Blog— Weddings — Rhode Island — 2023 —
Quonset 'O' Club Wedding Photos
Kimberly & Raymond
Quonset 'O' Club, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
May 13th, 2023
I've always said that part of what I love the most about wedding photography is finding couples with a similar vibe to me. In my obviously biased opinion, I think couples who don't take their wedding day too seriously are often the ones who have the most fun wedding days and I think Kimberly and Raymond, who said "I do" back in May at the Quonset 'O' Club, are the perfect example of that.
Whether it was a silly fake out on their first kiss, constant moments where they cracked each other up throughout their reception or silly faces and poses during their formal photos, Kim and Ray were a couple who took their wedding theme of 'Beautiful Crazy' to heart in a big way and it's why I left their wedding knowing it was one I won't soon forget.
But that was likely to happen regardless as these two are one of the sweetest and most fun couples I've worked with in a very long time. So of course their wedding was destined to be awesome. How could it not?
I knew within 30 seconds of walking into Kim's bridal area at the TownPlace Suites that we were in for one fun day and, boy, was I right. Not only was the bride in great spirits but before I even put my bag down, she was cracking wildly inappropriate jokes and I loved it because I knew that meant she wasn't feeling any stress or pressure.
Not that I could blame her, of course. All the hard work to get to this moment was done and this was a day meant for celebrating.
That's not to say there weren't emotional moments. In fact, I felt a strong emotional shift from the bride when she put her dress on and things got "real."
But I think that's what made Kim and Ray's day so special. When they needed to be silly, they were silly. But when it really mattered, they were present and in the moment and really taking every second of this special day to heart.
I especially loved watching both Kim and her mom lose it briefly when Kim's mom placed a necklace on her daughter. That little moment put us in the perfect headspace as we headed over to the Quonset 'O' Club to see Kim tie the knot.
Of all the places for Ray and Kim to get married, I think the Quonset 'O' Club was the absolute perfect place for who they are and the day they planned. I've spent a LOT of time in my career at this venue and there are few places I feel more at home.
For Ray and Kim, who kept their wedding guest list small, the venue was perfect. In particular, the indoor ceremony space was a wonderful place for them to hold their ceremony as it was the ideal size for their crowd and we didn't have to worry about squinty eyes or weird shadows.
Not that I think these two would have cared, in the slightest, where they got married. The moment Kim walked down the aisle, she and Ray were locked in on each other and the rest of the world disappeared. I loved that for them.
Kim and Ray's ceremony was a wonderful mix of fun and emotional. You could tell just by they looked at one another how important this moment was for them and their smiles were infectious.
I love how personal this entire ceremony felt, particularly as they had a close friend officiate their proceedings, and I really LOVED how they managed to keep their personalities front and center when it mattered most when Kim faked her friends and family members out on the first kiss by leaning away from Ray. It was a great moment and one that capped this beautiful ceremony perfectly.
Following their ceremony, Kim and Ray made their way outside the 'O' Club for their formal photos and, much like their 2022 engagement photo session, these photos were a wonderful mix of beautiful and silly.
I loved working with Kim and Ray both during their engagement session and their wedding day because the two just fit so well together and their love and affection come across amazingly in these photos, which I feel really show their personalities off perfectly.
I could have worked with Kim and Ray for hours but, alas, we had a whole second half of this day left to document. And, I'll admit, I was kind of curious how their personalities would translate to some of the other traditional signature moments of a wedding reception. But, first, we had to head back into the 'O' Club.
Kim and Ray chose to have their reception in the smaller, lower level ballroom of the 'O' Club and, honestly, it fit their vibe so well. I didn't have as much time to grab detail shots as I typically do on a wedding day as we rolled right into the reception itself but, thankfully, my second photographer captured tons of lovely shots for the couple of their decor and beautiful blue and purple theme.
Me? I wanted to get to the action and the moment Kim and Ray walked through the door, I knew it was ON.
In fitting with the entire theme of their wedding day, Kim and Ray chose to have their first dance to "Beautiful Crazy" by Luke Combs and it was just the perfect song for this bride and groom.
I loved Kim and Ray's first dance, especially with the awesome uplighting starting to pop as the light came down in their ballroom but what struck me the most going through their photos afterward were just how many shots I had of this bride and groom dancing not only during this signature moment but, honestly, all night long.
Following their first dance, Kim and Ray had a blessing by their officiant and two lovely toasts that set a nice, appreciative tone to their reception and clearly touched both the bride and groom.
After dinner, it was Kim and Ray's turns to honor those closest to them as the pair started the back half of their reception with a fun cake cutting but rolled right into a handful of personal parent dances. Ray danced with his mother in a clearly meaningful mother-son dance and Kim paid tribute to not only her mother but her godfather AND Ray's father with three back-to-back-to-back dances that all walked the line between sweet, emotion and downright fun.
My biggest worry about Kim and Ray's reception was whether or not there would be any dancing as smaller weddings tend to have conservative dance floors but almost immediately following the big moments of the night, Kim and Ray's friends wasted no time getting shots for the couple and rocking out to the music.
The fun vibe lasted all night but was best seen during Kim and Ray's silly garter and bouquet toss, which had a lot of moments I was so glad I was on hand to capture.
What struck me the most about Kim and Ray's reception was no matter how long we were there for, the bride and groom seemingly never tired of being right in the middle of it all with their friends and family members. You certainly can't say these two missed out on enjoying the dancing at their wedding, that's for sure.
Even as the night wound down and folks started to head home — which is understandable for a reception with TWO HOURS of dancing — Kim and Ray were never far from one another's arms.
I love the way Kim and Ray's reception ended, especially with the bride changing into a much more comfortable dress and the groom ditching his tie.
The ending of Kim and Ray's reception had a real "We did it!" vibe and it was so nice to see the newlyweds still all smiles as the final songs played.
As my time with Kimberly and Raymond came to an end, I couldn't help but smile knowing they really had the perfect wedding day for their love and their relationship. It was the exact right amount of beautiful and crazy and I don't think these two would have wanted it any other way.
I love when clients I work with get to be themselves and have a lighthearted wedding day full of laughter and Kim and Ray accomplished all that and so much more. So thank you Kim and Ray for allowing me to play a small role in documenting this amazing day for you to cherish forever. I wish you the best as you enjoy this new and exciting chapter of your lives together.
Just promise me one thing ... never change. :)
-Paul J. Spetrini
Check out more of my most recent wedding blogs:
The Vendor List:
Photographer: Paul J. Spetrini, Paul J. Spetrini Photography; Bride's Hair: Amanda of Mary Jane's Salon, Lincoln, Rhode Island; Bride's Make-up: Annie of Mary Jane's Salon, Lincoln, Rhode Island; Bride's Dress: Spark Bridal Outlet, Cranston, Rhode Island; Alterations: Almeida's Bridal Alteration, Cranston, Rhode Island; Groom's Suit: Carl Anthony Tuxedo, Cranston, Rhode Island; Ceremony & Reception: Quonset 'O' Club, North Kingstown, Rhode Island; Cake/Cupcakes: Shelly St. John; Officiant: Jay Burns.