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

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.

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.

And, despite crazy windy cold weather, the day was beautiful at the Emerald Grande overlooking the Harbor Walk and Jetties on Destin’s beautiful Emerald Coast!

So here is just a quick sneak peek of their wedding day.  Starting with Tara’s dress… I looooove love love this dress!  She calls it that fluffy-ness “cupcakes”, I call it whipped cream.  Whatever it is – I love how the top so perfectly contrasts & compliments the bottom (whipped cream) half!

And seriously – if you knew how brutal that wind & cold was in this alley way… you’d totally tell Tara that she was a trooper for this shot!  It was actually down in Harbor Walk, which sits just below the Emerald Grande overlooking the Harbor (hence… the conveniently named “Harbor Walk!”).   In fact, even with the wind, the weather was still so beautiful, the Harbor Walk below the Emerald Grande was absolutely packed with some sort of festival going on!  Which is actually part of the charm of the Emerald Grande, everything is at your fingertips & there is always something going on!

The ceremony took place on the balcony/back deck of the Emerald Grande, also overlooking the Harbor & Jetties of Destin.  The wind was even crazier on the deck during the ceremony than it was down in Harbor Walk, but the view of the Gulf was amazing!

One of the things I love most about weddings at the Emerald Grande is the absolutely beautiful ballroom.  We’ve had the pleasure of shooting several weddings here, and it’s always stunning.  Jackie & Brandy over at the Emerald Grande do a fabulous job of making sure everything goes off without a hitch!

A huge congratulations to Tara & Brandon   You guys are so awesome!

And of course the video

Tara & Brandon – Married! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

And of course, if you haven’t visited the Emerald Grande in Harbor Walk Village here in Destin, you really should!  Commander’s Palace has fabulous dining, the Emerald Grande has an amazing spa, and there are so many things surrounding the Grande that you could stay in the immediate area, never leave, and be a-ok!  The Camellia Grille is one of my favorite restaurants near the Emerald Grande.

In the meanwhile, check out the Emerald Grande for a weekend stay, or even your wedding & reception!

Emerald Grande
10 Harbor Blvd
Destin, FL 32541-7374
(850) 337-8100

]]> http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/11/emerald-grande-wedding-photographer/feed/ 3 http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/10/destin-wedding-trash-the-dress-destination-wedding/ http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/10/destin-wedding-trash-the-dress-destination-wedding/#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:10:24 +0000 admin http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/?p=762 So, if you’ve checked the blog recently (Hello, Blogstalkers ), then you’ve seen Natalie & Randy’s awesome destination wedding at Tops’l in Destin!  They are such a fun couple, and when we met Natalie knew right away she wanted to do a Trash The Dress Session.  Now, most couples coming in from out of town are dead set on the beach… and as it turns out – it was a good thing they didn’t have their heart set on the beach.  Because… well…. it RAINED and POURED… I mean it rained CATS AND DOGS!  BUCKETS of rain.  It was TOUGH.  But – it was amazing and awesome and fantastic & is totally deserving of it’s very own blog post seperate from the beautiful destination beach wedding!

Now, since we were trashing a dress… well a little rain never hurt anyone, and it sure doesn’t stop me!  In fact, it got me pretty excited!

Also as it turns out, that morning I was also hosting one of my monthly photography classes.  I had initially planned to just cut out of the class in time for the shoot, but thought… now that’s not fair… why not invite them along?!   So I cleared it with Natalie, and they were totally cool with a few folks tagging along!

So first… here’s what the day looked like:

And yes, these are pretty extreme conditions.  Although I have actually shot in the rain once before, it wasn’t raining this badly.  In fact, this was down a little dirt road that I was actually a little worried we would get stuck on if we stayed too long.  So this was a QUICK session – and although I must say the light is BEAUTIFUL while it’s raining, but it did have a few spells where it got REALLY dark REALLY quickly… and there were NO opportunities really for me to pull back from the camera to check shots & adjust my exposure, so I was working on pure gut feeling lol (thank god for shooting raw, although I was way closer to being spot on than I thought I would have been).

And here we are, getting rained on, trying to hide under umbrellas to keep our camera gear dry:

And now… what you’ve ALL been waiting for… the highly anticipated sneak peek of Natalie & Randy Trashing the Dress, complete with the bride’s daughter Carly who was also the Flower Girl (so really its a Trash The Dress & The Groom & The Flower Girl session!).

I loooove love love love love this picture.

Another of my favorites from the session:

I couldn’t help but catch this… this is too cute:

And I tell you what, was this probably not one of the MOST fun days this little girl has ever had, not to mention an UNFORGETTABLE moment, jumping in mud puddles… with her mom… in their wedding clothes! lol  I bet she told ALL her friends how she got to play in the rain, and jump in mud puddles!

And of course, this is one post that cannot go without a slideshow  So here we are, complete with very appropriate music lol.

Natalie & Randy Trash The Dress! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

]]> http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/10/destin-wedding-trash-the-dress-destination-wedding/feed/ 6 http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/04/eden-gardens-wedding/ http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2009/04/eden-gardens-wedding/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:35:35 +0000 admin http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/?p=524 So, every once in a while along comes a wedding that really tugs at your heart strings and reminds me why I love doing what I do.  So often the stress & chaos of wedding planning really stands in the way of enjoying the moment.  But I have to say – Lauren & Preston really savored the moments and I couldn’t help but smile a big smile throughout the whole ceremony watching the two of them together.  All the stress, all the chaos, all the running off schedule, never stood in the way of them giggling, having fun, and taking the time to be downright silly.  And perhaps it was even more sentimental for me that it was at Eden Gardens – where my husband and I had our own engagement pictures done, and where we had wanted to get married (we instead got married in Pensacola).  I have to say… Eden Gardens may very well be one of the most beautiful places on Earth (at least in my eyes!). Eden Gardens is just north of 30A off Hwy 98 in Walton County (technically it’s in Point Washington) and is just before you get to Panama City.

So here is just a sneak peek from the big day!

(By the way, how cool are those walls?!  Lauren’s house was built by the same person who built some of the structures at Eden Gardens so they have the same walls & lights!!!)

And finally… the video.  And I have to say, my little hippy heart was jumping for joy when I heard Ray LaMontagne’s music for not only the ceremony but the reception as well.  So here it is, set to a little Ray LaMontagne!

Lauren & Preston from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

In the meanwhile, if you’re on the hunt for a fabulous location for your wedding, you have GOT to check out Eden Gardens. It is easily one of my most favorite locations EVER!  The setting is so perfect for a wedding and reception (with or without a tent).  In fact, if I did my wedding all over again – it would totally be there!

Eden Gardens State Park
Point Washington, Florida 32459  - (850) 231-4214

I had some difficulty with my shopping cart (user error mostly ).  I think I have it all straightened out now, and simplified it greatly!

So – if you have online viewing, you for sure now have online ordering fully intact & ready to go.

If you are waiting on proofs, sit tight – they’re going to be coming up soon!  I’ve got TONS to load up!  It’s good that I’m busy, but whew… I need some sleep!  Almost everyone that is waiting on proofs should have them by weeks end with a few stragglers by middle of next week!  I might actually go to sleep Saturday night or something crazy like that! 

Angela

So – if you get extremely bored, and/or want a peek into my chaotic personal life (it’s really not too chaotic to me, just to everyone else lol), OR if you want to learn how to be super super frugal – check it out. It started off as my “frugalness” blog – but although my frugalness & obsession with budgeting continues & will likely live on forever… there’s really only so much you can post about it!

You’ll still get all kinds of frugal tips & tricks, but with the added bonus of seeing & hearing about my crazy kids!

So – here you go… proceed with caution at your own risk… My Private Life as the Budget Chick. Don’t worry, it’s not prettied up yet, but we’re getting there!  Like all things, slowly but surely!

So – just a heads up for everyone emailing me for sneak previews, here they come!!!  I’ll have some up tonight, and they’ll just keep coming over the next week!

And also – lots of exciting news!  I know, I know, I’m not a fan of suspense either, so I won’t leave you hanging too long!

Now – let the sneak peeks commence!

I love the way these look with them dressed in black.  The french quarter look & feel of Village of Baytowne Wharf really helps since just about anything goes!

We’ll be doing Part II of the engagement pictures just as soon as the weather warms up! Then we’ll be headed to the beautiful beaches of Destin or Grayton Beach and try out some really awesome beach pictures. I have no doubt that they’ll take another great set of pictures!

Stay tuned for more!