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Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Nicole & Dan

I'm a big believer than your attitude is contagious, especially when it comes to planning a wedding. If you're tough to deal with, your wedding day will likely be tough to deal with. If you're carefree and easygoing, chances are your wedding day will be as well.

Because of this, I knew exactly what to expect from Nicole and Dan's September wedding months before they actually walked down the aisle at the Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Nicole and Dan are two radiant and absolutely positive people whose love for another is obvious to anyone who spends more than three minutes with them and I knew this attitude would carry over on the day they said "I do."

It wasn't until we tried (and failed) to light a Chinese Lantern on the beach that night, though, that I truly understood how their approach to life was what made this wedding day so special.

Because while some couples would have been gutted to see something they planned fail so spectacularly, Nicole and Dan could not have cared less. They had each other, they had giant smiles on their face and they were exactly where they wanted to be in the world on that beautiful night in South County. 
And if that's not a beautiful start to a married life, I don't know what is ...

A look at the hotel Nicole prepared at prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole has her hair done prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
A look at Nicole's dress prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole has setting spray applied prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her bridesmaids spend time together prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

My coverage of Nicole and Dan's wedding day began with one of the most fun bridal prep sessions I've had in recent memory. Nicole and her girls didn't do anything special on this day. In fact, it was the LACK of things they had to do that stood out as she and her eight bridesmaids were almost entirely done with hair and make-up when I arrived.

That meant the hour or so we spent together was largely spent with Nicole and her girls sitting around chatting, joking and having a great time as they waited for their party bus to pick them up.

Talk about a great way to start to a normally stressful day.

A look at The Towers prior to Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole receives a hug prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and a bridesmaid take a photo prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her girls pose for a photo prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

That stress-free vibe was present throughout Nicole's wedding day and I'm thankful it was as it allowed us to take a ton of shots of the bride and her crew before the wedding actually got underway.

Whether it was some informal and relaxed shots on the back porch of the Towers, where Nicole would later say "I do" or inside the beautiful bridal prep area where she finished getting ready, it seemed like we had ample time to knock a good chunk of the bride's portrait list out of the way before the ceremony and, to me, that's a surefire sign you're in for a great day.

Speaking of The Towers, I don't think I've seen a more picturesque venue this year. At least not in terms of places to hide a wedding dress ...

Nicole's dress hangs up prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole has her dress zipped up prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole has her dress zipped up prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole smiles for a photo prior to her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

I really loved Nicole's dress and the way it fit her so well but it wasn't until you saw it in action that it really took your breath away. Or, in the case of her soon-to-be-husband, made it impossible not to smile during their super close and intimate ceremony on the jam-packed upper level of The Towers.

A look at the ceremony site prior to Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan watches as Nicole walks down the aisle during his September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole walks down the aisle during her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and Dan hold hands during their September2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Nicole and Dan's ceremony was about as simple as you can get from a bride and groom but what it lacked in big moments and traditional readings, it more than made up for in genuine emotion.

I don't know if I saw a moment where this bride and groom weren't looking at each other with a noticeable smile on their face and you can tell just by looking at the photos of both Nicole and Dan how much this moment really meant to them.

Nicole smiles during her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan smiles during his September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and Dan listen to their officiant during their September2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole smiles during her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan smiles during his September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and Dan kiss during their September2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Following Nicole and Dan's ceremony, we made our way outside for formal photos with their friends and family members. Now, I've done a lot of weddings in South County but, for some reason, until Dan and Nicole's day I had never actually had weather that cooperated for formal photos. 

Usually, it's too sunny or too windy to shoot quality photos on the rocks adjacent to The Towers but, in keeping with the theme of the day, everything lined up perfect for Nicole and Dan.

Nicole poses for a photo with her bridesmaids following her September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan poses for a photo with his groomsmen following his September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and Dan pose for a photo with their wedding party following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

And why does that matter? Well, for one thing, their bride and groom portraits were nearly perfect.

I mean, seriously, could these two have been any more adorable and could we have picked a more scenic location for these shots? I think not. 

Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

What made me happiest about how Nicole and Dan's formal photos were turning out is the perfect conditions made shooting these such a breeze we were done nearly instantly.

This gave us extra time to actually take the bride and groom inside The Towers before their guests made their way upstairs and allowed us to capture some other cool angles INSIDE the building that I've never been able to do before.

And, if you follow my blog weekly, you know I absolutely LOVE getting to do something cool like this for the first time.

Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo following their September 2018 wedding ceremony at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

I mean, it's almost not fair how beautiful The Towers looked for this wedding. Nicole and Dan chose a nice amber hue for their uplighting (courtesy of their great DJ Seann Jackson from MusicMixers Entertainment) and that little touch took a truly unique venue and gave it just a little something extra to wow guests when the doors opened for the reception.

A look at the table settings prior to Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
A look at the sweetheart table prior to Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
A look at the cake table prior to Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

I loved the little touches Nicole and Dan put into their wedding day. Whether it was the gold-themed tablecloth for their elegant cake or the low key nature of their sweetheart table, it was clear every aspect of the decor was chosen carefully and fit perfectly with the overall theme of the night.

To be honest, though, I don't know how much of the decor the bride and groom even saw. Because once Nicole and Dan were introduced and the reception officially kicked off, the rest of the night was action-packed.

Nicole and Dan are introduced during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Dan and Nicole chose "Dream a Little Dream of Me" by Michael Buble as their first dance song and, I've got to say, the moment was magnified in a big way because of the way their reception room looked.

Whether it was the orange uplighting or the string lights overhead, this dance was simply magical and the song choice just fit perfectly for it.

Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Following their first dance, Nicole and Dan hit all of the traditional moments you'd expect to see at a wedding reception but each had a little personal touch.

Like, for instance, the fact that Nicole had not one but two maids of honor and each of them, and the best man, delivered a great and hilarious toast that had guests who may not have even met them laughing along with each joke.

The best man gives a toast during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
One of the maids of honor gives a toast during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
One of the maids of honor gives a toast during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

After a delicious dinner course, Nicole and Dan really got the reception rolling with their cake cutting but it was their THREE special dances that followed that really showed what this night was about.

Not only did Nicole dance with her father, who looked like he was enjoying every second with his little girl, but Dan's dance with his mother was a sight to see if for no other reason than the way guests looked on during it 

The moment that got me, though, was Nicole's dance with her uncle. I could see how much that moment meant to both her and her uncle and I thought for sure he was going to cry multiple times.

Nicole & Dan cut their wedding cake during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan cut their wedding cake during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan cut their wedding cake during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her father dance during her September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her father dance during her September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan and his mother dance during his September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan's sisters look on as he and his mother dance during his September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan and his mother dance during his September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her uncle dance during her September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and her uncle dance during her September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Following the big signature moments of Nicole and Dan's reception, the three of us went outside for the aforementioned Chinese Lantern send-off and though it didn't work out the way we wanted it, it was fine.

We managed to take a truly beautiful (in my mind anyway) nighttime shot in front of The Towers and the hilarious antics of a failed attempt to send what essentially amounts to a flaming bag of fire into the air on a windy night at the beach set the tone for a night of nonstop laughter the moment we hit the dance floor.

Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Dan and guests dance during his September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Nicole and Dan's reception was a ton of fun from the first to final song of the evening and, honestly, I don't know if I've seen a more packed dance floor all year long. 

This group knew how to party and especially knew how to make hilarious photos that really told the spirit of the night in a way you just can't make up.

Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole and guests dance during her September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Guests dance during Nicole & Dan’s September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan dance during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Nicole & Dan kiss during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

At the end of Nicole and Dan's wedding reception, I felt like I had experienced something as emotional as they had.

While I may not have been the one getting married, it was hard not to get wrapped up in the feelings of the day, even as a bystander being paid to document it all.

Nicole and Dan had such a positive outlook on their wedding day and were surrounded by so many amazing people in their lives that it was hard for it not to rub off a little. And this wedding day, coming right in the middle of my busiest part of the fall, was exactly the motivation I needed to keep plugging along day after day.

So thank you Nicole and Dan for the honor of capturing these moments for you. It was my absolute joy to see how happy you were on this day and express that for you through photography. We can all only hope to experience love the way you two do and I have no doubt this is just the start of a beautiful life together for you both as husband and wife. 

-PJS

Nicole & Dan pose for a formal photo during their September 2018 wedding reception at The Towers in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

The Vendor List

Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair and Make-up: New Leaf Hair studioBride's Dress: Angela's Bridal; Dress Designer: Maggie Sottero; Florist: Roche Brother Grocery Store, Easton, Mass.; Ceremony & Reception Location: The Towers, Narragansett, Rhode Island; Transportation: Newport Limousine service LLC; Officiant: Doug Goodson with Journey Of Light Ministry; DJ: Seann Jackson from MusicMixers Entertainment; Cake/Catering: Emery's Catering

Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:

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Immaculate Conception Church &

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Date: September 21st, 2018

A teaser image for Adam & Ashley's wedding blog.

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Stepping Stone Ranch,

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Date: September 15th, 2018

A teaser image for Josh & Kim's wedding blog.

Josh & Kim

Private Residence,

Coventry, Rhode Island

Date: September 8th, 2018

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