A Colorful Wedding at Aldrich Mansion in Rhode Island

weddings

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Nicole Maday

There’s just something about a colorful wedding that brings so much life and joy. And when I arrived at this colorful wedding at Aldrich Mansion, it was clear that color was woven into every part of the day.

It was everywhere. In the bridesmaid dresses, the groomsmen suits, the florals, the linens, and even the energy of the people around me. It felt thoughtful, bold, and SO much fun.

Aldrich Mansion is already one of the most beautiful Rhode Island wedding venues, so bringing in color only added to the vision. As a New England wedding photographer, I love when the day itself feels aligned with the couple. Where design choices reflect who they are and how they want the day to feel.

And this one felt full of joy and fun from the very beginning.

The couple stands together on the lawn in front of the estate, sharing a quiet moment during a colorful wedding day.

The couple is surrounded by their wedding party, sharing a kiss while everyone reacts with joy during a colorful wedding celebration.
The bride and groom stand beneath the church arches, framed by the architecture during a colorful wedding day.
The couple stands close together outside the estate, the bride’s veil moving gently in the light during a colorful wedding.

A side view of the church exterior set against a clear sky, capturing the setting of a colorful wedding ceremony.
The coastline stretches beyond the property, with a small stone building overlooking the water during a colorful wedding weekend.
A view of the estate from across the lawn, showing the full scale and architecture of the venue.

Getting Ready for a Colorful Wedding at Aldrich Mansion

The morning started inside the mansion, and if you’ve ever been inside Aldrich, you already know how beautiful the light is. It’s soft, directional, and consistent in a way that makes my job documenting your day very easy. The space naturally guides you throughout the day. There is plenty of space, allowing for a peaceful and enjoyable time getting ready.

That’s the goal, right? No stress, just a good time with good people. There was music playing, friends moving in and out of rooms, and details being set down as they arrived. Nothing felt rushed or overly structured, and that kind of pace makes more of a difference than most people expect.

The morning really does shape the rest of the day. I love the way a peaceful morning sets the tone for the day, and it’s something I gently help protect whenever I can. 

A mother helps the bride into her dress in a softly lit room, a quiet and meaningful getting-ready moment.
The groom stands by the window in soft natural light, taking in a quiet moment before the ceremony.
The bride’s veil and shoes rest on a vintage chair, a quiet detail from a colorful wedding morning.

The groomsmen walk up the steps overlooking the water, marking the start of a colorful wedding day.
The bride sits and fastens her shoe in a calm getting-ready moment inside a softly lit room.
A quiet detail of the groom’s boutonniere and bow tie, captured in soft window light.

A Colorful Mansion Wedding Full of Joy

The wedding party is where the color really came to life. Mismatched bridesmaid dresses in tones that all worked together without feeling overly matched. Groomsmen in colored suits. Florals that tied everything together.

It felt cohesive. Every detail coming together in a way that felt natural and intentional. When it is done well, like it was here, it adds so much personality to the day. These colors were stunning and perfect for spring time.

If you’re planning a 2026 or 2027 wedding, this is something I often guide my couples through as they start thinking about design. Color and pattern are becoming a huge part of how couples are making their weddings feel more their own.

And it photographs beautifully.

Wedding Party Photos in Full Sun | Why We Didn’t Shy Away From the Light

When we stepped outside for the wedding party portraits, the sun was front and center. No clouds or soft filter. Just bright, direct light. And instead of working against it, we put the sunlight to work.

Choosing locations based on light is something I help my couples navigate in real time. With a wedding palette like this, where color and pattern were such a big part of the design, the light actually enhanced everything. The colors popped more. The images felt more vibrant. There was an energy to them that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

Instead of shying away from the harsh daylight, we let the sun play it’s role in the photographs and I’m so happy with how it all came together.

A close view of the bride’s bouquet with soft garden florals in blush, cream, and green during a colorful wedding.

The groom and groomsmen walk together outside the church, their green suits adding a distinct look to a colorful wedding.
The couple walks out with their wedding party beneath the stone arches, surrounded by soft tones and movement.
The bride laughs with her bridesmaids gathered closely around her outside the church on a colorful wedding day.

A Ceremony at Aldrich Mansion | One of My Favorite Rhode Island Wedding Venues

The ceremony took place inside the chapel at Aldrich Mansion, and I will never get tired of photographing here. It’s one of the most beautiful chapels and everything can be documented in natural light. This makes such a difference, especially for a Catholic ceremony. It helps to capture how it truly feels.

There’s a softness to it. A quietness. No interruptions, just the moment as it’s actually happening. For couples planning a colorful wedding at Aldrich Mansion, this is something we always talk through as we plan their timeline and ceremony space. The environment you choose for your ceremony directly affects how it feels while you’re in it, and how it will be remembered later.

The priest lifts the Eucharist at the altar as the couple stands together during a colorful wedding ceremony.
Guests greet one another inside the church, exchanging handshakes and quiet conversation before the ceremony.
A wide view of the church interior as the ceremony unfolds, guests seated along the aisle during a colorful wedding.

The couple shares their first kiss at the altar as guests look on during a colorful wedding ceremony.

Portraits Around Aldrich Mansion | Candid Posing and Natural Results

After the ceremony, we moved into portraits around the grounds of this Rhode Island wedding venue. One of the best things about a mansion wedding like this is that you don’t have to go far to get variety. The architecture alone gives you so much to work with, and everything flows naturally from one spot to the next.

We kept things simple. A lot of walking and space to just let them be together, while I gently guided when needed. The posing leaned natural and relaxed, which ensured that the couple felt no pressure to perform. They could just be themselves with some subtle direction.

And then we made our way down to the water. Shoes off. A little quieter. A shift in pace. This is something I often try to work into the timeline. Time and space for my couples to have some one on one moments together. It’s usually the first time all day when couples have a second to just be together without anything happening around them.

These moments are always some of my favorites.

The bride and groom laugh together in an open field, a quiet and candid moment in black and white.

The couple stands together in front of the estate, framed by the architecture during a colorful wedding afternoon.

A close embrace as the couple shows their rings, marking a joyful moment during a colorful wedding day.
The bride walks barefoot through the grass holding her shoes, her dress gathered gently in a black and white frame.
The couple laughs and leans into each other, sharing a playful moment during a colorful wedding portrait session.
A close, intimate kiss by the water as the bride’s dress moves softly in the evening light.
The couple stands close along the shoreline, wrapped in each other during a colorful wedding portrait by the water.
The couple walks barefoot through the grass in front of the estate, sharing a quiet kiss during a colorful wedding evening.

An Outdoor Reception at a Colorful Wedding | Letting the Day Breathe

One of my favorite parts of this colorful wedding was how much of the reception happened outside! Introductions, first dances, toasts, all outdoors. It completely changed the feel of the evening.

This isn’t always so common here in New England, and it was so special. Guests were relaxed and happy to stay out in the setting sun. The transitions felt natural, and visually it was SO good. The colors and patterns carried through into the reception design, linens, signage, and florals, all layered in a way that felt cohesive and intentional. The Mansion grounds at sunset with all the colors looked absolutely stunning.

Guests mingle on the lawn in front of the estate as the sun sets, marking the start of a colorful wedding evening.

Guests watch the ceremony with quiet attention, some capturing the moment on their phones in a black and white frame.

The couple shares their first dance outdoors with guests gathered closely around them overlooking the water.

Bridesmaids and groomsmen stand together holding bouquets, their dresses and suits adding texture to a colorful wedding palette.
The couple shares a quiet embrace just outside the venue while guests watch from a distance during a colorful wedding.
The bride and groom lead guests up the steps, laughing and holding drinks as the celebration continues.

Incorporating Color Into Your Aldrich Mansion Wedding | A Seasonal Approach

The most helpful ways to think about color, especially if you’re feeling unsure where to start, is to ground it in the season you’re getting married in. We’re not about following rules, just having a starting point that makes decisions feel easier.

At a Rhode Island wedding venue like Aldrich Mansion, the surroundings already shift so beautifully throughout the year. When your design choices work with that instead of against it, everything tends to feel more cohesive.

Spring at Aldrich Mansion

There’s still so much room to bring in color in a way that feels soft and natural. This is a season where lighter tones come into play. Think muted pastels mixed with a few unexpected colors for contrast. Soft blues, butter yellow, lavender, or even a pop of coral can photograph beautifully against the fresh greens on the property and the stone colors of the mansion.

Florals naturally brighten up in the Spring, so this is a great time to let them lead and then layer in color through bridesmaid dresses and design details.

Summer at an Aldrich Mansion Wedding

Summer is where you can go a little bolder. The light is stronger, the days are longer, and color tends to hold up really well in that environment. This is the perfect season for brighter palettes, patterned linens, and more playful combinations that still feel elevated within a mansion wedding setting.

Fall at This Rhode Island Wedding Venue

Fall naturally brings in depth. Richer tones like rust, deep green, plum, or warm neutrals tend to blend seamlessly with the landscape around Aldrich Mansion. This is a season where texture and layering can really stand out, velvet, heavier fabrics, and more dimensional florals all photograph beautifully.

Color in the fall doesn’t need to compete with the environment, but rather enhance it.

Winter Mansion Weddings in New England

Winter weddings at Aldrich Mansion are so romantic, and color simply takes on a different tone during this season. This is where deeper tones, classic combinations, or even subtle patterns can make a big impact. Black, ivory, evergreen, or soft metallics layered with intentional color can feel elevated at a beautiful venue like this.

And inside the mansion, with all of that natural light and beautiful archtitechure, even smaller color choices stand out in a really beautiful way.

Bridesmaids gather outside the stone arches in a mix of soft tones and textures during a colorful wedding day.
The couple stands close along the shoreline, the water stretching behind them in a calm, open landscape.

A softly styled table with candles and floral arrangements sits in front of a marble fireplace and gilded mirror.
Guests gather for cocktail hour beneath an ornate painted ceiling in a historic venue during a colorful wedding.
A simple two-tier wedding cake with soft floral details sits surrounded by candlelight during a colorful wedding reception.

Why Color and Pattern Work So Well at an Aldrich Mansion Wedding

If you’re planning your own Aldrich Mansion wedding, this is me gently saying, color can be such a meaningful part of your day. When it’s done well and it feels like you, it doesn’t take away from the elegance of a Rhode Island wedding venue like this. It adds personality. It makes your day feel unique to you.

Some of my favorite ways to incorporate it:

  • Mismatched bridesmaid dresses within a curated palette
  • Colored or textured suits for groomsmen
  • Florals with variation and movement
  • Patterned linens or a layered table design
  • Thoughtful, design-forward signage

It doesn’t have to be overwhelming to be impactful. It just has to feel like you.

A quiet portrait of the couple beneath an arched stone entryway, the bride leaning gently into the groom.
The couple walks out of the ceremony surrounded by their wedding party, smiling and relaxed in a colorful wedding celebration.
The bride and groom stand close beneath a stone archway, holding a soft garden bouquet during a colorful wedding day.

Why Aldrich Mansion Is One of the Best Rhode Island Wedding Venues

Aldrich Mansion is one of the most beautiful New England Wedding Venues out there. The setting is gorgeous and everything you would hope for from a romantic mansion by the water. As a New England wedding photographer, it’s one of my favorite places to work because it supports both the experience for the couple and guests, as well as the documentation of the day.

The couple walks away together along a quiet path at dusk, the estate visible in the distance in a black and white frame.

Planning Your Colorful Wedding in New England

If you’re planning a colorful wedding in New England and want a day that feels intentional, personal, and genuinely enjoyable for you and your guests, I would LOVE to photograph it for you. These venues already offer so much on their own, and I’m passionate about how thoughtful design choices can bring the day together in a way that feels natural and true to you.

My role is to guide and document your day in a way that allows you to be fully present, while preserving how it actually felt.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for, inquire to begin planning your New England wedding photography experience. I can’t wait to hear from you!

The groom reaches for pastries at the dessert table while guests mingle nearby during a colorful wedding reception.
The bride and groom walk together toward a dessert table inside a library reception space filled with warm light and books.
The couple shares a playful bite of dessert during their reception, a candid moment from a colorful wedding evening.

A wide black and white view of a grand estate set on a hill, offering a quiet sense of place before the celebration begins.
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