Kerry & Adam
Quidnessett Country Club, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
October 23rd, 2015
I love learning about couples and finding out their story. How they met, how they fell in love, how they got engaged ... it's all fascinating to me.
And that's why I loved Kerry and Adam's story so much.
The two worked together, became friends, fell in love and got engaged at Disney's Epcot theme park, one of Kerry's favorite places.
Why do I love this story? Because, to me, the key to a successful marriage is a strong friendship and throughout Kerry and Adam's wedding day, it was insanely obvious not just how much these two love each other but what good friends they really are.
The saying "Today I marry my best friend" is a bit cliche and something you usually hear about in Hollywood movies but for Kerry and Adam, it's a perfectly fitting expression.
And I am so glad I got to watch these two friends say 'I do' in a truly beautiful and touching late-fall affair in North Kingstown.
My coverage of Kerry and Adam's big day started at Kerry's sister-in-law's house and it couldn't have been a better time.
Most days, bridal prep is a stressful affair where the bride is trying to get seventy things done at once and everyone is secretly trying to remain composed while the timeline goes out the window but that couldn't have been further from the truth for Kerry and her girls.
Blasting great pop music and with the help of two of the most relaxed hair and makeup artists I've seen this year, the whole session went smoothly and allowed for jokes, drinking and a genuinely happy atmosphere for all in attendance.
By the time it was time for Kerry to put her dress on, her girls were more than ready to get the show on the road.
Kerry, meanwhile, was doing a great job hiding any emotions she may have been feeling as the reality of the day set in.
Knowing we would have incredibly limited light thanks to a 5:30 p.m. ceremony at the end of October, we decided to take care of some bridal party photos before the ceremony and it's a great thing that we did as the group was a ton of fun and the session was the perfect lead in to the main event of the afternoon: the actual wedding ceremony.
The one thing we couldn't plan, however, was traffic .
While we got through the morning perfectly, rush hour traffic threw everything for a loop and our perfectly-timed ceremony went off 20 minutes later than we had planned. Still, sometimes you have to roll with the punches and Kerry and Adam did just that. And the late start made for a nice sunset-themed ceremony.
I loved everything about Kerry and Adam's ceremony but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting down the minutes until it was over.
Faced with dwindling sunlight, I knew we were going to have our hands full to really get great formal photos.
Luckily, Kerry and Adam trusted me enough to know that once they said "I do," it was time to say "Let's run" and run we did.
Despite having only 10 minutes in all to shoot bride and groom formals, Kerry, Adam and I managed to make every second count and, I believe, took full advantage of the beautiful grounds at Quidnessett Country Club with a fun session that both captured their personalities and showcased the beautiful late fall colors of Rhode Island that everyone whose been to the area truly loves.
As great as everything up to this point had been for Kerry and Adam's wedding, what I'll always remember is the reception.
I've been fortunate to attend a ton of great receptions this year but Kerry and Adam's had, without a doubt, the best dancing I've ever seen.
Seriously. Everyone in attendance was on point. Of course, when the bride is huge into dance and there's literally a DANCE CLASS in attendance, that's bound to happen. But, first, let's check out the beautiful details and spotlight moments of the evening!
Whether it was the toasts, the first dance, the father-daughter dance or the mother-son dance, every key moment of Kerry and Adam's wedding was touching and memorable.
But it was the dancing that really stood out. This is what made the night.
Thinking back on it, it's amazing to consider just how well coordinated everyone in attendance was. And what I loved the most is that both Kerry and Adam were on the dance floor all night. That's the sign of a great party.
By the end of the night, everyone in attendance was exhausted and rightfully so. Once the DJ started the dance music, most people didn't leave the dance floor until the house lights came up.
Kerry and Adam initially told me to expect a lot of dancing at their wedding and, boy, did it live up to the hype.
More importanrtly, though, the evening was a testament to the bride and groom's friendship. Kerry and Adam were attached by the hip all night long and both had a long smile on their face from start to finish.
This is why I know they'll never forget this night.
What a great way to start a lifetime together. A lifetime of love. A lifetime of happiness. A lifetime of friendship.
And that's exactly why marriage is awesome.
-PJS
* To see the full gallery of photos from Kerry & Adam's wedding, please click here.