Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2022 —
Skyline at Waterplace Wedding Photos
Latoya & David
Ebenezer Baptist Church, Providence, Rhode Island (Ceremony) &
Skyline at Waterplace, Providence, Rhode Island (Reception)
November 18th, 2022
I'm always hesitant to book weddings at the end of the year. Try as you might, it seems like the light is never great, the weather is always cold and, truth be told, a lot of couples are somehow surprised that the beginning of winter in New England ... is somehow the beginning of winter in New England.
I think that's why I liked working with Latoya and David, who said "I do" at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Providence Rhode Island. The pair knew exactly what they wanted on their wedding day, knew exactly what to expect in tying the knot in mid-November and weren't worried about sunlight, sunsets or anything superficial.
No, these two only cared about one thing: Becoming husband and wife. And the giant smiles on their faces at the end of a crazy fun reception told me one other thing: They knocked this wedding out the park.
My coverage of Latoya & David's wedding day began moments before their ceremony and while I generally find that to be a little bit awkward — especially since I hadn't met the groom prior to the day itself — I knew right away we were in for a fairly chill day when I saw how comfortable the groom was and the way the wedding party was in great spirits.
And when Latoya arrived, it was more of the same. Sure, there were a little bit of visible nerves from Latoya as she made her way out of the limo but those nerves quickly faded and in their place was a bride who looked stunning and she knew it.
I loved her entire vibe on this wedding day and the church she and David picked to say "I do" in only helped enhance it. Within moments of her making her entrance and walk down the aisle, you could just feel like something grand and special was taking place.
Latoya and David's wedding ceremony felt very old school and traditional, particularly because of the church they got married in. I liked how short and simple this ceremony was. It felt unlike any other I've seen in a church. In particular, I loved seeing how shy these two looked in front of all their friends and family members.
Latoya and David were NOT fans of being the center of attention but, to their credit, they got through their vows perfectly and with a round of applause became husband and wife.
Without question, my biggest worry heading into Latoya and David's wedding day was where we were going to take formal photos. By the time their ceremony began, the sun had already set and without having a first look prior to arriving to the church, we weren't left with a lot of options.
To their credit, I don't think Latoya and David really cared much about this and that's why we knocked out all their family and wedding party photos right at the church before heading to their reception venue. The ease of taking care of these shots with everyone in one place was great and, honestly, the altar of the church wasn't nearly as bad a location as I expected. It certainly beat hanging out in the 30-degree weather for an hour that's for sure.
As we made our way to Skyline at Waterplace, I had a rare feeling working with Latoya and David: Worry that I wouldn't capture any bride and groom formal photos I really liked. Thankfully, the pair gave me an extra ten minutes once we arrived to their reception venue and we were able to walk through Waterplace Park and try our hand at some nighttime portraits.
Within minutes, my nerves were gone.
I really loved Latoya's dress and David's white tux and felt so relieved to capture some shots with Providence in the background that I felt did these outfits justice. More importantly, leaving the church allowed Latoya and David to be much more relaxed in front of the camera and led to much more natural poses and photos that I felt truly felt like them.
The moment Latoya, David and I were done with their formal photos, I felt a weight lift off my chest as I knew I got shots they would like. More importantly, I felt relief at finally getting a chance to check out Skyline at Waterplace, a venue I'd never worked at before and one I was walking into completely blind.
Within seconds, I knew this was going to be a special night because this reception room looked amazing and the lighting inside was perfect.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Latoya and David's wedding reception until the moment they were introduced for the first time as husband and wife. Immediately following their entrance into the room, I could send a tone shift in the night ... in the best way possible.
Latoya and David kicked off their reception with a first dance set to "Love U 4 Life" by Jodeci and that song, and their dance, let me know this would be a night defined by good times and laughs.
Latoya and David kept their wedding reception fairly simple. Following their first dance, the pair had two speeches by Latoya's mother and David's son, respectively, and a surprise performance by several of David's family members but the majority of the time before and during dinner was spent by the newlyweds going table to table and saying hello to the most important people in their lives.
After dinner was more of the same. While Latoya and David had two dances with their parents, there wasn't a lot of pomp and circumstance to this reception. The newlyweds preferred to keep things low key and relaxed and I think that set a great tone for who they are and the night they always wanted.
But once the party started? Wooooo boy were things different. Latoya and David made the most out of every second of their reception once the dance floor opened up and I loved seeing how differently they celebrated their special moment.
Latoya was ALL OVER the dance floor and I can't blame her as this soundtrack was fantastic. David, meanwhile, was much more of a "spend time talking to guests" groom and I think both had a reception fitting their personalities perfectly.
By the end of the night, both Latoya and David were in amazing spirits and having a great time and, as I packed up my gear and headed out from their reception, I couldn't help but smile thinking about how simple yet beautiful this day was.
Not all of my clients want the glitz and glam of an Instagram-friendly wedding with beachfront portraits and sunset photos. Sometimes, the most important thing is finding the perfect person for you and having one hell of a party and in that regard, Latoya and David crushed it. So, thank you Latoya and David for having an absolutely rocking wedding day and I wish you the best of luck on this new chapter of your lives together.
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
North Beach Clubhouse,
Narragansett, Rhode Island
November 12th, 2022
Valley Country Club,
Warwick, Rhode Island
November 11th, 2022
Brookmeadow Country Club,
Canton, Massachusetts
November 5th, 2022
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair and Makeup: Mercedes Kylira; Bride's Dress: The Bridal Shoppe, Warwick, Rhode Island; Groom's Suit: Simply Dainty Tuxedo Rentals, Cranston, Rhode Island; Ceremony Location: Ebenezer Baptist Church, Providence, Rhode Island; Reception Venue: Skyline at Waterplace, Providence, Rhode Island; Florist: A Touch of Vermont, Cranston, Rhode Island; DJ: Swift Williams; Cake: Scialo's County Bakery Seekonk, Massachusetts.