Amanda & Nick's Wedding at Newport Vineyards in Middletown, RI

Amanda and Nick are now the third couple whose wedding we’ve photographed in their friend group, and seeing a familiar cast of characters at each one has been so much fun. It’s like seeing old pals, plus some new ones, and from the get-go the vibe is always just so relaxed. Amanda was born and raised in Rhode Island and although she and Nick have since moved to Austin, TX returning to the country’s smallest state for their wedding was always on the cards. We met up with them at the Oceancliff Hotel for rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding day to say hello and document their welcome party and the next day at Newport Vineyards just a ways up the road. The vineyard sits less than 4 miles from the coast of Rhode Island and benefits from the same coastal light and weather that we’ve grown to love so much while living and working here - slightly hazy, a bit softer than further inland, and always faintly breezy. Although their wedding day started with gray skies, the clouds opened up a bit in the late afternoon/early evening before turning totally clear at night and all the while sticking in the low to mid 70’s. Compared to last year around this time we welcome this cooler August with open arms!

The two of them got ready at a property directly next to the vineyard, making the logistics for the day incredibly simple, and everything else happened on site at the venue. This allowed them to ease into the day and feel less rushed, creating time to explore the grapevines and time to say hello to their 100 or so guests. The wedding ceremony was full of laughter and featured a ring-warming that gave grandparents, parents, and immediate family the opportunity to intimately engage with the process and made for quite a beautiful moment. Folks made their way after its conclusion back to the main building where they shared stories, cocktails, and found their seats courtesy of name-jars filled with local honey - Amanda and Nick’s way of making sure a part of Rhode Island went home with every one of their guests. The reception opened with a thank you toast from Amanda’s father and eased into dinner with a few more toasts from friends. The dancing - as we have come to expect from this group - was hilarious, absolutely goofy, and full of energy, and was one of our favorite parts of the day. There’s something about friend groups who have tons of history getting together on the dancefloor that really turns it up a notch and makes our job so much fun. As the evening came to a close, we headed outside with Amanda and Nick one last time to quite literally run through the grapevines together in celebration, and we left for Providence with grins on our faces.

Venue/Catering/Coordination: Newport Vineyards
Florals: Robin Hollow Farm
Hair/Makeup: Caitlin Mae Beauty
Dress: Alexandra’s Boutique / Allure Romance
Menswear: The Black Tux
DJ: Unique Sounds
Rings: Brilliant Earth / Leif Studio
Rentals: PEAK Rentals
Film/Processing: Kodak Portra 400 + 800 / Kerry’s Warwick Photo