Sara & Michael
Notre Dame Church (Ceremony) & Spencer Country Inn (Reception)
October 11th, 2025
Without question, one of the toughest parts of being a wedding photographer is the sheer "everything of it all." What I mean by that is when you're call for an eight or 10 hour day, it can be a lot and you just wish for a little break to mentally recharge.
That's one of the things I love about couples who get married in a traditional church ceremony with a reception elsewhere. The day is usually broken up with an extended drive and a chance to reset yourself and no one did that better this year than Sara and Michael. The pair were married about Notre Dame Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts and had their reception at Spencer Country Inn in Spencer, Massachusetts, a whole 25-minute drive away.
Sara and Michael's day felt like two weddings in one. Their ceremony? Beautiful, traditional, respectful, iconic. Their reception? So, so much fun. Put it together and you have two chapters in a beautiful love story that not only lived up to their expectations but properly exceeded them.
One of the biggest reasons I was excited to shoot Sara and Michael's wedding day was the rare opportunity in 2025 to get a proper bridal prep session. I've had a lot of weddings this year but almost ALL of my brides have opted to skip traditional prep photos in lieu of more time during their reception or have had me come in moments before they got their dress zipped up.
I much prefer to capture all the elements of a bride's wedding day and I knew from walking into Sara's that we were in for a fun afternoon as she and her girls were in high spirits and laughing and joking around as she got ready.
The funny thing about shooting a "full" wedding day with a full bridal prep session is, somehow, the time flies even more for these brides so, before we even knew it, it was time to get Sara dressed and ready to go. To her credit, Sara was pretty chill throughout the getting ready process and not much changed when she was in her dress and ready to roll. If she was feeling any anxiety on this beautiful fall afternoon, she didn't show it.
And I can't blame her. It really was shaping up to be the perfect afternoon.
Sara and Michael chose to say "I do" in a traditional Catholic ceremony at Notre Dame Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts and within minutes of arriving to the venue, I thought to myself "Is this my new favorite church?"
I don't ask a lot from church ceremonies but, man, when I walk into one and the priest is a laidback and fun person, I'm given carte blanche to do whatever I want with my lights AND the space is gorgeous? It simply doesn't get better than that.
Of course, given how locked into this moment both the bride and groom were, I don't think it would have mattered one bit where they got married, as long as they were holding each other at the end of the day.
Sara and Michael's ceremony was everything I want from a church ceremony. It was lively and felt relevant to the couple's lives but also honored the time-honored traditions of their faith. I especially loved the little moments I'm not sure anyone else caught but me ... things like Sara and Michael holding hands after they sat down following their official first kiss or the little laugh Sara had walking down the aisle.
These tiny details are what make a wedding ceremony special and that's the only word I can think of to describe seeing these two tie the knot.
Following their ceremony, Sara and Michael headed outside for a big bubble exit (see the bottom of this blog) and some basic formals outside their church before we packed it up and made our drive over to Spencer Country Inn. I always love a good drive on a wedding day because it allows me a chance to evaluate how things are going, think about what I want to do when we resume our time together and maybe listen to some banging rap music.
What can I say? I'm a simple guy but this was a wedding day where having a nice break was super helpful as it let me arrive to the reception full of creative ideas and ready to have a fun time.
Luckily, Sara and Michael's wedding party was up to the challenge and didn't let me down ...
Sara and Michael had a pretty decent-sized list of family formal photos so I knew at the end of it that I didn't want to keep them outside too long, especially now that the sun was really starting to power through the clouds.
That's part of the reason we split their bride and groom portraits in half, doing a slew of them prior to the reception beginning and pledging to come back out later in the evening for some sunset shots. It was a great call because by the time we got through a few photos of them together, I could tell this bride and groom wanted to get inside and enjoy some of their party.
I can't say I blame them, either. Having shot a couple of weddings at Spencer Country Inn now, I knew how unique this venue feels and, perhaps more than most places I've worked, Spencer Country Inn feels at once like a getaway and an intimate family gathering spot as well as a grand place to have a wedding.
I especially loved Sara and Michael's first dance, set to “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perry but, as I've long established, I'm a sucker for any big moments in a room with a beautiful ceiling and tons of leading lines to play with as a photographer.
Following their first dance, Sara and Michael only had one big moment left before dinner: A speech by the best man.
I always appreciate when couples think of their guests' experience when planning their reception itinerary and the easy way Sara and Michael rolled into the dinner portion of their evening gave their friends and family members plenty of time to come over and congratulate them instead of sitting through moment after moment after moment.
Following dinner, I made good on my promise to take Sara and Michael back outside for the second half of their bride and groom formals and I'm glad I did as the sun had started to set and it was absolutely perfect out.
This was probably my favorite part of Sara and Michael's wedding day as we were finally able to capture some fun shots on the hill area of Spencer Country Inn, which I knew from Sara's sister's wedding two years ago looks like a spot you'd see down south instead of in New England.
Perhaps even more impressively, we were treated to a beautiful sunset with awesome colors in the sky for their final photos of the session.
With their couples' portraits taken care of, Sara and Michael made their way inside for the back half of their reception. We kicked the party portion of their evening off with a cake cutting before Sara and her father had a beautiful father-daughter dance in the middle of the dance floor.
After, the newlyweds welcomed all the couples in the room to the dance floor for a traditional anniversary dance, one of my favorite traditions in modern weddings.
I really wasn't sure what to expect from Sara and Michael's friends and family members when it came to dancing, especially given that their DJ was intent (or instructed) to keep the music PG-13 but, after warming up the crowd with a traditional bouquet toss, the lights came down and it was time to see how this group would rock out.
Turns out, all they needed to get the party started were some the youngest people in attendance as the kids at Sara and Michael's wedding lit the dance floor up and the momentum built from there.
If I had to pick my favorite part of Sara and Michael's dance floor, it would be toward the end of the night as the reality of the day really hit the bride and groom. The two spent the last few songs together and you could see they felt a wave of love and appreciation, not only for one another but for everyone in that room. It was a beautiful cap to a truly special night.
Before I headed home from Sara and Michael's wedding, I made sure to ask them if they wanted to come outside for a fun night shot and I'm glad I did as my assistant Amanda brought out the bubble guns and we made some really silly photos of the couple together.
But, honestly, we could have ended our coverage well before that as Sara and Michael's day went about as perfectly as I could have asked and then some. Whether it was their touching church ceremony or their crazy fun dance floor, this wedding had a little of everything and I know that's exactly what the bride and groom dreamed of.
So, congratulations Sara and Michael for a beautiful wedding I know you won't soon forget and thanks for including me in a small way in documenting this special day for you to appreciate for the rest of your lives.
-Paul J. Spetrini
