Blog— Weddings — Massachusetts — 2022 —
Massachusetts Wedding Photos
Amanda & Michael
Private Residence, Danvers, Massachusetts
June 18th, 2022
I can't help but perk up whenever a prospective bride and groom tell me they're having a backyard wedding and a tent reception. While I love all kinds of weddings and dig everything from barns to country club ballrooms, to me there simply isn't anything just like a backyard vibe for your big day.
Amanda and Michael showed why with their June wedding reception at Amanda's mother's home in Danvers, Massachusetts. Not only was the entire wedding day super chill and casual but the backyard setting meant these two could have the party of their dreams, on their terms, in exactly the way they always imagined.
And, boy, what a party it was.
If I had any doubts about carefree Amanda and Michael's wedding day would be, those doubts were gone the minute I showed up as the bride was already done with hair and makeup and just about ready to get the show on the road. Thankfully, she didn't have anywhere to go as she was quite literally getting married in the backyard of the house she was getting ready at.
This gave us plenty of time for a stress-free last bit of prep and detail photos before Michael came and the groom was just as relaxed, if not more so, than the girls.
I don't think I've had an easier prep session this year as we breezed right through the time of the day that's typically most stressful and I was lucky enough to grab some very casual shots of the last bit of Amanda and Michael's set up before we jump-started their ceremony right on time.
One of the cool things about backyard weddings, to me anyway, is seeing the way a family turns a wide open area typically meant for lounging around at a cookout or letting kids run and play into an actual event space. Amanda and Michael's ceremony showcased this amazingly as the bride's mother set up a MASSIVE tent for the reception and the families rented a variety of chairs and tables to go along with a lovely arbor.
Together, this made Amanda's mom's backyard look as nice, if not nicer, than any wedding venue you could compare it to. But the intimate nature of being a home they spent time in only enhanced the emotional appeal of it, shown best, of course, in Amanda and Michael's face as they saw each other for the first time.
Amanda and Michael's ceremony was incredibly intimate and personal yet short and sweet. These two clearly play their emotions close to the vest but it was hard not to imagine what they were truly feeling as they exchanged vows and said "I do."
Luckily, it was in the celebrating after the ceremony that you could see exactly how much this day meant to this bride and groom.
One of the things I loved most about Amanda and Michael's wedding day was how carefree it all felt. Nowhere did things feel more relaxed than in family and wedding party formals, one of the toughest parts of a wedding to get through.
The people standing by Amanda and Michael's side were all incredibly accommodating and we breezed through this part of the day and thank goodness because I couldn't wait to get the newlyweds alone for some couple portraits.
In my experience, the one drawback to having a one-stop-shop backyard wedding is a relative lack of options when it comes to where you're going to photograph bride and groom portraits and while we didn't have a ton of place we could go for Amanda and Michael's, we made the most of the location we did have by varying our poses and keeping the couple comfortable with each shot.
The end result is, in my opinion anyway, a strong session that showed we didn't need to leave the property to have some great photos I know they'll appreciate forever.
I loved the personal touch Amanda and Michael's wedding had and that was perhaps best shown through the low key decorations they had that all worked well to create a great atmosphere that made it clear we were in for a good night once their reception began.
And when their reception did begin, Amanda and Michael wasted no time making it clear this would be a night where lots of memories were created.
Right from their first dance – set to "Part Time Fool" by Brent Morgan – this night had a fun, upbeat vibe.
What I also loved about Amanda and Michael's reception was all the little moments they had lined up to celebrate the people in their lives. Like, for instance, Michael's dance with his grandmother, a special sibling dance after dinner and a lovely parent dance for Amanda.
All of these moments lasted just a few minutes each but I could tell each held significance to the bride and groom and won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Truth be told, though, I knew the minute I spoke to Amanda and Michael for the first time back in January that their wedding day would be defined by their reception's open dance floor and, boy, was it ever.
Amanda and Michael budgeted four hours for dancing on their big day and they used every minute of it.
I especially loved how "into" the night this bride and groom were. Neither Amanda or Michael ever looked tired of celebrating their big event with those closest to them and their dance floor never let us, even as the sun set and day became night.
By the time I packed up and left Amanda and Michael's wedding reception, I was two hours into covering their open dance floor and absolutely exhausted. But the bride and groom? They were still going strong.
I think that says everything you need to know about how awesome this wedding reception, and wedding day as a whole was and, to me, Amanda and Michael's wedding shows exactly how you don't have to go far to have the wedding of your dreams.
So, congratulations Amanda and Michael on an amazing wedding day. I wish you the best as you start this new chapter of your life together as husband and wife.
-Paul J. Spetrini
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The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Make-Up: Courney Cooney; Bride's Dress: David's Bridal, Danvers, Massachusetts; Groom's Suit: Giblee's Menswear & Tuxedos, Danvers, Massachusetts; Florist: Blush and Cream Collection, Ling's Moment; Ceremony & Reception Venue: Private Residence, Danvers, Massachusets; DJ: DJ Mic Stylz, Lawrence, Massachusetts; Cake: Spinelli's Pasta & Pastry Shop, Lynnfield, Massachusetts; Tent/Chairs/Tables/Lines Rentals: Events for Rent, Peabody, Massachusetts; Caterer: Oh Jolie Catering, Peabody, Massachusetts.