Patti & Bob
The Walter J. Dempsey Memorial Bandstand (Ceremony) & The Olde Colonial Cafe, Norwood, Mass. (Reception)
August 18th, 2018
Call me old fashioned but I truly love a good love story and few have hit me in the feels the way Patti and Bob's did when I first sat down with them last year to talk about their August 2018 wedding.
Patti and Bob have been friends for over 20 years and met when they were coworkers who bonded over a car Patti owned. Through two decades, the two were incredibly close and their wedding day was as much a celebration of that friendship as it was the formal joining of husband and wife.
I love couples who have connections like this before they walk down the aisle and I find their wedding days are among the most fun I get to shoot as everyone around them is usually so excited to see them "make it official" and incredibly eager to celebrate this milestone moment for people they love and care for deeply.
And celebrate is exactly what Patti and Bob did, with one of the most relaxed weddings and receptions I've had the pleasure of being at in years.
This truly was a day 25 years in the making ...
My time with Patti and Bob began as many of my weddings have this season ... praying the rain would let up and not ruin the day. Unlike me, though, Patti wasn't the least bit stressed as she got her hair and makeup done with two of her closest friends by her side.
See, it turns out when you've waited 25 years for something as big as this day would be for her, the last thing you're worried about is a little rain coming in and making things a bit wet.
I really enjoyed spending time with Patti and her friends and, because Bob was in the same hotel she was (just a few floors down), I was actually lucky enough to spend time with BOTH the bride and groom before they said "I do."
It's rare that that happens but when it does, I know it's going to be a great day.
While Patti was relaxed and eager to her day started, Bob was visibly nervous and, I could tell, eager to get the formalities of the afternoon over with as quickly as possible.
By far my favorite moment in the lead-up to Patti and Bob's ceremony was the black and white photo taken above.
While that might not mean a lot to casual viewers of this blog, the photo of Patti holding an older mirror was a special request of the bride as we recreated the exact same shot from her mother's wedding decades ago.
I love little touches like that on a wedding day and Patti and Bob's was full of them.
OK. I may have misspoke. Thinking back on it, I don't know if there was a more heartwarming moment for me during Patti and Bob's wedding day than seeing Bob absolutely lose it as Patti walked down the aisle to become his wife.
Bob did his best to immediately turn from my camera but he couldn't hide his emotion or his smile as the ceremony went on.
And what a ceremony it was.
Surrounded by their friends and family on a beautiful bandstand smack dab in the middle of Norwood, Mass, Bob and Patti had a simple ceremony where the two couldn't stop looking at each other and melting the hearts of all in attendance. Seriously, this was super sweet to watch.
Following their ceremony, Patti and Bob made their way to family and wedding party formal photos. Thankfully, we didn't have to go far and in what perfectly sums up the attitude of this bride and groom on this day: Patti and Bob made sure to take photos with each and every one of their 65 or so guests in attendance.
This day was a celebration of Patti and Bob's love for one another and they did a great job making sure everyone knew how much they meant to this love story and how thankful they were to see them on hand for its culmination.
As for Patti and Bob themselves, I knew I was unlikely to have much time for bride and groom portraits as these two really didn't want to be the center of attention on this day but I'm happy with the time we got.
It doesn't hurt that the bandstand where they got married was beautiful, particularly as the sun began to peak out from behind the clouds right when we needed it most.
Even though Patti and Bob's formal photo session was brief, I like to think we did a great job capturing their personalities through their photos and showing how much affection they have for one another without overdoing it.
This is always a goal of mine when I have a couple like Patti and Bob, who want to spend as much time with their friends and family members during cocktail hour as possible.
And when we finally got to their reception location across the street -- the beautiful Olde Colonial Cafe -- I could see how much THIS part of the night meant to this bride and groom just by watching them laughing and smiling with those in attendance.
Patti and Bob's reception was unlike any I've shot this year. Not only did they forgo a lot of the traditions of your standard wedding reception -- like, for instance, not having a DJ and playing music on speakers from a curated playlist Patti created herself -- they made sure everyone in attendance knew it was going to feel more like a nice night out than a stuffy wedding reception.
Still, you couldn't help but notice the way Bob's best man and Patti's matron of honor spoke lovingly about them in a pair of beautiful toasts. Or the way Patti and Bob looked at each other as they cut the cake.
And their first dance to "Cheek to Cheek" by Fred Astaire? That was special.
With the formalities of the night over, Patti and Bob took to the dance floor to really celebrate with those closest to them.
And though it took a little while for the room to warm up, once the crowd got into the music and the party started, I could tell this would be a fun night full of great memories for the bride and groom to think back on for years to come.
All told, Patti and Bob's wedding was such a great reminder of how important it is to know yourself and know what's important when you're planning on saying "I do."
Patti and Bob told me right from our first meeting what their vision for their wedding day was and, as I walked out of the Olde Colonial Cafe on that beautiful summer night, I couldn't help but smiling thinking about how true they stuck to that vision and how much fun it really was.
So, congratulations Patti and Bob. I know how much this night meant to you and have no doubt it was worth every bit of that 25-year wait to see it happen.
Best of luck on your new marriage, though, with the way you too look at each other, I think you've already got everything you need in this life and much more.
-PJS
Tags: Outdoor Weddings, Massachusetts Weddings, Walter J. Dempsey Memorial Bandstand,
The Olde Colonial Cafe, Norwood, Paul J. Spetrini Photography
The Vendor List
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Ceremony: The Walter J. Dempsey Memorial Bandstand in Norwood, Massachusetts; Reception: The Olde Colonial Cafe in Norwood, Massachusetts; Hair & Makeup: Jody Porzio; Cake: Dessert Works; Flowers: Roland Jarvis; The Olde Colonial Cafe Coordinator: Paul Eckhardt;
Decorator: Kathleena Madera; Officiant: Charlie Hodges; Hotel: The Holiday Inn, Dedham, Massachusetts; Gown: Verina by Maggie Sottero, purchased at Party Dress Express.
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Beth & Bryan
Locations: Fort Phoenix, Fairhaven, Mass.,
McGovern's on the Water, Fall River, Mass.
Date: August 12th, 2018
Karolyn & Ethan
Location: Private Residence,
Sterling, Connecticut
Date: August 11th, 2018
Danielle & Mark
Location: Roger Williams Park Casino, Providence, Rhode Island.
Date: August 5th, 2018
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