Rhode Island Small Outdoor Wedding at Lincoln Woods State Park | RI Wedding Photographer

Rachel & Ryan’s Stunning Intimate Wedding at RI State Park

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / RHODE ISLAND & BEYOND

Rachel and Ryan’s small outdoor wedding at Lincoln Woods State Park in Rhode Island was the epitome of the perfect micro wedding. Not only did they have a stunningly beautiful and perfect day, but they chose the perfect time and place to celebrate their love as well. The leaves were still super green with hints of fall sneaking in, the weather was warm, and they shared a special and lovely sunset together. They did celebrate a DAY TWO portion of their wedding by hiking the highest peak in Vermont. But the Rhode Island section of their wedding was so lovely it deserved its own post.

Here’s the thing- so many couples ask me if it is possible to have the friends and family attend their wedding, but still have that special elopement experience that makes it feel like it’s all for them. And the answer is something along the lines of how Rachel & Ryan celebrated. They shared one special day with their friends and family and had a second day all to themselves for the purpose of sharing the adventure and creating new memories together. Their Rhode Island day was so freaking beautiful that I’m sure they would have been satisfied with that celebration, but the Vermont portion (where they planned their honeymoon) was their version of having their cake and eating it too. You can have everything you want for your day(s), sometimes it just takes a little creativity and vision.

Rachel got ready with her sisters and mom and then headed over to Lincoln Woods State Park to share a special and private first look with Ryan. We walked over to the ceremony site that they had picked out and set up earlier in the day. In fact, that’s what Ryan was doing while Rachel was getting ready. Friends and family arrived and the couple shared special vows, celebratory jigs, and lots of hugs. After the formal part of the ceremony was done we took portraits and then friends and family headed to the reception site while we caught the sunset at some of the most picturesque spots in the park. It was special to take some quiet moments after all the excitement of the day to sit and reflect with one another and just to enjoy the beauty of the place that surrounded them. We made one last stop at the iconic Lincoln Woods covered bridge before heading to the reception ourselves.

At the celebration, the couple enjoyed many toasts, a first dance, cake, and a lot more fun and celebration with family and friends in attendance. The perfect end to a perfect day of committing their lives to one another.

Tiverton Boathouse Small Outdoor Wedding | Rhode Island Wedding Packages

Maddie & Mike’s Tiverton, Rhode Island Small Outdoor Wedding

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / RHODE ISLAND & BEYOND

Maddie and Mike’s small outdoor wedding at The Boathouse in Tiverton, RI was nothing short of magical even though they got married during a literal hurricane. I was super fortunate to shoot their elopement exactly a year before on Block Island, where we saw seals, ran around the dunes, up and down a million stairs, and ate cake under the stars.

This time was a little different. They had invited 25 of their closest friends and family to celebrate with them and planned their ceremony on the dock. But the weather had other plans, so last minute the ceremony was moved to the reception area. They still walked out on the dock in the pouring rain, and later in the night they even danced under an umbrella for a little bit.

The thing that made their wedding day so incredibly special is that not for a single second did they let the rain or the weather put a damper on their enthusiasm. Everyone in attendance had an unbelievable time and their love and joy radiated enough to warm everyone up.

The spot Maddie chose to get ready at with her mom and bridesmaids was adorable and right on the water. The ladies enjoyed their time with leisure and Mike’s day started with feeding and playing with their adorable bunnies, and then smoking a joint with his brother and dad. He came over to the spot Maddie was getting ready at a little bit later for the first look. From there we made our way to the ceremony site to assess what would be possible in the weather. Luckily, the staff at The Boathouse was extremely helpful and organized and already had both ceremony locations set up so the couple could easily choose either. It literally rained the entire day, non-stop. So while Maddie and Mike felt comfortable venturing into the rain for photos, they didn’t want to make their guests sit on soaking wet chairs under umbrellas for the ceremony.

Having been fortunate to experience both sets of vows I can say that the second was as sweet as the first, although this time Maddie cried more, and during their elopement, Mike had a harder time keeping it together. It was so sweet to see them support each other. I mean it when I say these two really are some of the most laid-back and happy, joyful people ever. Both of them have a smile perpetually glued to their faces and love having a good time. It was my privilege and honor to be chosen not once, but twice to tell the visual story of their day!

From the couple…

“We absolutely love the pictures!! Thank you for capturing our special day for us for the second time! We really could not be happier with how they came out. Thank you again, you made both days so enjoyable and stress-free for us!”

— Maddie & Mike

Serene Anniversary Adventure Session at Castle Hill Lighthouse

Newport, RI Lighthouse and Cliff Explorations- Makeda & Tej

Swell & Stone / New England Elopement Photographer

Makeda and Tej where visiting Newport, RI from New Jersey for the their 10 Anniversary. Makeda reached out and said she wanted to take photos on the cliffs, and if possible, with a classic New England lighthouse in the background. Of course, my first thought was Castle Hill! This is such a cool, historic, lighthouse with beautiful cliffs, and we were super lucky with timing, because the day before was nothing but rain. The trail was still a bit muddy, but we made due, and we were able to capture her vision, and so much more. Neither of them had ever been there before, and they were in for a treat! We had the lighthouse nearly to ourselves, and I had some of the most beautiful light to capture their love. All of us were excited about the views, and going on a micro adventure on a gorgeous spring evening in March.

The two of them were so sweet together, supporting each other over the rocky terrain, not the easiest place to walk with nice shoes on. Another thing that is hard to tell in the photos is how chilly it was this day. We were lucky to have beautiful sunshine and a gorgeous sunset, but in between Makeda and Tej were putting on their jackets to stay warm. They were both blown away by the beauty of the Rhode Island Cliffs, and couldn’t wait to see more.

After Castle Hill lighthouse we headed over to Fort Adams State Park for more photos, including sunset shots with the Newport Bridge in the background. Because it was cold outside, we walked down the pier first, and captured some of classic New England scenery in the background, and then took at warm up break. These two where champs for lasting as long as they did. I was so honored to be the photographer they chose to celebrate 10 years together. Congrats Makeda & Tej!

“Kat was awesome! We wanted 10 year anniversary photos that captured the beauty of Rhode Island and she gave us just that. Lighthouse, ocean, bridges and cliffs... it was wonderful. And even better was seeing the photos when they came through. They were wonderful!! Still can’t stop looking at the photos and showing them to everyone!”

— Makeda & Tej

If you’d like to have a wildly different wedding experience or adventure session in Rhode Island, get in touch today. I live in Pawtucket, RI, so although I travel a lot for my work I can usually work our a session close to home. Click the button below to get in touch!