Darci & Marcie – Wedding
Mennello Art Museum of Art – Orlando, Florida
Farmers’ Market, Winter Park, Florida
This special day had been a rollercoaster of emotions.
The couple got ready in different areas, and read each other’s letters separated by a wall, following the age-old tradition of not seeing the bride in her wedding dress prior to the ceremony. It actually felt quite fitting that they chose to do exchange letters at an art museum. It felt like they belonged right there with the paintings. Their love, in itself, was a masterpiece.
Marcie proposed to Darci on a cold but beautiful day in Amsterdam where a photographer had been hired to capture the moment. They even used one of the images of the unforgettable proposal as a save-the-date photo for the wedding, sharing that significant moment with the most special people in their lives.
Finally, the ceremony began, held outdoors among interesting sculptures. Their union was a rather intimate one, with Marcie shedding more tears when she saw Darci walk down the aisle, looking absolutely gorgeous in her lacey, off-shoulder gown.
We made sure to make good use of the stunning venue, and took plenty of lovely photos around the museum grounds, with an especially gorgeous shot under the arch. It was also very important to both the girls to have plenty of images taken with Marcie’s family members since both girls are very close to them.
Here’s a quick tip: trust your professional photographer’s knowledge of lighting. For example, what looks pretty to you at 4:30pm on a Floridian spring evening isn’t going to photograph exactly the same at 12pm high-noon. Lighting is essential to achieving stunning shots.
Reception at the Farmers’ Market was a unique but beautiful mix of colors – gold accents, deep dark blue napkins, and lilac table cloths. There were lots of tea lights, as well as white and soft-colored roses and other floral arrangements. Instead of the traditional cake cutting, the couple opted for a donut board from Donut Kings.
For this wedding, I had a second photographer, Jamie Leigh, and an assistant photographer, Dwayne Watson – one of my dream teams! The entertainment during reception was made extra fantastic by Our DJ Rocks – a personal favorite of mine – who also provided the photo booth. At the party, I ran into my brides from a few years ago, Brittani and Christa. It was really wonderful to catch up with them and to know little life updates after their own wedding.
Overall, a simply amazing day. From the photos alone, you can tell Darci and Marcie are perfect for each other, and I wish them a happy married life!
Julia & Manny – Wedding
Estate on the Halifax – Port Orange, Florida
I met Julia and Manny a couple of weeks before the wedding at Foxtail Coffee in Winter Park. From our initial meeting, I instantly sensed what a lovely couple these two are – and I was pleased to know that I was right! They are completely devoted parents to their three daughters, so I knew it was extra important to capture photos of all of them interacting as a family.
The event was held at Estate on the Halifax at Port Orange, Florida – a really stunning and ideal location for weddings and other formal celebrations. For this wedding, I was assisted by the wonderful Dwayne Watson who made this smooth day become even smoother.
The intimate ceremony was in the rustic yet highly elegant chapel with their closest family and friends. But the wedding isn’t only an official union between the couple. During the ceremony, Julia and Manny gifted rings to their lovely little girls to commemorate their union as a family – this made the special day an extra touching and heartwarming occasion.
After the ceremony, I took some shots of the couple around the estate, with the notable ones being them on a secluded stone bench surrounded by greenery, and in a charming gazebo. Their loving moments and delicate interactions came naturally, and it was a breeze taking photos of them.
The whole vibrancy and aesthetic of the event was an incredibly unique one. From the color palettes to the decorations, there was a warm and cozy vibe to both the ceremony location and reception area. They picked succulents, mirrors, and gold geometric air plant enclosures to decorate each table.
They used shades of mahogany and rust-tone reds in addition to stunning golds. Even their cake was a delicate gold and pink ombre. Their wedding favors to guests were coffee pods, which was a rather interesting and insanely cute idea. Everything was simply stunning and greatly represented Julie and Manny as a couple: absolutely warm and especially lovely.
Laura & Jeremy – Wedding
The Historic Dubsdread Ballroom – Orlando, Florida
This couple’s wedding ceremony and reception, as well as the preparations prior, were held at The Historic Dubsdread Ballroom with all its rustic charm and vintage elegance. They had an outdoor wedding with an intimate number of guests in attendance. The ceremony was solemn and peaceful, the perfect weather making the occasion extra special. After the ceremony, we took advantage of the gorgeous areas of the large venue, and took some stunning shots along the walkway and under the trees.
Reception was filled with nothing but excitement – from the couple’s heartwarming first dance to the very moment they opened the dance floor to everyone. Everyone was all smiles and laughter as the night went on and they continued to celebrate this couple’s special day. I managed to capture some photos of the couple that evening, framed by a halo of light, that turned out really lovely.
Laura is absolutely pretty, and Jeremy, while also handsome, presents himself as quite shy at first. Both of them are innately warm people, and their natural chemistry showed whenever they were together, making them an absolute dream to photograph. They were very open to me learning about what was most important to them that I took photos of throughout their special day, and I genuinely hope they feel that I showcased that through the ones I captured.
Like the couple, their families were also ridiculously sweet in nature. Laura is very close to her parents, which made her dance with her father particularly sweet. She is also very close to her brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew who were all included at the wedding party. Jeremy has a very close and tight bond with his mother. Unfortunately, his father passed away a years ago, but his presence at the wedding was definitely felt, especially through his son.
Laura and Jeremy, along with their respective families, reminded me of how incredibly blessed I am to work with such wonderful couples. Here’s to wishing these newlyweds nothing but happiness!
Chantel & Roberto – Wedding
Paradise Cove – Orlando, Florida
Before achieving their happily ever after, Chantel and Roberto’s fairytale began after years of working together, with neither of them expecting anything more than friendship. It was over drinks and a sample platter at their friend’s going away happy hour that they realized they had plenty of things in common and were headed in a similar direction in life.
After six months of courtship, they went on an overnight road trip – after all, a five-hour-long drive is plenty of time to get to know each other better. The trip, as you can clearly see, was a great success. On their way back home, they stopped at a restaurant in Miami Gardens where Chantel discovered Roberto’s obsession with sitcoms. How? He made her sign a “boyfriend/girlfriend agreement.” (Try and guess which sitcom he got that idea from!)
Exactly two years later, at the very same restaurant, Robert proposed a new agreement: the fiancée agreement, which Chantel happily signed. Last March, they signed their final agreement: the husband and wife agreement – which officially began their new life together.
Roberto was a very hands-on groom, being greatly involved in the planning of their wedding photos which, really, isn’t very common. It was refreshing to learn what the husband-to-be finds most important for their wedding. Meanwhile, Chantel was the epitome of sweet – a girl of few words but expresses much of her thoughts through facial expressions and disposition, making her an absolute joy to photograph.
They chose Paradise Cove as the venue for their special day. The ceremony was held at seaside on the white sandy beach, among swaying palm trees, and under twinkling fairy lights. They incorporated a lot of travel themes into their wedding with globes, vintage suitcases, and a map table chart. They even used the engagement images we photographed at Epcot Theme Park to indicate the table numbers of their guests. Both Chantel and Roberto are of Spanish descent, but they brought the party life of Miami – where they currently reside – into the reception. It was an absolute blast!
The ceremony began on a high note and their send-off ended just the same. The energy was high the entire day, and, after getting to know the couple, I know it will be for as long as they are together.
Haleigh & Johnny – Wedding
The Historic Dubsdread Ballroom – Orlando, Florida
Here is another one for the books: the highlights of Haleigh and Johnny’s beautiful wedding.
Preparations were held at two different locations. Haleigh got ready at an Airbnb in Orlando with her lovely mother, sister, new sister-in-law, and college friends. Like most bridesmaid ensembles, they celebrated the day with a toast in matching rose robes. Meanwhile Johnny prepared at a hotel in Downtown Orlando with his two brothers and school friends, drinking beers and champagne.
The ceremony was held at the gorgeous outdoor area at Dubsdread. Haleigh and her girls did last minute tequila shots seconds before walking down the aisle. When I say last minute, I mean they were literally already lined up and ready to make their entrance – my kind of girls!
One of the moments that I will always remember from this wedding is Johnny’s emotional reaction to his blooming bride walking down the aisle. We had previously discussed about them seeing each other before the wedding – the first look, like some couples do – but with the timing and how their personalities are, the aisle reaction is what definitely fits them, and who they are as a couple, best.
I managed to capture photos of them just as the sun was setting in the background, and I think the overall warm and cozy aesthetic of the photos matches with the way they are around each other. Each intimate moment was enhanced by their setting. They have wonderful and obvious chemistry.
Haleigh and Johnny are two people who truly care about each other and the people around them. It’s easy to tell that they’re the type of couple that will push each other, while offering endless support, toward their personal and career goals – true teammates, through thick and thin.
I love that they greeted the guests at the reception together, hand-in-hand. You’d be surprised at how many couples greet their respective guests at different tables separately. These two experienced every moment of their day together which is really nice to think about and absolutely beautiful to capture.
Everything was pure elegance, timeless, and heartfelt – much like the couple and their relationship. For sure, this wedding is one of my favorites this year!
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