Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2023 —
Meadow Brook Inn Wedding Photos
Shiobhan & Len*
Meadow Brook Inn, Charlestown, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
October 14th, 2023
One of the biggest advantages of being a wedding photographer, as opposed to a wedding guest, is that it is, quite literally, your job to pay attention to a bride and a groom.
No matter what is going on around you, when you're focused on a couple on their wedding day, you see a lot of things no one else in the room does and for Siobhan and Len, who were married back in October at Meadow Brook Inn in Charlestown, Rhode Island, whenever I looked at them during their wedding, all I saw was love.
There was love in stolen glances during their vows. There was love as they huddled together to stay warm during outdoor bride and groom portraits. There was love as they took the stage for their first dance.
No matter how bad the weather got on this cold and rainy fall afternoon, the love Siobhan and Len had each and every time they saw one another was beautiful and inspiring. And all you had to do was look.
* These photos were taken as part of my work as a second photographer for George Street Photo and Video.
and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.
My coverage of Siobhan and Len's wedding day was a bit different than most of the weddings I've shot this year as I was photographing this wedding as a second shooter for George Street Photo and Video, a company I've occasionally done work with for nearly a decade.
As is the case with all my George Street weddings, I never meet the bride or groom until the day of the wedding and, as a second shooter, this can sometimes be a bit awkward but within moments of saying “Hello” to the groom for groom prep, I was put right as ease as Len was super easygoing and casual and, most importantly, excited for his big day.
My only concern prior to Siobhan and Len's wedding ceremony was whether or not we'd be having the ceremony indoors or outdoors but, as has seemingly been the case for almost every Saturday in 2023, a steady rain took the decision away from us.
Still, if you have to get married indoors, there are certainly MANY worse options than Meadow Brook Inn in Charlestown, which has an old school, family vibe that matched this day perfectly.
From the moment Siobhan and Len walked down a makeshift aisle, I could tell it didn't matter WHERE they said “I do” as long as they had the chance to.
Siobhan and Len's wedding ceremony took place with their small and intimate wedding crowd looking on from their tables and I actually kind of loved how personal this small restaurant ballroom made the tone of the day.
This was especially important as Siobhan and Len had a deeply personal ceremony where they touched on all the reasons their love is special and even though I didn't know this bride and groom before photographing their big day, I felt like I knew everything I needed to know just by seeing how touched this ceremony made them.
In fact, one of my favorite photos of Siobhan and Len's wedding captured this feeling perfectly as, after their first kiss, Siobhan and Len embraced once more and just held each other for a split second to really soak in the moment. I loved that so much and it said so much about this couple without saying a single word.
In what has become a real trend this year, I spent a large portion of Siobhan and Len's wedding day keeping my eye on the forecast and hoping for a break in the rain long enough to take the newlyweds outdoors for some bride and groom formals.
Even as a second photographer, and even at a wedding where my entire job is to relax and be creative, I knew all I cared about was giving this bride and groom some outdoor shots they would love and when the rain finally let up for a few minutes, we ran right outside, umbrellas in tow, to see how much we could do before the conditions got too miserable.
Turns out, Siobhan and Len were on board for everything we had as neither complained about the weather and the pair were down for every idea we had even as the rain restarted and thinks got colder and colder. The result? Some really nice portraits I think capture their mood and their day perfectly.
With formal photos in the bag, Siobhan and Len made their way back inside for their reception. As I said above, their ceremony took place directly in their reception ballroom, meaning their guests were already seated by the time cocktail hour began.
Lucky for me, I knew this was a possibility and grabbed some detail shots before guests arrived and I'm glad I did because I LOVED the way Siobhan and Len's details shined in the warm Meadow Brook Inn lighting. In fact, this fall-themed red and orange color scheme may have been one of my favorites this year. Talk about pretty!
Siobhan and Len kicked off their wedding reception in a much more low key way than I'm used to but it fit the theme of the day perfectly. Rather than go right into a first dance, the pair took their seats and then grabbed a mic to thank their guests for arriving before going straight into dinner.
After the meal, there were only two real formalities for this laidback pair, starting with a traditional cake cutting.
If I had to pick my favorite part of Siobhan and Len's wedding day, it would be their first dance. Not only was it one of the few “marquee” formalities of the evening but it was the first time Siobhan and Len took center stage as husband and wife.
Add in that Meadow Brook Inn has a sneaky beautiful dance floor … even if it is essentially on an elevated platform … and this was a special moment that I think stood out on a night full of beauty and love.
Following their first dance, I honestly had no idea what to expect for the rest of the night of Siobhan and Len's wedding reception.
I did know, however, that I was only going to be on hand for a little while longer so my hope was that before I left I had at least a handful of photos of folks dancing and though it took a bit for this small group of family and friends to warm up, once they did, it was time to party.
As my time with Siobhan and Len came to an end, I couldn't help but be amazed at how lucky I am that second shooting a handful of weddings a year allowed me to get to meet people I wouldn't have otherwise met and see beautiful weddings I would have otherwise missed.
Siobhan and Len's wedding day was one of the most laid back and personal ones I shot this year and it was a pleasure seeing how much this day meant to this bride and groom, with or without rain.
So, thank you Siobhan and Len for allowing me to play a very, very small part in capturing your love on one of the best days of your life and I wish you the best on this new and exciting journey you're embarking on as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Valley Country Club,
Warwick, Rhode Island
October 13th, 2023
Grupo Amigos Da Terceira,
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
October 8th, 2023
Quidnessett Country Club,
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
October 7th, 2023