Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2022 —
Crystal Lake Golf Club Wedding Photos
Jennifer & Domenic
Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, Rhode Island
September 4th, 2022
Whenever I photograph a wedding, I try my hardest to tell the complete story of the day from start to finish. It's hard sometimes because a lot of clients will only book me for a portion of their big day and, no matter how great things go, I always wish I had been around for the stuff I missed.
But every once in a while I get a couple like Jennifer and Domenic, who are so determined to remember every bit of their wedding that they hire me to shoot from the beginning to the end. And with how their wedding day went, I don't blame them.
Jennifer and Domenic said "I do" at Crystal Lake Golf Club and it was, without question, one of the longest wedding days I've ever had but also one of the most rewarding. And I couldn't have asked for a sweeter pair to spend so much time with as these two truly have a special relationship and bring out the best in one another.
And though I may have needed a couple of days to recover from their big day, looking back on the photos, it was so, so worth it.
My coverage of Jennifer and Domenic's wedding day started at the ungodly hour of 8 a.m. I say ungodly because anyone who knows me knows I like to sleep until noon but, for the right couple, I don't mind getting up early in the morning to capture the moments and memories of bridal prep and Jen's bridal prep shows why.
I knew we were in for a beautiful and emotional wedding day almost immediately upon arrival but especially when Jen and her grandmother shared a special moment early in the morning that brought tears from both the bride, her grandma and everyone in attendance.
Little moments like the one Jen and her grandmother shared together are moments you miss if you're not covering a wedding start to finish but what I really loved about being with Jen for her whole bridal prep was watching how her excitement for the wedding built the closer we got to leaving for the venue.
Once we arrived the Crystal Lake, it was SHOW TIME.
Jen wasted almost no time finishing up getting ready and, after some quick photos on a nearby balcony area, she was in her dress and ready to go.
But first ... we needed a couple of first looks as the bride wanted her brother to see her in the dress and her father to see her in the dress before we headed over to the ceremony site.
Judging by their reactions, I'd say that was a great call as both were emotional and it made for great moments.
I loved Jennifer's first look reveals with her brother and her father but I was primarily interested in knowing how Domenic would react when he saw her for the first time and he didn't disappoint.
The look of love on his face when Jen walked down the aisle spoke volumes and set a beautiful tone for their lovely wedding ceremony by Crystal Lake.
I've shot a lot of weddings at Crystal Lake but it's rare that I have a wedding ceremony that is as pretty as Jen and Domenic's was. With weather that was just the right amount of overcast, the lake behind Domenic and Jen was beautiful.
So, too, was their ceremony itself as these two held hands for almost the entire time and I caught them stealing glances at one another a bunch. I love ceremonies like this, where the bride and groom are so locked into the moment that you can tell there's nowhere in the world they'd rather be. It was beautiful and touching.
With their ceremony in the books, it was time for Jennifer and Domenic's formal photos and, after an impressively organized batch of family and wedding party shots, I finally had a chance to work with these two alone and we made the most of every minute.
Jen and Domenic are so much fun to pose and they're great at taking instruction, which I knew based on our engagement session last fall.
That paid off in a big way on their wedding day as we really made sure to take full advantage of the still vibrant foliage of Crystal Lake and had plenty of time to hit the dock before sunset and before heading into their reception.
Up until the start of Jennifer and Domenic's wedding reception, their day had gone pretty much as I thought it might: lots of little emotional moments and plenty of opportunities for fun candids.
I'll admit, though, I had no idea what to expect from their reception itself as Jen and Domenic struck me as more quiet and reserved than many of my couples.
Their first dance, set to “Until I found You” by Steven Sanchez, was very telling in what we expect for the rest of the night though. A beautiful song that felt timeless and classic. Much like the reception itself.
One of the things I loved about Jen and Domenic's wedding was how they stayed true to themselves in the terms of planning the big moments. Knowing that neither Jen or Domenic was a big "center of attention" type person, these newlyweds decided to knock out their first dance and parent dances all in a row and each was special in its own way.
The same is true for the other so-called marquee moments of the night. Jen and Domenic had two sweet and sentimental toasts, a low key cake cutting and then got down to the reason many of their friends were in attendance: the party.
Opening the dance floor with the traditional bouquet toss and garter toss, Jen and Domenic set a nice start to the celebration portion of the evening and their friends and family members were all too happy to carry the event from there.
By the time Jennifer and Domenic's wedding came to an end, I was completely, totally wiped out and it showed. Shooting for 16 hours straight, with a little break for dinner, is not an easy task but when you're working with a couple like Jen and Domenic, and documenting a wedding as special as their's was, it's worth it.
While I may have needed a bit of time to recover that week, looking back on Jen and Domenic's day, there's nothing I would change. It was perfect for them and a day I know they'll never forget.
So thank you Jennifer and Domenic for allowing me to play a small part in one of the best days of your life and I wish you luck as you begin this next chapter of your life together as husband and wife.
-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 Hair: Paige Lavallee fro, Beauty by Paige; Bride's Make-up: Marlana Stone; Bride's Dress: Sueanna Bruke, Bridals by Rochelle; Groom's Suit: Men's Wearhouse; Florist: Hillary from The Flower Shop; Ceremony & Reception: Crystal Lake Golf Club, Mapleville, Rhode Island; DJ: Music Man Djing; Cake: Shauna Bedard.