New experiences with unique clients really can breathe fresh air into your work. Maribel and Alex were certainly that couple. From our first meeting to saying goodbye with tears in their eyes, they introduced me to a world that I literally had zero experience with before. Not only are they extremely kind and heartwarming, but also deaf. In fact, most of the bridal party and guests were part of the deaf community, and it’s how Maribel and Alex met. Being given the incredible chance to work with such a positive and friendly community presented its own new challenges for me that was rewarding to work through. I love having the chance to gain a new perspective and learn from the people presenting it to me. As I was not versed in ASL, we used interpreters and text apps on our phones to communicate. This worked wonderfully and let me clearly transfer directions during our portrait session. The smoke show image on the top was a huge coordination between me, my clients, two friendly wedding guests helping me with lighting and smoke FX, and an interpreter. The interpreter helped communicate my directions to all four participants and the end result was a perfectly timed execution of lighting, smoke, posing, and composition. Being lucky also helps ;) When I showed them that image on my camera, their wordless but powerful reaction of embracing me with tears was the culmination of such an incredible day. It’s moments like this that keep me going in this industry.
Venue: The Chateau Provence
The Photogenic Lab | Denver Wedding Photographer
Ok, this one was a little crazy & fun, even for me. I’ve never been asked to do a destination engagement like this before, especially one that was so secretive. Andy (a superb photographer himself) asked me if I could join him and his girlfriend for a few days in Mykonos, Greece. The plan was to go sailing the first day, followed by dropping anchor in the bay near Little Venice to enjoy the sunset. Andy came up with the story that he had found me online while I was “vacationing” in Mykonos and asked me to document their sailing adventure for the day. Our story must have been convincing because Michelle didn’t catch on and just enjoyed the extra company. After some swimming and a chef prepared traditional Greek lunch, we ended up opposite the Windmills of Kato Mili for sunset. The tricky part was making sure Michelle wasn’t going to see him coming, so I had her turn away for some portraits while I gave the Andy the signal to come up from the galley with his ring in hand. He dropped a knee, she dropped some tears, and I sighed in relief that it all went smoothly.
Once we got off the boat, her friends and family were there waiting for them to celebrate the rest of the trip. The next day we walked around town exploring the beauty of Mykonos and taking some fantastic portraits.
I’ve had a lucky year already with destination weddings, coming hot off a trip to Puerto Rico and one in the chamber for an event in Greece, these types of wedding adventures are right up my alley for traveling to other parts of the world to help people celebrate their love with family and friends. I’ve been looking forward to this wedding in Italy for a long time now and I’m so excited to share the images from Giulia & Sindre’s week long Italian celebration in the mountains of northern Tuscany.
This famously happy couple live in Norway, but wanted to host their wedding in Giulia’s ancestral home, where her family roots are, a small hamlet in Piteglio, Italy by the name of Borgo Migliorini. The hamlet has been in existence since the 16th century and maintained by generations of owners with the ambition of preserving the historical and cultural heritage of the small cluster of cabins and villas. Reportedly, the famous author Mary Shelley of Frankenstein lore inhabited this hamlet for some time. Its rich history was a perfect backdrop to Giulia & Sindre’s celebration.
The week was rounded out by a traditional Haldi ceremony to celebrate Giulia’s other cultural heritage, as well as some soccer games, hiking, star gazing at a local observatory, and a welcome sunset dinner at a local farm. Their wedding ceremony took place in the historical town hall of Cutigliano with the reception and dancing taking place back at the hamlet. The reception dinner was an epic feast of authentically prepared Italian cuisine, hand made pasta & breads, charcuterie, fresh herbs and vegetables, and select cuts of local meats – all served with an endless supply of Chianti Classico.
After toasts and cake cutting, the guests re-located to the center of the hamlet to dance the night away to a local band playing classical Italian songs all night until 3am.
I can’t tell you how much it means for clients like Giulia and Sindre to put their trust in me and fly me half way across the world to help document the new start to their adventure together. These two were truly wonderful human beings and I’m excited watch their love flourish going forward!
You might remember Ben & Brian from our NYC Engagement Session last year. They flew me out to Vieques, Puerto Rico for a few days to document their extraordinary destination wedding in the Caribbean. If you’ve never been on this tiny island off the main island of Puerto Rico, then I only have two recommendations for you – stay at the W Resort & Spa and go kayaking in the bioluminescence bay on a moonless night in the rain. Oh and have some awesome people with you like I did.
The weekend was rounded out by parties on the beach, dinner and music at a neighboring relative’s incredible domicile, both Chinese and Jewish cultural wedding traditions and A LOT of epic dance moves.
Venue // W Resort & Spa
Planner // Tropical Weddings
Photography // The Photogenic Lab // Denver wedding photographer
