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Eden Gardens Wedding Photographer | Miranda & Bobby – Married!

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:15:17 +0000

I absolutely love small intimate weddings, for a number of reasons. Granted, some of those are simply from the photographer in me – less is more, fewer people to place, etc… but mostly because the focus is so totally on the couple. I can take my time really capturing them without the madness of 100 other people pining for their attention And personally, because you really see into the couple a little more. It’s much more romantic, in my opinion, and it’s just a whole different pace, feel, warmth.

And lucky for me, while I don’t even get a chance to meet many of my brides face to face – I already knew Miranda! I shot her sister, Erin’s wedding not too long ago, who I’ve known for quite a little while. It always makes life so much easier when I know the bride, and she knows me and is comfortable around me already. Then, I can spare us all the pain of me having to bust out my really awful jokes and attempts to make a fool out of myself to get a genuine smile out of them!

Anyways, I have a HUGE preview for you, because of course… we all know by now Eden Gardens is on the list of my favorite places in the world (with a close tie to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, which I have a preview of coming up soon by the way!). If you haven’t been to Eden Gardens State Park in Point Washington (near Grayton Beach, FL.) by the way, you MUST go. It’s just off Hwy 98 past Destin/Sandestin and 30A and is what I consider “Old Florida”. Beautiful big oak trees, on the bay. And yes… theres a dock… you can sit on

Anyways, grab some popcorn, a cookie or two, and get comfy… we might be here a while!

And as you probably know, this field is one of the many reasons I love Eden Gardens. It’s technically around the corner, and who knows WHAT I’ll do if they ever sell this lot & build on it!

This is easily one of my favorite photos:

This is for you, Nancy

And of course, the amazing little Flower Girl, Mia…

LOVE this one!

And seriously… I’m stopping now while I’m ahead!

Congratulations Miranda & Bobby! :)

Bentleys on the Bay Wedding – Ashley & Andrew

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 22:17:24 +0000

Ashley & Andrew are two locals that have grown up in this area only to move away to Los Angeles, California (L.A.) pursuing big dreams (and careers!) and decided to come back here for their wedding. They picked an amazing location at Bentley’s on the Bay which is just north of Hwy 98 and Grayton Beach. It’s such an amazing location, on the bay (of course), so it offers the best of both worlds: a waterfront view with lush green grass & amazing atmosphere!

They are such a sweet couple, they met young and have stuck by each other through thick and thin… following each other through college and across the country. It was so much fun to spend all day with a couple with such enthusiasm for life, big dreams, big aspirations, and a relentless pursuit of happiness. And of course, Andrew is an artist & budding actor, so that was right up my alley!

Congratulations Ashley & Andrew – you guys deserve so much happiness, much of it you already have, but I have a feeling there is so much more on the horizon for you both

Ashley’s dress was absolutely amazing. I love love loved it!

Ashley is amazingly beautiful… and so photogenic. I could have photographed her all day…

What I loved about Ashley & Andrew is how comfortable they were with each other…

One of my favorite places to photograph at Bentley’s on the Bay is this beautiful little tree. I love the way it hangs down. We stuck around there quite a bit!

And here you’ll see… Bentley’s has an amazing area that is perfect for photographs.

And I just have to explain this next photograph, otherwise you will think I’m certifiably nuts! I don’t normally take these kinds of pictures at weddings… ok… confession… I do. I have this weird tendancy to run into all kinds of creatures (just check through my blog archive… lizards, grasshoppers, you name it). And so at this particular wedding, out on the beautiful back patio of Bentley’s on the Bay, I see this creature. Initially I yell “BAT!”. Only to quickly get corrected by a 4 yr old that it was in fact Tinkerbell. :) This crazy little creature (moth? Butterfly?) flew all over, loving the lights of course, landing on people, letting anyone and everyone hold it! It was pretty interesting… so I just thought I’d share it

And of course, no wedding blog post would be complete without the video/slideshow

Vendors:
Wedding/Reception Venue: Bentley’s on the Bay
Photography: Bella Vita Photography
Dress: White One by Pronovios
Shoes: BCBGeneration
Flowers: Winn-Dixie
Cake: Publix
DJ: Gene Cox- Pro Music DJ
Hair/Makeup: The Blonde Bellagio

Florida Park Wedding, Fudpuckers Destin Reception | Kimberly & Jason – Married!

admin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 16:19:58 +0000

Wow, so this blog has been a LONG time coming. First off, I apologize to everyone (especially Kimberly & Jason) for not posting more lately! This crazy little thing called work (and life) have a nasty habit of getting in the way & blogging always seems to fall to the back burner. I have a vague recollection of making a New Years resolution to NOT let that happen. Well… I’ll keep working on it haha!

Anyways, enough with my rambling (another nasty little habit & New Years resolution there lol), and on with this story!

Another thing a long time coming has been Kimberly & Jason’s WEDDING! I met Kimberly when she booked her wedding… what?… a year and a half ago!? At least? By the time the wedding had rolled around I was really excited for it, more than I am usually! She is absolutely, hands down, probably one of THE sweetest people I have EVER met, and let’s just say Jason is an extremely lucky guy. She loves him completely & entirely, and one look at the smile on his face during those vows and you could tell the feeling was absolutely mutual Let’s face it – we see a lot of weddings, and I still cry from time to time. But folks… I was wishing I had tissues at this ceremony. Mother/son dances are usually my weakness (blame the mamma in me), but occasionally a ceremony does me in, and this is definitely one that had me in tears.

Kimberly has this amazing personality, though – and she kept me laughing all through the day, right on into the ceremony. Gosh, how I wish I were a videographer for their “First Dance”! They played a mix of songs, and took turns doing everything from the robot, to “Vogue”… the list goes on. It was hysterical! These two are definitely meant to be together, and I found myself really “missing” them after their wedding! So Kim – I know you’re reading this – let’s do lunch or coffee or something! But… after May! LOL (Busy wedding month & all).

They are from the area, and had an absolutely beautiful little ceremony at Florida Park in Niceville (well, actually Valparaiso), which is my newest favorite place ever. The weather was perfect, the leaves were still autumn-ey looking, but the flowers were also blooming already, and it was just perfect!

Ok, so I know she’s wiggling in her seat right now, on with the pictures huh?!

The day started off with absolutely perfect weather at Kim’s mothers house.

After getting ready at her mom’s house in Niceville – we headed over to one of my favorite places – Turkey Creek in Niceville!

Kim looked absolutely amazing that day, and of course, Turkey Creek always has the most beautiful light. Fabulous combination

My favorite shot at any wedding… the groom looking at his bride, taking it all in… it says a million words

And here you can see why this is one my most favorite places to photograph now. It was a little wet from some recent rain, but amazing light, beautiful background, perfect trees & leaves, insert an amazing couple and you have a happy wedding photographer

After the wedding, we took a fun little trip around town and had a blast! I was so excited that I finally got to photograph in this little corner of Niceville before heading out to Destin for the wedding reception.

I love this little place… and turns out Kim is an avid reader, so it worked out really well. By the way… check out those pink converse And… also featured – her “man of honor” and the best man!

So… I could have put in a few of the hilarious wedding dances… but as soon as I saw this one, I changed my mind. Who knew there was anyone else in the room…

By the way, I have to tell you guys. The wedding reception was at Fudpuckers out in Destin, FL. Having had my OWN wedding & reception at a bar, I was totally stoked (cause that almost always = party!).

I had a tough time narrowing them down, so of course my other favorites are here in the video

(P.S. – you can hit “HQ” to switch to lo-res for faster loading!)

Fudpuckers
http://www.fudpucker.com
20001 Emerald Coast Parkway
Destin, FL 32541
(850) 654-1544

Tiger Point Wedding Photographer | Kimberly & Christian’s New Years Wedding

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:12:43 +0000

This wedding at Tiger Point Country Club was a wonderful way to start my New Year off. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding with a more fabulous couple than Kim & Christian! Kimberly owns a little coffee shop in Niceville, Cafe Liquid, that I absolutely LOVE! I was lucky enough to meet her there through some friends, and her warm inviting nature is so obvious in everything she does!

And I will warn you, this is likely going to be my longest blog post EVER! I found it impossible to include every picture I initially wanted to blog, and impossible to really portray all the important details. Kimberly clearly poured her heart & soul into this wedding because absolutely everything was meaningful! In fact, I’ve had to save most of it for the video because that’s the only way I’ll be able to show everything I want

Tiger Point was the perfect setting for this “Winter Wonderland” wedding – and I will be sure to update this with a list of the vendors because they did an amazing job!

Christian’s Groom’s Cake was so impressive, the detail was amazing!

Check out these flowers, they fit so perfectly with her Winter Wonderland Wedding!

And by the way, I could go on and on about what an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day it was! Yes, it was cold (and they were jealous I had on a jacket!), but it was insanely gorgeous that day. A definite sign of good things for these two!

And if you think this is amazing… wait till you see the sunset later!

This ceremony was so amazing. Christian’s father officiated the wedding ceremony, outside on the covered area at Tiger Point. We had the gorgeous sun beaming in on one side, and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place.

This family was absolutely amazing. Every one of them. It was an absolutely moving moment.

Immediately after the ceremony, we spent just a few FREEZING MOMENTS out on the Tiger Point Golf Course under an absolutely amazing sunset, that seemed to last forever… just for us.

What’s absolutely amazing is that not only did this sunset give us a beautiful glow the entire time at the end of the wedding ceremony, the entire time for our pictures outside, but it also spilled into the reception area in an amazing way for all the first dances. Here, Kimberly is with her oldest son, who also walked her down the aisle. This is a moment that would make any mamma’s heart melt

Finally! The slideshow update! Also – I have to give the story behind the music selection for their wedding slideshow! Remember that video that was posted EVERYWHERE about the bridal party & couple that came dancing down the aisle for the wedding? (This one) Well, I’ve been waiting all year for one of my couples to do something like this! Well, let me tell you – Kimberly & Christian didn’t do exactly this – but it was a very awesome spin on it! After a remarkably emotional, personal ceremony filled with many many tears of happiness & joy, they kissed & exited down the aisle dancing to “Say Hey – I love you”! Even Christian’s dad, who officiated the ceremony, gave a pretty good performance. It was such an awesome way to end a beautiful ceremony! And hey, I loooove that song, so it was really exciting! So I thought it was not only appropriate, but darn near necessary to set their slideshow to that song! And I have to tell you, I will forever think of Kimberly & Christian & this wedding every single time I hear this song (which is at least 3 times a week now that I go to Zumba class! hahaha)

So here it is… in all it’s glory, and I apologize for not having a video of the actual dance down the aisle

Kimberly & Christian – Married! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

And finally – if you’re considering having your wedding at Tiger Point, it’s absolutely beautiful. Check it out – even if you’re just in the area & want to do a little golfing. It’s just a hop & a skip away from Pensacola, so it’s pretty convenient

Tiger Point Golf Club

1255 Country Club Road
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563-3499
(850) 932-4222

And so the purpose of the calendar unfolds…

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:38:10 +0000

I am going to make it a point to share each and every one of the stories that are shared with me, and let each of you who have followed this project so closely & supported it so wholeheartedly, and have just been a “fan” of mine in general experience the joy that I have experienced throughout this project. I’ve had the unique opportunity of listening to and reading several stories that together tell the story of WHY this project is so important, that tell what this project represents… and showcase how very personal this Calendar is to so many in our community along the Emerald Coast. It’s more than just having your child in a calendar, as these stories show… it’s about having your child represent something so truly close to your heart.

So here is our next story, courtesy of Jennifer Jones, proud mamma to Miracle #11, Hayden Jones. Grab a tissue, and don’t say I didn’t warn you (These are her words…)

Wow, where do I even begin to explain how important this whole thing is to our family. Like so many other people in this world cancer has touched our lives not just once, not twice but three times in the last 3 1/2 years. My father was diagnosed with lung cancer in September of 2005 and while the doctors seemed hopeful at first it quickly became evident that he was fighting a losing battle. After a couple months of treatment there did not seem to be anything else the doctors could do for him. On top of the added stress of the diagnosis, the trips back and forth to treatment, and all the doctors appointments for my dad my husband and I were trying to decide how to explain what was going on to our 2 1/2 year old son in a way that his little mind could comprehend. We had stopped taking Hayden to see his Papa once the treatments had started and dad became really sick and frail. The last time that Hayden spent quality time with him was in October. We lost my father on December 20th of that same year but during those last few months there was only one day that Papa was strong enough to be with his only grandson. All the medical equipment at their house and the fact that he was hooked up to an oxygen machine was frightening to our little boy but he missed his grandfather so much that he quickly over came his fear and sat with him at the kitchen table. The week that they sent dad home from the hospital with round the clock hospice care my sister and I along with our husbands and our mom never left dad’s side. Hayden spent much of that time with his other grandparents which only added to his confusion. When dad died and their house was back to “normal” we took Hayden over to see his grandmother, Harmony. He never stopped asking for his Papa and looked all over the house for him. What made it worse was that dad’s truck was still in the drive way so Hayden knew that he should have been home. I don’t actually remember when he accepted the fact that his Papa wasnt coming home but imagine our devastation, not to mention Hayden’s heartache, when Scot’s father died unexpectedly less than 3 months later of basically the same thing. Words cant begin to explain what that little boy was going through! Well, they say that time heals all wounds, dont know that I agree with that but life did go on and each day became easier than the next. With both grandfathers being gone Hayden became extremely close to the father of a very close family friend. Hayden loved to go see Mr. Arnie and talk about tools, the North Carolina Tar Heels, or just sit and watch a football game with him. This past summer Mr. Arnie became very very ill and Hayden immediately picked up on the fact that something was not right. He refused to talk about Mr. Arnie being sick and became very angry. When Mr. Arnie did pass Hayden did not say much other than he did not understand why God would keep on taking away people that he loved. Hayden did ask for a shirt that belonged to Mr. Arnie and for several days he would wear it around the house. He has since put it away but will not tell me where..”In a special place!” is all that he will say. What do you say to mend the hurt in a 6 year old’s heart? No child should ever have to endure the pain of losing so many people in such a short amount of time. Our family’s prayer is that the money raised with this event will aid in the healing of someone else’e aching heart. Hayden’s number in the photo shoot was MIRACLE 11 but to us 3 is the perfect number.

And here he is himself… Hayden Jones, Miracle #11:

A word of inspiration…

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:47:38 +0000

First, thank you so much to everyone who has followed the Small Miracles Calendar Project we have been working on so hard for the last several weeks. I have joked more than once that as fulfilling & rewarding as this is… I am going to need a Small Miracle to get through it. Well, it hasn’t been a small miracle, it has been one huge miracle after another

And so – I emailed each of our contestant’s parents asking them to please share with us their motivation for voting & soliciting votes from family & friends. What about this makes this so special to you? Tell us what it means to you…

And here is one of the responses I received… grab a tissue now

From Mindy Gardinier Floyd: proud mamma to Parker – Miracle#15 and Jalen Miracle#13:
“My children, like so many other mothers, are my life! I love watching the world through their eyes and hearing them laugh. Cancer touched my life through my mother. She was diagnosed with cancer at the early age of 37. Because she is no longer with us is the reason we voted and our hope is that one day they will have the research to find a cure so no one else has to live with cancer or be left behind from losing someone from cancer.”

And here are her Small Miracles…

Good luck with voting, and hopefully this provides you with some inspiration to vote!

View all the Small Miracles at: http://www.studiobellav.com/proofing (Small Miracles Gallery).

Thank you!

Natalie + Randy = MARRIED!!!!

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:35:45 +0000

First let me just say I knew from the moment I met Natalie that this wedding was going to be wonderful! She has a sparky little personality, yet she’s laid back & fun. She has a daughter that is absolutely adorable & a thrill to be around, and Randy is solid as a rock – reliable, and totally and madly in love with Natalie. No matter what, with all those things in your corner, you know it’s going to be great. Better yet, we planned in advance to do a day after session and Trash The Dress. I won’t let the cat out of the bag yet, but let’s just say that session deserves a blog sneak peek all of it’s own

Anyways, back to Natalie & Randy! They came here from Louisiana, with their closest friends & family to get married at Tops’l. With blue & green as her main wedding colors, and a FABULOUS dress, it was absolutely stunning! And I’ll start with one of my favorite parts of the wedding, little goldfish bowl centerpieces! Isn’t he too cute!?!?!?!?!

Natalie & Randy – Married!!! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

Small Miracles Calendar Voting has begun!!!!

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:03:46 +0000

After all the hard work, back to back shoots, marathon editing, and wrestling with the gallery, we are pleased to announce that VOTING IS OPEN!

We would love for all of our blog-stalkers, current, past & future clients, friends, family, fellow vendors & associates to at least go check out the Small Miracles contestants on the gallery, and even better – help us support the American Cancer Society by placing your votes. Take just 5 minutes & make your donation of $1/vote to help us meet our goal of an average of 100 votes per child! Whether it’s $5.00 or $50.00 every penny counts towards our goal!

To view & vote, go to:

http://www.studiobellav.com/proofing

You will need to use access code: miracles after you register to create a login & password

And don’t forget! You can pre-purchase your 2010 Small Miracles Calendar there as well!

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone who has helped with this including (but not limited to):

Karen White with Studio K

Sheena Ratliff with Lens Flare Photography

Trish Waddle with Portraits by Trish

Tiffany Sims, Intern

All of the sponsors & donors so far including Santa Rosa Mall, Signs Galore, and Premier Events.

And of course, all of the parents who took the time out of their busy schedules to bring their children by for portraits (some of them driving nearly an hour to get to us!), and who have donated to this cause through session fees, print purchases, and now… VOTING!

Jennifer & Thad – Married!

admin — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:09:12 +0000

Jennifer & Thad came here all the way to Grayton Beach from Tennessee to get married among close friends and family. And although nearly all weddings are sentimental, emotional, sweet and all that jazz, Jen & Thad’s intimate ceremony was sentimental, emotional, and sweet on an entirely different level from any ceremony I’ve been to. Jen & Thad had both lost people very close to them, one of those being Jennifer’s mom, and the other being Thad’s father just a short time ago. Add to that, both Jen & Thad come from extremely tight knit families that seems to be woven together with threads of steel. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can break the love that they so clearly have for each other. I watched in awe, and was reminded of what a privilege it is as a photographer to be mixed into the most intimate parts of the day, the parts that often nobody else gets to see. I admit, I get goosebumps & tear up at every “first look” between a bride & groom, but nothing could have prepared me for the raw emotion & feelings that came out in Jennifer’s last moments with her father & brother, as well as during the ceremony. It was truly a moment that not just tugged, but yanked at my heart strings. As a mother, a daughter, a sister… it tore into me from every angle. I am getting teary just thinking about it! I have to say, I can only hope to raise a daughter and a son so wonderful as these two, that my husband is as strong as Jennifer’s father must be and proved himself to be that day, yet so caring & gentle, and that I can foster the relationships among my family and between my children the way that Jennifer’s mother (and entire family) must have. Both families displayed such strength & faith that it was inspirational, and you can’t help but consider how valuable our time with our families truly is. I know that Jennifer’s mother must be a very proud mother looking down on her daughter, particularly on that day. And I know that Thad was not without his father on that day, and I thought it was only appropriate that both Jen’s mother & Thad’s father’s place in the wedding were both marked with white roses on the seats that they would have sat in. The seats that they would have watched from with pride, love and happiness for Jen & Thad. It was absolutely beautiful to see Jen & Thad incorporate their parents in spirit, even though they couldn’t be there in person. It was truly and simply amazing and has left me so totally and completely in awe of the beautify in relationships and family. Jen & Thad – here’s to you for cherishing your family so much All that, and she ALSO had a beautiful wedding!

And now, on with the preview:

Oh, and to top it off, despite threats of rain especially in the days leading up to the wedding, the day worked out beautifully, with the most amazing & awesome spread of clouds!!!

And how awesome that Thad’s son was there, and a very big part of the day:

A special thanks to those who contributed to the big day including:

Catering: Lesgo Catering & Personal Chef
Flowers & Coordinating: Margie Jordan with Bella Flora
Dress: All About Weddings in Germantown, TN Casablanca brand style #1938 in ivory special order ( had it made in tissue taffeta instead of crystal satin)
Cake: Publix at Watercolor Way

And here is the slideshow!!!

Jen & Thad – Married! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

The Small Miracles Calendar Project Mega Sneak Peek Part 2!

admin — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:57:37 +0000

I cannot tell you how grateful I am that we had such a wonderful turnout. It’s clear that this is a powerful subject, and a huge influence in so many of our lives. As I mentioned previously, shortly after beginning this project my aunt, who had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer that had gone into remission was hospitalized, placed on a ventilator, only to finally wake up to the devestating news that not only had the cancer returned, but this time it had spread to her lungs. Unfortunately she hasn’t got much time left, perhaps only weeks – she may not even see this calendar go to print. Through this tough time for my stepfather’s family, they’ve held strong & it has reinforced every reason out there to bring as much awareness, support, and energy to this cause as possible. It was amazing to listen to person after person describe how their life has been affected – whether it’s a close friend or family member, it seems nearly everyone knows someone with cancer. Some win the battle, and others lose it… and in the end we find a common ground & cause.

So with that, I’m excited to present Part 2 of the Sneak Peek! Voting will begin very soon – just as soon as I get all these edited! lol.

So here they are… starting with the daughters of a close friend of mine…

And here is the little angel of my assistant, Sheena!

I love love love this next picture! It cracks me up every time I see it! A huge thank you to the teachers of Cinco Baptist School who came out to support the cause with such enthusiasm!

The little guy above, and this little guy below are brothers who were told about this by another of our clients and my lovely stylish hairdresser, Rachel (Frankie’s A Salon!), every single person that has seen this image instantly goes “Awwwwwww”. It is so adorable!

Another sweet baby, with the cutest hair do around:

We were so glad to also see other photographers come out to support the cause, the next 3 cuties are the lovely little kiddo’s belonging to Kimberly Petty, of KP Photo!

So stay tuned, there’s more where that came from!!!!