All I knew about the event I was scheduled to photograph was that it was a tea service at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol, RI. And that most of the guests would be in costume. Blithewold is a beautiful place to photograph, and I had photographed other events there, but I knew nothing of the group attending this event.
When women started arriving in elaborate costumes, I knew this might be special. The group was the Boston Lolita Society, a group of women who schedule occasional events where they dress in “Gothic & Lolita” style costumes. Blithewold offered a perfect setting for their gathering, and it was a beautiful Spring day, so the women could wander the grounds of the mansion before and after the tea service.
