Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2021 —
Quidnessett Country Club Wedding Photos
Tommy & Gina*
Quidnessett Country Club, North Kingstown, RI (Ceremony & Reception)
October 10th, 2021
Right before my coverage of Tommy and Gina's October wedding reception at Quidnessett Country Club concluded, there was moment I won't soon forget as the DJ kicked up one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs and the crowd started rocking out.
It wasn't until the first verse kicked in that I understood WHY they reacted so strongly to the song "Living on a Prayer" but as soon as Jon Bon Jovi started singing about a mythical couple with the same name as my bride and groom, I couldn't help but smile. How could I have missed the reference to Tommy and Gina? At Tommy and Gina's wedding?
What was even more interesting is the song fit the day perfectly for two reasons. First, we were living on a prayer all day that the weather Gods would grant us a break in the rain long enough to actually go through with a wedding. And second, if you spent more than two minutes with this bride and groom, it was more than clear that they're fully ready, willing and able to "hold on to what they've got."
Also? They truly and totally rocked.
* These photos were taken as part of my work as a second photographer for George Street Photography
and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.
My time with Tommy and Gina began at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in North Kingstown and, I've got to be honest, I don't know how this hotel became the only hotel clients used in the area but I feel like I've spent enough time in this location to qualify as a part-time employee.
Luckily, I also really love this spot. Both for its proximity to Quidnessett Country Club and the Quonset "O" Club but also because the rooms themselves are nice.
When I arrived to Tommy's bridal prep, I knew right away we were in for a great day as he and his groomsmen were an absolute blast to work with and everyone was in great spirits despite ominous clouds that looked ready to open up at any second.
I'm glad Tommy and his groomsmen were so much fun because I sure had a LOT of time to work with them. As happens as weddings, bridal prep ran a bit longer than anticipated but I'm glad it did as my time with the groom and his guys was a ton of fun.
How'd we kill the time waiting the ladies to arrive to Tommy and Gina's first look at Goddard Park? With model-like posing and silliness, of course.
The lighthearted vibe kept things fun and set a nice tone for the afternoon so that when Gina and her girls did arrive, we could move right into their formal photos with ease. But, first, of course, came their beautiful first look.
Even though I didn't meet Gina until after the first look, I could tell everything about her and Tommy's relationship from those first few moments after they saw each other for the first time all dressed up in their wedding attire.
Tommy and Gina had an incredibly sweet vibe about them and I was so glad the rain held off long enough for us to grab a few bride and groom portraits on the iconic Goddard Park bridge before transitioning into their wedding party and formal photos.
My favorite photos of Tommy and Gina, however, came a bit later when Gina and her girls tossed on their matching leather jackets. Talk about an awesome look.
And luckily, Tommy had one as well. Which paid off in a big way once we finished wedding party formals and were able to spend a few more minutes with the bride and groom before leaving the park.
All told, we might have beat the worst of the rain by 10 minutes but it was worth the risk as these were easily the best shots we took all day.
I really loved Tommy and Gina's "Till Death Do Us Part" leather jackets. It fit their theme so well. But, before I can show you WHY these jackets worked so well with the decor at Quidnessett Country Club, it's only fitting that we talk about the most important part of the day: their wedding ceremony.
Because of inclement weather and on again/off again rain showers, Tommy and Gina were forced to get married inside a tent on the Quidnessett Country Club grounds but that was far from a problem for me. I love tents and was completely fine with shooting this ceremony "indoors."
And what a sweet and deeply personal ceremony it was.
Following Tommy and Gina's wedding ceremony, I finally had a chance to document the little touches that made their wedding so cool. I really loved this couple's skull and skeleton/Day of the Dead themed decorations and the brand new and remodeled room at Quidnessett Country Club — with its amazing uplighting — made this room and wedding pop so well.
I knew from the moment I saw Tommy and Gina's first dance that Quidnessett Country Club is a place I need to spend a LOT more time at in the future, especially when I saw how great the purple lighting looked with this bride and groom on the dance floor.
As I expected, Tommy and Gina's wedding reception was super laid back and relaxed. Much like the couple. After a pair of nice speeches by the maid of honor and best man, and an extended dinner period, Tommy and Gina spent a lot of time going table to table to mingle with their friends and family. Thankfully, they also popped in the photo booth for a bit of fun as well.
I couldn't quite get a read on how this night would go. Would they have a rowdy dance floor or a subdued, more family-oriented crowd? As Tommy and Gina cut their wedding cake and then transitioned into parent dances, I hoped for the former and not the latter.
I was a little bit worried my time with Tommy and Gina would come to an end before I got to see how much fun their friends and family were but, thankfully, that wasn't the case as the bride and groom opened their dance floor up in each other's arms and "Living On A Prayer" set the tone for the night right off the bat.
As my time with Tommy and Gina came to an end, I was pleasantly surprised with how much we lucked out in a number of ways on their wedding day. The first, and most important, was that the weather held off long enough for us to grab some great portraits.
The second, and just as important, is this bride and groom never got disheartened when things went a little sideways and whether it was moving their ceremony indoors at the last minute or a delayed dinner service, Tommy and Gina never let the small negatives of their day ruin the real reason they were there: to pledge their love to one another.
I think it's important for couples to focus on what matters on their wedding day and Tommy and Gina did that and then some. They had such a great time and I know this is just the start of an amazing life together for this husband and wife.
And, hey, who knows ... maybe we can get Bon Jovi to write about that next.
