Blog — The Story Behind The Stories
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORIES
- YET ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG -
Have you ever had a moment where something funny or unpredictable happened and you thought to yourself "Man, I'm going to remember that for a long time?" As a Rhode Island wedding photographer, I have more of these moments every year than I could even imagine trying to count.
Weddings are the ultimate thrill ride for me. A once-in-a-lifetime day full of special moments and memories that I know my brides and grooms will cherish for a lifetime. With that typically comes a timeline full of things to do, a unrelenting stress for everything to go perfect and, eventually, enough alcohol to wipe away any inhibitions if things don't go exactly how you envisioned them.
Back in the fall of 2014, when I was just starting my career as a wedding photographer, I thought it would be a good idea to do what everyone on the internet was doing back then: write a blog. The problem, I would discover, was I had nothing of note to say. So I did what any good photographer does: Let the photos speak for themselves.
It took me a while to find my voice as a blog writer but I'm so glad I did as I genuinely believe my blog writing has become a key part of documenting a wedding for my couples. These are the inside stories behind the stories of the wedding days that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Whether you're planning your own wedding or you just like looking at cool wedding photos and finding out more behind them, I hope you genuinely enjoy these articles. Going forward I will continue writing separate blog entries for each wedding and engagement session I shot and, soon, I will start adding some exciting wedding-related articles I hope help brides and grooms in their quest to plan the perfect day.
For now, though, enjoy a stroll back through my favorite stories and images of recent assignments and, as always, thanks for reading.
MY LATEST BLOG POSTS
Twelve Acres, Smithfield, Rhode Island
Date: September 2nd, 2023
One of the first questions I ask any bride and groom is whether they envision their wedding to be a giant party or a more intimate family affair. Most times, the couples are spot on in their prediction but Kayleigh and Matthew — who said they envisioned their day as a casual family event — couldn't have been more off.
Why? Because once the dance floor opened, their relaxed event turned into a rocking night of fun, laughs and wild dancing. And I really can't blame their guests. Because a day this awesome deserves to be celebrated.
St. Joseph's Parish & Upland Sportsmans Club
Date: August 26th, 2023
I tell every couple I work with that, on their wedding day, something is going to go wrong. It's just a fact of life. But, until Mikayla & Thomas' wedding, the one thing I'd never seen was a couple forget to bring their wedding rings.
It's a moment that has inspired a thousand nightmares from brides and grooms but for these two? It was something to laugh at and move on from. And that's why their wedding was so fun and so true to why they are. Want to see why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Stonehurst at Hampton Valley, Hampton, CT.
Date: August 20th, 2023
It's not often that a wedding leaves me unsure of what to say but as I sat down to talk about Victoria and Patrick's August nuptials, I didn't know where to start.
Why? Because it was the perfect day from start to finish. Whether it was one of the most fun bridal preps I've had all year, some of the best formal photos I've taken in years or a rowdy party that I didn't think would ever end, Victoria and Patrick made every moment count on the day they said "I do" and I'm super excited for folks to check it out. So, enough of my ramblings, click here to see why I loved it so much.
Providence G, Providence, Rhode Island
Date: August 12th, 2023
I'm a guy who likes new things and, in the world of wedding photography, there are only so many venues you can go to and types of weddings you can shoot.
That's why the minute I met Patrick and James at a wedding expo earlier in March 2022, I simply KNEW I had to shoot their wedding. Not only were they an amazingly sweet couple but they were set to be my first wedding with two grooms. And what a wedding it was.
Patrick and James' wedding was everything I love about same sex marriages and one of my favorite days ever. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Rachel's Lakeside, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Date: July 29th, 2023
Whenever I work with a bride and groom who have been together for a very long time, they either they want every little thing to go perfect on their wedding day or they've been together so long, it's just a formality.
As much as I enjoy a carefree wedding day, it's still touching to me when a day clearly means a lot to a couple that they stress over all the little things before saying "I do" and Amanda and Lorenzo sure fit that bill. See why, after a 10-year wait, their wedding was everything they could have asked for and more by clicking here.
Providence City Hall & Franchescas at Waterplace
Date: July 22nd, 2023
Whenever I sit down with a prospective client to talk about shooting their wedding day, I know within moments if they've had a wedding previously just by how they approach their first conversation with me.
That's why I knew, immediately, the kind of wedding Melissa and James would have back in July and that's why I knew I had to shoot it.
Determined to get married without all the "promey cotillon crap," Melissa and James set out to have a laid back, relaxed wedding day and they succeeded. So much. See for yourself why I loved it by clicking here.
Oceanview Nahant, Nahant, Massachusetts
Date: July 17th, 2023
There is no better feeling for me as a photographer than leaving a shoot feeling like I accomplished everything I wanted to. That's why, moments after saying goodbye to Lexi and Thomas following their July wedding, I knew I needed to ask one more favor.
I simply couldn't leave without taking this amazing bride and groom down to the beach one last time as the bright summer sun had FINALLY come down a bit and the view was spectacular. And the results? Only my favorite photos of the entire day. See for yourself why by clicking here.
Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, Rhode Island
Date: July 16th, 2023
Being a wedding photographer is about so much more than taking photos. You often also play the roles of planner, therapist, friend ... and even meteorologist.
It's that last skill that's proven most valuable so far this year and during Kayla and Corey's wedding back in July, it saved the day. Why? Because that's how we knew when to perfectly time the bride and groom's formal photos. And, with those in the bag, we could focus on the far more important task: Getting these two amazing people married. I think we did both perfectly and you can see why I feel that way by clicking here.
Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, Rhode Island
Date: July 1st, 2023
I've always had a love-hate relationship with the Fourth of July weekend as a wedding photographer. While I love it for what it represents, and love this time of year, in my experience weddings on this weekend rarely lives up to the hype because it's hot, muggy and downright uncomfortable.
But that was definitely not the case for Lindsay and Joe's big day earlier this summer. Why? Well, when you have a love as fun as these two do, you don't mind high temperatures. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Graduate Providence, Providence, Rhode Island
Date: June 24th, 2023
When I shoot a wedding, my one and only priority is the couple getting married but, I'll admit, every now and again I'll take a moment for myself when I hit a special milestone or have a day I'm particularly proud of.
That's part of the reason I was all smiles on the day of Jonathan & Jessica's wedding in June as it was the 300th wedding of my career.
But the real great thing? I got to celebrate it with an amazing couple who had a super fun and awesome wedding day? Want to see what made it so special? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Strongwater Food & Spirits, Columbus, Ohio
Date: June 18th, 2023
I'm a guy who loves to experience new things and see new places and when you combine that passion with my true passion of wedding photography, well, I know I'm in for a special day.
I think that's one of the reasons I jumped at the chance to fly to Ohio and photograph Catie and John's wedding day back in June.
I've had a lot of wedding this year and I've got a lot more coming up but I don't know if any will be quite like Catie and John's. Want to see why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Greeley Park, Nashua, New Hampshire
Date: June 11th, 2023
Nothing throws me off faster during an engagement session than a bride and groom that take themselves too seriously. That's why my Number One motto, above all else as a photographer, is that I want ALL of my clients to be themselves.
Helen and Brandon embodied this mantra better than most and, because of it, their June engagement session at Greeley Park in Nashua, New Hampshire was simultaneously one of the more unorthodox and silly, but fun, shoots I've had this year Want to see why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Camp Hoffman, South Kingstown, Rhode Island
Date: June 3rd, 2023
I'm always fascinated when couples who have been together for years finally get married.
I love working with those kind of couples because, more often than not, when they finally do say "I do" it serves as a celebration of their past, present and their future together.
That's why I loved Stephanie and Stephen's June wedding so much. For a couple that's been together for 16 years, Stephanie and Stephen's wedding felt like an event a lifetime in the making. Want to know why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Borderland State Park, North Easton, Mass.
Date: May 23rd, 2023
If I had a dollar for every time I had to call an audible during an engagement session, well, I'd have enough money to retire. But, sometimes, the best days are the ones that don't go the way you planned and that was certainly the case for Kayla and Patrick's May session at Borderland State Park in North Easton, Mass.
Midway through Kayla and Patrick's session, we decided to go find a bridge in the park that I loved but we never got there. And, somehow, their session was even better because of that. Want to see what I mean? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Private Residence, Bedford, Massachusetts
Date: May 20th, 2023
I can say a thousand times that every wedding is beautiful but there is something disappointing about planning an amazing day and Mother Nature coming in and wrecking everything with bad weather.Thankfully, sometimes you meet a couple that you know won't let that ruin their day. Case in point: Christie and Brian.
I truly believe Christie and Brian's positive attitude rubbed off on Mother Nature as a day FULL of rain let up long enough for us to achieve everything we wanted and more. What do I mean? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Quonset 'O' Club, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Date: May 13th, 2023
Wedding days are supposed to be the culmination of everything leading up to it for a bride and a groom but, often, they turn into something completely foreign just because of the expectations people have about what a wedding is "supposed to be."
I think that's why I love couples who find a way to remain authentically themselves on the day they say "I do" and few people embody this idea more than Kim and Ray. Kim and Ray had a wedding befitting their 'Beautiful Crazy" theme and, if you want to see why I feel that way, check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Roger Williams Park, Providence, Rhode Island
Date: May 12th, 2023
Of all the traits I think you need to be a successful wedding photographer, I think the ability to think quickly on your feet is at the top of the list.
Why? Because, sometimes, you have a day where nothing goes according to plan. Like Sarah and Dennis' engagement session at Roger Williams Park.
Because we chose one of RI's busiest parks AND one of the best nights of the spring, Sarah and Dennis' engagement session was a lesson in adaptability and finding ways to make beauty in chaos and, you know what? I can confidently say we made it work. Big time.
Spencer Country Inn, Spencer, Massachusetts
Date: May 6th, 2023
I love weddings of all shapes and sizes but the ones I find to be the best are the ones where you know they fit the people who said "I do" and in that way, few have ever felt more authentic than Paul and Sherri's May wedding at the Spencer Country Inn.
Paul and Sherri were a laid back couple who chose not to have any parent dances, toasts, garter tosses, bouquet tosses, centerpiece giveaways or most of the other things you see at every standard wedding. so what did they have? Love. Lots of love. Want to know what I mean? See for yourself by clicking here.
The Lobster Bar, Newport, Rhode Island
Date: April 29th, 2023
At it's central core, a wedding day should be a celebration of love and, in that way, I don't think Lindsey and Evan's April wedding at The Lobster Bar in Newport, Rhode Island could have gone any better.
With one of the best live bands I've ever seen and a crowd of friends and family members that were determined to dance the night away, Lindsey and Evan threw one of the best wedding receptions I have ever seen and one I'm still smiling about months later.
Renaissance Golf Club, Haverhill, Massachusetts
Date: April 23rd, 2023
If there's one thing I've found true among every same sex wedding I've done, it's that these weddings are really a unique celebration of the love the two people getting married have for one another.
That was certainly my take away on the day Jacquelyn and Keshauna said "I do" at Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill, Massachusetts as this wedding was one only these two brides could have.
And, boy, was it fun.
Want to see why? Check our Jackie and Kesh's big day for yourself by clicking here.
Elks Lodge #65, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Date: April 15th, 2023
I've often said some of my favorite couples are older clients getting married later in life. For whatever reason, I find these wedding days to be the ones that are the most relaxed and, sometimes, the most fun.
Wendy and Sean, who said I do at the Elks Lodge in Lawrence, Massachusetts, fit this description perfectly as their day was super laid back, beautifully emotional and, most importantly, exactly what they envisioned.
And when the party started? Woo boy did these two take advantage of every moment. Want to see what I mean? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Wyndham Newport Hotel, Middletown, RI
Date: March 25th, 2023
At the end of every wedding season, I generally have about a two to three month period of down time before I'm ready to get back out there and start anew.
But after about a month, I'm counting down the days until my first wedding of the season and that was especially true this year as I knew my first couple of 2023, Angela and Jonathan, would be the perfect way to kick off my year.
And boy were they. Angela and Jonathan's wedding was a day of love, laughs and plenty of dancing. And it reminded me, exactly, of why I love doing what I do.
Goddard Park, East Greenwich, Rhode Island
Date: March 24th, 2023
No matter how experienced you are, and how confident you are in your skills, there aren't many things more nerve-wracking than the first photo shoot of a new wedding season.
That's why I'm so glad my first session of 2023 was Jessica and Paul's March engagement session at Goddard Park as, within moments, the three of us went from having just met in the parking lot that afternoon to feeling like we've known each other forever. And that translated perfectly during a fun and sweet photo session that you can check out for yourself here.
Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island
Date: December 9th, 2022
If you've ever run a long race, you know you tend to get a rush of adrenaline right at the end that carries you over the finish line. It's the same for wedding photographers. But that's not the only reason I was so excited to shoot Courtney and Giovanni's December wedding, my last of the 2022 season.
No, I was counting down the days to this wedding for months and, let me tell you, Courtney and Giovanni's wedding was the absolute perfect way for me to cap the wildest wedding season of my career. Want to know why? Check it out for yourself here.
Ebenezer Baptist Church & Skyline at Waterplace
Date: November 18th, 2022
There's something to be said for a bride and groom who know exactly what they want out of their wedding day. For some couples, it's the big oceanfront ceremony and crazy, trendy couples portraits. For others, it's a simple elopement at a courthouse.
For Latoya and David, the goal for their November wedding was simple yet effective: Do what they wanted to do and have fun doing it.
And, in that regard, it's hard to say their day was anything other than picture perfect. Want to know what I mean? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
North Beach Clubhouse, Narragansett, RI
Date: November 12th, 2022
I tend to attract a lot of 'Do It Yourself' brides and grooms. While some photographers would shy away from DIY weddings, I embrace them because, in my experience, the couples are great and the days are super memorable. Case in point: Lindsay and Kevin.
Lindsay and Kevin were married in November at the North Beach Clubhouse and every part of their day was uniquely them and their vision, including somehow the warmest November wedding day I've ever seen. Want to know what I mean? Check out Lindsay and Kevin's wedding for yourself by clicking here.
Valley Country Club, Warwick, Rhode Island
Date: November 11th, 2022
I'm always fascinated by the stories a bride and groom tell me about how they met. While it's true a lot of my couple meet online now, every now and again I get a story like Tara and Marcus' where the couple dated when they were young, drifted apart and reconnected.
To me, that type of love story just feels like fate played a role and that's fitting because on the day Tara and Marcus said "I do," some force of nature was certainly on their side. What do I mean? Find out for yourself by clicking here.
Brookmeadow Country Club, Canton, Mass.
Date: November 5th, 2022
Do you want to know the sign of a truly amazing wedding reception? It's easy. The venue coordinator has to tell you it's time to leave.
For Hannah and Houston, there was simply no other way their guests would have known it was time to stop the party on the night of their November nuptials.
In what was one of the most fun weddings I shot in 2022, Hannah and Houston said "I do" and then proceeded to rock the night away so fierce, I'm still thinking about it months later. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Lake Pearl, Wrentham, Massachusetts
Date: November 4th, 2022
Wedding days can be about so many people that, sadly, sometimes a bride and groom forget to take a minute for themselves on their special day to appreciate where they are and what they're doing.
That's why I was so thrilled for Jessica and Jonathan when, during their November nuptials at Lake Pearl, they took time at the end of their formal photos for a private vow ceremony with no one else around.
Well, no one except me. And I'm glad I was there because it was the highlight of an absolutely amazing day. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
The Red Lion Inn, Cohasset, Massachusetts
Date: October 31st, 2022
It's always a risk when a bride and groom plan to get married on a holiday but I feel like it's even riskier when that special day is Halloween.
After all, you're asking a LOT of your guests to forgo parties or Trick or Treating to spend a day watching your wedding so it has to deliver, right?
In Nicole and Cameron's case, their Halloween wedding at the Red Lion Inn not only proved to be well worth giving up Halloween for. Dare I say, it was better than Halloween. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Trinity Church & Kirkbrae Country Club
Date: October 28th, 2022
There are a lot of things that your wedding day is SUPPOSED to be but if you ask me, the thing it should be more than anything else is fun. After all, why get married if you're not going to enjoy it?
And for Benjamin and Jessica, who said "I do" back in October, I had no doubt they were having fun from the start of their wedding day until the end. And everything else was just a bonus.
Benjamin and Jessica had one of my favorite and more fun weddings of the entire 2022 season. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Five Bridge Inn, Rehoboth, Massachusetts
Date: October 23rd, 2022
It's so tempting on your wedding day to want to have full control of every moment but, sometimes, you have to know when things are out of your control.
That was the theme for Diana and Tyler's October wedding at Five Bridge Inn as on again/off again showers made planning for photos near impossible.
Like all good couples, though, Diana and Tyler shrugged their shoulders and figured things would work out. And you know what? That positive attitude was rewarded. How? Well, click here to see how there was no way a little rain was going to ruin this beautiful day.
St. Paul Church & Quonset 'O' Club
Date: October 22nd, 2022
When you're a wedding photographer in New England and it's October, the last thing you want to do is pick up more work. Sometimes, though, it might not be what you want to do, it's what you NEED to do.
And that's why I try never to turn down a second shooting assignment if I'm available. Because, every once in a while, I get to work with an awesome couple like Kayla and Michael, whose fall wedding day was the exact creative spark I needed at one of my most burnt out moments of the year. Why? See for yourself by clicking here.
Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, Rhode Island
Date: October 15th, 2022
I feel fortunate any time a bride and groom trusts me enough to ask me to photograph their wedding day. But, sometimes, a day is so beautiful and a couple is so fun that I can't help but feel a little EXTRA lucky I get to do what I do for a living. Jessica and Phillip's October wedding is the perfect example of what I mean.
Without question, these two said "I do" on the most beautiful day for a wedding in 2022 and their picture perfect nuptials not only lived up, but actually surpassed the beauty of nature itself. Why? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Warwick, Rhode Island
Date: October 9th, 2022
I love a couple that's not afraid to show emotions. If you can't care deeply about your wedding day, what CAN you care about?
I think that's why I knew Robert and Amanda's wedding was going to be so much fun to shoot. Because not only did the bride expect the groom to cry. The groom expected himself to cry. Both were right.
Rob and Amanda's October wedding was one full of just about every emotion there is and I'm glad I got to document it. Why? See for yourself by clicking here.
Hampshire House, Boston, Massachusetts
Date: October 8th, 2022
One of the things I love the most about wedding photography is you never know what is going to happen and what moments will become THE moments of a bride and groom's big day.
Like, for example, when Michael and Sheila's wedding ceremony was interrupted by a medical emergency. In a moment that could have ruined most wedding days, Sheila and Michael showed their true relationship by laughing and joking about it and, honestly, by the end we all were to. Want to see why? Check out Sheila & Michael's big day by clicking here.
North Beach Clubhouse, Narragansett, RI
Date: October 6th, 2022
Anytime I second shoot a wedding, there's a bit of nervousness as I meet the couple for the first time. Will I like them? Will they like me? Will this be a fun day?
Until I walk into these shoots, I literally have no idea what to expect and that's why weddings like Lauren and Arianna's — where I felt right at home, right away — are so much fun to photograph.
Lauren and Arianna had a fantastic fall wedding day and even though I just met them that day, it felt like I knew them forever and you can see why for yourself by clicking here.
The Barn at Wight Farm, Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Date: October 2nd, 2022
There are few things in this world that get me more excited than a truly great wedding reception. Maybe it's the music. Maybe it's the sense of celebration. Maybe it's just that I need a more active social life.
Regardless, a great wedding reception will have me smiling ear to end from the first song until the last and few moved me more in 2022 than Bryan and Polly's reception at the Barn at Wight Farm back in October.
Why did I love Bryan and Polly's reception so much? Easy. It was the party of the year. Want to see why I feel that way? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Wright's Farm, Burrillville, Rhode Island
Date: October 1st, 2022
Everyone dreams of their wedding being a perfect day but the reality is, there's no such thing as perfect. This is especially true when Mother Nature has other plans for your big day than a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon.
How you respond to these challenges is often the difference between a good and a great wedding and, for Chrissy and Brandon, it's the reason why even a day full of rain and clouds was still a day worth remembering as the day of their dreams. Want to see what I mean? Check it out for yourself by clicking here.
Allen Hill Farm, Brooklyn, Connecticut
Date: September 30th, 2022
I love big, showy weddings that feel like an event. But, every once in a while, it's nice to have a beautiful reminder of how that's simply not for everyone.
In the case of Kaitlyn and Mathew, whose September wedding at Allen Hill Farm was one of my most intimate weddings of 2022, less was indeed more.
Kaitlyn and Mathew kept their wedding day more focused on their love than any pomp and circumstance and yet, somehow, there were still dozens of big moments to love. Want to see what I mean? Check them out here.
St. Joseph's Church & Our Lady of Light Band
Date: September 24th, 2022
If you're around a bride and groom long enough on their wedding day, chances are you're going to see a wide range of emotions.
From anxiety and nerves to excitement and celebration, there's no day quite like a wedding day and few couples exhibited this full spectrum of human feelings quite like Nicole and Zachary did during their September wedding day in Fall River.
Looking back, I can't say I blame them because this was one wedding day FULL of magical moments. Want to see what I mean? Check it out here.
Independence Harbor, Assonet, Massachusetts
Date: September 23rd, 2022
There's always a moment during every wedding reception where I know we're about to find out exactly what kind of night it is going to be and for Kirsten and Nicholas, who were married back in September at Independence Harbor, that moment was their bride and groom introductions.
Coming down the aisle, quite literally, to WWE wrestler Bobby Roode's theme song "Glorious" let everyone in attendance know this was not a night that would take itself too seriously and would be a ton of fun. And believe me, it lived up to those expectations.
Quidnessett Country Club, North Kingstown, RI
Date: September 22nd, 2022
If I had a list of the phrases I said most as a wedding photographer, I think telling couples that I want them to have a "real wedding that shows who you really are" would be toward the top of the list.
It would also be hard for me to illustrate this point better than with Victoria and Daniel's September wedding at Quidnessett Country Club.
Of all the weddings I had in 2022, few felt more authentic to the couple than Victoria and Daniel's did as their wedding was an equal mix of sweet, senimental and silly. Why? See it for yourself by clicking here.