Alyssa & Alexander
Holy Name Church in Fall River, Massachusetts (Ceremony), LeBaron Hills Country Club in Lakeville, Massachusetts (Reception)
August 20th, 2016
Whenever I'm lucky enough to shoot a couple's engagement photo session, I like to think it serves as the perfect preview for how their wedding day is going to go and in the case of Alyssa and Alex, who I first photographed back in the fall of 2015, that was exactly the case.
Alyssa and Alex are a shy and quiet type of couple but a perfect match for each other and during their engagement session, I watched in silent amusement as they each brought out the other's personalities in a shoot that was not only full of great, classic and traditional fall photos but ones that were also a lot of fun. And it proved to be a great indication of how their wedding would go.
Alyssa and Alex picked a picture-perfect late summer evening for their nuptials that began with a beautiful Catholic wedding and ended with a rowdy techno and pop-music filled party that is easily one of the best I've seen this year.
Just about everything went exactly as planned on this day and for two people as loving, caring and sweet as Alyssa and Alex, it was a welcomed sight as all of their hard work and preparation paid off swimmingly.
Talk about a day to remember.
My coverage of Alyssa and Alex's special day began with one of the most low-key bridal prep sessions I've ever seen as Alyssa was the furthest thing from a stressed-out bride. Not only was she laughing and smiling with her bridesmaids the entire time before the group left for the ceremony but she put her makeup on herself and was dressed and ready to go not only on time but a little earlier than expected.
The relaxed bride made everything before the ceremony run smoothly and made for some fun and really creative shots.
I especially loved the photos we took of Alyssa and her girls in their robes as she picked a great group of friends to represent her on her biggest day and they made the morning portion of the event an absolute breeze.
As for the ceremony itself, Alyssa and Alex chose to hold their wedding ceremony at Holy Name Church in Fall River and it was a wonderful decision as the building was large enough to host hundreds of guests but small enough where it still felt like a personal and intimate setting.
Alyssa and Alex had a small group on hand to witness their ceremony and it was a privilege to be among those in attendance as the bride stole everyone's breath as she walked down the aisle, stunning even the man who waited his whole life to watch her take those steps.
It was a beautiful start to a lovely celebration that showed exactly why some traditions, like the big church wedding, are worth keeping.
Following Alyssa and Alex's ceremony, we made our way to LeBaron Hills Country Club and I couldn't help but get excited as my location scout to the venue a week earlier made it pretty clear to me that we were in for a treat for our formal photos.
LeBaron Hills Country Club has everything you could want from a wedding reception venue and much more. In addition to a beautiful white gazebo where we took wedding party photos, the country club had a wonderful number of backroads easily accessible by a golf cart. And those tucked away spots were ideal for Alyssa and Alex's bride and groom formal session, which could not have gone any better than it did.
To me, the funniest part about this bride and groom formal photos session was that I left it feeling like we were perfect and I wouldn't need to take another formal shot of the two of them all night. But, as is often the case when everything is going better than you could have imagined, you're never going to settle and I would actually love the shots we got at dusk (Like the one seen at the start of this blog) even more.
I guess that's just what happens when you have a picture perfect night that only gets better as the sun goes down and are working with a couple that trusts you enough to let you take them out mid-reception for one or two last photos.
Not that I could have blamed them if they declined to back outside for evening formals. Who would want to leave a reception this beautiful?
After the formal events of the reception and an absolutely jaw-dropping dusk photo session on the golf course, it was time to get this party started and, needless to say, this was one party that delivered.
And though Alex and Alyssa had a tough time staying on the dance floor -- every time I looked, I saw them interacting with another beloved friend or family member -- once they got out there, it was clear they meant business.
This reception did. not. stop. It was action from the moment the first party song played until the lights came up and with an eclectic mix of club techno music, pop hits, traditional Portuguese wedding favorites and 90s classics, there was something for everyone at this party.
By the end of the night, very few of Alyssa and Alex's guests were ready to go and who could blame them?
These newlyweds threw an incredible party that easily could have gone another three hours with no one getting bored or sick of dancing.
To say this was the best way to end the best day of their lives' is an understatement. It was the ONLY way to end this day.
Alyssa and Alex's dream wedding was everything they could have hoped for and more. Every little detail of the day had its place and enhanced the overall beauty of the moment and every single person in attendance not only wanted to be there but left talking about the great time they had. If that's not the exact purpose of a wedding celebration, what is?
This was definitely one night the bride and groom will never forget.
-PJS
