Romantic Tourterelle

Tourterelle is the French word for turtle dove, that most romantic of creatures, symbol of love. The Tourterelle is an equally romantic wedding venue designed and conceived to add a touch of romantic magic to your special event. Conveniently located less than thirty miles South of Burlington in New Haven Vermont.

Tourterelle is nestled among farm fields and surrounded by mountain views it scores high on all points for a wedding location being convenient for guests, gorgeous for photos, romantic, and run by the owners--which means every detail is attended to with pride.



Abby and Justin were getting ready in the main house of the Inn, upstairs from the lovely dining room. The inn is an old manor house that has been modernized for comfort while all the details lovingly preserved that convey an elegant sense of tradition and history.




The wedding took place by the pond (with fountain). We had perfect weather and what a treat to be outdoors on such a lovely day among the gardens and grounds. We felt like we had been transported back in time. The family and their friends couldn't have been lovelier...as was the staff at the Inn. Christine made sure every detail was perfect...from the iced tea laid out for thirsty guests to last bit of dancing that night.





Abby had Flutist Lisa Carlson to play for the ceremony. Lisa was a wonderfully elegant addition to the ceremony...making everything perfect.



Abby couldn't stop smiling...always a good sign.












Then it was off to take pictures all over the grounds! My favorite part!





Then...It was time to go party!





Tourterelle's food is all local organic fare made delectable by chef Bill. There's even a kitchen garden out back -- no wonder it tastes so fresh!

And then...they lived happily ever after.

Grace Church, St. Johnsbury, VT Wedding Photos,

Mary & Robert

Vermont has such lovely old churches. So much so, that it would be hard to pick just one as a favorite. Grace would make it on the short list. One thing about Grace is that it has places for the bride and groom to get ready that are beautiful places to shoot.

Here Mary and her rainbow of daughters and now step-daughters got ready for the big day. They were a pleasure to shoot. Like a bouquet of flowers with Mary right in the center: a white rose.

(click on the image to see bigger version)



Grace also has a choir loft that is just above and behind the altar. It's perfect for shooting without being in the way. Don't they look happy together?


We took pictures in the garden and in front of Grace first. Everyone who was at the wedding got into one big group shot.
After Grace, we went over to the Elks Lodge in Saint Johnsbury. This is not your typical Elks Lodge. It is a graceful, old mansion with marbled pillars and deeply carved molding. It is every bit as beautiful as some B&B's. While you won't have an Inn Keeper to rely on to get the details right, they do have a kitchen staff that does a great job with banquets.


This cake topper is spun glass...very unique!

Alerin Barn, St. Johnsbury Photos

Once again, I found myself at the Alerin Barn...one of my favorite venues. As a photographer I appreciate the attention to detail at the Alerin. Everywhere you point the camera is beautiful.



Today I was lucky to have an equally beautiful bride to shoot, Jenn. Talk about grace under pressure.

I like to take pictures of the bride at the window of the bridal suite--it's a classic shot with natural light. We pulled up the blind...and...viola...rain. It's raining buckets outside. You can see by Jenn's face that she was taking it all in stride.


We went out onto the big front porch to take more pictures under cover but still with a view of the garden. It was raining like it would never quit but Jenn was certain it would blow over.

After pictures, we went back in for a champaign toast.





When we went back out the rain was gone and there were blues skies and puffy clouds as far as could be seen. It turned into a perfect day!


My husband, Val Davis, played his guitar up on the hill as the guests gathered on the log benches. I must say it sounded wonderful and though I am partial you should check out his playing on line at valdavis.com and judge for yourself.

Jenn and Rich were both a pleasure to shoot...it is obvious how much they love each other and how excited they were to be married. It was really a story-book wedding.










The ceremony was gorgeous...it was hard for me to pick images to show.




One thing I love about the Alerin in St. Johnsbury is that it is so well thought out. I hear a lot of people who say they had to leave their guests to take formal pictures. Jenn was worried about this. She and Rich wanted to enjoy the cocktail hour with their guests and not miss out on the party that they had worked so hard to plan.

No worries! The Alerin's best views are right near the cocktail area so we just asked guests to come and join us as they were needed.




This was a great group of people. After dinner the dance floor was always full. I love people who know how to have a good time.





So here is another wedding to add to my favorites. I'm so glad I got to be part of Jenn and Rich's special day.

Green wedding Vermont photos

What better place to have a green wedding than the green mountain state...Vermont. It's practically a no-brainer. Vermont is the only Northeastern state able to comply with the current "Clean Air Act". Vermont is the home of "Cow Power" which takes methane from dairy barns and converts it into electricity and Vermonters are crazy about their wilderness and work hard to preserve their clear streams and wildlife habitat. Since green is so much a part of how Vermonters choose to live and work, you will find that creating your green, eco-friendly wedding is a lot easier here than in most of the world.

First you will want a dress...how about a custom, eco-friendly hemp creation? Tara Lynn studios in Sutton Vermont is where you want to go. These dresses are very earth friendly and one of a kind creations just as comfortable in art galleries as they are on runways. Tara Lynn studio is even solar powered so you really can't get much greener.


What about shoes? How about shoes made from recycled material and certified vegan? Lenny's Shoe and Apparel in Barre, Simon the Tanner in Island Pond and Johnson Farm and Home in Johnson, Vermont carries them... Simple Shoes have sandals that will match your dress and your ethics perfectly. My daughter got a pair of these just before heading to Germany for the year. If you know anything about Europe, that meant daily walking and lots of it. She was amazed that the shoes lasted the entire year being worn almost every day and walking constantly.

Next, consider a caterer whose vegetarian creations are so good that no one will even notice that there isn't the usual meat centric offerings normally featured at weddings. Sweet Basil Cafe in Lyndonville, Vermont will create a wedding feast you will be proud to serve. It's just good food, exquisitely presented and seasoned to perfection with many of the ingredients coming straight out of their garden...organically grown of course.



A fair trade, blood diamond free ring is a little harder to find. Perrywinkle's, in Burlington (227 Main Street) advertise that they are blood free diamond retailers. For a band I would recommend Vermont artist Jim Sardonis. He created my husband's and my wedding bands and we couldn't be happier. Jim is the creator of the whale's tails along hwy 89 just south of Burlington and his work is found in private and public collections across the country. We are fortunate to have such a great artist in our midst and he is supremely easy to work with and very down-to-earth. He will create the green wedding ring you desire for the asking.



What about arriving in style burning hay instead of gas? Horse drawn carriages are a little fancier than a bicycle built for two and a whole lot more romantic. Hayden Tanner, of West Burke can pick you up in style with his carriage and his organically fed Belgian horses. All of Hayden and Elizabeth Tanner's livestock is organic and humanely raised. If you are lucky, you might even be able to get some of their maple syrup--which is harvested with the same horses that would pull your carriage or sleigh, if your wedding falls during Vermont's beautiful winter.



Decorations and wedding favors are your chance to get really creative. These pumpkins and gourds make wonderful, whimsical center pieces that celebrate abundance. Maple syrup favors are always great and since Vermont is the nation's top producer of maple products you will find them everywhere. What about some of Vermont's wicked Good Wild Apple Butter or Pumpkin Butter from Sweet Basil Cafe in Lyndonville? Harvested from local wild apples and organically grown pumpkins it is a taste of Vermont that you and your guests will love.



Finally, what about your photographer? Make sure you are taking advantage of the digital age with digital proofing option...way more eco friendly than printed proofs. In addition to using less paper and chemical for printing, Dona Davis Photography is proud to announce that green wedding albums are now available! Made entirely from recycled and green materials but giving you the same archival and high quality you want in a wedding album. You will not feel that you have been cutting back with these albums from GP Albums. Green is the new black!

So go green at your wedding in the green mountain state. You won't have to scrimp on style or taste.

Edson Hill Manor, Stowe Vermont Photographer

Edson Hill Manor is a great location in Stowe...a little off the beaten path but quite wonderful once you find it. It has an old manor house and cottages on the grounds to accommodate plenty of guests. The grounds are grand, in the truest sense of the word--well groomed and capacious. I love the walk down to the ceremony site on the huge lawn. Great for pictures of the bride coming down and lots of time for people to get a good look. (It is down a large outdoor staircase...high heels and long trains beware!)



We took pictures all over the place...everything being very convenient to get to. We started right there on the lawn and made our way to the pond. Took some pictures in the gardens and then found these aderondak chairs--how Vermont!

Wildflower Inn, Lyndonville, VT Photographer

It was a rainy and windy day when this wedding took place at the Wildflower Inn on Darling Hill Road in Lyndonville, Vermont. The bride was insistent that we have the ceremony up on the hill as planned...we were all a little sceptical...but as it turned out, she was right. The rain held off for the entire ceremony and even allowed for some formals on the terrace afterwards. What a great day.





If you don't know the Wildflower, you should check it out. Perched on one of the most picturesque roads in the Northeast Kingdom with views of Whilloughby Gap in the back and the imposing view of Burke Mountain from the ceremony site, it is truly an inspiring place to be.


This day was very windy but the ceremony was lovely...everyone had to hold down their skirts for most of the ceremony but when it came time for the "I do's" it was as if the very air held it's breath and we were in total calm for the rest of the ceremony. Magical things are always happening at weddings.


The wind made photographing the kiss a little difficult...it kept blowing the bride's veil across her face so the matron of honor was having to hang on to it (as you can see from the picture above). It kind of ruined what would have been a fabulous picture so I photo-shopped it right out. Be sure to click on the picture below so you can see the larger version. Look ma, no hand!

Round Barn Waitsfield, Vermont Photographer

This Tuesday wedding had a lot of strikes against it from the start. The bride and groom were moving from Beirut to Texas. The Groom's parents live in Canada, so they decided to have the wedding at the The Round Barn in Waitsfield, Vermont. I never got to meet any of the bridal party or family until an hour or so before the wedding. They only wanted to have me for four hours (which is always challenging) and finally...it rained!

It just shows you that "weddings happen" regardless of what you do or what goes wrong and this wedding turned out to be lovely. The day was hot but the bride was excited and composed...ready for anything (always good).

Her brother walked her "down the aisle"...here meaning across the field and the rain held off just enough to make it through the entire ceremony with nothing more than sprinkles.

Someone brought black umbrellas out after the ceremony. Of course this caused the rain to go away and leave us with a dramatic sky. Funny how it always seems to work that way.