Liz and Brendan’s Wedding at Tourists | North Adams, MA

wedding

Dec 22

Liz and Brendan’s Wedding at Tourists | North Adams, MA

Rainy weddings can be tricky. Keeping feet dry and dresses (and suits) clean adds a layer of stress no one really asks for. But sometimes the weather reshapes the day in a way that feels more intentional than anything you could have planned.

Liz and Brendan’s wedding at Tourists in North Adams, Massachusetts was one of those days.

It was May in the Berkshires and colder than usual, with steady rain and fog rolling through.

When the weather gets weird like this, we have to get creative with timing and take advantage of the windows of dry-ish weather.

We took breaks. Found pockets of light inside. And when the rain paused, we stepped outside and made the most of it.

Thankfully, Tourists is especially well-suited for days like this. The indoor and outdoor spaces are thoughtful and warm, even on a rainy day.

Liz spent the morning getting ready with her friends and family in one of the Tourists homes tucked just behind the hotel property, while Brendan hung out with his friends in the Airport Rooms.

At the house, Liz and her friends ate snacks (the true foundation of any good wedding day) and watched clouds roll slowly over the hills behind the property. At one point, a woodchuck appeared and began scurrying confidently around the back lawn, like it had an appointment. Is that good luck on a wedding day? And if so, does the luck increase when you add rain? A woodchuck and rain feels significant, even if no one has formally decided what it means.

And yes, this is the part where every photographer says, despite the rain, they still had beautiful portraits. But maybe “despite” isn’t the right word.

The magic of rain on a wedding day is the way that it can lower the stakes for everyone. People stop thinking about the performance. Nothing is perfect and that’s ok. The day just happens.

Because of the weather, Liz and Brendan’s ceremony moved indoors at the last minute. Couches were pushed aside. Whatever chairs were around were pulled in. People found seats wherever they could, on windowsills, on pillows, on the floor.

guests gather for a wedding at tourists in north adams, massachusetts

During social hour, a guest stopped me and said, “I don’t know if you know Liz and Brendan personally, but that ceremony—with all of us huddled in together like a big family—that is totally their vibe.”

And they were right.

Indoor ceremonies are sometimes framed as a backup plan, but this couldn’t have been less true here. Liz and Brendan seemed completely at home, surrounded by their people in this cozy, communal space.

A bride and groom stand together during their Berkshire wedding at Tourists in North Adams, Massachusetts

Cocktail hour followed, with incredible food made in-house by the folks at Tourists. There were speeches, dances, desert, and eventually the dance floor opened up. DJ BFG kept everyone moving well into the night.