Meet Meagan and Ben. They met in college in 2009 when they both attended Syracuse in NY. Mutual friends introduced them and they hit it off during a day trip to Rochester to visit local pumpkin patches and a fall festival. Meagan was very impressed when Ben cleaned his college apartment from top to bottom and made homemade Eggplant Parmesan from scratch for their first date. She remembers they talked all evening about sports teams, beer (Ben brews beer) and watched a movie, although she can’t remember which movie it was! Ben proposed during a winter stroll along Narragansett Town Beach on February 10, 2018.
When they came into view their wedding photos, I asked them a few questions:
Bride is showing her Grandmother her wedding dress that is custom made with her own Mother's gown (Brides mom passed away).
Even I got teary eyed!
Q: What made you select your wedding venue?
A: The majority of our guests were from out of town so we wanted a location where they could stay a long weekend and walk back to their hotel room whenever they needed to. We liked that the hotel was within walking distance of down city and local attractions, yet removed from the Labor Day and move-in weekends for nearby colleges. The Providence Marriott Downtown conveniently has free parking and an amazing outdoor pool/bar area, AQUA, where our guests enjoyed sunshine, mudslides, and even a steel drum player!
Q: What was the favorite part of your ceremony and/or reception moment:
A: Our first look! It was such a special moment to see one another after getting ready all day, before we took group photos. We were still excited for the ceremony and reception, but it was a special “just us” moment and I love the photos of Ben seeing my dress for the first time.
Q: How far in advance did you book us as your wedding photographers?
A: About 9 months.
Q: What made you want to hire us for your wedding?
A: We saw lots of photos online and liked the way you captured the love and excited for each couple’s wedding day!
Q: What was your favorite part about working with us so far?
A: The communication, before and even after the wedding. We felt comfortable with the planning leading up to the wedding and enjoyed the in-studio viewing session afterwards to see all the photos. It was seamless process and feels more like a relationship then wedding transaction.
Q: What advice could you offer couples looking to hire a photographer?
A: Make sure you find someone who captures all those “you” moments. Yes, you want family and group photos galore, but there will be so many photos of your and your partner and you want to feel comfortable knowing you’ll spend the majority of the day/night in front of the camera and with your photographer. You should feel good knowing you can smile, laugh, joke around, and be your true selves, even on your “big day."
Q: One thing you learned from planning your wedding is….
A: Oh jeez… ask for help! And accept help when friends and family offer. Stay organized and don’t forget to have fun, especially during the planning process. Turn date nights into mini planning sessions ;-)
Right Image: Bridge with her maternal grandparents and her brother
VENDORS
Venue: Downtown Marriott
Photographer: Nicole Gesmondi Photographer, LLC
Cake: Wright’s Dairy Farm
Cake Topper: Raw Krft (Etsy)
Florals: Family member
DJ: Arpeggio Wedding Entertainment
Make Up: Brandon Ward
Hair: Gazebo Hair Salon
Officiant: Vincent Cocca
Invitations: Box Car Press (NY)
Gown: custom from Sandra Leigh Designs
Groom: Copa Mensware
Jewelry: Pearl necklace from Reliable Gold
Favors: Whisk Me Away (blonde Bars) and Cake Boxes from ToGo Favors (Etsy)
