Summer Lovin’
School is officially back in session for my kids (they’re both in high school now— how the heck is this possible?!) and although it’s nice to be back in a routine, I’m already mourning the summer months slipping away. It’s especially hitting hard this year because it’s been one of the best summers I’ve ever had.
My 2024 wedding season “just happened to be” spaced out so perfectly that I had more time to carve out vacations and intentional moments with friends and family. I made many potent memories that nourished my heart and soul, starting strong in mid-June, when I visited my dear friend and photography mentor, Megan Clouse, and her sweetheart, Mike, who lives in the picturesque town of Boothbay, Maine.
I met Megan over 14 years ago, shortly after I began taking my photography more seriously. At the time, she was based in Sonoma, California, and predominately photographed high-end wine country weddings. I initially reached out to Megan after “blog-stalking” her mastery of work (which I highly encourage, partly so you’ll empathize with me) and timidly asked if I could shadow her. Luckily, she accepted my desperate plea (haha!) and graciously took me under her wing. In the process, I learned so much and built a solid portfolio… but the biggest bonus was developing a deep & fulfilling friendship with her that I’m beyond grateful for.
This trip was my second time visiting them since their move, and as always, they were the most amazing & thoughtful hosts. Megan picked me up from the Portland Airport and (intuitively knowing how groggy and hungry I’d be) greeted me with a huge hug, some popcorn chicken, caffeine, and coconut water. Once we arrived at their beautiful & historic farmhouse, Mike greeted me with the same warm and enthusiastic affection, and I instantly felt right at home. After helping me with my luggage, they informed me of all the special preparations made for the guestroom:
1) ear plugs “just in case” because the birds promptly start chirping as the sun rises
2) an eye cover because when you’re that far north, the sun rises at 4 am that time of year
3) a gorgeous knit sweater hung in the closet to wear during their cool Maine evenings (which she ended up gifting me and I love so much!)
4) extra washcloths and all the toiletries I could ever need
5) an Apple charger with an extra long cord, already plugged in because the only outlet is impossibly hard to get to under the incredibly comfortable yet grand king-sized bed
6) magazines & books of all kinds to rummage through— and they were perfect for those moments between the many activities they had planned
Yes, I mentally took notes, to (hopefully) make my future guests feel just as appreciated!
Over the next five days, we had the most amazing adventures. We toured the Maine Botanical Gardens (which sadly, I did not bring my good camera along to capture), drove/walked in search of lupine fields, stunning architecture, great shops, and good food (lobster rolls, of course, because when in Rome!) We enjoyed beach days, fireflies, movie nights & lots of great conversation and laughter. On the Saturday I was there, Megan and I took a ferry to Squirrel Island to photograph her client’s wedding— it was right out of a Nicholas Sparks novel— absolutely dreamy, and they were the sweetest couple ever! I felt so lucky to be a part of the entire experience. On the final day of my trip, we spent the day in Portland, but not before Mike took me into his coffee shack and showed me how to roast coffee beans. My son and I are coffee nuts, so I had fun photographing the process and Mike graciously gave me a couple of bags to take home… my entire family has been savoring our cups every morning, the roast is just perfect!
It’s hard to express the amount of love and admiration I have for Megan & Mike, they are such good people with incredible moral values. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this time to savor their company and the magic of Maine. I cannot wait for the next time, but thankfully I still get small doses of Maine and keep up with them pretty easily thanks to their beautifully curated & informative social media platforms.
I’ll post links in case you’d also like to follow along… just scroll to the bottom!
But first, here are some of my photos from the incredible journey with them… I’ll begin with the personal photos from around their stunning home, beach scenes, hanging out in Southport, Boothbay Harbor, and coffee roasting…
Now, for a small(ish) summary of the Squirrel Island wedding:
If these photos haven’t sold you on a trip (or move) to Maine, then I suggest following Megan Clouse on social media. For lifestyle photos and writing, follow this account. For her professional work, follow this account. To follow Mike’s adventures in spirituality and coffee, follow him here.
Finally, here are a few photos Megan snapped of me, and a few iPhone photos that were worth sharing of us all together :)
