Tim & Laura
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence, Rhode Island (Ceremony), Blithewold Mansion, Bristol, Rhode Island (Reception)
May 29th, 2016*
One of my favorite parts about weddings is seeing the way two people from different backgrounds, upbringings and/or cultures come together in the name of love and create a beautiful life together that wouldn't have existed otherwise.
It's why I'm a sucker for a good love story. Finding out how couples met, what their dating period was like and how they got engaged is one of my most cherished aspects to getting to know brides and grooms but how that all comes together on the big day? THAT is where the magic happens.
I didn't know Tim and Laura prior to their wedding date but, speaking strictly as an outsider hired to help capture the moments they created, I can confidently say it was the most striking thing about their big celebration.
I absolutely adored seeing two blended families come together and the fun and vibrant personalities I got to encounter on this day ... and it didn't hurt that they picked an absolutely incredible place to get married and an even better location for their reception either.
My coverage of Tim and Laura's wedding began with a groom prep session at the Omni Hotel in Providence. I've been to this site a few times before and it never ceases to amaze me how nice it looks on the inside. It's impressive, to me, that you can have such a nice hotel located in the middle of a busy downtown area besieged by mall traffic and thousands of people muilling about their day.
After a brief check-in with the guys at the hotel, we made the short trip over to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, a sprawling and incredibly intimidating Catholic building that is just gorgeous inside and out.
One of my favorite aspects of second shooting a wedding is that, often, I don't get to meet the bride until the ceremony itself so I'm usually as excited as many of the guests to see her come down the aisle and, let me tell you, Laura looked stunning in her white dress and beautiful springtime bouquet.
I loved Tim and Laura's ceremony. As I've said numerous times before on this blog, there's something oddly cool and modern about traditional religious ceremonies and the Catholic religion goes all out for its brides and grooms.
There really is a special feeling you get in the presence of these 125-year-old (or older) buildings that adds to the importance of what should be a very serious and special day in the lives of two people committing themselves to each other forever.
It gives the whole day a bit of a gravitas, if you will. And this church certainly delivered in spades in that regard.
Following Tim and Laura's ceremony, we made our way over to one of the more unique venues Rhode Island has to offer: Blithewold Mansion in Bristol. I've only shot one wedding at this venue thus far but, even so, I really think you need a couple of months to REALLY take in all of the little nooks and cranies this venue has to offer.
Nevertheless, Tim and Laura certainly took their time exploring the grounds and when the photos look like this, who can blame them?
I could have taken photos of Tim and Laura for hours but, alas, I was also charged with grabbing shots of their cocktail hour and reception details.
Normally, this assignment bums me out but in Laura and Tim's case, they did such a great job with the little details that it was actually a ton of fun trying to make sure I got everything that was on display.
With my coverage winding down, the last big piece of the night I was going to be in attendance for was the first dance.
And, boy, am I glad I was there to see this.
Tim and Laura had, without question, one of the best first dances I've ever seen. The two clearly spent a lot of time putting together their routine (or they're the worlds most compatiable dancers.)
Either way, it was incredible to watch and even better to photograph as that one little dance set the perfect tone to the start of their reception and had all of their guests on their feet and interacting from start to finish.
In all, there are a lot of things I'll remember from Tim and Laura's wedding, not the least of which was the amazing first dance that capped the night off perfectly.
I loved all the little touches these guys put in crafting their perfect wedding day and seeing everything come together as an outsider made it clear just how special this day was for the new bride and groom.
If nothing else, it made me yearn for the day when I can bring my own bride and groom to the grounds at Blithewold Mansion. It's really such a sweet and special spot unlike anywhere else in Rhode Island and the site truly makes for some incredible photos. In the meantime, anytime I get nostalgic for this site, I'll check out Tim and Laura's photos and smile at what truly was an awesome, awesome evening.
-PJS
* These photos were taken as part of my work for George Street Photography and are presented here strictly for portfolio/display purposes.