Blog— Weddings — Massachusetts — 2022 —
Independence Harbor Wedding Photos
Alysia & Anthony*
There are a lot of reasons I like occasionally being a second photographer. For one, it's much less pressure and much easier creatively when you're not the sole person responsible for documenting a bride and groom's big day. For another, whenever I'm lucky enough to pick up work as a second photographer, it's almost always at venues I want to shoot at with awesome couples I wouldn't have worked with otherwise.
Alysia and Anthony's July wedding at Independence Harbor was an example of both. Though I didn't get to know the bride and groom as well as I would have one of my own couples, their wedding day was still a great time and one hell of a party that I know they won't soon forget. And, honestly, it's hard to think of many things more rewarding as a photographer than getting to play a small role in helping them document the moments and memories they made for the rest of their lives.
* These photos were taken as part of my work as a second photographer for Lily and Lime Photography
and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.
My time with Alysia and Anthony started substantially later than I'm used to as a photographer as I wasn't booked to shoot either the bride or groom's prep session and was slated to start a half hour before their ceremony.
Nevertheless, the moment I walked into Independence Harbor, I hit the ground running and made sure to document all the special little details this bride and groom had on display for their wedding day and there were a lot of them.
I truly loved the wine cork and wood-colored decor of Alysia and Anthony's wedding and, from the moment I met the groom ten minutes before he would walk down the aisle, I knew this couple would be super fun and casual and this would be a warm but beautiful day to get married.
I was right on all counts, particularly once Anthony saw his bride-to-be.
Without a doubt, the best part of being asked to shoot Alysia and Anthony's wedding day was that it broke a bit of an odd streak for me as I hadn't shot an outdoor ceremony at Independence Harbor — one of the first venues I ever photographed a wedding at — in well over four years.
I really like the outdoor ceremony spot at this venue and the last few weddings I've had at this location had dealt with rough weather than forced us inside. It was nice to finally take advantage of the beauty of this spot. And what a wedding to do so.
Alysia and Anthony's wedding was full of laughter and love and perhaps more importantly for this near-90 degree July afternoon, it was the perfect length and just long enough for friends and family members to appreciate the moment but not too long that we all went into cocktail hour covered in sweat.
While the heat on this particular afternoon was tough to bear, Alysia and Anthony didn't seem to mind and, thanks to the timing of their ceremony, the light was breathtaking for their formal photos. I didn't have a TON of time to work with this bride and groom but, man, the few minutes we had were fantastic.
Alysia and Anthony were naturals and you literally could not ask for better lighting on this beautiful afternoon.
If there was any doubt I had about how cool this bride and groom were from my limited interactions with them, that doubt was erased the minute their reception started as Alysia and Anthony shared their first dance to Shinedown's "I'll follow you."
As one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands, I can't tell you how excited I was to hear that song play and capture a truly sweet moment between these two on the dance floor.
I knew from the moment Alysia and Anthony were introduced as husband and wife that their reception was going to be a lot of fun and it didn't disappoint. Not only was it a rowdy night with a TON of awesome family members who clearly were there to have a good time but all of the little moments of the night — whether they were toasts or parents dances — were a great mix of touching and hilarious.
There was one part of Alysia and Anthony's wedding day that stole the show, however. Almost right from the moment the dance floor opened, this group of 140 people or so TORE. IT. DOWN.
I've been to a lot of weddings this year but few of them sustained the kind of wild and crazy dance floor of Alysia and Anthony's wedding reception. From the first to the final song, this dance floor was packed and rowdy and just how I like it.
One of the perks of not being booked to start my coverage of Alysia and Anthony's wedding day until a little while before their ceremony was I was lucky enough to stay until the end. And what an ending it was.
I adored seeing how much this bride and groom really cut loose and savored every moment together as they danced the night away and, honestly, it's hard to ask for much more from your wedding than that.
So, thank you Alysia and Anthony for allowing me to play a small part in documenting this special day for you and I wish you all the best on this new and exciting chapter of your life together.
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
St. Mary's Parish &
Wyndham Newport Hotel
July 9th, 2022
Danversport,
Danvers, Massachusetts
July 3rd, 2022
Coachmen's Lodge,
Bellingham, Massachusetts
July 1st, 2022