Amber & Justin
I've always believed you get rewarded for your attitude in life. Nowhere is this more true than on a wedding day.
In my experience, high maintenance couples have high maintenance wedding days that are super stressful. On the flip side, couples that go into their nuptials with a smile on their face and a relaxed attitude tend to have wedding days that reflect that.
And, I'll be honest, that's all I could think about as Amber and Justin tied the knot back in June at the North Beach Clubhouse in Narragansett.
A super chill and relaxed couple, Amber and Justin refused to let the dark and cloudy skies rain on their parade and, consequently, they were rewarded for that stress-free attitude with a stress-free wedding day where what seemed like inevitable rain held off until they were long inside for the party.
Talk about a fortunate turn of events for a couple fortunate to have found one another.
My coverage of Amber and Justin's wedding day began much the same as most of my wedding days as I was lucky enough to spend time with the bride as she finished her bridal prep session.
On this day, that meant traveling to the Aqua Blue Hotel in Narragansett and watching as Amber, one of the most low key brides I've ever met, hung out with friends and patiently waited for the time to come to put on her dress and walk down the aisle.
In fact, with the slight exception of a few moments Amber spent having her grandmother help her re-curl her hair, there was absolutely no pressure or stress during this prep session and even that minor problem was solved in moments.
Amber and her bridesmaids finished their preparations early enough that we were able to take care of some formal photos at a beautiful gazebo in Gazebo Park in Narragansett but, I'll be honest, I wasn't entirely sure if the weather would hold off for the bride and groom's ceremony down the street a half hour later.
Talk about some ominous looking clouds!
Luckily, all my fears were put to rest as it was actually perfect for Amber and Justin's ceremony.
And I don't just throw that word around. This ceremony was absolutely, 100 percent perfect. From the endearing way the bride and groom looked as they saw each other for the first time to the unbelievably great lighting and nice sea breeze blowing through, there's nothing I would change about this ceremony.
My favorite part of it, though, had to be as the bride and groom exchanged vows. Both Amber and Justin killed it when it came time to get sentimental and for two people who aren't totally comfortable being the center of attention, that was quite an accomplishment.
Amber and Justin's ceremony wedding ceremony was just a tick over 10 minutes but it felt much longer as the deeply personal nature of the vows was a pleasure to watch.
And speaking of pleasure, I had tons of it working with this bride and groom during their formal photo session.
After a number of great family photos and some really funny wedding party shots on the deck and on the beach, I finally had some time to work with Amber and Justin alone and, boy, was that time well spent.
Amber and Justin were an absolutely amazing couple to work with for their bride and groom portraits.
I'm always leery of shooting a couple's wedding portraits if I haven't done an engagement sessions with them but my fears were quickly cast aside for this bride and groom as Amber and Justin were down for any ideas I had, picked a tremendous location right on the beach for their shots and, let's be honest, were both incredibly attractive models who brought out the best in one another.
Following that session, it was time to head inside and check out the bride and groom's decorations.
I loved the theme of Amber and Justin's beach wedding, which was reflected perfectly in the green and teal colors they chose for their table cloths, place cards, cupcakes and miscellaneous decorations.
It wasn't until the bride and groom took to the dance floor, however, that you could really get a feel for how long they spent planning this day as Amber and Justin KILLED it during their first song (Which was set to "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran.)
Following their first dance, Amber and Justin had a pair of beautiful dances with their father and mother, respectively, and a lengthy dinner break where the two made sure to say hello to all of their closest friends and family members.
As nice as it was to have a bit of a break to eat dinner and recharge my batteries, I honestly couldn't wait to get back out there when the dance floor opened and Amber and Justin's friends and family members started the party.
Thankfully, neither could they and, with very few exceptions, this dance floor was hopping all night long.
In what might have been the most adorable moment of the night, however, Amber ducked out midway through the reception for a special surprise for her groom: A party gown that just might be one of the cutest things I've seen all year.
Amber looked great in her short-length, white party dress and the moment she put it on, I knew she was serious about living this night up to the fullest.
Amber and Justin's reception was full of great moments, including the one above as the DJ replayed the song "Africa" by Toto for the groom since he was outside the first time it came on.
The replay was worth it though as the dance floor was rocking and, let's be honest, no wedding can ever have too much Toto.
Following Toto is hard to do but Amber and Justin put a bow on their wedding reception with a sweet cake cutting, and I couldn't think of a better way to send this bride and groom off.
All in all, as I walked out of the North Beach Clubhouse following Amber and Justin's beautiful wedding, I couldn't help but think how lucky they ended up in having a great wedding day despite what looked like rough conditions going in.
But even if it had rained, I'm confident this bride and groom wouldn't have cared.
Because, at the end of the day, when you're as happy as Amber and Justin were the day they said "I do," not even a little bit of water can dampen your smile.
So congratulations Amber and Justin. It was an honor and a pleasure to document this day for you. I can only hope you enjoyed living it as I enjoyed photographing it. Best of luck on your marriage ... but if your wedding day is any indication, you've already got all the luck you need and then some.
-PJS
Tags: North Beach Clubhouse, Outdoor Weddings, Rhode Island Weddings, Narragansett, South County
Paul J. Spetrini Photography
The Vendor List
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Hair: Salon Bella, Wakefield RI; Make up: Danielle Bisbano of Danielle Bisbano Makeup Artistry; Florist: Flowerthyme, Wakefield RI; Brides dress: David’s Bridal; Brides shoes: Shoes of Prey; Grooms suit: Men’s Warehouse; Ceremony & Reception Location: North Beach Clubhouse, Narragansett, RI; Officiant: Eric Swanson from Say I do by Barbara & Company, Narragansett RI; DJ: Ben Boisclair; Cake: Scrumptions, East Greenwich, RI.
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Jacob & Stephanie
Location: Foster Country Club,
Foster Rhode Island.
Date: June 16th, 2018
Zach & Kelly
Location: Blissful Meadows Golf Club, Uxbridge, Massachusetts.
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The Schooner Aurora & Regatta Place,
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Date: May 31st, 2018
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