Ashley & Tyler
I can usually tell exactly what kind of day I'm in for when I shoot a wedding as I pull into the parking lot and take my first look around. That's how I knew, right away, what to expect from Ashley and Tyler's big day at Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth, Massachusetts back in August.
While on paper this was a wedding on Cape Cod, the vibes were anything but. In fact, not only did it feel like I was transported to the South but it felt like I had arrived and was set to photograph a wedding in a backyard.
I mean that in the best way possible as Ashley and Tyler's wedding day was one of the most authentic, laid back, down home weddings I've had this year and it's only fitting because this wasn't a couple that wanted all the bells and whistles. They wanted to say I do, become husband and wife and celebrate their love story.
And celebrate we did.
If I had any doubts about what to expect from the day Ashley and Tyler tied the knot, those doubts were knocked out immediately upon arrival. I showed up to a farm that felt very New Englandy but more like a tiny place where a family sells fresh fruit and dairy, not a place that hosts weddings.
For a moment, I was low key convinced I was in the wrong place but then I saw inside and understood the vision for this bride and groom. And when Ashley and Tyler arrived, together no less, it was clear today was going to be as chill as possible all day.
So chill, in fact, that I had time to capture all the reception details before the bride even put her dress on, which never happens.
Ashley and Tyler told me long before their wedding day that they weren't the most comfortable couple in front of the camera and that they wanted my coverage of their big day to be much more casual than most. That was especially true during their pre-ceremony preparations.
Apart from documenting the groom's mom helping him with his pocketsquare and boutonniere, the only real focus I had during the hour or so before Ashley and Tyler's tied the knot was getting a few pics of the dress hanging up, Ashley getting zipped up and her first look with her dad.
But that doesn't mean these moments weren't special on their own, though. Each moment Ashley or Tyler spent during the lead-up to their wedding was deliberate, intentional and meaningful to the couple at the center of this day and I was glad I was there to capture it all.
Heading into Ashley and Tyler's wedding, I wasn't really sure what to expect from the two in terms of moments but when I had a chance to scope out the ceremony site at Coonamessett Farm, I knew their actual nuptials were going to be a highlight on this special day.
The ceremony site at this East Falmouth, Massachusetts venue almost feels out of place with how woodsy and maintained it is while the rest of the farm gives off a more traditional, rustic feel.
I especially loved the moment Ashley walked down the aisle with her father as we had just enough cloud cover to make the colors pop beautifully as Tyler looked on with a deep appreciation in his eyes for his soon-to-be bride.
I could tell from the start of Ashley and Tyler's ceremony how nervous the bride was as her veil got caught on a rock as she walked toward Tyler and nervous got into position. I only mention this because of how adorable it was to see the bride feel a little anxious about this big moment but to see how much more comfortable she got when she took Tyler's hands in her own.
She would get through this moment and it would be worth it.
Ashley and Tyler's ceremony was all about how they met and how they became inseparable and it was only apropos to see it in real life in a moment they'd never forget.
With their ceremony in the books, it was time for Ashley and Tyler's formal photos and I knew heading into this day that this would be the most difficult part of the wedding for this couple as they told me repeatedly they were a bit awkward in front of the camera.
To my surprise, they did great. And it didn't hurt that the backdrop for these photos was easily one of my favorites of all of 2026 up to this point.
For a self-professed outdoorsy couple, it felt only fitting to include as much nature in these photos as possible and Ashley and Tyler did a wonderful job getting through what I could tell was a tough moment of being the centers of attention.
Following Ashley and Tyler's formal photos, it was time for their reception to start and I knew they were looking forward to this part of the day ... once they got through the big moments anyway.
For a couple that doesn't love a lot of attention, Ashley and Tyler made sure to still include the traditional wedding reception formalities in their schedule of the day and I'm glad they did ... even if it was a little awkward for them.
This was especially true during the first dance as neither the bride nor groom really knew what to do in the moment but went through for a bit over a minute and a half while “Crazier” by Taylor Swift played. I really appreciated seeing Ashley and Tyler step out of their comfort zone for one of those big milestone moments of a wedding day and, if nothing else, I knew they had fun joking about how strange it felt afterward.
I don't know if I'm showing my age here or not but, as a 41-year-old whose been married for over 15 years, I loved watching the way Ashley and Tyler experienced their wedding with youthful eyes. They were so sweet and kind but, also, a little bit lost in the magnitude of the moment in the best way and you could see it manifest during their cake cutting and parent dances especially.
Ashley's dance with her father was a touching one but I could see her dad trying his hardest not to life his head off her shoulder for fear of losing it emotionally. Tyler's mom, meanwhile, let the tears flow freely.
You could see how much these moments meant to those on the dance floor and, honestly, it might have been the highlight of the wedding for me.
With the formalities out of the way, it was time for Ashley and Tyler's dance floor to open up and I'll be honest. I know I say this a lot but I truly had NO idea what to expect here.
The entire vibe of Ashley and Tyler's wedding before the dance floor opened was casual, chill hangout for their friends and family members and, typically, that means I don't get a lot of dancing.
To my surprise, though, Ashley and Tyler's guests wasted no time celebrating the moment the party music kicked in.
My favorite moments of the dance floor, though, all involved Ashley and her grandmother and grandma was all about that dance floor.
I love capturing candid photos like these of a bride and a close family member. I know these are the moments they'll talk about for years after the big day and it was definitely something this bride knew was special as it happened.
The relaxed vibe that defined the day defined the night for Ashley and Tyler and for the rest of their reception, the pair spent most of their time catching up with friends and family members and occasionally hitting the dance floor when the right song called for it.
Their guests, meanwhile, kept spirits high from the first until the last dance song.
One thing I loved about Ashley and Tyler's reception was getting to cap my coverage with some "sunset" shots of the couple. I put this in quotes as we didn't have much of a sunset on this mid-summer evening but that didn't stop the pair from wanting a moment away from the crowd to just walk around and experience the farm a little bit.
I was with Ashley and Tyler until the end of their last song of dancing and, as I packed up, I got to watch the way their guests said their final goodbyes and chatted a bit about the wedding.
These moments were very telling to me because, everywhere I looked, someone was helping to toss out trash or clear tables or put food leftovers away. There wasn't anyone left who didn't want to aid the bride and groom in some way and that spoke volumes about the people Ashley and Tyler spend their time with. Just good old fashioned, fun but delightful folks.
I can think of no better way to sum up this wedding so congrats Ashley and Tyler for a beautiful day. I hope it was everything you wanted it to be and I wish you all the best on this new chapter of your lives together. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Dress: Elizabeth Ann's Bridal Boutique, Auburn Massachusetts; Groom's Suit: Men’s Wearhouse; Ceremony & Reception: Coonamessett Farm, East Falmouth, Massachusetts; Dessert: Wrights Dairy Farm, North Smithfield, Rhode Island.