Real Moments, your Stories, Beautifully Told.

Based in Rhode Island — traveling throughout New England & beyond

Wedding photography for people who want images that feel like them

Capture the kind of moments you don’t want to forget — the loud ones, the soft ones, and all the in-betweens that tell your story. With an authentic, observational approach, I focus on real connection rather than forced poses, creating images that feel natural, emotional, and deeply personal.

Your story is something worth preserving — a collection of moments, expressions, and relationships that deserve to be held onto. RescueBox Studio is my way of honoring that: saving the real, the messy, the beautiful, the human.

Whether you’re planning a New England wedding or a destination celebration, I’m here to document your day with care, creativity, and ease

An elderly woman with dark hair and dressed in a colorful outfit, including a pearl necklace, is helping a young woman with dark hair styled in pigtails and bangs, wearing a black dress with sequins and a necklace, as another person touches her shoulder.

The Story of RescueBox

When my wife and I were getting to know each other we lived three thousand miles apart. We had a writing relationship for the first six months. At some point near Christmas I sent her a box I made out of a small can I had bought at a Second Life art supply store. I was thinking “care package”. I put a red cross on the top like a first aid kit and painted the insides with stars.

I cut a round piece of roofing flashing and painted a star on one side and a heart on the other side. I told her that in the morning she should open the box and decide if she needed comfort (heart) or guidance (star), and put that side up for the day.  She called it her “rescue box.”

It became a tangible way to feel close.

That was fifteen years ago. I went on to make cards for the seasons and added them to the box.

Colorful circular pins with various designs, including a red X, a tree, a snowflake, a heart, and a polka-dotted pattern, laid out on a wooden surface.
Close-up of a small round metal container with a black lid, decorated with red cross symbols, open to reveal small patches with star and snowflake designs, resting on a wooden surface.

Over the years I have made a few more rescue boxes and given them to people I feel close to. My hope is it helps in ways that only the owner can say…And in the same way my Rescue Box brings joy and guidance to my love ones, I can capture your weddings to do the same….Add a photographic record of the joy you bring to each other for years to come.

A small round container with a black lid featuring a pink X and white dots, placed on a weathered wooden surface.
A round, decorated tin box with a slightly open lid, revealing a green interior with a snowflake design, sits on a wooden surface. The lid features a red heart on a green background with decorative peacock feathers, and the box's top layer has a black background with a red cross and white dots.

Kind Words

  • Sarah

    “The whole experience was perfect. Tim’s communication before, during and after, had a wonderful laid-back feeling, and the photos were better than anything we could have imagined.Natural, beautiful, candid and the memories captured of all of us together were perfection.”

  • Shannon

    We hired Tim for our wedding and he was great to work with. A few things didn’t go exactly as planned but he stayed flexible and helped keep everything moving smoothly. When we realized we needed more time he was willing to extend his hours which we really appreciated. Our photos are beautiful and he did a really nice job with the videography as well. I’d definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a talented and dependable photographer.

  • Madyson

    Tim was super personable from start to finish. When I initially booked him for my maternity photos in January I was working full time and I ended up dropping to part time after leaving the job I was at and he worked with me so I didn’t have to fully cancel my photos. The day of my photos he let us “lead” so to speak. He would put us in a pose and just let us have fun with it. He got beautiful photos and edited them beautifully. I cannot speak highly enough of him or his skill.

  • Colin

    Tim  photographed our wedding in our back yard. He was professional, arrived on time, easy to communicate with and took amazing pictures of the whole day. He walked us through every step of the way and even found spots in our yard to photograph my wife and I and made them look naturally breathtaking without changing anything.
    We highly recommend Tim to photograph your wedding or any event!

  • Candice

    Tim was truly a blessing sent. He captured our special day from beginning to end. Tim has an eye for detail and very talented. He's very responsive, patience and understanding when working with you. We can't stop looking at our wedding photos. Our photos look like a fairytale. Tim captured my husband and I getting ready, first look, ceremony and reception. Plus he's putting together a video of our special day. Can't thank him enough and he traveled to CT for our special day. Don't bother connecting with other photographers it's a waste of your time, please hire Tim! My husband and I will certainly hire him again. Thank you soooo much, Tim for exceeding our expectations and capturing these beautiful memories

  • Lisa

    Tim was a pleasure to work with. He took the time to listen to what I wanted and boy did he deliver. The photos taken, the ones we knew about and those he took when we didn’t know are all fantastic. I highly recommend using Tim

A man with glasses and gray hair, wearing a beige collared shirt, standing indoors in front of a doorway.

I’m Tim McFate, the photographer behind RescueBox Studio. My wife took this picture of me in our kitchen. It is one of her favorites.

For me, photography is about presence — showing up, observing the realness in people, and translating that into images that feel alive.

I think I am a little older than most wedding photographers. I have been around. I know what it is when I see it. I know where those moments are and how to find them. What I know is that you can’t expect someone to know what they don’t know.

My style is calm, collaborative, and unobtrusive. I don’t believe in overly posed, cookie-cutter photography. Instead, I focus on genuine emotion and honest interaction. I step in when you need guidance, and step back when the moment needs space.

From New England weddings to destination celebrations, I approach every session with curiosity and care — listening to what matters most to you and creating a comfortable environment where your true selves come through.

More About me

Let’s Tell Your Story

I’d love to help you capture every meaningful moment.

📧 timmcfate@gmail.com
📞 (401) 261-1771
📍 Based in Rhode Island — traveling throughout New England & beyond