Robin & Rick
Twelve Acres, Smithfield, Rhode Island
August 4th, 2018
There are a lot of reasons why I love photographing weddings for older couples marrying later in life.
Often, these brides and grooms have had so many life experiences that the stress of a wedding day is nonexistent. That makes for a super relaxed day where everyone can just focus on having fun.
More importantly, though, I love when two people who have already lived their own individual lives decide they love each other enough to blend those lives together and create something new.
And that was the theme for Robin and Rick's August wedding at Twelve Acres in Smithfield as this bride and groom celebrated combining their individual families into one large family and it made for a wholesome, emotional and beautiful wedding day that I know this bride and groom will never forget.
As I began my day with Robin and Rick, I knew right from the start how relaxed this afternoon would be as Robin was already fully dressed and ready to go when I arrived to bridal prep.
I always love when this is the case for a bride as I can watch them really savor the moments before they say "I do" and for Robin that meant spending time with her two bridesmaids and taking low key, laid back family portraits with her two children and soon-to-be step-daughter before heading to the venue.
I wish I could say Robin remained stress-free the entire day but that would be a lie as, like many brides, she got a tiny bit nervous right before her ceremony.
Thankfully, Robin's serious facial expressions didn't last long during her ceremony as her groom's beaming smile clearly helped her relax as they exchanged vows.
My favorite part of Robin and Rick's ceremony was the way in which the two incorporated their children into the festivities with a special circular puzzle that the five of them put together moments before Robin and Rick officially became husband and wife. It was a sweet little detail that really stressed what mattered to them most.
While I was a little bit bummed out that on- and off-again rain forced Robin and Rick to hold their ceremony indoors at Twelve Acres, I really can't complain about the weather too much as their formal portraits were timed perfectly in amazing light and a great location.
And what a fun time we had. Robin and Rick's friends and family members were all super sweet people who were a lot of fun to work with during a great formal portrait session.
My favorite part of the day, by far, though was getting to work with the bride and groom alone as Robin and Rick had an incredibly genuine affection for each other which came across in all of their couple portraits.
And they even had great suggestions for spots to stop at the venue. In fact, two of my favorite photos of the entire day (including the one that led this blog off) were only possible because of their suggestions.
That's when you know you're having a great time with a bride and groom and these two nailed it.
Following their bride and groom formals, it was time for us to head back inside and, I'll admit, I didn't really know what to expect from Robin and Rick's reception as it was such a mixed crowd and was either going to be a quiet, uneventful evening or a total party.
But, first, check out some of their beautiful decorations for the event. You can tell this bride and groom spent a lot of time trying to make every little detail perfect and I think they did a wonderful job.
Robin and Rick's reception was full of a lot of special details that made their day so personal and, it's only fitting, that was the theme of the night as far as the big moments went, too.
Robin and Rick chose "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts as their first dance song and I think it was a beautiful little touch that summed up the nice perfectly.
Following their first dance, Robin and Rick made sure to include all of the special people in their lives into their reception in some way. This meant a traditional mother-son dance for Rick and his mom, a special blessing from the best man aka Rick's dad and toasts by all three of their children.
The toasts themselves may have just been the highlight of the night as Robin and Rick's children each delivered emotional speeches about what their parents and new step-parent meant to them and how happy they were to have a new, larger family.
I'll tell you ... there weren't many dry eyes after those speeches.
Following the toasts and dinner, Robin and Rick were far from done as far as special moments of their reception were concerned. First off, Rick made clear when I met him how important his group of motorcycle friends were and we made sure to grab a giant photo of everyone in their jackets.
After that, it was time for the traditional cake cutting, which Robin and Rick nailed, and the bride and groom would deviate just a tad from a traditional wedding and reserved the first three songs of their open dance floor period for individual dances with each of their children.
I can't think of a better way for Robin and Rick to honor their children than the way they did but, following a dance between Rick and his new step-daughter, I could tell this crowd was anxiously awaiting the party start and, once it did, it never let up.
Talk about a fun group of people.
Robin and Rick's reception may have had a mixed crowd of young adults and older folks but it didn't matter on this night as everyone hit the dance floor or bar and celebrated the new bride and groom.
I could tell this meant a lot to Robin and Rick and it was an incredible way to cap off one of the best days of their lives.
As I called it a night with Robin and Rick, I knew leaving Twelve Acres just how special what I watched was for this bride and groom.
Robin and Rick may have found each other later in life but it was well worth the wait as the two compliment each other perfectly and bring out the best in their significant other.
I could tell just by the way their children talked about them how special this relationship is and I'm glad I was there to watch such a monumental part of it take place.
So, congratulations Robin and Rick. May your marriage be as fun as your wedding day was because, if it is, I know you're both in for some amazing times you won't soon forget.
-PJS
Tags: Twelve Acres, Outdoor Weddings, Rhode Island Weddings, Smithfield, Paul J. Spetrini Photography
The Vendor List
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's dress: Shelby Cabral; Florist: Rose Bud Florist, Pawtucket, Rhode Island; Bride's Dress: Alterations by Phyllis, East Providence, Rhode Island; Ceremony & Reception location: Twelve Acres, Smithfield, Rhode Island; Officiant: Mike Eagan of Heavenly Weddings, Coventry, Rhode Island; DJ & Photo Booth: SoundStream Entertainment, Woonsocket, Rhode Island; Cake: Dyane's Sweet Tooth, Cumberland, Rhode Island; Dessert Table: Bake My Day, Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Brian & Sarah
College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) &
Pleasant Valley Country Club (Sutton, MA)
Date: June 30th, 2018
Laura & Marijke
Location: Independence Harbor,
Assonet, Massachusetts.
Date: June 28th, 2018
Amber & Justin
Location: North Beach Clubhouse,
Narragansett, Rhode Island.
Date: June 24th, 2018
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