Erin & Josh's Wedding - Black Thumb Studio

Tuesday August 17, 2010

Erin & Josh’s Wedding

Shooting weddings for friends is a true privilege. Shooting a wedding for a friend’s son is a privilege as well but it just makes me feel old. Then I just remember, it’s my friend that’s old, not me. Right Marc?

Marc and I used to work together in a previous life at a financial services firm. He and his lovely wife Doreene (obviously much younger than Marc) have become good friends with Dorothy and me. Marc is a big foodie, loves to laugh, and loves the Red Sox. Doreene is a music teacher in the same school system as Dorothy and loves to laugh at Marc with us. To say the least, we get along splendidly.

Marc and Doreene’s son Josh is one of the lucky ones in life. Not only does he have incredible parents (I’m still grilling Marc for parental advice), he’s also incredibly bright. Even more, he found his true love, Erin, at a very young age. Josh has always adored Erin and so have his parents. Dorothy and I had heard stories about Erin for years before we actually met her. She too has wonderful parents who think the world of their daughter. When I was approached about shooting their wedding, I was elated.

Through the planning process, I got to know Erin well beyond the second-hand stories I heard of her and Josh’s courting. I quickly learned that she has an incredible eye for design, knows exactly what she wants and is very particular. What I knew right away was that this meant she was going to plan nothing less than an absolutely fabulous wedding. And that’s exactly what she did.

The day of the wedding, George and Alana dropped me off at the hotel where Erin was getting ready. I joined Erin and her parents, Kevin and Paula, for a few getting ready shots before they hopped into the antique Packard awaiting them at the front door. Erin looked absolutely stunning in her one-shouldered dress from Kleinfeld Mahattan.

We arrived at the Aldrich Mansion in Warwick, RI a short time later. The weather could not have been better and the location more beautiful. Adjacent to the Aldrich Mansion is the OLP Chapel. Formerly used by monks, the pews on either side of the single main aisle face directly toward each other rather than the front of the church. This was done so that as they chanted, they could hear each other. It gives the chapel a very distinct and old world look that we rarely see.

Erin and her dad waited by the Packard while a few more guests arrived. While George and I readied for the ceremony, Alana was busy in the mansion itself capturing as many reception details as possible.

Erin and Josh have both been raised Catholic and have actually attended the same parish for many years. Their priest was kind enough to join them for their wedding day and perform their ceremony, adding a wonderful personal touch. The organ music echoed off the stone walls of the chapel and the voices of their guests filled the air as they responded in song.

Following the ceremony, we immediately dug into the formal photos. During the pre-wedding consultation, we had selected one of the back gardens as the location for the family photos. The afternoon shade and stone façade of the mansion made this process very simple and elegant. Since the property overlooks Narragansett Bay, we snuck in a few photos of Erin and Josh with sailboats in the background as well. We then took them around front for a few posed photos in front of the chapel and next to the Packard which was parked directly in front of the mansion.

Erin and Josh started their reception with words of thanks to their families and other guests and then went right into their first dance. To their wedding guests delight, Erin and Josh had been working diligently on a surprise routine for their first dance. I’m not sure how they fit all the rehearsal time in with everything else they were doing in preparation for the big day, but they pulled off a fantastic dance routine to Whitney Houston’s "I want to dance with somebody" before they had their family and friends join them. Now that’s the way to start a party!

The remainder of the evening was complete with one of the best meals we’ve ever eaten (thanks Marc!), a drink special called the "JoshErini" that was a HUGE hit with the guests, and a massive table full of some of the best desserts I’ve ever seen. We even snuck outside for a few minutes to grab some twilight and night shots with the Packard. And based on reports from the field, Marc danced with every lady at the wedding. I’m pretty sure he would have danced with me if I let him. "I’m working!" was my excuse.

The band, Urban Renewal, was incredible. They’ve been playing together for over twenty years and members include instructors from the Berkeley School of Music. The only disappointment of the day was when the band stopped playing and the official party ended. No one wanted to leave, but I have a funny feeling the party continued well into the night at a different venue.

Erin and Josh – you sure know how to throw a wedding! We were privileged to share in your wedding day with you and hope we did justice to all the effort you put into planning such an amazing event. Thank you for including us in your plans! We had a blast!

Marc and Doreene – Dorothy and I look forward to our next night of food, fun and laughs. Thanks for being such great friends!

Vendors:

Dress Shop: Kleinfeld Manhattan – New York, NY

Florist: Stoneblossom – East Greenwich, RI

Cake & Desserts: Aldrich Mansion – Warwick, RI

Livery: Newport Limousine – Serving Newport, RI & surrounding communities

Band: Urban Renewal – Mattapan, MA

Venue: Aldrich Mansion – Warwick, RI

To see a slide show of their wonderful wedding day, click here.

Erin’s gorgeous dress.