Catherine & Steven
Private Residence (Ceremony) & Stepping Stone Ranch (Reception)
October 4th, 2025
I'm a New England wedding photographer and, as such, I am legally obligated to say that my favorite month to shoot weddings is October. It just is and anyone who has spent any time in New England knows why. The temperatures are (usually) great, the foliage is gorgeous and the vibes are immaculate. There's a reason this is the busiest month for most of us and I can't think of a better couple to have kicked off my October slate than Catherine and Steven, who were married at a private residence in Foster, Rhode Island and had their reception at Stepping Stone Ranch in West Greenwich.
Catherine and Steven had everything I love from a fall wedding in New England. They had a bright, beautifully sunny day. They had a wedding that felt both small scale and grand. And, most importantly, they didn't stress about a single thing.
Catherine and Steven's wedding was a picturesque New England fall wedding with a hint of country thrown in and great reminder why this time of year remains undefeated in the best area in this country to get married in.
My time with Catherine and Steven began with just about a most chill vibed bride and groom prep sessions I had this year. For one thing, I arrived to the prep/ceremony site before just about anyone and, once Catherine and Steven did arrive, they did so together and were both just wearing comfy clothes and finishing the final details.
I especially loved that Catherine had her sister finishing up her hair/makeup/details while she wrote out her vows as it set the tone for how we were going to approach this day.
The extended time we had before their first look and ceremony were especially helpful in grabbing prep details, including shots of Catherine's stunning and unique green dress.
Steven was just as chill as the bride and I asked him to let me know when he'd be getting ready so I could shoot a few groom prep shots of him.
He chose to do so in a living room and took just a few minutes, like most guys, which I loved because I wanted as much time to photograph Catherine and her sister finishing up her dress zip and final preparations as I could have.
Catherine and Steven chose to have a first look before their wedding ceremony so that we would have time for some bride/groom formals before guests arrived and I loved that for them. This first look was one of the easiest I shot this year as the bride's one and only request was that we did it near the grape arbor on the property.
Once we knocked out their first look, I decided to take Catherine and Steven into the woods for some formal photos and hoped the dappled light wouldn't be too difficult to overcome. Thankfully, not only did it not distract from the photos ... it helped them. Catherine and Steven's bride and groom portraits were some of the most vibrant and fun I shot this year and if my coverage of their wedding day had ended right there, I would've been content.
The fact that we still had a WHOLE wedding to shoot was just the cherry on top.
I like to say I'm a wedding photographer who enjoys a challenge but, man, I might need to rethink that because Catherine and Steven's wedding ceremony was one of the most difficult ones I have shot in a LONG time. Even though the pair were getting married in October, that didn't stop Mother Nature from giving us one of the brightest days we had in all of 2025.
Add in the fact that Catherine and Steven chose to have a white aisle runner down the center of their ceremony site, which perfectly reflected the sunlight back into their faces, and it was BLINDING.
Still, I don't think they minded and I don't think it would have mattered how hot it was or hot bright the sun was as this ceremony was short, sweet and beautifully person. I especially loved the vows these two made for each other as they were deliciously romantic and sarcastic, a blend of the best of both worlds and a great reflection of their relationship together.
Following their wedding ceremony, Catherine and Steven made their way to a champagne toast and family/wedding party formal photos. Thankfully, we spent quite a bit of time in the shade and were able to cool down a bit with a nice half-hour drive to their reception venue at Stepping Stone Ranch.
I've shot a couple of weddings at Stepping Stone Ranch but hadn't been there in years. I was glad to see the rustic vibes of the room haven't changed and found myself with just enough time to capture Catherine and Steven's decor and detail photos before we kicked off the second half of this eventful afternoon.
I've long loved the trend of rustic wedding venues. I don't know what it is about these places, whether it's the wood paneling, the twinkle lights or the decor but there's just something special about a venue like Stepping Stone Ranch for the big moments of a wedding reception and Catherine and Steven's wedding was no different.
The pair kicked of their reception formalities with a first dance set to "Nocturne" by Secret Garden and even though it was just a little over a minute long, it was well choreographed and beautifully enhanced by the rustic feel of this venue.
Even though the warm temperatures made Catherine and Steven's reception feel like it was taking place in the summer, not the fall, there was a slow and deliberate pace to their reception formalities. The pair had four great toasts which spoke of their love and relationship and one of the most beautiful moments I saw at a wedding in 2025 as the groom's sister performed a slowed down version of "Accidentally in Love" by the Counting Crows which led to an impromptu second dance for the newlyweds right at their sweetheart table.
Following dinner, Catherine and Steven kicked off the second half of their reception with a cake cutting and two super sweet parent dances, moments that were all special in their own ways.
With the planned portion of Catherine and Steven's wedding in the books, it was time to hit the dance floor and I'll be honest ... with this wedding taking place in the middle of the afternoon, I wasn't sure what kind of dancing crowd we'd have, if we've have one.
Luckily, Catherine and Steven's guests came for a good time and the afternoon was a blast.
We even managed to get an unplanned conga line right after the bride tossed her bouquet and lord knows I love a good conga line.
Catherine and Steven spent a large portion of their reception hanging out with friends and family members but they never lost sight of one another and I was so glad to see them spend the final chunk of their reception on the dance floor in one another's arms.
As my time with Catherine and Steven came to and end, it was odd for me to be driving home with the sun still out but, honestly, I can't say this wedding felt anything but absolutely full in terms of love, events and all the little things that make wedding days so freaking special.
I have a wonderful time photographing Catherine and Steven's special day and thought it couldn't have gone any better if they tried. Plus, we did manage to find some time to pet a horse during the reception and who can really ask for more?
So, thank you Catherine and Steven for a beautiful way to kick off my October wedding season and I wish you all the happiness in the world in this new and exciting chapter together as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
