Coleen & John
Private Residence, Saunderstown, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
September 27th, 2025
I think to a certain extent, backyard weddings get a bad rap. Yes, I know. A lot of people love a big, grand celebration when they get married. They want the bells, the whistles, the pomp and the circumstance but, in my experience, all of that stuff is largely superficial.
At the end of your wedding, what are you most likely going to remember best? The 3,000-square-foot ballroom with the silk drapery you spent an extra $500 on or that quiet moment you had with your spouse at a sweetheart table that would have worked just as well if you bought it at Walmart? Money doesn't equal memories and that's why I'm always a bit intrigued when a client tells me they're forgoing a "traditional" place to get married and keeping it simple in a tent behind a house.
For Coleen and John, their September wedding really couldn't have taken place anywhere better than a backyard in Saunderstown, Rhode Island as the day was small, intimate, family-focused, fun ... but, most importantly, it was THEM.
And it was perfect.
I knew from the moment my coverage of Coleen and John's wedding began that this was going to be a day unlike any other I shot in 2025. For one thing, both Coleen and John were getting ready in the same house, which I always love because it means I can go back and forth. But, for another, Coleen had a bit of nervous energy about her and I knew that meant she was a bit worried about everything going off just perfectly.
I started my coverage by saying hello to the bride but made sure I wasn't hovering too much because I didn't want to stress her out. Thankfully, John was one of the most easy grooms I've worked with this year and his entire approach was "What do you need me to do?" which led to some really great groom prep photos, especially with his mom attempting to pin his boutonniere.
I'm always someone who tries to help his brides (and grooms) manage their anxiety on their wedding days but I knew nothing I could say or do would calm Coleen down as the pressure built heading into her first look with John.
I can't say I blame her. She waited a long time for this day and wanted things to go off without a hitch. I did love how she seemed to ease a bit once her dress was zipped and her veil placed and that's fairly common for brides as those last few minutes before you're "ready ready" can be a lot to handle on a day where your emotions are naturally going to be going sky high anyway.
It turns out what Coleen needed most to relax was something I, personally, couldn't offer her. She just needed to see John. From almost the moment her soon-to-be groom turned around and saw her in the dress, Coleen's entire vibe shifted in the best way and you could tell she felt his calming presence and knew, deep down, that everything was going to be OK.
I think that's sweet and it set the perfect tone for the start of their wedding day.
Following their first look, Coleen and John chose to knock out half of their family photos in the yard where they'd soon say "I do" and I'm glad they did as it made the schedule a bit easier. Also, because they had a big list of combinations they wanted, breaking it up meant we'd have time before their ceremony to take a moment and recompose ourselves instead of rushing to get photos done.
After releasing the couple with half of their family photos done but still needing bride and groom portraits later, I found myself with an unexpected pocket of time before the ceremony began and I'm so glad I did as it allowed me to visit the reception tent and grab detail photos before guests sat down and got comfortable.
I loved how Coleen and John chose to decorate their wedding as it fit the waterfront vibes of their day but also felt well thought out and intentional.
My only gripe about backyard weddings is they typically don't have a coordinator and I'm stuck doing most of the work to keep things on time. Heck, most of the time at these weddings I don't even get a signal when the couple is ready to start their ceremony. That wasn't the case here as I got to hear a family member of the couple on the bagpipes and if that doesn't signal it's time to get married, I don't know what would.
Coleen and John couldn't have picked a more scenic background for their wedding ceremony as the side I was photographing as they walked down the aisle had some of the best foliage I saw all year and the side I'd photograph for the ceremony itself was beautiful as well.
It still paled in comparison to how beautiful the bride looked walking down the aisle or the look of love on John's face as he processed every second of that moment, one I know he'll never forget.
Coleen and John's wedding ceremony was beautifully personal and a true testament to their relationship together. It was funny but poignant and had a lot of special touches, like the little stories their officiant shared about their bond and a reading shared by John's sister.
What's more, it was at the absolute perfect time of day and the water backdrop just made it feel so natural and like an extension of nature. I mean, after all, what's a better symbol for eternity than an ocean with seemingly no beginning, middle or end? It was beautiful.
With their wedding ceremony in the books, I was finally able to get some time alone with Coleen and John and while we didn't have a TON of time because the sun was quickly going down, we made the most of it on the back dock near where they had just gotten married and on the beach in front of it.
I really loved how casual and cool this bride and groom were once their ceremony was over and they could just be themselves and when they said they would go and sit on the dock for me in the photo that led this blog off, I knew we were in for a good time.
Having just shot a backyard wedding a few days earlier, and seeing that Coleen and John's tent was very similar to that one, I was excited to see what we'd get for their reception formalities and I wasn't disappointed.
Coleen and John opened their reception up with the standard wedding party introductions but it was their first look, set to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran that stood out most to me.
I loved this dance between the newlyweds and not just because I'm a sucker for that song. No, Coleen and John were totally, one hundred percent locked into this moment and it was just a very deeply personal and touching few minutes that helped define what this day was all about.
Coleen and John had one of the more chill receptions I've shot this year but they still managed to fit in all the formalities you'd expect to see a bride and groom have, including two short but sweet toasts and an easygoing and relaxed cake cutting.
Before they opened the dance floor, though, Coleen and John shared a pair of incredibly sweet parent dances with their father and mother, respectively, and this is something I always love to see from my older couples as not all of them are lucky to still have their parents when they get married later in life.
Both of these dances were meaningful and emotional and I truly loved that for Coleen and John.
Moments after Coleen's dance with her dad, the dance floor opened up and I'll be honest: I wasn't sure what we'd get from this small crowd.
Coleen told me her side of the family were the social, partying type but anytime I'm shooting an intimate wedding day with less than, say, 60 people, I'm always worried there may not be any dancing. Luckily, that wasn't the case here as Coleen and John's friends and family made the most of this fall night in Southern Rhode Island.
My official time with Coleen and John wrapped up shortly before the dance floor really popped off but I simply couldn't leave because I was having too much fun and knew I needed more photos to tell that story and I'm glad I stayed.
In fact, I'm glad I was there in the first place as Coleen and John's wedding day may not have been the most formal I shot in 2025 but it was one of the most personal and that means something to me.
So, thank you Coleen and John for including me in your special day. I hope it was everything you dreamed of and more and wish you all the best in your life together as husband and wife.
