Elegant Mt Washington Omni Resort summer wedding with stunning mountain views. Hire Nicole Gesmondi to capture your wedding day memories.
We met Courtney and Mike back in 2020 at the Newport Wedding Show. They won our door prize of a free engagement session with us, which we did at Colt State Park. You can read more about what a great day we had here; Courtney and Mike are super laid back and easy going so we hit it off right away! After viewing their engagement photos, they asked us if we photograph weddings outside of Rhode Island (which we do) and asked if we would photograph their wedding at the Mount Washington Omni Resort. The answer was “HELL YES!” – we love photographing destination weddings!
Courtney and Mike chose a beautiful weekend in August to get married in New Hampshire. We went up a day early on Friday to do a walkthrough of the venue and familiarize ourselves with the layout and potential photo spots during their wedding. They also invited us to a meet and greet after the rehearsal dinner so we could get an idea of who was who among their wedding party. Both touring the property and meeting the family was a fantastic way for us all to get more comfortable with each other and our surroundings. 100% recommend doing this if you get the opportunity!
The Omni Mount Washington Resort is gorgeous. If you’re familiar with New England you’ve probably heard of it, seen it, or possibly stayed there nestled between Mount Washington and Bretton Woods, surrounded by the tallest peaks around! The grounds and the views did not disappoint at all, and even though it was August the heat was not unbearable. We also found the staff to be incredibly friendly and helpful – a major bonus!
Saturday was Courtney and Mike’s wedding day, and we started early with me meeting the ladies down in the spa for hair and make-up while Paul hooked up with the groomsmen. To access the ceremony and reception site wedding guests enjoyed enclosed transport up the mountain by an 8-passenger Bretton Woods Skyway Gondola to the Award Winning Rosebrook Lodge near the summit of Bretton Woods. Talk about a unique wedding entrance! Their ceremony was outdoors on a MAGNIFICENT no wind whatsoever day with STUNNING mountain views. Courtney and Mike could not have been blessed with a better day!
This destination wedding was a lot of fun to photograph; We enjoy exploring new wedding venues outside of Rhode Island. With the right couple and the right photographer - the magic happens! Courtney and Mike pre-ordered a wedding album and five large canvas wraps for their home. We strive to not only provide our couples with the fun and memorable photo experience, but also with images we can turn into works of art for them to proudly display forever after!
Want to learn more about Courtney and Mike’s wedding planning process? Read on!
If you had to describe your wedding vibe or theme, what would you say?
We wanted an elegant mountain themed wedding. We went with more simple decorations to not take away from the view that our venue had.
What made you choose a destination NH wedding?
I (Courtney) grew up in upstate New York in the Catskill Mountains, so I have always wanted a Mountain view wedding. We did a trip to New Hampshire a few years ago and you cannot beat the Mountain view that the Mount Washington Hotel has!
Why is it important to have great wedding photos?
Looking back on it, our wedding went by so fast (so much fun!). We are excited to have the photos to look back on and see how all the details came together. We also recently purchased a house together, so decorating with a few framed photos will make it feel like our home.
What were your top 3 favorite moments from your ceremony and / or reception?
Bride: Our first look, that really helped settle my nervousness. Exchanging our vows. Listening to our brother and sister’s toasts
Groom: Taking pictures with my groomsmen in the gondola up to the venue, exchanging our vows, and finally being married!
What made you want to hire us for your wedding?
I won a door prize at the Newport Wedding Show pre-COVID for engagement photos. Nicole and Paul made us feel so comfortable, since we felt really awkward at the beginning… When I was researching local photographers to NH for our wedding, I kept comparing them back to Nicole’s pictures. Ultimately hers was the style I was looking for, so we asked if they were available to go to NH!
What was your favorite part about working with us?
Mike and I are not used to being in front of the camera. Nicole and Paul made us feel so comfortable during all of our pictures. It was also really helpful that they both were there. Nicole came to the spa while the girls and I were getting ready, and Paul met up with Mike and the guys for photos prior to our first look. It made that time so much less stressful!
Did we help solve any unexpected wedding day problems that may have come up during the day?
The day before our wedding, we walked around the hotel with Nicole and Paul to find locations for our first look and other photos before the wedding. One of the locations we found ended up getting set up for another wedding during our first look timeframe. Luckily, we had done that walk through the day before and had other locations already picked out!
What online resources did you use when planning your wedding?
A lot of Pinterest, Instagram, and articles from The Knot!
VENDORS
Venue: Mt Washington Omni Resort
Photographer: Nicole Gesmondi Photographer, LLC
Florals: The Fuchsia Peony
Officiant: Father Larry Camerlin
Photo Booth + Uplight: Smileys Photo Booths
Invitations + Stationary: Wouldn't It Be Lovely
DJ: Aaron Topfer
Hair + Make Up: The Spa at the Mount Washington Omni Resort
Bridal Gown: Alexandra's Bridal Boutique
Groom's Attire: Men's Wearhouse