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)
Maddie & Gyasi's Blenheim Hill Farm Wedding
It’s always a huge honor when a friend asks me to photograph their wedding, so when my old SU friend Gyasi reached out to me about his wedding to his fiancée Maddie, I was thrilled. Gyasi and I met while attending school at Syracuse University. He was a few years ahead of me but let’s just say he was A PRESENCE in the a cappella community and was super kind and welcoming to me as a shy newbie. I knew that his fiancée must be a really special, fun person to keep up with Gyasi, and I was definitely right. I video chatted with the two of them to officially meet Maddie and chat about their vision and I was so excited to find that 1. Maddie was super sweet and the two of them together seemed to be a perfect match and 2.
Their vision for their wedding photography matched my documentary wedding photography style exactly.
Maddie & Gyasi live together in New York City. The pair met in typical millennial fashion, on the apps. Coffee Meets Bagel was the one that brought them together. It was Maddie’s FIRST EVER date on said app (how’s that for luck?). 4.5 hours and a good number of margaritas later, their first date was over but their story had just begun (I’m sorry for the schmaltz, I know).
Fast forward to October of 2021, when Gyasi surprised Maddie by asking her to marry him! She said yes - and luckily he did too when she asked him in return (true feminism is thriving in this marriage, people!).
As a New England wedding photographer, I typically don’t venture outside of those bounds for weddings, but for these two I made an exception. We started with an engagement session in Manhattan in January 2022 where we explored Grand Central Terminal and Fort Tryon Park. Then, about 9 months later in October, Maddie and Gyasi had their wedding at Blenheim Hill Farm in Jefferson, New York. The venue was gorgeous, especially in its vibrant autumn colors. They were able to stay on location at a house on the venue and we had a wide array of beautiful scenery and foliage to choose from when it came to first look and portrait scenery.
Maddie and Gyasi had a low key morning on the property.
This quiet moments while getting ready before the day really begins are some of my favorite to be present for as a documentary wedding photographer. I tend to capture an array of emotion; from giddy, excited energy to calmer, quiet meditative moments and I have the time and space to get creative.
Maddie got ready at the farmhouse with her mom, her bridesmaid Hannah and bridesman, Adam, and Gyasi had his best man Chris with him in the barn. Gyasi and Maddie had a first look out on a bridge by the pond and we took some portraits along the water where the foliage was most vibrant. We also had to get some photos of Maddie tossing the frisbee in her dress (she’s an avid ultimate frisbee player).
Both Gyasi and Maddie are Jewish, so I documented them signing their Ketubah with their cantor, their families, and some friends and then got in place for their ceremony. The ceremony took place on the lawn in front of the pond. Their autumnal florals were done by Rose Red and Lavender and their Chuppah was made from Maddie’s mom’s wedding dress (love a meaningful touch). The ceremony had some traditional Jewish themes, and ended with the African wedding tradition of jumping the broom immediately followed by the Jewish tradition of smashing the glass. So fun!
After their ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktail hour on the patio, then headed into the barn for the reception festivities. The festivities were filled with fun, candid moments for me to capture - dances, toasts, a song performed by Gyasi and friends to Maddie, and one of the best dance floors I’ve seen (partially due to who Maddie and Gyasi and their guests are and partially due to the amazing band, The Metropolitan Players).
Here's a few of my favorites from Maddie & Gyasi’s wedding day. Enjoy!
Vendors
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Blenheim Hill Farm
Photographer: Kayla Rice Photography
Second Photographer: A Voce Behind the Lens
Videographer: Magic Flute Videos
Band: The Metropolitan Players
Officiant: Hayley Poserow
Hair: Twisted Sister Salon, Candace Rudd
Makeup: Sarah Salvioli
Photobooth: Wanderbus Photo Booth
Florist: Rose Red & Lavender
Dessert: Donuts, Walkill View Farm Market; Truffles, Twisted Truffles
Planner: The Wedding Plan & Company, Christie Napurano