Grace and Tucker’s Mountain Top Inn Vermont wedding was gorgeous!

Destination Wedding in the Vermont Mountains – First Look

Destination weddings are always exciting for the wedding photographer because you’re shooting in a place you’re not familiar with in hopefully amazing scenery. Plus, in the mountains of Vermont, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the weather. (As a matter of fact, it rained the day before.) But on the day of Grace and Tucker’s Mountain Top Inn Vermont wedding the weather was perfect! It was a little overcast, but I actually love shooting with gray skies, and the fall foliage was spectacular!

Grace and Tucker decided to do a first look (which I totally recommend), and got ready in a huge, log-cabin-style home right up from the ceremony spot on the hill. A first look allowed us to get a ton of photos done prior to the ceremony, and wow, did we ever capture some breathtaking images! I was having such a blast, it didn’t feel like work at all!

Grace and Tucker’s Mountain Top Inn Vermont Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony itself was breathtaking. The perfect spot on the hill with the mountains and lake in the background. I mean.. Is this real life?? Grace was absolutely stunning walking down the aisle to Tucker in his dress blues. There was so much love between them and all of the guests celebrating with them!

One of the best parts for me was that Grace’s entire family knew about me already, and made me feel like one of the clan! When I was standing near the altar waiting for the ceremony to start, both of Grace’s aunts came up to me and asked, “Are you Sarah?” When I confirmed that, yep, that was me, they both said, “We love you!” I gave them both big hugs and felt like I was at a family reunion! So yeah, Grace and Tucker (and their family) are stuck with me for life!

The Reception

After the ceremony we really got the party started–and let me tell you, it was SO much fun! If you happen to follow me on Instagram then you already know the King of Hearts band was rockin’–and so were the rest of us! (Yes, I totally joined in the dancing.) And the night ended with a splash! I had joked with Grace earlier that the pool was heated and they should jump into it at the end of the night. I guess she took me seriously because they decided to do it! (Of course, they did, lol!) It was a fantastic end to an amazing day!

Congratulations, Grace and Tucker! I Love you guys (and your whole family) so much and couldn’t be happier for you! Next time you do a destination anything, let me know and I’ll be there with a camera in tow to capture every moment!