Jared & Tara
Wright's Farm, Harrisville, Rhode Island (Ceremony & Reception)
October 17th, 2025
Whenever I'm shooting a wedding, I'm always looking for the moment no one else sees. I want to capture that one split second of time that defines a wedding day and that, without a photo, can be lost to history.
On the day Jared and Tara said "I do" at Wright's Farm in Harrisville, Rhode Island, there were a lot of crazy moments that captured everyone's attention but, to me, the best one was quiet, off in the corner, and something only a photographer would see.
Having changed out of her wedding dress and into cozy pajamas, Tara sat on a set of stairs with her shoes off and a glass of water in her hand and just watched the party still raging on the dance floor. In that moment, I could tell she was taking a mental snapshot of her wedding day and doing everything she could to remember this night for the rest of her life.
And in that moment, there was calm. There was a quiet contentment. And there was joy. Because her wedding was everything she could have wanted and so very, very much more.
I'll be honest. When I walked into Jared and Tara's wedding day, I truly had no idea what to expect. The two warned me that their family and friends can be a bit rowdy which, as an Italian American, that's something I'm incredibly used to. But the groom also requested a black and white theme for everyone in attendance so, to a certain extent, I wondered if we were in for a formal day.
Turns out, it was a little of column A, a little of column B.
I arrived to Jared and Tara's wedding knowing the start of my coverage would align with the start of their ceremony and as tough as it is to jump right into the action, that was probably the right move by the couple as I knew their priorities were getting as many dance floor photos as possible at the end of the night.
Thankfully, I didn't need much warming up when I saw Jared's face as Tara walked down the aisle. We were right into the thick of things and I knew this would be a great day from the get go.
Jared and Tara's wedding was righttttt on that line where fall and winter intersect and I knew that meant we were likely in for some beautiful light. What I didn't know is it would be right in my eyes as they said "I do."
Luckily, I've learned to work around that and having Tara and Jared both back lit for a ceremony that was vibrant and full of life was so much fun to document. I especially loved how excited these two were during all their big ceremony moments but it was the immediate aftermath of their proclamation as husband and wife where the true feelings came out, with laughs and hugs all around telling me everything I needed to know about what this moment meant to both of them.
Following their ceremony, Tara and Jared gathered their friends and family members for one of the more chaotic and crazy formal photo sessions I've shot. With the temperatures quickly dropping, most folks wanted to get inside faster than I could photograph them but, thankfully, we got through it largely unscathed and I was able to take the newlyweds away from the large group for their bride and groom portraits.
And what a set of portraits it was.
Tara and Jared had some of the best natural lighting I saw in 2025 and I wanted to work with these two until the last bit of it faded away. Plus, they had a really fun chemistry together and an ease and comfort in posing with one another.
As Tara and Jared headed inside to get ready for the start of their reception, I took a moment to capture the last little bit of details and decor for their special day.
I always love shooting weddings at Wright's Farm because it is such an unconventional venue. In truth, it's a restaurant and feels like a restaurant so the inside feels very home-like and family oriented, which was perfect for this day.
Jared and Tara's black and white theme made their decor really pop in this otherwise warm and retro room and I was especially a fan of their wedding cake, which was just flat out gorgeous.
From the moment Jared and Tara walked into their wedding reception, the vibe shifted and I knew we were in for a wild night. The two opened the formality portion of their evening with a first dance set to "Ordinary” by Alex Warren but this first dance was anything but.
I especially loved the way Jared and Tara remained silly throughout it and watching the groom sweep the bride in the air and spin her around was the perfect way to cap this moment for these two newlyweds.
One of the reasons I love Wright's Farm as a venue is the fun design of the ceiling overhead and, for whatever reason, I just adore how it makes big dance moments at a wedding reception pop even more.
Tara and Jared's dances with their father and mother, respectively, showcased this perfectly.
While Tara's dance with her dad felt more grand and traditional, inspiring me to show more of the room and overall feel for where it was taking place, Jared's dance with his mom felt super personal and intimate and I couldn't help but focus more on each of them individually.
I loved both of these dances and I know they are moments this bride and groom will cherish for a lifetime.
For a moment, I thought Jared and Tara's parent dances would be the most personal touches in their wedding reception but it was actually moments later when their two children came up to the mic and gave the toasts for the evening.
Talk about a beautiful moment and a real proud parent situation. I loved these speeches and so, too, did the bride and groom.
Following dinner, it was time to get this party started and that's exactly what Tara and Jared did. After cutting their beautiful wedding cake, the lights in the room shifted, the dance music kicked off and everyone at every table knew what that meant.
It was time to hit the floor running.
And they did. Oh, they did.
Tara and Jared had one of, if not my number one, favorite dance floor of 2025 and the reason is real simple: You could feel the love in this room.
No matter their age, whether they were young, old or in between, everyone on that dance floor came to this wedding to have a good time and it showed each and every time I picked up my camera.
I will admit, this dance floor really caught me off guard though. Sure, there were times where it was sweet and sentimental, like when the newlyweds danced alone in a corner for a moment but then there was a small child requesting Ozzy Osbourne and Slayer.
And rocking out when they came on.
You just never knew what direction this party was going to take so when the groom was suddenly completely shirtless, I didn't even bat an eye. That just felt right. It felt pure. It felt like a memory in the making.
I left Tara and Jared's wedding reception knowing it was one I would spend the rest of the fall thinking about and I was right. I had a lot of fun and crazy weddings in 2025 but few had me laughing and enjoying myself the way this one did.
It was truly a night to remember, not just for me but also for the bride, the groom and everyone in attendance.
So thank you Tara and Jared for an incredible and unpredictably amazing night. I wish you all the best on this next chapter of your lives together and hope things only get wilder from here. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
