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Category Archives: Wedding

Downtown engagement | Saint Augustine wedding photographer

Casey and Gil walked into view with happy smiles, ready for their engagement session. In her high heels, she looked chic and perfect for a session with a more urban feel. I love downtown St. Augustine with its cobblestone streets and coquina walls. It’s a city rich with history. We walked around, looking for good spots, and occasionally peeking up at the heavily overcast sky, which threatened to rain. We did feel a few drops toward the end of the session, but luckily the rain stayed away. I’m excited to photograph their wedding on New Year’s Eve, which I’m sure will be amazing.

They’re so at ease with each other.

They bring out the best smiles when they look at each other.

Rebekah & Chris married | Jacksonville wedding photographer

Rebekah was enjoying the Christmas bonfire when the fireworks started and a large dog suddenly leaped into her lap. She had been chosen out of all the other celebrants that evening, as if the dog already knew she would be the right woman to join his life, and that of his owner, Chris. At the next church bonfire, she saw the dog, Gunner, again, and this time Chris was there, too. Their meeting was the perfect start to a new year and a new relationship.

Simply put, Rebekah and Chris feel right together. They look at each other in that special way of people who are in love and know they’re in love with the right person. Good job, Gunner!

Rebekah and Chris, thank you for being such a wonderful couple and reminding me again why I love my job. It was an honor to be part of your wedding day helping record memories of your love and commitment to each other.

They married at the Riverside Park United Methodist Church, which is full of charm. The beading detail on Rebekah’s dress was lovely.

They met in the church sanctuary for a first look. And that lovely  stained glass window behind them? It was donated to the church by Chris’s family and was a perfect backdrop for a pre-wedding kiss.

Isn’t she just stunning?

Brides are notorious for kicking off those gorgeous shoes after the ceremony (at least for a little while), and I love how carefree they look here, finally married and just enjoying a moment together.

The reception was held at the Ponte Vedra Inn Club. It was a lovely setting for Rebekah and Chris’s first dance, complete with an elegant dip at the end.

The wedding wouldn’t be complete without a nod to the one who brought them together, Gunner the dog. This is the groom’s cake, and they also had the cutest dog cookies for favors.

The music was by KTG, and they did a fabulous job getting everyone dancing and enjoying the party.

Tracy & Ryne married | Jacksonville wedding photographer

With Tracy’s sense of style and Ryne’s technical side, they’re a perfect balance for each other. Their venue, Club Continental, matched Tracy’s love of vintage, and was a lovely setting for the wedding. Tracy has been my hairdresser for a while, and I first heard about Ryne while chatting in the salon. It wasn’t until later that we all discovered Ryne had actually been a student of mine at UNF back when I was teaching English composition and literature classes and very pregnant with my first child. I’m now a photographer, and he’s an engineer, but it’s always amazing to me what a small world we really live in. He’s absolutely perfect for Tracy, and it’s easy to see how in love they are. They’re the kind of couple that bring out the best in each other, and that’s the kind of love that you can build a life on forever. Tracy and Ryne–thanks for an amazing time photographing your wedding. You both are so giving and warm, and I wish you much joy in your lives together. I can’t wait to hear all about your honeymoon in Jamaica!

Tracy radiated happiness on her wedding day, and her ruffled dress was exquisite. The accessories she chose brought everything together for that vintage and glamorous look.

She’s just lovely and the dress was made for her.

The wedding details had just the right touch of vintage and whimsy, and I loved those origami birds.

They met for a brief “first look” before the ceremony. A first look is such a great opportunity to capture that emotion when a bride and groom first see each other on their wedding day.

There were so many great details for the men, too: canvas shoes, guitar pick boutonnieres, and striped ties. And the nest for the rings was such a cute touch. This wedding was about playfulness and joy.

Their cake was divine. I love birds (as my family knows too well), and the birds for the cake topper were adorably whimsical.

The pictures toward the end of the night of Tracy and Ryne dancing are some of my favorites. You can really feel their love in these pictures.

They did a last dance at the very end, just the two of them. Their final dip was a perfect ending to the night.

Noelle & Casey married | Saint Augustine wedding photographer

The rain gushed on their first date, and then the bumper fell off her car. Casey, a true gentleman, went to work to fix her car, and whether he knew it or not then, he had successfully impressed Noelle. A man who will fix a bumper in the rain is definitely a keeper. Perhaps it was only fitting that rain clouds gathered on their wedding day at the Lightner Museum, an ironic homage to that first beautiful date. The guests looked up anxiously at the sky, and the wedding coordinator went over the backup plan details for the ceremony in case of a downpour. Everyone huddled together, the guest chairs empty and waiting.

But it didn’t rain. The weather was a little cooler, which was fine by everyone, and minutes before the ceremony was to begin, guests ventured out to the chairs, almost surprised that they were still dry. Noelle walked out arm in arm with her father, who was also the officiant for the ceremony. The wedding was lovely, and Noelle was radiant.

At the end of the ceremony, a surprise box filled with butterflies ready to be released was presented to Noelle and Casey. The butterflies flitted into the summer sky, but a couple butterflies were a little reluctant to leave the happy couple. As you’ll see in the pictures below, one particular butterfly was a stowaway on Noelle’s dress as she made her first exit from the ceremony with her new husband. And yes, I did say “first” exit. The happy couple came round for a second exit through the arch of swords.

There were so many details that made their day special, and Noelle and Casey are a perfectly matched couple–the kind that you just know belong together. Congratulations again, and I wish you much happiness in your life together!

The Lightner museum is a lovely venue for a wedding, and one of my favorite details is the pond filled with koi fish.

The butterfly stowaway…

This is the “fertility bell.” They rang the bell six times (if memory serves correctly). Noelle and Casey didn’t know until afterwards that each ring of the bell brings a child, according to legend.  🙂

The paper planes were a perfect finishing touch for Noelle and Casey’s wedding. They had flown into Saint Augustine from Hawaii for their wedding, and right after the wedding, they were scheduled to fly back to Hawaii. They plan to settle back down in the Jacksonville area, though (who says our beaches can’t compete with Hawaii?).

And last but not least, here are some of the vendors that helped bring this day together:

Makeup by Amanda Hopcraaft

Music by Feedback Entertainment

Coordination by The Wedding Authority

By the river | Jacksonville wedding photographer

Rebekah opened the door with a big smile and introduced me to her fiance, Chris. We headed for the back yard along with their dog, Gunner. As soon as his paws touched grass, Gunner ran brisk circles around the yard, the Jacksonville skyscrapers and tranquil St. John’s river behind him. It was a lovely backdrop for the engagement session, and then we headed out to the Ortega bridge at the tail end of sunset. We were losing light fast and darted into the road as soon as cars seemed at a safe distance. Chris offered to stop the cars for us–brave man!–but fortunately the road cleared long enough for us to get in our last portrait. And hey, who doesn’t like a little adventure for a great picture? I can tell these two are going to have a lot of fun in their lives together.