Destin Beach Portrait Photography, destin maternity photography, destin senior portraits, and destin wedding photography, rosemary beach wedding photography So-Wal « Destin Wedding and Beach PhotographerDestin Wedding Photographer and Destin Beach Portraits

Posts Tagged ‘So-Wal’

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 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

Marie’s mom called me from Ohio because her daughter wanted to have her senior pictures done at their second home in Carillon Beach. She said her daughter was beautiful, fun, had a great personality and wanted some Florida style out of the ordinary images for her senior portraits. Well, she was right!! Marie is funny, beautiful and intelligent! We had a blast! I hope you enjoy her images as much as I enjoyed photographing them!

I love this image! It is just relaxed with a natural laugh and a free spirit strand of hair!

Her boyfriend Matt was a hoot! And an awesome softbox holder!

So much fun!

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!

The H. Family was a ton of fun! They came to me in Grayton Beach on Scenic Hwy. 30A to do their family beach portraits. All of the kids were so well behaved and although it looked as though the sky could open up and storm at any minute, we didn’t experience a drop of rain to temper our beach fun! With the scare of oil and start of school, the beaches were deserted. It looked more vacant than the dead of winter, but it was fine for us. We used all of the beach as a canvas for their beach portraits! I hope you enjoy them!

Eighty days after the oil rig explosion in the Gulf, the beaches of South Walton County and Grayton Beach are still as beautiful as ever! The C. Family came down to have their beach portraits made and had a new member! Keeping with family tradition she runs pretty quickly too!! LOL  The girls have grown so much, it is always fun to see how much the children change through the years. We had a great time and the sea oats are almost fully in bloom offering yet another backdrop in the beautiful wonderland we call the Emerald Coast.  Come on down and visit our beaches!

Sometimes you just don't want to hang with your sisters!

I love a good hot sexy couple that is sooo in love with each other even after kids! J and B are that couple. Not only are they a beautiful couple on the outside, but they are also as beautiful on the inside as well! J wanted to surprise her sweetie with a special shoot for their anniversary, hmmm think he was surprised? Enjoy their images, I think they had fun making them! Happy third Anniversary J and B!!

Tell me they aren't adorable together!

Big waves and beautiful skies was the backdrop for the “W” family beach portrait in Destin recently. Little “W” had a blast exploring the beach and of course….running! Well, at that age, it’s what they do!! But they look so cute when they run off into the sunset! Anyway, they were a beautiful family and we had a blast photographing them. Now you can enjoy their images.

Happy Birthday Denise!! You see today is a very special client’s birthday, and for her birthday week she chose to have her family portraits made by little old me! Of course she has been a regular for about a half-decade and it has been so much fun watching her children grow up and turn into great people! This year we added a new person to the family portrait…hmmm…do I smell a wedding in the next five years or so?? LOL I’m just kidding, no pressure from me. Anyway, the beaches were nice, the sunset beautiful and of course…we are still oil free. Enjoy Denise’s family and if you see her today, wish her a very happy birthday!

Love the touch of orange. Isn't it a great color on Denise?

I love the beaches along 30A in Walton County. They are in tune with high society, yet so old Florida. It’s really beautiful to go out and enjoy them. I had a wonderful chance to do just that last week with the R. Family! The sea oats (please don’t touch them or step on them) are beginning to bloom and so pretty as a backdrop for an image and the sand and water are the most beautiful I have seen them in years! We had a wonderful time so enjoy their little family moments caught on film.