Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island— 2025 —
North Beach Clubhouse Wedding Photos
Stacee & Derek
North Beach Clubhouse, Narragansett, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
August 23rd, 2025
As someone who has been married for a decade and a half, I like to think I know a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to sustaining a long-term relationship and, in my humble opinion, there is no better way than to keep your marriage thriving than keeping you partner laughing.
It's a simple concept but one I see a lot of couples forget as the stress of everyday life sometimes causes us to forget what we're really doing here and what really matters.
That's why I have no doubts, whatsoever, about the strength of Stacee and Derek's relationship as I don't think I've ever seen a couple bring joy to one another quite the way they did on their wedding day at the North Beach Clubhouse back in August.
Stacee and Derek's wedding was an absolute delight to photograph but one that was even more fun to watch as their pure silliness was contagious and led to one of the most fun days I've had this wedding season and if that's not a surefire sign that they're doing something right, I don't know what is.
Even before Stacee and Derek's big day, I knew we were in for a fun afternoon as their engagement photo session back in June was one of the wildest and most ridiculous sessions I've had all year … and I mean that in the best way possible.
For a couple of goofballs, Stacee and Derek's personalities seem to come to life the more they egg one another on so I was curious to see how that would translate on a wedding day where emotions are, typically, more romantic than hilarious.
The first look was a true reminder that even though these two are most comfortable making each other laugh, they also deeply care for one another and it was the perfect way for me to start my coverage of their wedding day and for them to get this jam-packed itinerary up and moving.
Following their first look, I took a handful of photos of Stacee and Derek but nothing too wild. I just knew we would be in the sun all day long and wanted something a little different. Plus, it's always a good idea to get shady portraits of a bride and groom on their wedding day and lord knows there is no shade to be found at the North Beach Clubhouse.
I knew from experience having shot a handful of weddings at the North Beach Clubhouse that it was going to be a challenge for Stacee and Derek if we had a sunny day and, true to form, we had the sunniest.
To their credit, neither Stacee or Derek seemed bothered by saying “I do” on what felt like the literal surface of the sun and I could tell how special this ceremony was set to be by the way they looked so appreciative of the moment they were having as they walked down the aisle.
Stacee and Derek's wedding ceremony lasted just a few minutes but I know it's a moment neither of them will ever forget.
Set with the stunning beach behind them on what felt like a summer day, Stacee and Derek's wedding ceremony COULD have been a beautiful and romantic moment where the two pledged their lives together but what it was, instead, was true to the very foundation of their love.
While repeating after their officiant, Derek jumped the gun on his vows and the slight flub broke both he and Stacee and they spent most of the rest of their ceremony laughing and, ya know what? I loved that for them.
I love couples that don't forget who they are in the moments that matter and that made this ceremony all the more sweeter for these two.
Following their wedding ceremony, Stacee and Derek took some of the most challenging formal photos I've had all year as the sun made the deck where they got married unusable but, to their credit, they rolled with the punches and we kept spirits high.
After their formal photos, I was finally able to get the newlyweds on the beach itself and, I'll be honest, this was the part of Stacee and Derek's wedding I was looking the most forward to and it didn't disappoint.
Narragansett Town Beach can be an incredibly frustrating place to photograph bride and groom portraits, especially in the summer when it's packed with beachgoers who couldn't care less that people just got married. But on this afternoon and at this moment as the sun started to fade? There wasn't a place I would rather be with this bride and groom.
As beautiful as Stacee and Derek's beach photos were — and they were definitely some of my favorite of the year — the reason I loved this part of their shoot so much was how ridiculous we all were in between photos. You may see beautifully-lit sunset shots but to me? I remember the awkward poses, the NSFW joking around and the little wisecracks that kept things so silly and fun.
If the point of a couples' wedding portrait session is to bring their relationship to life in front of the camera, we did this to perfection. But I won't take the credit here. This was 100 percent the bride, the groom and maybe a little bit of third-grade humor.
And lord knows I love third grade humor.
After I finished picking sand out of places I didn't know I could get sand in (OK, maybe I shouldn't have laid down for some of their formal photos but how could I not?) I made my way inside the North Beach Clubhouse to set up for Stacee and Derek's reception and that meant making sure to grab those little last minute details of things the bride and groom used to decorate their reception venue.
The weird thing about the North Beach Clubhouse is the reception area is technically inside in a small room that gives a crazy intimate vibe for a wedding but the dance floor itself is outside. This means most of my couples who get married here tent to keep their details on the simple side and Stacee and Derek were no exception.
I did love their wedding cake and the fun table with their guest book and custom Funko pops, however and I just knew those were going to make their way into the detail photos I took because, come on, how could they not?
With detail photos out of the way, it was time for Stacee and Derek to officially begin their reception and what better way than with their first dance, set to “Never Stop (Wedding Version)” by SafetySuit.
I'd never heard of this song before Stacee and Derek's wedding but it really was a lovely way to set the tone for their reception. And what I loved the most about Stacee and Derek's moment in the spotlight was the ample space on the North Beach Clubhouse deck for their friends and family members to look on as the sun set on the beach behind us. Talk about a lovely moment.
I had a feeling going into Stacee and Derek's wedding day that their reception would be one of the more casual I've shot this year and it really was. The pair had two short but sweet speeches before dinner, a small cake cutting after dinner and that was the extent of their formalities.
The one part of Stacee and Derek's wedding where I wasn't entirely sure what to expect was their dance floor. I knew from watching the way they interacted with friends and family members that it was likely going to be a fun night but I didn't get a “dance” vibe from this crowd.
And then Stacee and Derek hit the floor running.
For about an hour, Stacee and Derek's friends and family members went back and forth from the beautiful moon-lit deck overlooking the ocean to the dance floor itself and the night proved to be a really fun, relaxed and chill vibe … and an absolutely silly one at all times, too.
Stacee and Derek had one of the few weddings I've closed out the night at this year and I'm so glad they did as it was great to see those final few moments as they celebrated an event they would never forget.
As I packed my gear up and headed to my car, I couldn't stop smiling thinking about how ridiculously fun this whole day was and how I know this wedding was everything Stacee and Derek wanted and then some.
So, congrats Stacee and Derek on a beautiful wedding day. I wish you all the best on this new and beautiful chapter of your lives together as husband and wife and I just hope you both never change because, as I've said many times, I genuinely believe the key to a great relationship is making each other laugh and you two do so, so very well.
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Dress: Alexandra's Boutique, Fall River, Massachusetts; Groom's Suit: Men's Wearhouse, Warwick, Rhode Island; Ceremony & Reception: The North Beach Clubhouse, Narragansett, Rhode Island; Catering: Emery's Catering, Warwick, Rhode Island.