Blog— Weddings — Massachusetts — 2023 —
Grand View Wedding Photos
Kevin & Kelsey*
Grand View, Mendon, Massachusetts (Ceremony & Reception)
May 28th, 2023
One of the cool things about working as a wedding photographer in New England is, if you do it long enough, you develop a nice little network of friends in the industry and get to work with some pretty cool people. That's why when fellow photographer Derek Franco reached out to me to see if I was available to second shoot a wedding with him in late, I had no problem saying yes without knowing pretty much any other details.
I've worked with Derek a few times through a national company we both occasionally shoot for and the chance to tag alongside him for Kevin and Kelsey's wedding day at Grand View in Mendon, Massachusetts was one I knew I couldn't pass up and moments into the day, I knew I made the right decision as this couple was so nice and sweet, and downright perfect for each other, that photographing their wedding felt less like work and more like fun.
Or, in other words, it's the exact reason why I got into wedding photography in the first place.
* These photos were taken as part of my work as a second photographer for Derek Franco Photography.
and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.
My time with Kevin and Kelsey started with one of my favorite parts of second shooting: Groom prep. On my own weddings, I so rarely get to work with the groom before the ceremony that I really cherish these moments when they come and Kevin's prep is a good example of why.
Hanging out with him and a pair of his close friends in a hotel room and shooting the breeze was a fantastic way to start this day and get to know the groom, who I met for the first time when I knocked on the door to his room. Groom prep is a great way to knock out any awkwardness for me as a second photographer as it lets me get to know the folks I'm working with and I could tell right away Kevin is good people and this day was going to be a ton of fun once we got things rolling.
Up first for Kevin and Kelsey was a first look moments after we arrived at Grand View. I could tell from my first look at this venue, which I'd never seen before, that this was going to be a special place to shoot a wedding and Kevin and Kelsey's first look alone proved that to be true.
Even though the day was unreasonably bright and sunny, that didn't slow down this bride and groom and their affection for one another the moment Kevin turned around to see his soon-to-be wife.
Kevin and Kelsey's first look was truly beautiful and I loved seeing the excitement on the bride's face and her bright pink hair which just POPPED with her stunning dress.
The hardest part of being a second photographer is not taking over the bride and groom portrait session, especially when you second shoot infrequently as I do. Thankfully, Derek is a wonderfully generous lead photographer and he let me find little angles and ways to be creative on my own.
That led to some of my favorite photos of the day as I saw a fantastic angle opposite of what Derek was shooting with perfect backlighting to work with for a lovely set of pics of the soon-to-be newlyweds.
I could have left right after these photos and been creatively satisfied with this shoot ... and we were just getting started.
Kevin and Kelsey chose to say "I do" at Grand View's enclosed ceremony area and I'm glad they did as, being the second photographer, it allowed me a chance to shoot their procession in with the beautiful foliage in the background.
I also loved being able to capture alternate angles of Kevin as he saw Kelsey walk down the aisle. I'm normally limited in what I can do in that moment creatively as the lead photographer tasked with capturing the bride coming down the aisle so having some flexibility was great, both for me and for the photos that the bride and groom will have to remember their day by.
As for the ceremony itself, Kevin and Kelsey kept things pretty simple but also incredibly personal and touching. Not only was the officiant a friend of the couple but they had three readings from close family members and even had their dads sing a song midway through the ceremony, which was a first for me.
I loved Kevin and Kelsey's ceremony for a lot of reasons but I think my favorite had to be the look of happiness on their faces following their first kiss. I loved watching Kelsey lean into her new husband for a hug right after they shared their first kiss as a married couple and their look of excitement and joy as they began walking back down the aisle was such a sweet moment to capture.
Following their ceremony, Kevin and Kelsey headed into their family and wedding party group photos and I took some time to grab candids of their guests enjoying cocktail hour, a staple of being a second photographer. Luckily, Derek and the couple agreed to do a few more bride and groom portraits once the formal shots were over and I got back to the three of them just in time to grab some alternate angles of these poses (and make a few of my own) as well.
I could have worked with Kevin and Kelsey for hours. The two were so sweet and their contrasting bright hairstyles were so much fun to photograph.
Once inside, I couldn't help but note how a lot of the decor and little touches perfectly matched either Kelsey's hair color or Kevin's suit. I loved the theme of this wedding and Grand View had a beautiful reception ballroom that I knew was going to look amazing once the newlyweds walked through the door.
It didn't take long for Kelsey and Kevin to prove me right as they excitedly rolled into their reception the a slew of loud and boisterous applause from their friends and family members and moved right into a fantastic first dance that was a perfect mix of improv and well choreographed dance moves.
These two clearly have had a bit of practice and looked incredibly comfortable in each other's arms, which is a great sign for any first dance.
Following their first dance, Kevin and Kelsey had a few things planned before dinner, including three speeches from those closest to them.
As is often the case with second shooting a wedding, my time came to an end following the first half of the reception formalities. But I simply couldn't in good conscious leave knowing the bride and groom were going to cut their cake as the waitstaff began serving dinner.
I may not have spent a ton of time working with Kelsey and Kevin on their wedding day and I may have left before the party started but, man, this wedding was a special one and a lovely reminder of why I love second shooting when the opportunity arises.
Second shooting is such a fun time creatively and often a great spark for my mental energy in the midst of busy wedding shoots of my own. I left Kevin and Kelsey's wedding knowing I wanted to do as much second shooting as I could this year and, if all goes according to plan, I'll do just that.
So thank you Kevin and Kelsey for allowing me to tag along to document your day. And a special shout out to Derek Franco for being a wonderful lead shooter. I hope our paths cross again friend. It was a blast and I can't wait to do it all over again. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Private Residence,
Bedford, Massachusetts
May 20th, 2023
Quonset 'O' Club,
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
May 13th, 2023
Spencer Country Inn,
Spencer, Massachusetts
May 6th, 2023