Providence Wedding

Providence is the capital and largest city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 173,618, about one sixth the population of the state. Its 2004 estimated metropolitan population is 1,628,808, making it the 34th-largest metropolitan area in the country.

The city is located in Providence County and is the second-largest city in New England. Providence is nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry" and, since the 1990s, "The Renaissance City," a label held by some to be superficial since, as of 2000 census, its poverty rate was still among the ten highest for cities over 100,000[1].

Providence was named by Roger Williams in honor of "God's merciful Providence" in his finding this spot to settle when expelled by the Puritans from Massachusetts. The official name of the state includes the name of the city, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The city was one of the first cities to industrialize in the United States and was noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, Providence is the economic, cultural, and political hub of Rhode Island.