Deanna & Chris
Evergreen Farms, Dayville, Connecticut (Ceremony & Reception)
April 27th, 2025
There was a trend, maybe four or five years ago, where it seemed like every bride and groom in New England wanted a "rustic wedding." While I love a good wedding theme, most of the ones I saw during this period weren't rustic so much as weddings that took place in a barn and kept up with hip terminology.
That's why I was so thrilled on the day I showed up to shoot Deanna and Chris' actual rustic wedding back in April as they took the true meaning of the theme to heart and had a very natural, very relaxed, very go with the flow day that was perfect for them and those in attendance from start to finish.
How laid back a day was it? On my way home, I was stunned it was already over. And that, my friends, is a surefire sign you had a great time with a bride and groom.
Deanna and Chris said "I do" at Evergreen Farms in Dayville, Connecticut and it was one of the sweetest, most down-home vibe wedding days I've had this year.
Prior to Deanna and Chris' wedding day, I had never heard of, nor shot, at Evergreen Farms in Dayville, Connecticut but within minutes of my arrival for bride and groom prep, the location skyrocketed to the top of my favorite venues if for not other reason than the sheer size of this barn and the fact that they had dedicated areas not only for Deanna to do her hair and makeup and get dressed but for Chris to finish his prep as well.
And they were just a flight of stairs apart.
This may sound like a simple thing, and it is really, but it's one that makes a world of difference in my world as I love bouncing back and forth from the bride to the groom in the lead-up to a wedding. And on this day? Both Deanna and Chris were in excellent spirits.
I especially loved the area Deanna had for her hair and makeup. Not only was it incredibly spacious but there were fun mirrors everywhere and lord knows I'm a sucker for a good reflection.
Deanna was one of the most reserved brides I've worked with and her prep was super low key but the moment she put her dress on, I could tell the true purpose of the day hit her and she was super appreciative of the major life event she was getting to experience.
This was especially true when Deanna had a first look with her grandfather Earl. I'm a sucker for first looks brides have with their father figures as you can almost see them transform into little girls the moment they make eye contact with the special person in their life and that was definitely true here.
Deanna and Earl's first look was one of my favorite moments of Deanna and Chris' entire wedding and definitely one of the most emotional.
I knew from my timeline chat with Deanna and Chris in the weeks leading up to their wedding that their ceremony would be short and sweet but, honestly, that fit this bride and groom perfectly.
What I didn't know is it would still be full of perfect little moments of emotion and affection and that's why I love still photography so much because something as simple as the groom exhaling or the bride moving her bouquet down just enough to see her face as she walked down the aisle conveyed so much more than you'd see on your own.
That's what I loved about Deanna and Chris' ceremony. It didn't need to be over the top emotional or detailed. It just needed to be raw and real and it was. It so very much was.
With formal photos in the books, it was time for Deanna and Chris' family and wedding party formal photos and this was another area where I loved how lowkey the bride and groom were as their lists were short, we shot all of them right next to their ceremony site and everyone in attendance was eager to roll through them as quick as possible.
Having such a fun and cooperative family/wedding party meant I had more time than I typically do for bride and groom portraits with Deanna and Chris and we made the most of it.
The bride and groom really only asked me for one thing during these photos and that was photos on the bridge but, to my surprise, the little bridge at Evergreen Farms was super cute inside and really inspired me to have some fun with Deanna and Chris.
As much fun as I was having with the bride and groom for their formal photos — and we weren't done with that bridge for the night, trust me — I couldn't wait to get inside and shoot their reception because my favorite part about their venue was how awesome the dance floor was.
In fact, the inside of Evergreen Farm's barn was so nice that it made all of Deanna and Chris' Beauty and the Beast-themed wedding decor look even cooler than it already did. Talk about a fun theme for your decorations, enhanced by the gorgeous location you said "I do" in.
Deanna and Chris kicked off their reception with some fun introductions for their family and wedding party but it was their first dance that really set the tone of the night.
Dancing to “Conversations in the Dark” by John Legend, the two took command of the dance floor at Evergreen Farms and while their friends and family looked on from the sides, the pair moved quietly around the room while never losing sight of one another.
I loved this first dance so much. Not only because the song is fantastic but because when it comes to backdrops for a first dance, a good barn with solid lighting is, and always will be, my top choice. There's just something that just makes these moments stand out in a barn and this was far from the only time I would have this thought during Deanna and Chris' wedding reception.
Following Chris and Deanna's first dance, the pair took it easy for a while. After finally taking their seats, the pair had two short but sweet toasts, a fantastic buffet dinner and cut their wedding cake.
In fact, the only "formal" part of Deanna and Chris' wedding reception, at least in terms of vibes, were their parent dances as the newlyweds took time to share special moments with the most special people in their lives.
Chris started the honors with a lovely dance with his mom and Deanna and her grandfather stole everyone's hearts with a special dance of their own that you could tell meant the world to both the bride and her family.
Heading into Deanna and Chris' reception, I had no idea what expect from their dance floor as the day wasn't really giving off "party energy" but, in a surprising development, I was actually wrong entirely. Deanna and Chris' friends and family members wasted no time jumping onto the dance floor the moment the party lights kicked in and really had a great time celebrating the best in wedding music from a WIDE variety of decades.
For every Cha Cha Slide, there was a "Hot to go and for every Macarena, there was a mid 2010s pop banger. It was a mixed playlist, for sure, but their DJ did a great job keeping the music bumping and the dance floor vibing all night long.
As my time with Deanna and Chris started to come to an end, I couldn't shake the feeling that I wanted to try one last thing. As many of you who follow my work know, the 2025 wedding season has been one of experimentation and nowhere was this clearer than the final shots I took for Chris and Deanna's wedding.
I took the bride and groom back to the bridge where we did their formal photos earlier in the day and knew I wanted to try something with some yellow gel lights (to match their Beauty and the Beast theme) and some fun atmosphere spray.
It took a moment to get the look I was going for but I loved the final results.
As Chris and Deanna made their way back inside to cap their reception off, I headed to my car super thankful I got to document their special day. Deanna and Chris were in so many ways my ideal couple and their wedding was everything I love to shoot. It was laid back, it was genuine. It was fun.
At the end of the day, I really can't ask for much more than that and that these two also managed to have it on one of my new favorite properties — and the photos came out better than I could have hoped — was just the cherry on top.
So, thank you Deanna and Chris for a lovely spring wedding and best of luck on this new and exciting chapter of your lives together as husband and wife. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
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The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Gina Marie Hair Design & Makeup Artistry; Bride's Make-Up: Beauty by Bianca RI; Bride's Dress: Sparks Bridal Boutique; Groom's Suit: Aldos House of Formals; Florist: Lings Moments; Ceremony & Reception: Evergreen Farms, Dayville, Connecticut; DJ: Dennis Nardella; Caterer: Black Dog Bar & Grille; Officiant: Tressie Seymour.