Destin Wedding and Beach Photographer » Weddings

Krystal and Cal’s Wedding ~ Miramar Beach, FL ~

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:09:08 +0000

I cannot even describe the torrential downpour Monika and I drove through on the way to Krystal and Cal’s wedding. Highway 98 was flooded in some areas and cars were stalled out in the roadway and the sky looked even more menacing ahead of us. I was looking to make sure an ark didn’t float past us! It did not look like it was going to be such a good day for a beach wedding!

I wasn’t really sure how Krystal would take this climatic event and in truth was a bit worried for her as I looked at the radar and saw even more rain headed our way. We met her in the driveway of the house, she was looking excited about her big day and didn’t seem to mind the rain at all. She did ask me what the radar looked like and as any good wedding photographer should do…I lied. I told her it looked great and with any luck we would even have a rainbow. And then I prayed that I was right. I’ll let you know more about the weather situation later, but first let’s meet our couple for the wedding.

Krystal and Cal. Two very spunky and adorable do it yourselfers who worked together to find just the right pieces of driftwood to create their own wedding arch that they brought with them to Florida. Krystal had decorated every inch of the beach house with festive signs, fun wedding balloons, custom crafted candle holders and much more. It was really awesome! Cal made sure the guys were in the right place at the right time and even had a fun arm wrestling match before the wedding. Monika shot a great image of that!

After the girls toasting and an uncle cooking and lots of hustle and bustle, it was time for the wedding. Although it was still gray and not so pretty inland a few blocks, we came up to the beach to find the water the most wonderful emerald green color and no rain over the area!! As you can probably imagine, the wedding went off without a hitch. The beautiful bride and her handsome groom looked at each other with adoration and the nuptials were sealed with a passionate kiss.

Back at the beach house, the food was being cooked for the reception. A country low boil and northern real Italian sausage completed with home made cheesecake…yah..it was a great wedding! Enjoy their images!

The ice cream man was a little added treat for pictures!

I loved the sky with Krystal's lights...beautiful!

Keith and Katie’s Wedding ~ 8.21.10 Sandestin Hilton ~

admin — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:15:32 +0000

Keith and Katie’s decision to have a morning wedding at the Sandestin Hilton was a wise one. The sky was a brilliant cobalt blue and the clouds were the kind you could pick out of the sky like cotton candy. They chose to become husband and wife on the outside deck of the Hilton and then have a nice brunch reception. Under the tall palms they said their vows in front of friends and family who had traveled from all over the United States to come to the wedding. Mark and I shot the wedding and reception, while Monika worked magic with the very popular photo booth! Nouveau Flowers created a total fairy tale effect for both the wedding and reception and made a wonderful setting for a very attractive couple. I think their arch was one of most exquisite I have seen. Blair and the staff of the Hilton worked in the temperatures soaring in the 90′s to make sure everyone had what they needed and the wedding would be perfect. Jordan from Savior Faire Weddings rocked the coordination as she checked time schedules and made sure everything was just perfect!

Venue: The Sandestin Hilton
Flowers: Nouveau Flowers
Hair and Make up: Make me blush
Wedding Planner: Savior Faire Weddings
Harpist: Katie Ott
Band: Jim Armstrong/Prime Time Entertainment
Officiant: Randy Medlin

Kelly and Brian’s Inn at Crystal Beach Wedding Still oil free beaches

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:36:22 +0000

You may remember Kelly and Brian’s wedding dress trashing session. Yes, that was amazing!! What is even more amazing and beautiful was the ceremony a few days earlier (yes, I like to edit my dessert before the main course) that made them husband and wife! There ceremony was awesome. The heavy line of thunderstorms that were rushing towards the beach just stopped and dissipated right before the wedding. It was simply wonderful! The reception was equally as fun at 790 on the Gulf with the music of Chuck Lawson in the background. And let me tell you, he is one talented musician! The guy can play guitar, sing do instrumentals and even has the steel drums to make you feel as though you are on a Caribbean beach!! Love it! Enjoy Kelly and Brian’s images. They are a beautiful couple and we wish them many decades of bliss together!

Music: Chuck Lawson
Reception: 790 on the Gulf
Wedding Coordination: Destin Wedding Company
I love this image!! So much fun!

Brian's son will steal some hearts on day for sure!

Chuck rocks it out!

Kelly and Brian Trashing the Dress in Destin

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:30:33 +0000

As the sun was rising over the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, Kelly didn’t have to worry about getting any oil at all on her wedding dress. She was ready to trash her dress, but more along the lines of frolicking in the water with her sweet loving husband Brian. We started out utilizing the beautiful sunrise on the jetties. The water was calm and a gentle sea breeze allowed her dress to flow adding drama to her images. Soon the anticipation got to all of us, it was getting warm and it was time to create some wet wedding attire art! I have always seen folks shooting their trash the dress sessions either above or under the water. I wanted to be the first to shoot both views at the same time. And you know…I loved it! I hope you do as well! Enjoy!

The light breeze was wonderful!

Heather and Lee ~ Fort Walton Beach Wedding ~

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:22:48 +0000

Oh man, Heather and Lee’s wedding was awesome! It took place in a little white gazebo at the end of a peninsula in the Choctawhatchee Bay. The sun was wonderful but not to hot and the water sparkled all around with a smattering of palm trees to just give that isle of paradise look! Inside the yacht club it was a festive pink with black accents. Very pretty!

Heather was simply a dream in her dress with fun sassy pink heels! Lee and the boys were very handsome in their tuxedos and everyone had a blast at the reception dancing with B Boy Productions!

Enjoy their wedding images!

You know he won't be taking that ring off!!

Alison and Eric’s Wedding ~ 30A Destin

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 18:04:31 +0000

Alison and Eric had a fun wedding packed with family and friends in a little neighborhood off of the famous 30A in Santa Rosa Beach. It is the type of quiet beach neighborhood that has attracted celebrities like Sheryl Crow to own homes there. Eric’s mom did all of the table decorating. She was simply amazing!! Like really, she could do this as a profession! All of the decorations were based on things Alison loved in wedding magazines and Eric’s sister did the best scrapbook style ornament tree ever! It must have taken her weeks! It was beautiful! The cupcake tiers were also made by family friends. It was truly a team wedding! Even the dog participated for a moment as the co-flower girl! All in all everything was beautiful and worked out so well. Alison wrote me a few days after the wedding telling me that into the night after we had left, the whole wedding party ended up in the pool!!

The dish was set in a bed of live lemon grass. Very cool!

Mary Catherine and Waylon~ St. Simons Church/The Emerald Coast Conference Center

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 20:09:50 +0000

This was their first look at each other. It was awesome!

What a cute couple!! Mary Catherine and Waylon decided to see each other before their wedding. With three photographers on the job, we got a full view of their love and emotion from the meeting. It was simply awesome! Their wedding was at one of the prettiest churches in the area. The St. Simon flower guild really could have competed with any florist in the area on their alter displays and the wedding party bouquets were done in perfect matching harmony by Nancy Krenkel and Ann Wallace. I’m not knocking any local florists by any means. I’m just saying that the guild did a great job on the alter! The wedding was picture perfect. The flower girls and ring bearers did their jobs flawlessly and the service was intimate and beautiful. We were able to utilize three different views of the ceremony and also use a remote camera in the alter area to capture the moments as they came. Then came the fun! Their reception was at the Emerald Coast Conference Center on Okaloosa Island and it looked like a royal ball! There was wonderful uplighting as well as some of the most ornate table centerpieces I have seen in a while. While Mark and I worked the reception, Monika rocked the photo booth outside. Everyone did a tremendous job and now it’s time for all of you to enjoy the images from Mary Catherine and Waylon’s wedding!

It's not fun til the whole wedding party kisses!

"Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped it's head!"

Priceless!!

Putting down her flower petals!

Precious!

Our remote "alter cam"

Putting down her flower petals.

Husband and wife at last!

Mary Catherine putting on the moves!! You go girl!

The flower girl has now left the dance floor!

Mary Catherine is getting Married!!!

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:14:54 +0000

By the time you read this Mary Catherine will be a Mrs.! How exciting is this? I have been waiting and waiting to blog her full bridal session. I mean how could you not be excited as a photographer? She is gorgeous and the flowers are amazing! I am so excited as well to be photographing her and Waylon’s wedding at the Emerald Coast Conference Center as you are reading this. I know you can’t wait to see those images

In the meantime enjoy these of a beautiful bride on the inside and out!

Thanks to her mom and sister-in-law for pulling the azaleas for me

These smelled amazing!

Love the shoes!

Jen and Andrew~ Eden State Gardens Wedding

admin — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Jen and Andrew are destined to be married. That’s simply all there is to it, no if’s ands or buts! Everyone has their little trials and tribulations while planning a wedding, but Jen and Andrew found theirs a bit more daunting than usual and dealt with them with a smile. Their first stumbling block was a photographer. A good friend of mine and great photographer was going to shoot their wedding since he was a family friend. The bride and groom were so excited as he had already done their engagement session. Then, the photographer gets some life altering news. He needs a heart transplant and his doctor will not let him do strenuous activities. Thankfully however when he recommended me I was open for the date and it all worked out. I am hoping it all works out for Rich and his wife as well. He is a fantastic photographer and even better person. I hope and pray that the doctors can find a less evasive solution besides the transplant.

Jen and Andrew’s next stumbling block came all the way from Iceland. You see this dormant and docile volcano whose name nobody can seem to pronounce decided to act up and spew a wrath of ash all over Europe. This would have been fine, except they live in England and had to fly to the states for their wedding. Once again fate changed and they were able to get to the states in time. One of their friends recounted having a conversation with Jen when it seemed that they would not be able to come to their own wedding. Jen had told her, even if we can’t be there, just come and enjoy yourselves anyway, we want you to have fun. That says a whole lot about her personality. In light of what they were facing it takes a very kind and good people to have that wonderful selfless giving attitude.

Their last possible thorn in the plan of a perfect wedding was mother nature. The skies were a dark gray and the rain seemed like it could come at any second the morning of the wedding. Everyone stayed calm and the moment Jen walked down the aisle the sun broke from the clouds allowing them to have a beautiful wedding.

I am thrilled to have been part of such a beautiful and fun event. I hope you enjoy looking at the images as much as I had a blast shooting them.

Are they a gorgeous couple or what?!

Jen's mom looks up as the sun comes out during the wedding

Jen's Dad found the Beatles bobbleheads online and the cake toppers were Jen and Andrew!

This was so cute. They made it up to "Eight Days a Week" by the Beatles

Crazy fun dancing!

So romantic! Andrew played "Beautiful Tonight" by Eric Clapton for Jen

A surprise trash the dress.

MJ and Justin’s Wedding~ The Emerald Grande Destin

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 19:53:54 +0000

MJ and Justin. Now they are such a cute couple! Maybe I just have a certain kinship to MJ because we both are a bit lower to the ground than most folks!! Okay, if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at huh? Anyway, when they say that dynamite comes in small packages, they mean MJ! She is a smart and beautiful girl with the most fun spunk and attitude you can find in a bride! And Justin, he likes to have fun as well, but he is a little more reserved. Together they make a beautiful couple. Their wedding was surrounded by friends and family from everywhere. Most of MJ’s family and friends came from Hawaii to celebrate the wedding. If absence makes the heart fonder, than distance makes the friendships stronger as her girls made her laugh and have fun. Take a little time and enjoy some images from their special day!

I love these shoes!