Sarah and Michael's Action-Packed Camp Wedding at Ohana Family Camp in Fairlee, Vermont

At noon on Saturday morning, dozens of sweaty, bandanna-clad people gathered in wooden folding chairs overlooking Lake Fairlee at Ohana Family Camp to receive instructions for the final event of the morning’s field games- the relay race. Among the challenges were sliding a cookie from the forehead to mouth while only using facial muscles, bowling using a tennis ball in pantyhose attached to the head, and transferring a cucumber from one team member to another using no hands. There were the cheers of victory and the screeches of defeat, and at one point, chunks of watermelon were thrown at competitors from opposing teams.

Just four hours later the same chair were filled with the same people, this time, dressed to the nines in suits, flowing dresses, and light jackets to ward off the early fall chill as the markedly less rowdy group gathered to watch their dear friends Sarah and Michael say their vows to each other. This was the center point of an entire weekend Sarah and Michael had filled with camp-style activities to celebrate the coming together of their friends and family from around the country.

For a good part of the weekend, it was hard for Jeff and me to remember we were photographing wedding festivities, as we documented the denim-themed rehearsal dinner and the hilarious talent show that followed, then ran around the field the following day, photographing volleyball, kickball, and the epic relay race. When it was time for Sarah, Michael, and their guests to put on their wedding guests, everyone was so relaxed from hanging out together already for 24 hours, the same feeling of being at summer camp followed everyone until the end of the night’s crazy dance party and bonfire.