If you read this blog regularly, you may remember Kelly and Ray’s engagement session from this past spring. What I remember is the incredibly unique weather. It was snowing all the way to the Cape that morning and then by the time we were done, the sun was out and most of the snow that had fallen had melted. Well, there was no snow on Kelly and Ray’s wedding day, but we did have some more "New England" weather.
George and I arrived at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth in the mid-afternoon. Hot and sticky was an understatement. A couple of Kelly and Ray’s friends were there to pick us up and transport us to the hotel where everyone was getting ready. This would give George and I the opportunity to stay with the wedding party throughout the day.
We arrived at the hotel a few minutes later. Everyone was hiding out in their rooms in the air conditioning until they absolutely had to come outside. I headed towards Kelly’s room and George went off to find Ray and the guys. Kelly was her usual cool and organized self (as far as I could tell) and looked beautiful in her wedding dress. The hair stylist and makeup artist did a few finishing touches once Kelly had her dress on and then we waited for the trolley to come back to get us. We all agreed that it was simply too hot and humid to go outside with Kelly for photos. We all wanted her looking her very best when she walked down the aisle.
When we arrived at St. Patrick’s Church, I got my gear inside and quickly found Ray. He and his cousin Matt (the best man) were waiting patiently in the back of the church with Father Perry. I also had the opportunity to check in with Russell Smithe of Mavid Productions, the videographer for the day. Everyone was ready to go and excited about the events to come!
A few minutes later, Kelly was walking down the aisle arm-in-arm with her father. He looked incredibly proud and she looked stunning! Ray smiled from ear to ear while a few of the bridesmaids wiped tears of joy from their eyes.
The wedding ceremony was a full Catholic wedding mass, so we had lots of time to take pictures. During communion, three ladies sang a beautiful piece of sacred music. Kelly wiped tears from her eyes as she and Ray knelt at the altar and listened to the music fill the church.
Following the ceremony, the entire wedding party jumped on the trolley to head to our formal pictures location – Nobska Lighthouse. I couldn’t wait!
We arrived at the lighthouse and unloaded the trolley. The sky was blue and there was no one else around at the lighthouse. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful location. We jumped right into the family formals and encouraged everyone else to hide out in the shade to avoid overheating. With an hour and a half for the formals, we were able to get all the pictures we expected and had plenty of time to be creative with the wedding party as well as Kelly and Ray. Even though thunder showers weren’t predicted until much later, the sky began to darken and we could hear thunder in the distance toward the end of the time. We were back on the trolley and heading to the Inn before we even saw a drop of rain. At the Inn, everyone got off the trolley and inside the Inn just in time. A few minutes later, it poured. Buckets.
The change in weather forced the cocktail hour inside. Since we had finished all the formal photos, George and I were able to capture some cocktail hour candids and get a lot of details photos. It continued to pour outside for a while, but toward the end of cocktail hour, the sky suddenly brightened up. I immediately ran outside to see if I could find a rainbow. As luck would have it, there was a full rainbow directly behind the Inn. I quickly found Kelly and Ray while George ran to the truck to get an umbrella. We had them stand on the edge of the deck – perfectly framed with the rainbow overhead. In spite of the humidity almost instantly fogging up our lenses, I was able to get a couple of shots off between napkin wipes.
The festivities continued after cocktail hour with the wedding party introductions and some wonderfully funny toasts. Matt retold a story of Ray’s "Cannonball!!" antics from when they were younger and how they avoided negative consequences by making people laugh. Some things don’t change.
Following dinner, DJ Ron with C-Zone Music cranked up the party and it never stopped. I had asked the bridemaids earlier in the day if they were ready to party and they all said they were. Little did I know how much they really meant it. DJ Ron played all kinds of eighties and nineties stuff that had people going crazy on the dance floor. I can’t ever recall hearing "Just a Friend." by Biz Markie at a wedding before. The crowd ate it up. Ray was in the middle of the dance floor lip-syncing most of the song to Kelly and having an absolute blast.
Kelly and Ray – George and I had an incredible time on your wedding day. We had so much fun celebrating with everyone and losing a few pounds in sweat at the same time! We wish you both continued success and happiness as you begin the next chapter of your lives together!
Vendors:
Hair: Crystal Murphy of Pelo Day Spa – Easton, MA
Florist: Posh Flowers & Gifts – Brockton, MA
Church: St. Patrick’s Church – Falmouth, MA
Cake: Casual Gourmet – Centerville, MA
Livery: Kenny’s Coach – Weymouth, MA
DJ: Ron Hernandez of C-Zone Music – Boston, MA
Videographer: Russell Smithe of Mavid Productions – Derry, NH
Venue: Coonamessett Inn – Falmouth, MA
To see a slide show of Kelly and Ray’s wedding, click here.
Smilin’ ear to ear…
So beautiful!
Always one of my favorite moments of the day!
What an AMAZING place for formal photos!
Sometimes bad weather can have a happy ending! If you look close you can see a hint of a double rainbow.
Kelly’s sister had some great stories as well!
The party heats up!
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