Blog— Weddings — Massachusetts — 2022 —
Coachmen's Lodge Wedding Photos
Emily & Josh
Coachmen's Lodge, Bellingham, Massachusetts
July 1st, 2022
There are few things I love more than a bride and groom who are totally locked into the moment and enjoying every second of their wedding day. A lot of time, money and effort goes into planning a wedding and it's a bummer when you see a couple who look like they'd rather be somewhere else or things aren't going as they expected.
I think that's why I adored Emily and Josh so much on the afternoon of their July wedding at Coachmen's Lodge in Bellingham, Massachusetts.
Because whether it was the bride wiping away tears during her first look with her dad, the groom trying hard not to cry during his vows or the couple rocking out all night long on the dance floor, Emily and Josh every single moment of their wedding day count and it was impossible to walk away from their big day thinking it was anything other than a dream come true.
And that makes every minute of the two and a half years this couple planned their wedding day well worth it.
My time with Emily and Josh started right at their wedding venue as the bride and her bridesmaids chose not to have their hair and makeup process documented and, instead, for me to catch up with them an hour before their ceremony.
Now, normally, this is a bit of a bummer as I always hope to get some candid shots of the bride's big moments before she walks down the aisle but with Emily, it wasn't even close to a problem as she had a terrific vision for what she wanted from her photos and we had PLENTY to do right from the start.
I particularly loved the first look Emily planned with her father as it was the perfect way to start our time together. There were laughs. There were tears. But, above all, there was a clear sense of love between these two and it was heartwarming to see daddy melt for his little girl who was all grown up and ready to become a wife.
And that was just the start of the emotions on this day. Shortly after, the groom also got involved as Emily and Josh shared a first touch in lieu of seeing each other until their ceremony began.
I loved this little moment between Emily and Josh as the bride was clearly wiping away tears and trying to keep her composure and the groom shook nervously trying to do the same.
Emily's first look with dad and first touch with Josh set some pretty high standards for what I expected from her wedding ceremony but I knew the moment she walked down the aisle, we were just getting started on documenting big, emotional moments.
I especially loved watching Josh try to rein in his emotions as he saw Emily for the first time. It didn't work but, man, it was so sweet to see him try.
Emily and Josh were married at Coachmen's Lodge in Bellingham, Massachusetts. As I would later find out, Bellingham is the town where these two had their first date and where they purchased a home so it's clearly a special place for them but I don't know if they'll ever have a moment as special as the one where they exchanged vows and became husband and wife.
Emily and Josh's ceremony was truly stunning and full of lovely little bits of emotion. I especially loved the vows these two wrote to one another and the little ways they showed how much this beautiful moment meant.
I could have shot this ceremony for hours, especially with a gorgeous backdrop like Coachmen's Lodge offered. This is truly one of my favorite ceremonies in a long time and I could tell this bride and groom loved it as well.
Following Emily and Josh's wedding ceremony, we transitioned quite nicely into their formal photos and wedding party photos. Having never shot at Coachmen's Lodge before, I wasn't sure what to expect from this up-and-coming venue but, man, their back garden area is something to be seen and almost feels like it was designed FOR wedding photographers.
It doesn't hurt that Emily and Josh's friends and family members were so much fun either. I mean, look at this wedding party. You can just tell this is a motley crew full of people who are a blast to hang out with.
If I had to find one little nitpick about Emily and Josh's wedding day, it's that I didn't get nearly enough time with the bride and groom for their couples' portraits. The thing is, no amount of time would have been enough to work with these two as Emily and Josh are adorable together and so much fun to work with.
Even though we didn't go far from their original portrait location, and only had 13 minutes to work with, we managed to get a pretty good variety of photos in that time that I think showed a good variety and really captured their spirit together.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Emily and Josh's wedding reception the most, however. While I wasn't sure how nice their venue would look inside for photos (the only sample wedding reception shots I could find online were all meh), I knew this couple would make the most of the party portion of the night and, boy, did they ever.
I knew we were in for a good time when I saw how cool their details photographed but that was just a tiny, tiny hint at what we were in for when the sun came down and the uplights turned on.
And if there was any doubt, Emily and Josh erased it the moment they walked into their reception and took complete command of the room. As fun as this couple was, though, they never lost sight of the big moments of the night, such as their beautiful and emotional first dance set to “You are the reason” by Calum Scott.
I loved this first dance so, so, so much. And not just because the lighting was on point.
Just take a look at these two and tell me they weren't locked in that moment with each other. To me, this was one of the defining moments of not just this night but my whole wedding season so far this year. It was that good.
Emily and Josh's reception was full of moments like this, that walked the line between sweet and romantic as well as crazy, wild and fun.
You could tell how much this night meant to those closest to them, too, based solely on the three speeches that started our dinner program off and the loud cheers they got for their cake cutting following dinner.
If there was one part of the reception that was sure to steal the show, though, it was the parent dances as Josh danced with his mother in a moment that was equal parts sweet and sentimental and Emily and her dad pulled off a nice little surprise for their room full of friends and family members.
After starting nice and sweet, Emily and her father caused the room to go WILD when they busted out sunglasses and flipped the script on the music with a medley of pop hits. Emily and her dad practiced this routine a bunch heading into the wedding day and it was a home run on the day of.
In fact, I'd venture a guess and say it's one of the biggest memories a lot of their guests will have of this wedding and with good reason. It was insanely fun.
With the big, planned moments of their night over, Emily and Josh opened up their dance floor with a brief anniversary dance for the couples in the room and then the party truly kicked into high gear.
I knew from watching the bride throughout the wedding day that Emily was a super fun person who LOVES Tik Tok and social media and her wedding reception was an absolute VIBE from the minute the dance floor started until the final song.
I've had a lot of great receptions this year but, man, this crowd really wore me out. There was so much to see and so much to shoot and I can't think of anyone in attendance that wasn't having an absolute blast, photographer included.
By the time I left Emily and Josh's wedding reception, I was absolutely worn down and exhausted from one of the busiest shoots I've ever had. These two didn't miss a moment on their big day and it was such a privilege to shoot an event that was clearly so special and so worth the wait.
So thank you Emily and Josh for a wedding I won't soon forget and I can only hope your life together as husband and wife is as fun, action packed and adorable as the day you said "I do." Best of luck!
-Paul J. Spetrini
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The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Lisa White; Bride's Make-Up: Twirl Hair Studio; Bride's Dress: Ve'Lace Bridal; Groom's Suit: Groom Store of RI; Florist: Rose & Bee Organics; Ceremony & Reception Venue: Coachmen's Lodge, Bellingham, Massachusetts; DJ/Photo Booth: Limelite Entertainment; Cake: Amy's Apples.