Whenever I get asked what I miss about Florida the most, I always say sailing. So when Beka and Mike had the idea of sailing at sunrise for their engagement. I was all in! They are a super adventurous and fun couple, so this session was true to who they are and could not have been more up my alley. They cracked some beers on a private island as the sun hit the horizon and it was just about the coolest way to spend your morning. And, they get married in a week! So why not reminisce 🙂 Check out our sailing session below!
Enjoy!
KiKi
I was pretty excited about this shoot when Jenna first approached me. I mean who wouldn’t want to take off on a Monday, pop champagne on the beach and then proceed to jump in the ocean, fully clothed? And then follow it up with another bottle of champagne and an underwater shoot in one of your friends pools? Usually I am sending emails on Monday, so this was a welcomed change.
Jenna and I have been friends for several years. She has seen my style change and ideas go all over and still been so supportive of my work. When you meet Jenna, you can instantly tell she is one of those people that is always smiling and so incredibly kind to others she meets. She would joke that she was excited for me to photograph her engagement, even when she wasn’t engaged. It made me feel so special and excited to one day do that! Then in comes Josh. Sweet, loving Josh that seems to make Jenna smile even more. He was so open to my ideas as well. Especially for not knowing me too well. Things like, “Throw Jenna in the water fully clothed.” ; “Pop the champagne right over my shoulder.”; and “Hey, I am going to get a picture of your dog taking a #2 right in front of you guys kissing.” didn’t seem to phase him. 🙂 Overall it was one of the most fun engagement shoots I have ever done. And I will let ya just check out the photos. Enjoy!
KiKi
Oh Claire and Mo. How I feel so special to be able to call you friends. I met Mo almost 7 years ago at the local watering hole, Mellow Mushroom. He is apart of my great group of friends in Jax. They are not only great because they are just so fun, but that group of a dozen plus people believed in me and my career, even despite some of the weird or novice ideas I may have had at the beginning of starting my company. 🙂 Mo was also one of the first people I went offshore fishing with, which still remains one of my favorite things to do. Needless to say, they have a very special place in my heart.
A few years ago, Claire Bear came into the group with her beautiful red hair and infectious smile. Claire is not just a beautiful woman, she is one bad ass boss. She started her company in her early twenties and already has an amazing store front, another stylist and countless clients that love her talents and personality. I am so impressed by her drive at such a young age and her ability to remain so carefree along the way. So to add that to the already fun loving and kind Mo, was pretty much perfect. When they got engaged it made our whole group so happy to see two close friends start their life together.
Ya know, I could go on and on about their day and them. But I will say one thing that I really loved and let the photos say the rest. While Claire was twirling around in her wedding gown on the dance floor, with literally the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face, I went up to Mo to ask him how he was doing. Mo, putting work on his cocktail and not some much on the dance floor was looking at Claire, also with a big smile. He responded to me and said, “I am doing great! As long as she is the happiest she can be, I am.” And that’s just the kind of guy Mo is. I can’t say I have ever heard him complain or talk about himself much. He just always seems to be the one that’s happy if everyone else is. A completely selfless guy. So, congrats you two! On not only getting married, but being genuinely kind and amazing friends to me. Enjoy the blog and check out a couple things Claire had to say about the day below..
“I had dreamt of the day I would get engaged to Mo, but once it happened I was overwhelmed with the idea of wedding planning. Fortunately, my mom knew exactly where to start. Her and I worked together to create my dream wedding and the best day of my life! My favorite memory of the day was getting to ride the trolley as a new married couple, just the two of us, to the reception. It was the only moment we had to ourselves in the midst of the crazy, wonderful day.”
Jennie & Josh have an incredibly tight knit family. You can tell by how they interact with each other. There were so many smiles and tears on their wedding day. It seemed as if every single person at the wedding had a part in their story and it was beautiful to be apart of the mix.
Hurricane Irma & Maria came into the east coast as a category 5 and displaced Jennie and Josh several months before and after their wedding. They went and stayed with Jennie’s parents and planned and put together the rest of their day over the next few months hundreds of miles from home. Jennie spent time making the cake, flowers, and decorations. It was truly a labor of love and man did they celebrate! Jennies bridesmaids wrote personalized letters to her the day of, her grandmothers broach was worn and given to her with a note as well. Josh had drinks with all of his buddies before our super goofy groomsmen photos after. It was a gorgeous sunset and with all our shoes kicked off we ran down to the beach to get some of my favorite portraits at Casa. The ceremony and reception speeches had everyone crying with happy tears. And as if everything was not already perfect enough, under a full moon and hundreds of twinkle lights, there entire wedding picked them up and put them on their shoulders during the last song. It was such an energetic wedding day and I absolutely had a blast!
Check out their fun filled, sunny wedding day below! Enjoy!
KiKi
Venue:Â
– Casa Marina
–Â 691 1st St N, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250, USA
Lee and Jean met me at sunrise on a Friday. It was a completely cloudless, windless, gorgeous day. With us were their parents and the officiant. It happened to be a quiet morning in Neptune Beach where we shared the dock with a single seagull and that is about it.
Directly after the Ceremony Jean’s Mother embraced them both in the biggest hug. It was a sweet moment as they were essentially getting hugged by 25% of their wedding guests. Which I always thought was sweet. Sharing a moment so important and lasting in their memory. The sun hit the horizon and we spent a quiet and happy morning by the sea before a beach front brunch. And although we only spent a little over an hour together, I feel I got to get to know and share more with Lee and Jean than you would think. Thanks for smiling the whole time and making an early morning feel not so early. 🙂
Check out their sweet elopement below. Enjoy!
KiKi
Rachel & Kevin are one of those couples you can sit down to have a beer with and end up having 6. Their easy going, fun, incredibly genuine, always have a smile on and are ultimately exactly why I began photographing weddings.
I think it is pretty incredible that I can meet someone for the first time on a day that is probably one of the most personal and emotional days of their lives and become friends with them immediately.
Rachel & Kevin did it up right for their wedding. They got ready at the beach, at homes across the street from each other. With a lace dress and a blue suit they had a first look by the river at one of my favorite wedding locations, the Ribault Club. They were married under a giant oak tree by a family friend and had confetti thrown as they were introduced for the first time as husband and wife. Their 26 person bridal party was the largest I have ever photographed and is only a testimony to how amazing and loved the two of them are.
At their reception, with flowers in her hair, Rachel was twirled by Kevin as he smiled at her non stop (my favorite moment). The sunset was perfect without a cloud in the sky. At the end of the night a cigar rolling station started and their entire bridal party put on a choreographed dance for them. It was a really magical and fun day and I am excited to see where Rachel and Kevin take their next journey to! They are absolutely wonderful and I can only expect absolutely wonderful things from them!
PS. Rachel & Kevin, I will come to California and we will get that Beer (or 6) together. 🙂
Enjoy!
KiKi
Many people prefer to meet their wedding photographers before the wedding. But sometimes it just does not happen. And that does not mean anything because you can still get along wonderfully with someone seconds after you meet them for the first time. And that is exactly what happened with Kelley, Colin and I.
They both live in Bangladesh and flew over to Florida where, their friends and family live, to tie the knot. The entire day was nothing short of magical. So much laughing and excitement from everyone. It was such an invigorating environment to work in.
I pulled up to Kelley’s parents house and I was greeted by her Dad cutting the lawn. I thought I was at the wrong house, but he quickly greeted me with a smile and a “come on in”. The girls were drinking champagne and giggling while getting their makeup done. The house was filled with bright window light and little Florida details scattered about. After the ceremony a beautiful Rolls Royce picked Kelley and Colin up and we went to a Preserve I have been wanting to photograph a wedding at for a while! Dutton Island was a perfect place to pop more champagne, throw confetti, and do a couple heel clicks (you’ll see below). The reception began with a song written by the best man for the bride and groom to dance to as their first dance. There were little details that incorporated their dog (who couldn’t make the long trek) and loved ones around the reception among the candle lit golden details.
As if the night was not perfect enough, right before we went to photograph the two of them underneath the full moon light, the best man grabbed his guitar, got the entire wedding in a circle and had one last acoustic dance for the two of them in the middle of all the ones the love. Holy Cow! What a wedding! I’ll stop blabbering on so you can see it for yourself!
Enjoy!
I love a couple that drinks Champagne straight from the bottle, and one who makes you feel like family. I love a couple who kisses before you even ask them to because they just can’t help themselves. I love a couple that smiles all day even if it rained out there beach wedding.
Who is this magical couple? Sam and Phil!
I cannot express the happiness I had photographing and editing this day. You would think there would be a couple downers because this beach wedding was completely rained out, but oh no! So many, many smiles and laughs, and forehead kisses (my favorite). I just loved all the love these two had and am so excited I was apart of there day. Check out all the laughter and love below. Enjoy!
KiKi
The wedding with beautiful people and beautiful details. This was such a gorgeous wedding to photograph not only because every little detail was perfectly executed; but everyone was so sweet and beautiful inside and out. It’s nice when you don’t have to “pose” people. Especially when they are already having a great time, smiling, and looking gorgeous. 🙂
Thank you Michele & Caleb for inviting me to photograph such a loving wedding. There were so many beautiful and emotional moments from this day. So happy to be there to capture them.
Such a bright and colorful wedding! The playful table arrangements by Liz Stewart Floral matched this cute little couple, who flew in all the way from Texas to get married in this beautiful historic hotel. Â Casa Marina, located right next to Jacksonville Beach Pier, has been open since 1925. It provides a quaint little area to get married by the sea as well as beautiful backdrops for the detail oriented bride.
amelia island engagement photographer
