Amanda & Sam
Regatta Place, Newport, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
August 30th, 2025
One of my most difficult challenges as a wedding photographer is looking for, and taking, photos that really sum up the spirit and feeling of a bride and groom's wedding day. It can be hard, sometimes, to know what to look for. After all, how do you sum up an entire day FULL of memorable moments that will last a lifetime with just a photo or two?
Well, in the case of Amanda and Sam's wedding at Regatta Place in Newport, Rhode Island back in August, that task was among the easiest I could have ever asked for. Amanda and Sam said “I do” on the Schooner Aurora boat in the middle of Narragansett Bay, with the Claiborne Pell Bridge in the background, on a stunning summer day in the City by the Sea.
If that doesn't sum up why their wedding was one of the most beautiful I saw in 2025, I don't know what would. And that's before talking about the couple themselves, who were incredible, amazing and so, so beautifully in love.
My coverage of Amanda and Sam's wedding started with a brief check in on the bride but, as Amanda wasn't fully ready to start her prep photos, I decided to grab some shots with Sam instead. I'm glad I did because I always love getting groom prep shots out of the way when the groom is easy to work with and Sam couldn't have been more pleasant.
I rolled into his hotel room, picked a nice spot by the window for him to finish getting dressed and, within literally three minutes, we were done. Nothing like an easy, peasy start to the day to set the tone for how things will go.
The best part is, when I headed back to Amanda's room to get some final getting ready shots before she put her dress on, we were back in time to see her dog made a surprise appearance and steal the show.
Amanda was one of the easiest brides I got to work with in 2025. She was cool and calm throughout the final getting ready portions of her bridal prep and if she felt any anxiety, she sure didn't show it while getting her dress zipped.
In fact, she was more excited about her upcoming first look with Sam than worried about whether the day would go well or not. I loved that for her.
Speaking of the first look, Amanda surprised Sam with a guest appearance from their beloved dog and it was the perfect addition for this beautiful moment they shared together.
Following their first look, Amanda and Sam prepared for their formal photos and family photos before we headed over to the Schooner Aurora and I'm glad they did because it allowed them to relaxed once we got on the boat but, man, what a tough session.
Bride and groom portraits and family photos near the water in the middle of the sunniest part of the day in August? What a challenge.
I give the soon-to-be newlyweds credit though. It was incredibly warm out there but they never broke a sweat and, thanks to the fancy off-camera lighting tricks i've picked up in recent years, these photos really pop … even if I was pouring sweat.
With formal photos in the books, it was time for us to get on the water.
I'd previously photographed a wedding on the Schooner Aurora and knew what to expect from Amanda and Sam's ceremony but I think my favorite part of a couple getting married on this particular boat is the excitement as their friends and family board the boat and we first start heading out on the water.
You could see it on Amanda and Sam's faces as the realization that this was real crept in. They were excited and rightfully so.
Photographing a wedding on the Schooner Aurora is NOT easy. As beautiful and fun as it is to travel by boat to the super scenic backdrop where the crew drops anchor and couples exchange their vows, it is an incredibly tight space and one of the more challenging places to try to take your standard ceremony shots as a photographer.
No worries, though. I love a good challenge and think Amanda and Sam's beautiful ceremony shots came out perfect as you can see the love on their face and all of the stunning scenery behind them for their beautiful ocean wedding.
Following Amanda and Sam's ceremony, the party began. And, by party, I mean the couple getting to relax and celebrate with their closest friends and family members as we made our way back to Regatta Place.
I love the idea of a wedding on the Schooner Aurora because you do tend to have a lot of time post-ceremony to really savor your first moments as a married couple, especially since the boat is small and most people only have the closest of their closest people on board with them.
By the time we got back to Regatta Place, it felt like Amanda & Sam had already had a pretty complete wedding day. Which is wild since their actual reception was still to come.
Upon exiting the Schooner Aurora, Amanda and Sam made their way to cocktail hour with their guests while I headed inside to grab their wedding details and décor and, not surprisingly, the newlyweds kept things simple in this regard too.
After all, if you're getting married in beautiful, scenic Newport, the location kind of speaks for itself.
With their first dance in the books, Amanda and Sam sat down to enjoy their dinner. Well, they almost sat down.
See, I know from years of experience shooting in Newport that if you have a sunny day by the water, well, you can just about guarantee a beautiful sunset and after Amanda and Sam's first dance, I made sure to walk down by the dock near their reception to see if this night's sunset would be worth our time getting some final bride and groom portraits and boy was it ever.
I mean, it's hard to complain about photos that pretty, am I right?
But that was kind of the theme of the night, honestly. Every time I looked around, something else was stealing the show.
I especially felt that way as Amanda and Sam sat for a couple of truly touching and beautiful speeches by the bride's father, the maid of honor and the best man. Each was funny, poignant and special in its own way and you could tell the sentiments shared meant the world to the bride and groom.
After dinner, Amanda and Sam kept the remaining formalities of their reception short and simple. The pair had a couple of dances with their parents that were really sweet to see but didn't bother with any of the other big moments other couples might have had like a bouquet toss or cake cutting.
And, in this case, I think simple was so, so much better.
Moments after Amanda and Sam finished up their parent dances, it was time to open the dance floor and this is the part of their wedding I was looking most forward to. I absolutely ADORE a good live band and Amanda and Sam's brought it in a big way on this lovely summer night.
Whether it was with classic tracks like “Ain't No Mountain” or “September” or more respect bops like “Hey Ya” and “Forget You,” Silver Arrow Band had the dance floor rocking all night long and I did my best to catch it all.
It wasn't easy and that's the best part.
If I had to sum up my feelings on Amanda and Sam's wedding with one moment that perfectly encapsulated the day, it would be this. Long after packing up my gear and just before I headed to my car, I heard their band take a break and put on some music in the background.
That song? “With Arms Wide Open” by Creed.
I peeked my head in and saw EVERYONE on that dance floor in a circle, arms wrapped around each other, singing loudly. I ran to grab my video camera to capture the moment and it was easily in the top moments I got to witness at a wedding in 2025.
And that's just the kind of day it was.
So, thank you Amanda and Sam for one of my favorite weddings of the whole year and I wish you nothing but the best on this beautiful chapter of your lives that you are starting together. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
