Kristin & Chris
Olde Scotland Links, Bridgewater, Massachusetts (Ceremony & Reception)
August 31st, 2025
Whenever I photograph a wedding, I like to look around and see what elements I feel best tell the story of the day. Sometimes, it's as simple as the location we're in or the type of wedding the couple is having. But then there are weddings like Kristin and Chris' back in August at Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater, Massachusetts where the decorations tell you everything you need to know.
Tucked in a corner of the room during their reception was a long, thin mirror and, on the top of said mirror were the words “Love Our Story” and, knowing this couples' story – how they both were married in the past and found each other and a second chance at happily ever happily later in life through the magic of a social media DM – I thought it was the most fitting, touching and appropriate piece of décor they could have had on the day they said “I do.”
More importantly, though, that mirror took on greater symbolic important. Because a mirror is empty until you bring something in front of it. And what Kristin and Chris brought, all night long, was the kind of beauty, joy and romance that turns a wedding day from just another event to a milestone moment in life that you never forget.
My coverage of Kristin and Chris' wedding began at the Residence Inn hotel in Bridgewater, Massachusetts and I'd love to tell you I knew what the vibe of this wedding would be from the moment I walked in but that would be a lie.
No, instead, I began my coverage with photos of groom prep and got to watch as Chris put the finishing touches on his look. From my time interacting with him in this moment, and really from everything up to the wedding day, I got the sense Chris was a bit quiet and reserved but I'd find out as the day went along that that would be far from the truth.
In fact, there was a drastic difference in the vibe between groom prep and bridal prep as Chris was pretty low key and pensive in the moments before we prepared for his first look for Kristin and Kristin and her girls were … well, they were so much different.
I could tell the minute I walked into Kristin's bridal prep that this was gonna be a VIBE.
Not only were the girls blasting great party music and joking around like sailors but the mood in the air was one that was lighthearted and fun and I loved that for them.
I especially loved how much Kristin was clearly savoring every second of her prep with her girls and how excited she looked to get this day started.
Kristin's prep was among the easiest I've photographed this year and, apart from a slight mishap with a piece of jewelry that wouldn't cooperate last minute, things went smoothly and perfectly.
If she was feeling any type of way about nerves or anxiety, she didn't show it and she looked ready to go as we began her wedding day itinerary by heading to the venue and her first look/private vows.
And what private vows they were.
I've long said that I love when couples share private vows before their wedding ceremony and weddings like Kristin and Chris' show why.
This pair had the most beautiful things to say to each other as they opened their heart with no one but myself and my assistant around and you could see how emotional it made them, especially Kristin who barely got through them through her tears.
I thought that was heartwarming and especially important as it set the tone for how beautifully romantic this day would be. More importantly, though, it gave both Kristin and Chris a chance to say what they needed to say and really savor the little moments they had together as they prepared for their wedding ceremony.
Prior to Kristin and Chris' big day, I had never been to Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater, Massachusetts so I didn't know what to expect from their ceremony. I was surprised to learn it was going to be inside a tent-like structure, especially given how nice it was but I'll never complain about not having to fight the sun in late August.
And, yet, we still had to somehow battle said sun.
Chris and Kristin's ceremony was a short and sweet and I know the groom for one appreciated it as the light shined brightly in his eyes the entire time. Not that he'd ever complain though. You could see from Chris' face as Kristin walked down the aisle just how much this moment meant to him and their relaxed ceremony, which even featured a surprise downing of shots at the start, was perfectly them.
With their wedding ceremony in the books, it was time for Kristin, Chris and I to head to their formal photos. We had initially knocked out a good chunk of their family photos prior to their ceremony and I'm glad we did as it left us more time to just work with the newlyweds post-ceremony.
I didn't want to take up too much of their time as I knew Chris and Kristin wanted to get to their cocktail hour but we did manage to take a golf cart out and hit some of the spots on their venue's property and it was sweet to see these two so clearly well connected to each other and so overwhelmingly joyful in these moments. These were definitely some of the most fun couple portraits I had this year … even if the beaming sun and crazy warm temperatures at times tested us.
After bringing the newlyweds back, I made my way inside the ballroom area of their venue and finished grabbing the last of the detail shots I needed to take and, boy, there were a lot of them.
Kristin and Chris may have had the most detail-rich wedding I shot in 2025 but, honestly, every bit of it fit the vibe of the room and the day so I couldn't complain.
I especially loved the picture wall that stood behind the sweetheart table as it showed just how much life this bride and groom had had prior to getting married and how grateful they were to be starting a new chapter together.
I didn't know exactly what kind of vibes to expect from Kristin and Chris' wedding reception but my hopes were that it would be a fun night full of beautiful moments and maybe some downright silliness and the moment they walked in and prepared for their first dance, set to “Bless the Broken Road” by Jordan Rust, I knew we were in for a good time.
When I talk about first dances at most weddings, one of the things that is near universal is that the bride and groom spend the entirety of their dance looking exclusively at one another and soaking in the moment no matter how many people are in the room where they are.
Chris and Kristin's first dance was the exact opposite. The two spent a ton of time laughing, smiling and acknowledging all the people around them and I thought that was very telling about their personalities and how much the people in that room meant to them.
Following their first dance, Kristin and Chris took the mic to thank those in attendance for coming to celebrate their special day. We then proceeded with two beautiful toasts that took us to dinner in an emotional, but still funny, way.
After dinner, Kristin and Chris kept their reception itinerary pretty standard with a cake cutting and a really emotional father-daughter dance that pulled at my heartstrings. But I also loved the way they tailored the day to where they are in life at this moment, too, as Chris switched us the traditional mother-son dance to a dance with his two daughters.
I always love when older brides and grooms do that and you could tell how much the groom loved this moment with his girls by the huge smile on his face.
With the formalities of their reception captured, Kristin and Chris were ready to relax and party but I had one last request of them before they let their hair down.
As I've been trying to get more creative with night shots this year, I have spent a LOT of time waiting for good sunsets to really take advantage of my newfound lighting skills and, thankfully, Kristin and Chris had one of my favorites of the entire year.
The night sky on this summer evening wasn't overly bright but the background at Olde Scotland Links was one that allowed me to zero in on the colors in the sky and we timed it perfectly to get some beautiful shots of them together, like the one that led this blog off.
I like to think those night time shots were the perfect transition from the formal portion of Chris and Kristin's wedding to the party. All I could hope was that we didn't cap the night off for good as we still had 2.5 hours before the reception ended and Kristin and Chris booked me to stay until the end.
It's asking a lot for a crowd to dance and party for two and a half hours. Thankfully, Kristin and Chris knew their guests and it was clear, quite early, that these folks were here for a good time.
Kristin and Chris had one of my favorite dance floors of 2025 and not just because the soundtrack was top notch and full of all the 90s bops I've loved since they came out.
The energy in this room was just fun and it was absolutely rowdy in the best way. I especially loved seeing Chris let loose and, before I knew it, he was down to just a t-shirt and had a cowboy hat on and, you know what? It was fitting for the vibes on this perfect summer evening.
In a move that perfectly summed up their wedding day, Chris and Kristin capped their reception off with a private last dance set to “Millionaire” by Chris Stapleton.
I always love a private last dance as it lets a couple soak in the reality of everything their wedding day was and this one was no different. You could feel the emotions Chris and Kristin had in the room by themselves as they celebrated a day they would never forget.
Before I headed out for the night, I had one final task for Kristin and Chris' wedding: Capture their grand send off and I can think of no better way to have ended this wedding day.
Kristin and Chris' special day was one that was full of love from beginning to end and it was only fitting that they'd end it with rowdy applause and celebration from everyone remaining by their side.
So, thank you Chris and Kristin for one of the most fun days and nights of my 2025 summer and I wish you all the best on this new and exciting chapter of your life together as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
