Rose Island Newport Wedding
Nicole + Tom
I was originally contacted by the bride-to-be, Nicole several months before their wedding date. As soon as I saw the email in my inbox mentioning Rose Island, I was intrigued, excited and immediately on google. What and where is Rose Island? It’s right in between Jamestown and Newport!
From the few minutes of internet research, I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of such an amazing destination wedding. There is SO much to love about photographing weddings in Newport, and after many years doing so, there was a spot I had never heard of. What a fun phone consultation I had learning more about Nicole and Tom and their plans for a fun RI destination wedding. Count me in!
Nicole and Tom had worked closely with the innkeepers at the lighthouse on Rose Island, who acted as their wedding coordinators, working out all the details to ensure smooth sailing – quite literally. In order to get to Rose Island, you’ve got to hop on a boat and enjoy the 15 minute ride from Fort Adams to the island. I worked with Nicole to create her custom wedding photo timeline, ensuring I had the time and space to capture all of the moments she wanted, and we planned on 1pm-5pm. It would be a beautiful daytime, spring wedding.
We started the wedding day at the couple’s homes to incorporate their favorite little souls – Ollie and George. What handsome boys they were! Ollie and George are water doggies – they spend a lot of time swimming in the lakeside community Nicole and Tom reside in. While they could not attend the actual wedding, I made it a priority to stop by their home and make sure they were included.
What is important to my couples is important to me!
The Ferry Ride to Rose Island
After some sweet snuggles with Ollie and George, we all departed for Aquidneck Island and met at the ferry dock. We met with the groom’s daughters and their spouses (the beautiful bridesmaids), the bride’s parents, wedding officiant Cindy Zito, and best man. Here I am enjoying the boat ride from Fort Adams to Rose Island!
There was a group of family and friends who caught the earlier ferry ride over to Rose Island, so we would be greeted upon arrival. Staff from the lighthouse greeted us and helped to carry everyone’s belongings- a fantastic service, especially when the couple brought food and drinks for everyone. Altogether we were a group of 20 guests on the island ready to celebrate the love of Tom and Nicole.
There are many nooks and crannies on the island, it was a photographer’s dream location! I would have stayed all day and night documenting the beautiful moments, but we had limited time on the island. I decided to explore just a few spots with the bride and groom before we joined the cocktail hour tent.
Looking back, this was one of the most adventurous weddings I have been a part of. Was I a little bit nervous about taking a small boat to the island with all of my photography equipment – absolutely. But nobody grows just by resting on their laurels. This was such a rich experience I am very grateful for. Where will I go next? Contact me with some sweet details, I can’t wait to hear more about the adventurous wedding you’re planning.
