Karin and Josh were married on Thompson Island, a unique wedding venue in the Boston Harbor that also serves as an Outward Bound educational center. It’s such a cool place to get married! The first thing guests get to experience is a scenic ferry ride over to the island where they can take in all of the sights and sounds of the Boston Harbor. The ride across the harbor is a blast and we always notice that everyone seems to be smiling when they hop of the boat!

This was our third Thompson Island wedding and it’s always such a treat to document a wedding here. From the stunning Boston skyline views to the outdoorsy covered reception pavilion, weddings here always feel so down to earth! There were so many things we loved about Karin and Josh’s day. Above everything, this wedding felt so intimately personalized. Karin and Josh incorporated several Jewish traditions into the day, and from their tish to the hora, we had a great time capturing all of the moments of their wedding day.

Karin had some wonderful words of wisdom for others planning a wedding, “The planning process involved so many more decisions than we ever thought possible. For two people who didn’t have a super specific vision coming in except that we wanted our wedding to be outdoors in New England, we found at each turn, it helped to ask ourselves, ‘Does this feel like us?’ If so, we went with it.”

Scroll to see some of our favorite storytelling moments from Karin and Josh’s wedding on Thompson Island!

More about this Thompson Island Boston wedding:

I think every couple wants their wedding to reflect who they are. Karin and Josh knocked it out the park in this department. Josh is a journalist in Boston, and he worked with Karin to create a newspaper that would serve as the wedding program. Guests were so excited and entertained to look through it! We loved the headline, “Broken Glass to End Ceremony”.

This couple also incorporated the Jewish tradition of having a “tish”. We hadn’t photographed a tish before, but it was one of the most intimate, moving experiences we have been a part of. Karin’s closest friends and family gathered in one place to celebrate her, while Josh’s friends and family did the same for him. People shared songs, stories and words of praise and thanks for Karin and Josh. What an incredible and fulfilling way to enter into a lifelong partnership!

After their respective tishes, Karin and Josh met in the field behind the reception pavilion to sign their ketubah. Surrounded by their community, these two made a written pact to form a union. Everyone then made their way down to the ceremony site overlooking the Boston Harbor. At one point during the ceremony, anyone who wanted to share words for the couple could join them under the chuppah to speak. Of course, more than 40 people lined up! Josh broke the traditional glass to end the ceremony and “Mazel Tov” rang out!

Guests enjoyed cocktails and hor d’oeuvres on the lawn while taking in the scenic view. When it was time for the reception to begin, guests found their seat by matching their escort card picture to a stamp on each table! Karin and Josh kicked off the reception with as unique of a first dance as we have ever seen! Most couples take dance lessons for their first dance, Karin and Josh donned backpacking packs and did a routine to a song about mountain climbing!

Big thanks to Sara with Candlewood Events who coordinated this wedding with ease, and congratulations to this happy couple. We know there will be many more adventures in your future!

Vendors who contributed to this Boston Harbor wedding:

Venue & Catering – Thompson Island

Coordination – Candlewood Events

Florist & Chuppah – Michele Bernard

Hair & Makeup – Love Notes by June

Pies – Handmade by friends!

Bride’s dress – Watters

Bride’s shoes – Kate Spade Keds

Groom’s suit – Bonobos

DJ – Michael Crawford

Custom sock favors – Divvy Up Socks

Ketubah – Sweet Ketubah