Melissa & Joey | Five Bridge Inn, Rehoboth Wedding

When I found out my cousin Joey and his fiancé Melissa had finally set a date for their wedding, I was ecstatic! Before they even asked me to be their photographer, I knew I was the only one up for the challenge of capturing all things beautiful, fun and crazy! I mean, have you ever been to a Portuguese wedding that wasn’t? ;-)

As I arrived at Joey’s house to snap a few photos of the guys getting ready, I was surprised at how cool and calm they all were. What? No running around finding matching black socks? No missing suspenders/cuff links/bow ties? Shoes that don’t fit? Nothing. Just a bunch of guys hanging out as if it were an ordinary Saturday afternoon. BUT, I quickly learned that the reason for everything moving in slow motion. They were recovering from the rehearsal the night before. Ha! I knew something had to be up. :)

Unfortunately, Joey’s Dad wasn’t feeling well and was not able to attend the wedding. The photo of my uncle peering out screen door watching Joey leave to get married, just pulls at my heart strings. Having lost his mom when he was just 14 and his step-mom just a year ago, I knew the day would filled with so much emotion for Joey. Same for Melissa. She lost her Dad in 2006. So capturing these special moments for both of them meant more than just capturing the beauty of their day. It meant shooting with a bigger purpose.

Melissa and her girls got ready at the gorgeous Five Bridge Inn in Rehoboth, MA. It’s a lovely B&B that provided a lovely classic New England wedding backdrop –perfect for spring wedding. With so many amazing areas to photograph (even a barn of llamas –although on this day, the llamas wanted nothing to do with us, they were so cool to see) I could have spent the day photographing in all the beautiful areas of the property. We decided to do their “First Look” along a row of Cherry Blossom trees. It was perfect spot to reveal to Joey his beautiful bride-to-be.

Surrounded by close family and friends in an outdoor ceremony, Melissa and Joey became husband and wife. The celebration continued under the gorgeously decorated tent with purple up-light accents provided by the very talented DJ Jordan of Music of Our Lives. Of course this beautiful wedding day went without a hitch because Melissa’s day-of coordinator, Jolene of Jovial Day of Wedding Coordination made sure everything went according to plan and kept everyone in check. Again, if you’ve been to a Portuguese wedding, you know this is no easy task!

Melissa and Joey, your day couldn’t have been more perfect –just like your love for one another. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to capture this special day for you and for generations to come. Wishing you a lifetime of so much love and crazy fun! xoxo