Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2021 —
Warwick Country Club Wedding Photos
Brittany & Fredrick
Warwick Country Club, Warwick, Rhode Island
September 12th, 2021
A lot has been said about the way the coronavirus pandemic upended wedding plans for countless couples throughout New England (and beyond) but one of the nice things I've noticed this wedding season is that, even though some couples chose to hold their official wedding ceremonies in 2020 and their big parties in 2021, that hasn't made any of these weddings feel any less special.
In fact, in many ways, I think it's made it MORE special.
Take Brittany and Fredrick, for example. Brittany and Fredrick became husband and wife in a small elopement in 2020 but on a beautiful early fall afternoon at Warwick Country Club this September, the pair got all dressed up and did it again in front of all of their friends and family.
The result? A beautiful "re-wedding" day with no stress where this bride and groom could be themselves and celebrate their love story. And a fun story it turned out to be.
I knew right away with Brittany and Fredrick that this would be a fairly relaxed day when I arrived to photograph bride and groom prep only to find out the girls were running a bit behind schedule. Because Brittany and Fredrick already tied the knot, there was no sense of pressure to stick to a designated, rigid timeline and that approach gave me an unexpected amount of time to work with the groom and capture his groom prep ... not to mention the couples' super cute dog.
By the time Brittany arrived, she was calm, cool and ready to go. Brittany quickly hopped in her dress and we were headed out to the ceremony site moments later.
Without question, Brittany and Fredrick's ceremony was my favorite part about their wedding day and not just because of the view. But, trust me, the view was outstanding.
The pair "recommitted" to each other — which is an elaborate way of saying 'We know we got married already but now you guys get to watch us pledge our love to one another' — at Warwick Country Club and I don't think they could have picked a better day or time to do it.
Seriously, you can't beat that view. Not on this day.
You know what else you can't beat? The little moments where a bride or groom are so clearly invested in what they are saying or hearing that they don't see anyone in the world around them. Brittany and Fredrick had a ton of those little moments and I absolutely ADORED that they had their best pup standing (and sometimes sitting) by their side as they did.
With the wedding ceremony officially in the books, it was time for Brittany and Fredrick to take formal photos with their friends and family members and what better way to start than with a giant photo of everyone in attendance?
I always love photos like this and not just because I get to make 100 people do exactly what I want to grab the photo. I love shots like this because they truly are a time capsule to commemorate exactly who was there the day you said "I do" and that's a moment you can't recreate.
After the large group shot, Brittany and Fredrick quickly ran through family formals and wedding party formals but we still had to call it a day a bit earlier than I planned to try to stick to the timeline we put together previously. Not that I minded as we'd always planned for more bride and groom formal photos when the sun came down later.
Because, when you're at Warwick Country Club for your wedding, THAT is the peak time to take your photos.
I kept Brittany and Fredrick's first round of formal photos pretty basic and simple, on the off chance we got some unexpected rain or the couple changed their mind on golden hour portraits, but part of the reason we called it a session when we did was because I knew this bride and groom would want to spend as much of their reception with their friends and family as possible.
And I can't blame them. Their reception was a ton of fun. And their details? Absolutely perfect.
Right from the way they were introduced into the ballroom at Warwick Country Club, it was clear Brittany and Fredrick were ready to party and their first dance — set to "Just a Kiss" by Lady A — set the tone for the night beautifully.
One of the things I loved most about Brittany and Fredrick's wedding reception was how easy they made the night by rolling right from their first dance into parent dances, toasts and dinner. It helped move the program along and took away a lot of the stress of the so-called "big" moments of the event.
This proved invaluable once the bride and groom finished their dinner as we weren't rushed by needing to do any other big formalities. So, of course, when sunset came, we were able to take as long as we needed to resume bride and groom formal photos.
And they were some of the best photos taken all day.
Brittany and Fredrick had one request for their golden hour formals ... they wanted Fredrick's car in some photos. So, of course, I had to oblige. Talk about a fun way to cap bride and groom portraits as we headed into the back half of their reception program.
I am convinced the biggest reason Brittany and Fredrick decided to move forward with their 2021 wedding day at Warwick Country Club when they were already legally married was so they could have the big wedding reception they always pictured and I say this because neither this bride nor groom wasted any time getting right on the dance floor the minute the DJ hit the lights.
And this wasn't a 'let's go on the dance floor for one song so we appear in photos' couple either. Brittany and Fredrick made the most of their dance floor all night long. So, too, did their guests.
I wasn't at the open dance floor portion of Brittany and Fredrick's wedding reception for very long but I didn't need to be. This was a party that hit the ground running and showed exactly why couples who were on the fence about whether or not to move forward with their big "official" wedding days should do just that.
There's just something special about a large wedding and wedding reception in the year 2021. They are bigger parties. They are more fun. They are almost always worth the wait.
And I can think of no couple that deserved to see that play out in real life — on a dance floor in the middle of Warwick on a beautiful early fall evening — than Brittany and Fredrick.
So, Brittany and Fredrick, thanks for including me on this amazing journey with you guys and best as luck as you start ... or is it restart? ... your life together as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
Matthew & Christine
St. Peter's Church &
Quidnessett Country Club
August 29th, 2021
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Nicole Coletta Hair Design; Bride's Make-up: Karissa Valentine; Bride's Dress: Spark Bridal Outlet; Florist: The Flower Girls; Groom's Suit: Our Place Tuxedos & Uniforms; Ceremony & Reception: Warwick Country Club, Warwick, Rhode Island; DJ: DJ Benny Bladez; Cake: Erms Cupcakes.