Summer Elopement in Historic Newport, RI | Elope to Rhode Island

Jess & Jesse’s Lovely Newport, RI Elopement

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / NEWPORT, RI & BEYOND

Jess and Jesse’s stunning Newport elopement was picture perfect and complete with water views, historic forts, and evening sailing. I always encourage couples to do something that is special to them and really encompasses who they are as a couple on their wedding day, and for Jess and Jesse that was going sailing on the water.

The ceremony took place at Fort Adams State Park and with just immediate family in attendance, the setup made for the cutest little ceremony spot. Water views and the iconic Newport bridge loomed in the distance, the perfect backdrop for an intimate ceremony like theirs. A lovely touch from their family was blowing bubbles during the recessional, which was a perfect Leave No Trace solution that I like so much better than throwing rice or confetti.

After the ceremony, we explored more of the fort, and then headed over to Brenton Point for a little more coastal exploration. We were hoping the kites would be out in full force, but the weather that day kept most of the kiters away. Nonetheless, we explored the incredible rocky coastline there and then headed back to the marina for the celebration. Jess LOVES sailboats and Americana, so Newport in the summer was the perfect aesthetic for their dreamy elopement.

These two had been together a long time at this point, so getting to witness them exchange vows and capture this part of their story together was truly special. Jess was such a joyful smiling ball of energy the entire time and clearly took in every single moment and loved the process. Watching Jesse’s face absolutely light up when Jess was walking down the “aisle” was one of the highlights of the day. He completely transformed seeing her for the first time during their ceremony. It was important to both of them not to do a “first look” but instead to see each other for the first time while Jess was walking down the “aisle”. It’s always such a special moment when couples choose to do this and the genuine joy on their faces is always priceless.

Jess and Jesse’s day is a testament that even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can still have a beautiful and joyful day. They were amazing enduring strangely chilly temps in July, and a constant threat of rain. Their great attitudes and love for each other won the day and in the end, they made some more incredible memories together.

The Best Small Wedding Venues in RI in 2023

Top Small Wedding Venues in Rhode Island

SWELL & STONE /Elopement Photographer / New England & Beyond

Rhode Island is one of the best places in New England and in the U.S. to hold a small outdoor wedding. If you love coastline, wildlife, insane sunrise and sunset views, and a variety of great small wedding venues then Rhode Island should be on the top of your wedding list. There are a ton of spots with epic views, and the great thing about this tiny state is that it has over 400 miles of coastline that faces north, east, west, and south. So unlike other east coast locations, there are a variety of sunset view locations, of course, many sunrise spots as well, but also many scenic spots to watch the stars come out and the milky way rise over the ocean. So if you’re a beach bum, forest fanatic, or a fan of lakes, ponds, and rivers, Rhode Island has some of the best scenery you can imagine.

If you only have around 10-15 people or fewer in your group and you’re looking for places to elope on public lands with just the two of you or a very small group, check out my recommendations for the Best Places to Elope in Rhode Island. If you’d like to spread your search a little wider here’s my New England elopement guide. Check out these articles if you’re looking for Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, or Upstate NY.

When your group is larger than 15 people, but you still want those gorgeous outdoor adventure wedding vibes, it makes sense to rent a private space that has that feel, but can accommodate your guests with comfortable chairs, facilities, and a gorgeous spot to celebrate after the ceremony. That doesn’t mean we can’t sneak away for an hour and shoot couple’s portraits at a lighthouse, but it makes things logistically easier with a larger crowd. Here are a few of my favorite small wedding venues in Rhode Island.

1. The Preserve RI, Richmond

   Although this is a non-waterfront location it’s one of my favorites because this spot has magical forest and rolling hill vibes instead. So if you’re into a more remote feeling small wedding, this might be what you’re looking for. I particularly recommend this location in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. I mean how incredible would it be to have your getting ready photos done at their amazing treehouse retreat. Are you a fan of Lord of the Rings? How about hosting your cocktail hour at the incredible Maker’s Mark Hobbit House? Plus they have so many things for you and your guests to do from canoeing and kayaking to ziplining and rock climbing. Fill your weekend with adventure, fun, and beautiful experiences!

2. Castle Hill, Newport

   When I think of Castle Hill, I think of one of the most iconic and picturesque lighthouses in the whole state of Rhode Island. Their grounds are stunning, the sunset views are amazing, and you can choose from lantern-lit gardens and white sandy beaches, ideal for warm-weather Newport, RI weddings. They have this whole getting married thing down and they can assist you with the catering, flowers, and other details you might need help with. That’s right they have their own personal in-house wedding planners to make all your dreams come true for your intimate seaside sunset wedding.

3. Lavender Waves Farm, South Kingstown

   Imagine your stunning day surrounded by intensely purple lavender with the incredible smell wafting through the air. Lavender Waves Farm is a private farm you can rent for your small outdoor wedding. Located in South Kingstown it’s close to a number of other incredible spots that are great for couple’s portraits, like Point Judith and East Beach. Bonus- there’s no need for a florist when you hold your wedding at a lavender farm!

4. Various Venues, Block Island

   Block Island is a stunning wedding site with out-of-this-world ocean views, lighthouses, dunes, shockingly gorgeous beaches, and lots of beautiful pockets to explore. There are a lot of great venues and vendors on the island. So take the ferry over from the mainland, rent some scooters, explore the island for photos, and genuinely enjoy the hell out of your magical wedding day.

5. Private VRBO’s that Allow Events

   This is one of my favorite suggestions because you can come up with places you never dreamed you could hold your wedding at, and you have a place to stay as well! When searching for a place to hold your small outdoor wedding, make sure you go into their filters and check “Event’s Allowed” to filter to only the locations that allow events. You can also add other filters like “Pets Allowed” or “Waterfront” to really customize your amazing experience. I’ve found incredible treehouses, stunning beachfront property with private beach access, so if you want to include a clambake reception, make sure you check this out as an option. Check out this gallery.

6. Cove Cabin, Mount Hope Farm, Bristol

   This site is one of my favorites because it has a truly “in the middle of nature” vibe. Your entire guest list can stay here with you, giving it the summer camp wedding feeling. Cove Cabin sits on the water’s edge of Mount Hope Bay, with unreal views of Seal Island, the Mount Hope Bridge, and Narragansett Bay. It was built in the 1940s as an Adirondack-style family retreat, the area and its adjacent lawn offer breathtaking views of the Bays. The Cabin can host up to 60 guests. Sunsets are spectacular and on a clear day, the Mount Hope Bridge frames the Newport Bridge at the opposite end of Narragansett Bay. Plus there are lush forests and lots of greenery on the property giving a truly unique aesthetic.

7. Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

   Naturally, an iconic Rhode Island view is the Newport Bridge. So you may as well host your small wedding here. They have a ton of ceremony spots to choose from, parking is easy, and sunsets are incredible from this spot. They help orchestrate your day and have a variety of vetted vendors to choose from. This is a quintessential RI experience, so if you’re looking for iconic Rhode Island views, this might be your spot. Check out a gallery from this spot HERE.

8. Harbor Lights, Warwick

   They have incredibly gorgeous setups that can include a harborview ceremony overlooking the Narragansett Bay. Want to add more adventure to your day? They have the option to do a sunset cruise on the water. And they face west so the sunsets at this spot are unreal. They can help you figure out the catering, decor, and all the little details that will make your micro-wedding your dream day.

9. Ocean House, Westerly

   Another stunning waterfront location where the possibilities are endless. You can set up your intimate reception table on the private beach or hold your ceremony on the lawn. They have tents if the weather turns, and can generally match whatever feel you’d like to bring to your day from casual and laid back to high-end and elegant.

10. The Boathouse, Tiverton

    The Boathouse hosts small weddings with up to 48 people total on their stunning property on Sakonnet River with brilliant panoramic views. You can get married on the private dock, so literally over the water, or on the lawn, and they also cater the celebration after. It’s a great option for couples who want a gorgeous one-stop option that is also incredibly beautiful. Check out a gallery from this spot HERE.

11. Shepherd’s Run, South Kingstown

    Shepherd’s run is a new event venue and winery. It is full-service, so if you want to not worry about any of your wedding day decisions, let them take care of that for you. Wedding ceremonies can be held in the Beatrix Farrand designed walled garden, and there are 36 acres total to choose from.

12. Blueberry Cove Inn, Narragansett

    The adorable bed and breakfast helps you with all the little details. The innkeeper also serves as an officiant, and they take care of the flowers, cake, and champagne toasts as well. They have a beautiful lawn and they are very close to a lot of scenic spots for great couples portraits on the coast.

13. South County Museum, Narragansett

    The Museum is a seven-acre campus located on the 174-acre Canonchet Farm Park, two miles off US 1 in Narragansett. It’s just a five-minute walk from Narragansett Town Beach. They only host weddings are hosted from May through October and you can choose from the lawn or in the ivy-covered stable ruins. It is a more DIY setup and you arrange for tents & rental equipment. There is plenty of parking, but no heating or air conditioning.

Okay, that was a lot of info, but there are a ton of great spots in Rhode Island for an outdoor adventurous small wedding. Remember, it’s your day, so you can go canoeing, and then get married later in the day. Your wedding day should include exactly what you want it to include and nothing that you don’t. If you’re looking for a photographer to capture your unique and adventurous small outdoor wedding, that’s where I come in! I’ve been doing this for a long time, and can’t help guide you through the process. Get in touch using the button below, and start planning the small outdoor wedding of your dreams.

Unbelievable Block Island Elopement

Maddie & Michael’s Sublime Rhode Island Elopement with Seal Guests

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

It’s hard to think of a day more spontaneous, adventurous, and full of joy than Maddie & Michael’s Block Island elopement. They started the day at a spot super near and dear to their hearts, Black Point in Narragansett on mainland Rhode Island. As we hiked out for a cloudy sunrise they recalled different memories of points in their lives that they spent together on Black Point. It was so awesome to do their ceremony in a place with so many amazing memories, and add another epic memory to the pile.

But we had a 9 am ferry to Block Island to catch, so we wrapped things up and headed to the nearby ferry terminal. The short ferry journey was beautiful, and in a moment of serendipity I heard someone call my name on the roof top overlook. It was Katie & Adam whose Maine elopement I shot the previous month!

We arrived on Block Island, dropped the cake off at the hotel and headed to our first location, South Light. The views were beautiful and endless, and it is right next door to Mohegan Bluffs, which is one of the most scenic spots on the island. We waited for most people to go to lunch people we started down the steps! I’m not sure how many steps there are total, but it’s enough to feel like a workout. The views are unreal and honestly reminiscent of the La Jolla coastline in San Diego (fun fact: I lived in San Diego for many years before moving to Rhode Island).

Next we headed over to the Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve where the blooming flowers made for shots of endless fields of orange and yellow! Finally, a couple hours before sunset we started our hike out to North Light. It’s about a mile or so to the sand spit at the end, but we found a nice spot in the sand where Maddie and Michael could spread out a blanket and cut their cake. It started to drizzle on us a bit, so we took the umbrellas out and walked down to the shoreline where we had a surprise waiting for us- a sea lion popping it’s head up to see who was walking along the beach. We went down a little further and their were about 30 sea lions resting on the sand spit, swimming around, and honking at us! It’s was an unbelievable sight to beyond and Maddie and Michael were jumping up and down with joy. They couldn’t believe the experience of their day, so unexpected, adventurous, and everything they hoped for plus more. It was one of my most memorable days as well, and I’m so happy we all have the photos of their day to look back on year after year and remember how truly epic it was!

I feel like they can summarize their love better themselves, when I asked them when they knew they were first in love Maddie said, “There was a specific moment for me, we had only been dating about a month when Mike came home from work on the 4th of July after hanging with his coworkers for a little while. He got home and curled up on the couch and put his head on my lap and started to sleep and said I love you (I didn’t tell him for months that he did it 😂) but it was such a calm moment and that’s when I knew he was the one.”

And Michael said, “I fell in love with Maddie because of her amazing personality. She accepted me for exactly who I was. She makes me feel like the only person in a room when she looks at me. My fiancé is the most incredible person I have ever met. I do not know how I got so lucky.”

“My husband and I could not be happier after working with Kat! She made the whole planning process easy and very straightforward, if we had a question about anything we could reach out and she was always happy to help. Our whole day was perfect, she was very relaxed and easy going and made us both feel comfortable in front of the camera and our pictures definitely show that. We didn’t have to worry about anything, she had back up plans for any weather we could get (including a quick rain shower) but because she was prepared for it we were still able to get awesome pictures during it! We received our full gallery in three weeks as well, about three weeks than earlier than expected. We honestly only have good things to say about our experience and if any couples are considering an adventure elopement to definitely reach out to her!”

— Maddie & Michael