LINDSEY + RYAN GET MARRIED IN SIESTA KEYS, Florida

What do you get when you take two gorgeous people who did not want their wedding to be a big fuss and or about them. You get something pretty darn close to what happened at Lindsay's and Ryan's wedding. Lindsey wanted nothing a do with traditions and conventionality. Ryan just wanted to have fun and marry the girl of his dreams.
It was definitely a celebration. It was a party. It was the perfect setting and of course there was a wedding too. Plus there were gorgeous wedding gowns, pretty flowers and shiny bridesmaids dresses.
Overall, it was agreat wedding that ended with bikinis and plenty of sunlight at the beach with friends, drinks and lots of sunscreen. I got to capture all of this.  I hope I did it some justice at least. Here ya go without further ado! :)  Enjoy!

ENGAGEMENT SESSION - DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AND A QUICK RUN THROUGH THE WOODS WITH JENNIFER + MELISSA

I have had this feeling before. The feeling that a couple will be so epic together that it will probably give me goosebumps when I witness their love and coming together through my lens. This was one of those times. It really starts when the people in front of my camera connect as if there was no camera in the first place. They invite me into their personal space and for this, I am grateful. To be fair this doesn't happen automatically for anyone but when it does happen, it's a beautiful thing.
Jennifer and Melissa are not only beautiful but they are vulnerable, caring, gentle and strong together. I hope I was able to capture a glimpse of what I witness and I hope you see them the way I saw them.
 

FROM CHICAGO WITH LOVE - A love adventure of three

As I was putting together some images to celebrate 2015 and all the wonderful people that made it possible, I started picking a few images from my trip to Chicago with Alyssa and Jonathan. Iwanted to post some of the images I was selecting and the next thing I knew, I had enough to create a blog post. So, here it is.  

I thank Lyss and Jon for believing in me and for letting me do pretty much anything I wanted. It really was an experience I will never forget. It is an experience   I always wanted to have and I can only hope to do it again this year, maybe somewhere in Europe, New York or California. 

Lyss and Jon wanted to elope originally, until families got involved and of course wedding bells rang here and there and everywhere. But, I think in the end they ended up doing exactly what they wanted. I did get to know both of their families and close friends quite well and I ended up loving Lyss and Jon even more. Before Chicago I got to photograph their engagement party and their wedding. I honestly am such a lucky guy to been chosen.

Chicago was great fun and not too cold. We walked a lot, but in the end I think and hope it was an experience none of us will ever forget.

Here are a few. I hope you enjoy. 

Maria + Cristina at the Veranda at Thornton Park

I have always believed that wedding days should be about the people and the time they get to spend together. They shouldn't be about a million traditions, must haves, and cookie cutter photographs.

Of course, weddings will always have dresses, shoes, cakes, flowers and people throwing those flowers.

But, for what they're worth, weddings are a celebration of life. It's a day in a life. Even though it's a day that does not necessarily define anyone or how we love,  it does, symbolize our hopes and dreams. It tells of our direction in life and the people we have chosen to share our lives with.

Weddings are more like family reunions, but much grander of course. It's families, new and long time friendships uniting.  They are often a once in a lifetime type of reunion. This reunion is a binding experience not to be taken lightly and should not be missed emotionally or physically, especially due to traditions, must dos or cookie cutter images.

Maria and Cristina's wedding was all about the adventure. They did not want time set aside for portraits and did not ask for any "must have" photographs. They simply wanted their day to be captured. For them, it was about enjoying a dream. It was the dream of marrying the person you have been committed to for many years. 

It is a bit scary to shoot off the cuff and to have to capture everything as it's happening without being directed. However, a wedding such as this offers a unique opportunity to create a story that hopefully feel honest to the people in it. There are images thatfeel honest to the love and the strong bonds I witnessed that day. Above all I hope that this images show the loyalty and the happiness everyone shared and felt for Maria and Cristina on that great day.

Cheers!

Venue (Getting Ready): Aloft
Venue (Ceremony + Reception) The Veranda at Thornton Park