Heather & Joe *
Quonset 'O' Club, North Kingstown, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
September 12th, 2025
One of the things I've always found fascinating about weddings is how people will go incredibly far outside of their comfort levels in order to get married. The day means so much to folks that non religious people will spend months studying religion to get married in a church for their partner. It means so much that people will willingly fly across the world to tie the knot.
And in the case of Heather and Joe, two incredibly introverted, shy individuals, it means standing up in front of all their friends and family to express their love for one another no matter how uncomfortable it makes them feel.
Heather and Joe said “I do” on a beautiful fall afternoon at the Quonset 'O' Club in North Kingstown and I was lucky enough to be on-hand to second shoot it for my lovely friend Jessica Hosey, a position that allowed me to sit back and watch just how these two newlyweds powered through their social anxiety to deliver a sweet, touching and emotional wedding day I know was well worth every moment of awkwardness.
* These photos were taken as part of my work as a second photographer for Jessica Hosey Imagery
and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.
My time with Heather and Joe began with a last little bit of groom prep as Joe arrived with a big smile on his face, ready for whatever the day brought.
I really loved working with Joe, even if we did just meet moments before I started photographing him, as it was clear how much he was looking forward to walking down that aisle and seeing his beautiful bride to be.
Joe's groom prep was short and simple, which left us plenty of time to grab photos of him and his guys before the wedding ceremony, which I always love doing, especially in the shady areas of the Quonset 'O' Club, which feel made for early fall weddings.
As much as I love the shady spots at the 'O' Club, the wedding ceremony area itself is easily the most challenging place I've ever photographed a wedding.
No one tells you this but getting married in a beautifully covered patch of trees is really difficult for your photography team, especially on sunny days where the bits on sunshine peak through the leaves.
Nevertheless, on this day none of that mattered because the minute Heather walked down the aisle, the seriousness of what we were there to witness came flooding in and I knew right away that this couple wouldn't have cared WHERE they got married as long as it was with each other.
Heather and Joe's wedding ceremony lasted less than ten minutes but you could tell it felt like an eternity for the bride and groom standing in front of all the people they cared about.
I admire the HELL out of these two for powering through their introverted natures to share such a sweet moment and, I've got to tell you, this ceremony was one of the most touching I saw in 2025 as Heather and Joe had incredible vows and spoke from the heart in a way that truly made me feel how much they cared for one another.
The moment they were officially pronounced husband and wife, though, I could see a sense of relief wash over them as they got through the hardest part of the day and now it was time to celebrate. And celebrate they would.
One of the reasons I continue to second shoot weddings, beyond the pay and beyond getting to work with awesome couples like Heather and Joe, is because I get to really take my time telling the behind-the-scenes story of a wedding in a way I can't do as a lead shooter tasked with making sure to hit all the points of my checklist.
That's why I was able to casually stroll inside and focus on the details of Heather and Joe's wedding reception while they were outside doing formal portraits and, man, this couple had a lot of truly unique decorations on display.
I especially loved the little notebooks they used for their seating chart. I thought that was a beautiful touch and one of the best seating charts I've seen, maybe ever.
Thankfully, my timing with Heather and Joe's wedding details was perfect as I was able to capture all of those, a ton of cocktail hour photos and still get outside in time for the bride to give the groom his wedding day gift, causing my favorite candid photos of the day, as well as capture the last little bit of their bride and groom portrait session, one of the sweetest ones I saw in 2025.
With their formal photos in the books, Heather and Joe headed inside for their reception and I knew right from the start that it would be a special night.
In what might have been my favorite moment of the night, Heather and Joe shared a really sweet and touching first dance surrounded by their wedding party and with all their guests looking on but you'd never know it because they held each other tightly and never took their eyes off one another.
It was such a beautiful moment that you could tell meant the world to both of them and one that stands out to me as a highlight on a day full of love.
One of the only drawbacks to being a second shooter is I know heading into a reception that my time with a couple is winding down and I knew heading into Heather and Joe's special day that I would be home by the time their dance floor opened up.
Thankfully, the last bit of my time with them was spent photographing the many speeches of their wedding. You can always tell a lot about a couple by how many people want to stand in front of a crowd and talk about their love and, in many ways, Heather and Joe's wedding was a reminder of how important it is to have great people by your side.
As I stood and listened to speech after speech, I could tell how much the folks on the microphone meant to this bride and groom and knew these toasts were ones they wouldn't soon forget.
As my time with Heather and Joe came to an end, I headed home so thankful for the wonderful couples I get to meet as a second shooter in the New England wedding industry. Doing so allows me to document some truly special and touching weddings I wouldn't have been at otherwise and Heather and Joe's big day is a great example of that.
From their inspiring ceremony to their sweetly intimate reception, this was a day I was thrilled to play a small part of and I could tell just in my brief time with this bride and groom that their love was real, strong and made each of them better in every way.
So thank you Heather and Joe for allowing me to document such a beautiful day and good luck on your new journey together as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
