Bella Vita Photography

Florida Destination Wedding Photographer | Jessie & Michael – Married!

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:42:45 +0000

Sometimes nothing has to go right for everything to be “right”. That’s exactly how I felt Jessie & Michael’s wedding day could be summed up. It rained, it poured, it downright GUSHED water from the skies that day… so badly that we wondered if we’d need a boat to get the bride from the “getting ready” room just 10 yards across to the church. It was THAT bad (trust me, there’s a picture to prove it). Then, there was the slight hiccup in the ceremony (which by the way, I wouldn’t have even known had Jessie not told me!).

But… really, it didn’t matter… because everything was “right” in the world when Jessie & Michael were with each other. These two love each other. Like… they really really love each other. He’s into her. She’s into him. Sparks just fly when these two get within 50 feet of each other. You couldn’t help but smile when you watch them together. Heck – you really can’t help but smile when you look at Jessie. Have I mentioned that she’s like the happiest go lucky person I’ve ever met!?

She’s a natural beauty, she doesn’t need makeup or anything fancy on to be a knock out beauty. Natural curls. A natural crinkle in her nose when she giggles (which is often)! And just a really cool calm demeanor. Which explains why no matter how much chaos (or rain) happened, you just felt this big refreshing “ahhhhhhh” when you get around her. She’s cool like that. :)

So – here she is – Jessie and Michael. With all her crinkly nosed, curly haired, natural beauty… and Michael’s just downright good looks and puppy dog eyes for Jessie!

New World Landing Pensacola Wedding Photographer | Stephanie & Daniel – Married!

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:12:58 +0000

So this wedding was a loooong time coming… much like this blog post! LOL When things get busy, unfortunately the blog is what falls by the wayside. But, no worries… it is here and in full effect now Stephanie & Daniel found me sometime shortly after getting engaged, and we had the most awesome time shooting their engagement pictures. It was then that we hit it off and then over dinner at my favorite place, Stinky’s Fish Camp, Stephanie & I realized we are like little long lost hippy sisters. And of course, we’ve been Facebook friends every since! haha!

Seriously, you know when you just hit it off with someone? Well, I’m pretty certain that there isn’t a soul alive that couldn’t hit it off with Stephanie, which probably explains why Daniel loves her so much, but she is just super fun & goofy at all the right times

Which is how I knew from the very beginning that it really didn’t matter what happened the day of the wedding – it was going to be a blast! And luckily, everything went perfectly anyways… the rain paused with perfect timing for pictures, nobody was late, everything was gorgeous, and we all had a great time!

So here it is – the long awaited & much anticipated sneak peek at her long-planned big day!

Oh and I just had to include this so I could say KUDOS to Daniel – one of the best wedding day presents I’ve seen yet Haha!

Loove these next few

This was one FANTASTICALLY fun bunch!

And of course…. drumroll…. the Mario cake!!!!

Whew! Loved reliving it Congrats to Stephanie & Daniel… I cannot wait to do a post-session

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! :)

Hilton at Sandestin Wedding | Kim & Joe – Married!

admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 04:07:37 +0000

In my endless quest to catch up, I am super excited to finally be posting this blog!

I had the amazing pleasure of working with Diva Productions shooting Kim & Joe’s wedding out at the Hilton in Sandestin. Kim & Joe decided on a destination wedding, so it was one of the many brides that I didn’t get to meet face to face before hand. I knew from her bubbly, yet laid back & cool, calm & collected personality over the phone, though that she would be a blast. Seriously, she has the type of fun personality that can shine like crazy even over the phone… you know those types that within the first five minutes you’re giggling going “girl, let me tell you…”? That’s so her . Well, you should have seen the look on my face when I walked in the room to photograph her on her wedding day, and saw that not only did she LOOK just like a friend of mine, but she had the same sweet, funny, bubbly, awesome personality as well – she was even more fun than I thought she would be, if that’s possible!

Kim came quite a ways, with some of her closest friends & family & put a lot of hard work & effort into an amazing destination wedding here in Destin, and a little clouds & wind (or a lot) wouldn’t put a damper on her day We managed to escape the rain, but not the wind, and it was really a beautiful day after all It was absolutely beautiful… Kim has amazing taste, and I don’t think she could have picked a more perfect location.

So here is a little sneak peek of her destination wedding at the Sandestin Hilton Spa & Golf Resort in Destin… starting with her amaaaaaazing dress! I really really really loved this dress.

Poor Kim got slapped by the wind, but I swear she’s the only person I know that can get away with looking so awesome when windblown!

Lovely! Hope you all enjoyed it, and this just goes to show – in Destin, the weather is always unpredictable, but even our “overcast” days are amazing

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

Eden Gardens & Seaside Engagement Photography | Jaclyn & Adam – Engaged!

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:12:34 +0000

I was extremely excited to take Jaclyn & Adam to one of my favorite places on earth – Eden Gardens State Park! It has a certain charm to it that you just can’t duplicate, with it’s old house, lovely trees, and all the hidden nooks & crannies. Plus – it looks out on to the water which is fantastic. We’d actually had to reschedule by just a day – but it worked out to our advantage – the weather was cold on our originally planned date (little did we know it was only going to get MUCH colder) but it was surprisingly fair (and almost WARM) the next day when we actually went out to shoot! I love it when that happens (Not rescheduling, but weather cooperating!)

We started out at Eden Gardens, though – and then hopped over to Seaside, which is conveniently just over Hwy 98 & down 30A a bit. It was a little crowded, but that’s not really that unusual these days! It’s just a big contrast to the slow quiet pace of Eden Gardens! But no worries, Jaclyn & Adam are from Atlanta, so I’m sure it was nothing in comparison to the hustle & bustle of a big city like Atlanta!

Anyways, here’s an awesome little sneak peek. And I’m obviously infatuated with purple lately cause I was totally loving Jaclyn’s sweater!!!

I absolutely cannot wait for them to have their destination wedding, so far from all the details it sounds like it is going to be amazing & I can already tell they are such a fun couple! I am getting pretty anxious for this wedding season to finally kick off so I can see it! And although they’re not getting married at Eden or Seaside, they are getting married in what I would consider THE most amazing church on the Emerald Coast – St. Rita’s! Everyone around, Catholic or not, knows St. Rita’s – it is so beautiful!

Congratulations, Jaclyn & Adam!

Four Points Sheraton Wedding Photography – Okaloosa Island | Kristin & Chris

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:37:11 +0000

I absolutely love it when I have brides that are friends with other brides of mine. So often it feels like we build up this great relationship, and we spend so much time together, including on one of the biggest days of their life – their wedding… and afterwards it feels like we miss them! We understand life gets busy (for us all) – but I often find myself wishing I could hang out with my brides again. And that’s exactly what I get to do when I have brides who are friends with other brides. I got to see Kristin at Tama’s wedding, and Tama at Kristin’s wedding (well – the guys are fun too, especially THESE guys – but let’s face it… girls have more fun!).

Kristin & Chris are an absolutely adorable couple though, and it’s easy to see exactly why they are such a great match when they’re together. Initially it seems like a classic case of opposites attract – Kristin is this totally girly, fashionable, organized and classy girl – and Chris is totally a man’s man, laid back & easy going, taking it one day at a time. Kristin works an office job, Chris spends his days out on a boat getting dirty & catching fish. But yet… they fit together so perfectly – like two little puzzle pieces. They are so much fun to be around and I really really loved being a part of their big day.

They decided to get married at the Four Points Sheraton down on Okaloosa Island – just a hop & a skip from Destin’s Fishing Village where Chris works. The Four Points Sheraton is like the little hidden gem of the Emerald Coast – it’s on the Island so it’s out of the way of most of the hustle & bustle of Destin, but still close enough to the heart of Fort Walton Beach. It sits on the main road, but what you don’t see is that behind it is this gorgeous little garden area that leads down to the most beautiful white beaches and gorgeous emerald water. You really get the best of both worlds with their green grass areas & gardens AND the beaches! We tried to utilize every bit of it, too!

Also – there were so many little details of Kristin’s wedding – I couldn’t possibly post them all in this blog but I’ll highlight some of my favorites, including her absolutely awesome deep purple shoes! I absolutely love the colored shoe trend, and the purple has by far been one of my favorites! Very unique, very awesome and so very Kristin! Purple shoes + Kristin + Chris = one very happy photographer and make for one awesomely cool wedding

These flowers were so gorgeous. The colors go together so well, and are my favorite color combination for this fall!

Now, here’s where I have to brag on Chris a little bit. I love this man. I really do! This man, are you ready for this ladies… made all the men’s boutonnieres himself! HOLY CRAP! Now, how many men do you know that can or will do this?! That is some serious L-O-V-E! I gotta give him some props – it is well deserved. He not only made them, but made AWESOME ones, and did a helluva job! Now, I will have to say – this far exceeded my expectations, and I do not think it is in any way reasonable to expect most men to be able to do this. Which makes Chris that much more awesome Yay for Chris! I love that he totally got the colors down pat (yes, he coordinated that himself), and that they represent him so amazingly being that he is a fisherman. (By the way – the purple is also partly a way of incorporating their love for LSU, that’s right – he’s a good ole’ southern boy!). A *crafty*, thoughtful, manly man.Ok… that’s taking it a bit too far… I’ll stop now You’re welcome, Chris! Oh, and can I just also throw in here that Kristin got TWO rings on her wedding day? How freaking awesome is THAT?! (Hubby – are you reading this?!)

And in case you didn’t get a chance to see what absolutely AMAZING blue eyes Kristin has from their engagement pictures… check it out here. We had some awesome weather, and something about being on the beach really makes her eyes pop:

And this is the best… at the last few moments of sunset, when everyone is waiting & it’s finally just them… and they relax & fall into their own little world for a few moments…

So if you’re considering visiting the area, or checking out wedding venues, don’t let this one slip past!

Four Points by Sheraton – Destin/Fort Walton Beach (located on Okaloosa Island)
Highway 98 East
1325 Miracle Strip Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
(850) 243-8116

And here to finish it off is the video…

Kristin + Chris – Married! Four Points by Sheraton from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

Embassy Suites Destin Wedding Photographer | Tama & Dustin!

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:18:24 +0000

I am so excited to be finally posting this blog! This was an absolutely gorgeous wedding at the Embassy Suites in Destin – it’s actually more like Mirimar Beach, but it’s all the same, right?! I had the awesome opportunity of really getting to know this bride pretty well since she lived locally & turns out she’s neighbors with my assistant. I absolutely adore her. We also did an amazing bridal shoot out in Alys Beach, which I’ll throw in as well In addition to being an absolutely GORGEOUS bride, she was so well organized she was a photographer’s dream come true! (I’ll bet the coordinator at Embassy Suites was loving her even more hahaha!).

Anyways, Tama had an awesome wedding with quite the bridal party & a “House Party” – apparently this is a Texas thing A true Texas girl, she had a great show of support from all her friends & family – many of them also coming in from Texas. To make it even better… Dustin is from a little town not too far from where I grew up in North Carolina, so needless to say I felt right at home! An added bonus, another one of my beautiful brides (who is next on the “To Blog” list), Kristin, was a guest at the wedding. I love it when that happens!

We had been hit with a little cold snap before the wedding (although nothing like the cold we’re suffering through now!), and even had a cold windy snap after wards, but as it goes… the weather was absolutely amazing the day of the wedding. It never fails And of course, it’s always a little windier on the beaches, but of course… perfect perfect weather, and a perfect beautiful breeze.

So let’s get on with this show and see some pictures from the day of! Starting with my favorite trend of 2009… Shoes to match your colors!

What an amazing couple Dustin & Tama make… you can see sparks fly when they’re together

Here’s the couple, Kristin & Chris, who I had the pleasure of photographing at their wedding just after this wedding. I love this picture because every time I see it I can’t help but think “Sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don’t”. That totally sums this couple up lol.

Getting back to Tama & Dustin – this next picture just gives me goosebumps. You’d think nobody else in the world existed in this moment…

As you can see, the beaches, the ballroom everything was gorgeous. If you’re considering having a wedding locally or even a destination wedding, this is a fantastic place!

Check it out:

Embassy Suites by Hilton, Destin/Mirimar Beach Hotel
www.embassydestin.com

570 Scenic Gulf Drive
Destin, FL 32550
(850) 337-7000

And of course, it wouldn’t be complete without a little video.

Tama & Dustin – Married! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.