It was a beautiful but chilly February afternoon for this magical elopement at Hammond Castle in Gloucester Massachusetts. The castle was originally built in 1926 by John Hays Hammond Jr. as a private residence for him and his family. It became a nonprofit museum in the 1970s. Once it was turned into a nonprofit, the tours and exhibits began to focus largely on the medieval aspects of the castle and its beautiful collections inside for guests to enjoy. It is a beautiful and historic venue for those looking for a dark and moody elopement or wedding.

These two met when they were 19 while hanging out with other friends. They lived in the same town with a similar friend group, but they did not go to the same school at the time so they hadn’t met until a later introduction through friends. They decided to get married on their dating anniversary, Valentine’s Day, which made this elopement at Hammond Castle that much sweeter.

Jess got ready in the bridal suite downstairs, making sure all the finishing touches were ready before their ceremony began. She walked down the aisle to Chris in a beautiful black gown holding red roses.

They chose to have a hand fasting ceremony as well as an exchanging of rings. They read personalized and handwritten vows to one another. They had a private first dance after they said “I do,” to the Cody Simpson song “On My Mind.”

Jess and Chris wanted to add a little flare to their after ceremony photos. They created this fun table to incorporate many of their favorite things that represent the life they have built together. They had photos of their cats who could not be in attendance, photos of family members from their wedding day, and red heart glasses. It was such a fun part of the day, where it almost felt like a private Photo Booth moment for them more than anything else.

We spent the afternoon after their ceremony photographing the newlyweds in the garden of the castle. The gardens at Hammond Castle are absolutely breathtaking. We could have spent all afternoon in the garden, taking in the beauty of the flowers and plants that are so well taken care of by the staff and grounds crew.

After we left the garden inside the castle, we headed outside (braving the cold February day) and took some photos overlooking the ocean. Hammond Castle has gorgeous views overlooking the ocean.

After our time together was done and we went our separate ways, Jess and Chris went out to celebrate with just the two of them at a nice dinner in downtown Gloucester.

If you’re looking for a wedding or elopement photographer for your event at Hammond Castle, reach out here to book! Looking for the best places to elope in Salem instead? Check out this blog post for more information. Stay tuned for more of what I’ve been up to with weddings, elopements, Salem sessions and more.

Venue: Hammond Castle

Officiant: Witchy Woman Weddings

Second Photographer: Katlyn Reilly Photography