Collette & Spencer's Equinox Resort Winter Wedding
Collette and Spencer tied the knot at The Equinox Resort in Manchester, Vermont, in a lovely winter wedding ceremony. With a deep appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors, the couple wanted to incorporate the surrounding natural beauty in their day as much as possible.
Collette and Spencer tied the knot at The Equinox Resort in Manchester, Vermont, in a lovely winter wedding ceremony. With a deep appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors, the couple wanted to incorporate the surrounding natural beauty in their day as much as possible.
Against the backdrop of snow-covered mountains, Collette and Spencer's day was filled with warmth and joy. The Equinox Resort provided the perfect setting for their celebration, blending rustic charm with elegant sophistication.
Collette and Spencer wanted their special day to be captured in a documentary style. They appreciated my moment-focused approach and wanted their day to be captured in a way that felt true to them.
The couple's commitment to genuine moments and authentic emotions shone through in every aspect of the day. From heartfelt vows exchanged in front of their friends and family to laughter shared during toasts with loved ones, every detail reflected their love for each other and those around them.
The choice of hiring a wedding photojournalist like me to capture their day was a testament to Collette and Spencer's desire to preserve the memories of their day in a way that truly reflected who they are as a couple.
After dinner, toasts, and parent dances concluded, the couple danced the night away surrounded by family and friends on a packed and fun-filled dance floor.
Congratulations to Collette & Spencer!
Vendors
Venue/Catering/Bar: Equinox Resort
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Second Photographer: Josh Kuckens
Floral: Nancy Bishop Floral Design
Hair & Makeup: Crystal Vasquez & Company
Ceremony Musician: Samantha Barry (friend)
Officiant: Elizabeth Andersen (friend)
DJ: Foley Weddings
Cake/Dessert: Cake Gypsy
Ellie & Shane's Cape Cod Wedding
Ellie & Shane made me believe in good karma.
The weather forecast leading up to the couple’s wedding was foreboding to say the least. They had planned their Cape Cod wedding at Red Jacket Beach Resort, right on the water in Yarmouth, MA on September 16, 2023; the day that Hurricane Lee was forecasted to hit the Cape.
Ellie & Shane made me believe in good karma.
The weather forecast leading up to the couple’s wedding was foreboding to say the least. They had planned their Cape Cod wedding at Red Jacket Beach Resort, right on the water in Yarmouth, MA on September 16, 2023; the day that Hurricane Lee was forecasted to hit the Cape.
Meteorologists had been instilling fear in the Boston and coastal New England communities throughout the week leading up to the wedding. CBS Boston reported the "greatest impact will be felt on the Lower and Outer Cape and on Nantucket…If you live on the Cape of Massachusetts…keep a close eye on Lee as we head into the weekend…if Lee ends up farther west, we could have stronger winds, heavier rain, larger swells and coastal flooding.”
Ellie & Shane could not have handled the disquieting news better. When I spoke with Ellie in the days leading up to her wedding, she was calm, upbeat, and continued to have a positive outlook about the day despite the growing predictions of high winds and flooding rain. She was just excited to get married to Shane and to be with all of the people they loved the most and didn’t seem to care too much about what that ended up looking like, as long as it could still happen (these are my kind of clients).
As a documentary style wedding photographer, Ellie & Shane hired me to capture authentic photos of their families and friends throughout their wedding day and that remained the most important thing to them.
The day of their wedding began with some rain and wind, but as the day progressed, the skies gradually brightened and the wind calmed to manageable levels. We were able to do Ellie & Shane’s first look and all of our planned portraits outdoors, and the ceremony was held in the yard overlooking the ocean. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails on the lawn and we were given one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen during their cocktail hour. I don’t typically believe in things like karma or fate, but this drastic turn of events really felt like the result of Ellie & Shane’s positivity and the loving energy of their friends and family.
The night ended inside the resort’s ballroom with some beautiful toasts from the couple’s siblings and Ellie’s father, key lime pie for dessert, and a super fun, packed dance floor.
The day turned out to be a beautiful one in every sense of the word and there could not be a more deserving couple than Ellie & Shane.
Here are some of my favorite photos from Ellie & Shane’s Cape Cod wedding. Enjoy!
Vendors
Venue: Red Jacket Beach Resort
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Officiant: Claire Watts
Floral: Debra Kraft
Hair & Makeup: Salon 700
Dessert: Marion’s Pies
Courtland & Matt's Backyard Wedding in Gloucester
When Courtland told me that she and Matt were planning their backyard wedding at Courtland’s parents’ home by the water in Gloucester, Massachusetts, I envisioned a picturesque setting but never imagined it to be quite as beautiful as it turned out to be in real life.
When Courtland told me that she and Matt were planning their backyard wedding at Courtland’s parents’ home in Gloucester, Massachusetts, I envisioned a picturesque setting but never imagined it to be quite as beautiful as it turned out to be in real life.
When I arrived, family and friends were helping to set up flowers in pink, orange, yellow, and cream hues around the lush green yard and down by the ceremony space that overlooked the water. Two floral pillars stood on a wooden platform by the docks, framing the spot where the couple would soon be married. The week had been an overcast and rainy one but the rain held off and we even saw some blue sky peeking through throughout Courtland & Matt’s wedding day.
Courtland and her bridesmaids got ready in a small guest house down the driveway. The couple shared a first look in a clearing in the woods overlooking the water away from the hustle and bustle of the wedding preparations closer to the house. We then gathered the wedding party and family members and took a few portraits before the ceremony followed by some portraits incorporating the scenic waterfront views with just Courtland & Matt.
Guests began to arrive, so the couple took a private break and prepared for the ceremony to begin. Friends and family mingled in the yard and then gradually took their seats down by the ceremony space. The processional music began (played by musician Ollella) and the couple and their wedding party processed from the house down through the yard and down the aisle. Courtland’s veil nearly escaped with a gust of wind as she and her parents walked down the aisle, but her mother was able to catch it just in time. As a wedding photojournalist, moments like this are gold to me. I’m always looking to capture the humorous, strange, and unexpected moments that weddings almost always are full of.
Courtland’s uncle (Uncle Pete) officiated the wedding, which added a nice personal touch to the ceremony. He performed a unity ceremony with the couple, told stories of Courtland’s youth, shared some beautiful words, and then handed over the microphone for each of them to share their vows before officially announcing them husband and wife. Guests threw rice in celebration as the couple recessed back down the aisle.
Right after the ceremony, Uncle Pete helped me announce a group photo and we had guests gather in the yard as I ran up to the top floor of the house to take the large group photo. Cocktail hour included an oyster station (served in a boat) hosted by Island Creek Oysters out of Duxbury. The couple mingled with their guests who stretched out over the yard, the deck, and into the tented reception space by the water.
After an hour or so of drinks and delicious food catered by local Gloucester restaurant Passports, the DJ asked guests to gather around the dance floor to welcome the newlyweds to their reception. The couple’s parents and wedding party made their grand entrance followed immediately by Courtland & Matt’s entrance and first dance; a fun and spunky choreographed dance to “Die Young” by Sylvan Esso (a personal favorite of mine). Lovely toasts by the father of the bride and the father of the groom followed shortly after, and a joint Mother/Son and Father/Daughter dance after that.
The sun set leaving a bright blue twilight sky over the reception tent where guests ate dinner and enjoyed each others company. After dinner, guests gathered once again by the dance floor to watch Courtland & Matt cut their wedding cake. It was clear that this day was incredibly special for the couple as they teared up expressing their gratitute for everyone that came to celebrate with them and helped to make their wedding day as beautiful as it was. After their thank yous, the dance floor opened up again for some fun, energetic dancing to end the night.
Here are some of my favorite photos from Courtland and Matt’s backyard Gloucester wedding. Enjoy!
Vendors
Venue: Private Residence
Catering & Bar: Passports Restaurant
Planner: Isabel Pett of Hēdon Event Planning
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Officiant: Uncle Pete
Hair & Makeup: Talia Day
Ceremony Musician: Ellie Barber (Ollella)
DJ & Videography: South Shore Sound & Lighting
Rentals: The Event Company
Cake: Flourish Bake Shoppe
Lynn and George's Berkshires Elopement at the Devonfield Inn
Lynn and George’s Berkshires elopement at the Devonfield Inn was an incredibly special, intimate celebration in a charming and beautiful setting. Take a look through some of my favorite photos from their day.
The Berkshires make for an ideal elopement location where couples can exchange their vows amidst the picturesque beauty of nature. Nestled within the rolling hills of western Massachusetts, beautiful towns such as Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge offer a romantic backdrop (for another beautiful Berkshires wedding, check out my blog post about Taylor & Sam’s microwedding at The Mount in Lenox!)
Whether saying "I do" on the grounds of a historic estate, a quaint inn, or with a picturesque mountain backdrop, a Berkshires elopement allows couples to escape the noise of the world and focus solely on the love they share.
I had the opportunity to work with Lynn and George back in March while photographing their Massachusetts engagement session at The Farm at Raven Brook, and got to know their sense of humor and their fun, easy going nature. Showing up on their wedding day with this established time together allowed us to immediately feel comfortable with each other and allowed Lynn and George to act more naturally around the camera. As a documentary wedding photographer, having this established comfort with my clients is extremely helpful when capturing candid moments.
Lynn and George chose The Devonfield Inn in Lee, MA for their Berkshires elopement in June. The charming Devonfield Inn is surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens, rolling green fields, and majestic birch trees. With their immediate families by their side, Lynn & George tied the knot surrounded by birch trees on the grounds of the inn. Their ceremony was incredibly special and they had their family members (and their photographer) tearing up at their beautiful words to each other. We had the grounds to ourselves for portraits and explored the beautiful barns, fields, and lawns before returning to the inn for their unity ceremony, cake cutting, and champagne toasts with their families.
Lynn and George’s Berkshires elopement was an incredibly special, intimate celebration in a charming and beautiful setting. Take a look through some of my favorite photos from their day below.
Arthi & Greg's Roger Williams Botanical Center Wedding
Arthi and Greg’s Rhode Island wedding was a visually stunning, colorful, joyous celebration. Take a look through some of my favorite photos from their day below.
Arthi and Greg’s wedding took place on a cold, rainy day in early March. In March, Rhode Island is at its greyest point - in between the snow-covered bluebird days of winter and the first signs of green and blossoms of Spring. It’s mostly cold still, and the trees are bare and the ground is usually sort of muddy. Even on the most beautiful of days, it’s hard for me to love March in New England. Stepping into the ceremony space at Roger Williams Botanical Center made me completely forget all of that. The floral-scented air was humid and warm, and lush, green plants covered every inch of the space. My serotonin levels were instantly boosted.
As a Boston wedding photographer, I love discovering new venues all over New England. As fun as it is to return to New England wedding venues I know and love, there’s something about photographing at a venue I’ve never been to that sparks a special sort of creativity in me. I’m framing photos with fresh eyes and am constantly seeing new angles and new possibilities wherever I turn my camera.
Arthi and Greg decided that I was a good fit because I was a wedding photojournalist and therefore, shot in a way that matched the vision that they had for their wedding day. It was important to them that they could enjoy their day with their family and friends and not spend too much time on posed photos, which I always love to hear and am happy to accommodate. They wanted mostly candid wedding photography and wanted me to capture authentic personalities and emotion throughout their day. Easy!
Arthi and Greg got ready at The Graduate in Providence. They also performed the Ganesha Puja at the hotel with family before heading to the venue for the rest of their ceremony and reception. The Puja is offered for good luck as Lord Ganesha is believed to be the destroyer of obstacles and evils.
Once the Puja was complete, we headed to Roger Williams Botanical Center for some portraits before the ceremony. We explored the lush greenhouses and the couple enjoyed a moment away before the ceremony began.
The ceremony space in the greenhouse was gorgeous; tall palm trees and greenery acting as a backdrop to the bright colors of the Indian dress, garlands, and flowers. The ceremony incorporated a lot of aspects of a traditional Indian ceremony, but also included some “Americanized” touches like a ring exchange.
After their ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour among the greenery, then headed into the reception space for the rest of the festivities. Throughout the toasts (one including giving the couple a literal piece of toast “you asked me to give you a toast…”), the delicious Indian buffet dinner, and the dancing, I had a great time capturing candid moments and documenting the pure joy that filled the room.
Arthi and Greg’s Rhode Island wedding was a visually stunning, colorful, joyous celebration. Take a look through some of my favorite photos from their day below.
Vendors
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Roger Williams Botanical Center
Hotel & Puja Venue: Graduate Providence
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Second Photographer: Christine Hochkeppel
Videographer: Steve Levin Cinematography
Henna: Boston Henna Artist (bride) & Henna by Ruhi (guests)
Cake: Sin Bakery
Misc. Desserts: Mike’s Pastry, Reena Rad Baking
Catering: Rasoi
Alcohol: Bottles
Day-Of Coordinator/Service Staff: Extra Hands For Your Events (Gigi Halsing)
What is Wedding Photojournalism?
What makes me a “wedding photojournalist” and what is the difference between wedding photojournalism and any other type of wedding photography?
Photojournalism is a form of journalism which tells a story through photography. When you take a trained photojournalist like myself, and place her into the world of wedding photography, you end up with wedding photojournalism. I use my skills as a professional photojournalist and my years of experience documenting story and capturing real moments to tell the story of your wedding day in an authentic, captivating, beautiful way.
Why consider a wedding photojournalist?
Capturing the authentic story of your wedding day is important to you. You want a photographer that will capture the raw and real moments and emotion while still leaving you with beautiful, fine art quality photos. As a documentary wedding photographer or a wedding photojournalist, this is where I come in.
Photojournalism allows you to act naturally throughout your wedding day. On a day that’s already a bit hectic, it’s nice to have someone there who lays low and is not always jumping in to guide and pose you. A photojournalist is more inclined to capture sincere reactions because you won’t be thinking about them being around, interrupting the natural moments constantly. This approach is more likely to result in touching photos that elicit emotion.
Click the image above to see more of my award winning images from the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA).
How do I know if a photographer is a photojournalist?
When you look through the photographer’s portfolio, you should see natural laughter or other intense emotional scenes (tears, hugs and goofy faces for example).
A photojournalist will look for unique angles and vantage points to create photos that make you feel like you were there in the moment. For example, I will often get down on the floor to be eye to eye with a child or I’ll jump in the middle of the dance floor during the reception.
If in their portfolio you see many photos of people looking directly into the lens or the portfolio consist of mostly detail shots (for example, of the rings, the flowers, etc.) they are most likely not a photojournalist.
Wedding photojournalists are first and foremost storytellers. They should tell the story of your wedding day in a way that will make you re-experience the feelings you felt on the day. You should see truth and real love in your photos the way that it really happened. Photojournalistic or documentary wedding photographers like me will tell the real story of your wedding day. We will not find the tidy, perfectly staged room with the most gorgeous light to prop you in front of for your getting ready photos. That would not be telling YOUR story. It would be telling MY understanding of what a wedding should look like. It’s also just recreating a worn-out, overdone wedding photography look that will leave you with wedding photos that look like everyone else’s.
What if I want portraits in addition to candid photos?
Just because I’m a wedding photojournalist who thrives in capturing candids does not mean that I shoot exclusively candid photos. Portraits are important too and I will always build in some time during your wedding day for both couple portraits and any other posed portraits you’d like with family and friends. Portraits are a normal and expected part of a wedding day and I would never suggest skipping them completely.
You’ll find that this is the only time throughout the day that I’ll give any explicit direction. Not everybody is a natural in front of the camera (myself included!) so I understand the need to have some direction while taking these pictures. Your mind will be in a million places throughout your wedding day and so it’s nice to have someone there with wedding experience to occasionally give a little guidance and direction.
As a wedding photojournalist, I want your wedding photos to feel alive. I want to piece together the story of your wedding day from the quiet getting ready moments through to the wild dance floor.
To help me to tell your story in the most complete way, my process involves getting to know you before the wedding a bit more than other photographers might ordinarily. Whenever you need to talk through anything for the wedding day, I’m available for a phone call or on Zoom. That way, I can build more and more information leading me to how I will want to approach your specific day. When we are about 2 months out from your date, you’ll get a questionnaire from me that will dive into the finer details of your wedding-day schedule and your family and friends that will be a part of it.
With wedding photojournalism, it’s not just about epic emotions. Sometimes it’s about the subtle bits of information included in an image’s composition that take it from an appealing or interesting photo to a meaningful, emotional capture.
When talking with Paige before her wedding, she told me that her wedding dress was the same exact gown that her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother all wore before her. I love being given details like this before the wedding because it allows me to use that knowledge to capture photos and craft compositions that I may have overlooked otherwise.
All of this allows me to better tell your unique story.
Wedding Photojournalism may or may not be for you and there is nothing wrong with that! Hopefully this all helps to clarify what true documentary wedding photography looks like and what it is all about.