Blog— 2023 —
Goddard Park Engagement Photos
Jessica & Paul
Goddard Park, East Greenwich, Rhode Island
March 24th, 2023
No matter how long you photographing weddings and engagement sessions, there's always going to be a need to keep your skills sharp by shooting as many things as you can as often as you can.
That's why as much as I like my winter break period where I can sit at home and take a much-needed rest from the wildness that is often the end of any calendar year, I'm always a bit nervous before my first shoot of the year.
Luckily, for 2023, that wasn't an issue at all as my first assignment of the year — after a little more than three-month break — was Jessica and Paul's engagement session at Goddard Park.
Jessica and Paul are a sweet couple and though I met them for the first time in the parking lot of their session, it didn't take long to feel at ease with one another and capture some really sweet and beautiful photos of their relationship together ahead of their 2024 wedding.
And, for me, it was the absolute best way I could have kicked off what I'm sure will be an equally sweet and beautiful season from start to finish.
My time with Jessica and Paul started a bit different than most of my Goddard Park sessions as the East Greenwich-based state park was still in the midst of its winter hibernation and we had to get a little creative with planning locations because the trees and flowers weren't in bloom yet.
Luckily for me, I've been to this park more times than I could dare guess so starting Jessica and Paul off near the shade-covered Carousel building was a great way to figure out their posing style and help them get comfortable in front of the lens.
It didn't take long until they felt like seasoned pros.
What I loved the most about Jessica and Paul was their willingness to try any pose I suggested. While there certainly were a few that didn't feel "like them," as soon as we found a handful that did feel true to their relationship, it felt super easy and natural.
And considering I'd spent the previous three months watching HBO Max and decompressing on my couch, I was thankful everything came so naturally for these two.
I especially loved their choice of outfits on this warm but still a bit chilly late winter afternoon. It especially proved a great choice when we did some closeups on Jessica's engagement ring toward the end of our first location.
With their first outfit and first location in the books, Jessica, Paul and I headed to a new spot ... literally feet away.
Now, normally I like to take my couples on a deep dive of a park when we're doing an engagement session but on this day, it felt only natural to spend most of our time near the beach area of Goddard Park. After all, what engagement session in that park is complete without photos on the long bridge near the beach parking lot?
These were, easily, my favorite photos of the day and it's easy to see why. Jessica and Paul's fun nature and silliness really shined through on this bridge and, if you look closely, it ALMOST appears as if there's some nice foliage in the background. Win, win if you ask me.
Before I started my engagement session with Jessica and Paul, I asked them if there were any areas in particular they wanted to shoot at inside Goddard Park and their one request was the beach itself so, of course, I just had to comply.
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of this beach area as it tends to be insanely windy and sunny most times I visit it but, honestly, it was perfect for this late March shoot and yielded some really beautiful shots of this future bride and groom that I just know will be perfect for potential save the dates down the line.
I could have worked with Jessica and Paul for hours (and kind of did) but as we headed over to our fourth location on the other side of Goddard Park, I could tell the couple was just about ready to tap out. Luckily, the pair granted me one last request for a couple photos on the dock and I'm so glad they did because these were really sweet as well.
And, of course, we simply HAD to incorporate the jerseys of one of Paul's favorite teams. It was the future groom's one request and I'm happy we did because it did lead to some cute and colorful photos.
All in all, I can't say enough great things about Jessica and Paul or their engagement session. I was a bit worried heading into it because not only was I coming off a pretty long layoff but it was still the end of winter but these two made jumping back into wedding season a breeze and got me really excited for the possibilities of 2023.
So thank you Jessica and Paul for a wonderful time together and I wish you the best as you dig deep into wedding planning for a 2024 day I have no doubt you'll remember forever.
-Paul J. Spetrini
