Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2021 —
Warwick Country Club Wedding Photos
Brittany & Giovanni
St. Rocco's Church (Ceremony) & Warwick Country Club (Reception)
August 27th, 2021
Around two years ago, I photographed an engagement session for Brittany and Giovanni and one of the first things I talked about in relation to that shoot was how great it was to work this bride and groom because they were so flexible and patient the entire time we were together.
What I didn't know was how prophetic that commentary would prove to be as not only were Brittany and Gio were on those unlucky couples that had to push their wedding day back a year but, on the actual day itself, a passing rainstorm nearly derailed our plans for bride and groom portraits.
But then it happened. The rain cleared and a big, beautiful rainbow appeared over Warwick Country Club. And if that doesn't sum up how absolutely breathtaking, colorful and awesome Brittany and Gio's wedding was, nothing will.
Brittany and Giovanni were married on one of the hottest days of the summer season and, I'll be honest, it was one of the best celebrations I've seen in years. To say this was a rowdy reception worthy of this bubbly bride and groom is an understatement. Their friends and family made sure that, after a year-long delay, this party was worth the wait and then some. And I'm so glad I got to document the entire thing.
Brittany and Giovanni's wedding day coverage began at the Homewood Suites by Hilton hotel in downtown Providence and I'm so glad it did as both the bride AND groom were getting ready at this location, meaning I could jump from Gio's prep before he headed to the ceremony site and still have plenty of time to get to the bride.
I knew RIGHT AWAY what kind of day we were in for when I walked in and was immediately laughing at Gio's super fun and funny groomsmen and their offbeat senses of humor.
As for the groom? Gio himself was in great spirits ... even if he was dreading putting on his suit because it was over 90 degrees outside.
I had about 20 minutes with Giovanni and the groomsmen before their transportation to the ceremony arrived and it was time for me to switch to the girls but I was pumped with everything we captured, including their celebratory shots on the way out.
And when I made my way to Brittany and her girls, the vibe was nearly identical. This was clearly going to be a low-pressure day, as evidenced by the smile on the bride's face as she finished her hair and make-up.
I loved documenting Brittany's prep before she and I exited her hotel, particularly because of how happy she looked and how I don't think she glanced at a clock once the entire time we were wrapping things up.
If Brittany was stressed about her upcoming ceremony, she did a great job hiding it. More importantly, we were ready just about on time and I could tell by the look on Giovanni's face as he saw his bride for the first time that these two had waited a lifetime for this day to come and it was worth every minute.
Brittany and Giovanni's ceremony took place at St. Rocco's Rectory in Johnston, Rhode Island and the church felt super old school and traditional and I loved that so much for these two. Their wedding was every bit the classic Catholic ceremony and I could tell they never even considered anything less.
What's more, the church lended itself nicely to some of those time-honored classic formal portraits on the grounds outside when mass let out and I'm always a big fan of that traditional post-Catholic wedding ceremony portrait that these two pulled off so nicely ... even if the sun was brutal as we got ready to head out.
Speaking of the sun, in the early part of Brittany and Giovanni's wedding day, it was by far our biggest challenge. Whether it was family formals, wedding party formals or bride and groom portraits, everyone in Brittany and Giovanni's circle that was called out for the formal portrait session of the day at their reception venue Warwick Country Club struggled against the big, bright yellow star in the sky.
Still, I commend the group because very few of them complained and we were able to capture some really nice photos. I knew, though, that I only had so long to work with the bride and groom because they were STRUGGLING to stay happy and energetic as the sun beat down on us.
And that's where that idea of flexibility came in because I struck a deal with Brittany and Giovanni: Grin and bear a few minutes with me out here just in case and we'll come back when the sun goes down a bit more. It was a deal that almost backfired on me but I'm glad we made it.
One of the nice things about cutting bride and groom portraits a bit early was I had time to grab detail shots of Brittany and Gio's setup at Warwick Country Club and, man, was there a lot of thought put into every bit of this wedding.
The pair did a wonderful job utilizing pink as an accent color and everything just popped so well. I couldn't wait to see how their reception venue would be lit later, particularly once we started the open dance floor portion of their evening.
Speaking of dancing, Brittany and Giovanni wasted no time kicking off their reception in style as the two shared their first dance to "You" by Dan and Shay. I adored this dance for Brittany and Gio, particularly because the bride made it really tough to shoot her because she was so wrapped up in the moment and leaning into her new husband's arms. I thought that was adorable and said so much about how she felt.
One of the things I found most interesting about Brittany and Giovanni's wedding was the two weren't big on the traditional big moments of the night. They had two straightforward toasts and went right into dinner but it was clear their biggest priority was making sure to say hello to as many people as they could. I had to keep an eye on when their food was ready because I'm convinced they would have spent the entire night mingling with everyone instead of eating.
Not that I can blame them. Their friends and family were a ton of fun.
My one concern during Brittany and Giovanni's wedding was we might miss out window for bride and groom portraits after dinner because it started POURING and didn't look like it was going to let up.
But, just about the time I wanted to start mentally panicking, the skies let up and we were treated to an absolutely beautiful rainbow. And that rainbow was a metaphor for the rest of Brittany and Giovanni's portrait session and this post-dinner, sort of sunset session was my favorite part of the event by far and so worth the rainstorms.
Following their second round of portraits, Brittany and Gio headed inside for a quick cake cutting and an even quicker bouquet toss. I stress the speed of these two events because it was very clear to me, very quickly, that these two wanted to party and once the dance floor opened up, they wasted no time making sure it was rocking all night long.
And when I say rocking, I mean ROCKING.
When I put together the highlights folder for Brittany and Giovanni's wedding, over a third of my favorite shots came from this 2.5 hour portion of their wedding and it's hard to blame me. There was no shortage of great candid photo moments on Brittany and Gio's dance floor and you don't need to ask why when you see just how much fun they were having from the first to final song of the night.
What I loved about Brittany and Giovanni's wedding reception was the two took MANY opportunities to reconnect on the dance floor. Sure, they each had friends they wanted to spend time with throughout the night but they were never far from each other's arms and that really says something about how much they were enjoying this night they waited so long for.
As Brittany, Giovanni and I headed outside of Warwick Country Club for their big sparkler sendoff, I was so thrilled for the two of them because I knew their wedding day was everything they wanted and so much more.
And those sparklers were, in many ways, a perfect cap to a perfect day. Because even after an absolutely grueling, non-stop dance floor, none of their friends and family members wanted to leave. They all wanted one more moment to make one more memory.
I think that's the best kind of endorsement for a wedding like this. It was the kind of fun you just don't want to see end.
So thank you, Brittany and Giovanni for allowing me to capture such a special day and congratulations on this new and exciting journey you've embarked on as newlyweds. I know it took longer than expected, but I have no doubt you wouldn't trade the road that got you here for anything, as long as you travel it together.
-Paul J. Spetrini
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The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Brenna Sullivan from Salon Serenity; Bride's Make-up: Kelci Sousa; Bride's Dress: Alexandria’s Bridal; Groom's Suit: Canterbury Fine Men’s Clothing; Florist: Atwood Florist; Ceremony: St. Rocco's Church, Johnston, Rhode Island; Reception: Warwick Country Club, Warwick, Rhode Island; DJ: David Cushman; Cake: Le Favorite Bakery