So let’s get on with the story, shall we?!

Justine & Mark had their Destination Wedding at Waterscapes – I’ve passed by it a million times but I had no idea they had such a big property back there… it made for beautiful pictures!

And my favorite flowers in the whole world… orchids!

Haha, I sure hope these were Mark’s boots and not just some buddy’s!  Either way they were super cool!!!

This shows the gorgeous color of the bridesmaids dresses, next to her flowers which were of major importance to Justine… and it just so happens that this is Justine’s little sister, who might I add was also the life of the party! HAHAHA

And that first look… nothing else compares…

That night, as the sun set, the sky was absolutely amazing.   This shot is actually AFTER sunset… showing the deep blues of the sky and also the awesome cake:

And I love this… here is Sam – he was the minister but he’s also a DJ!

A huge thank you & Congratulations to Justine & Mark – you guys were so awesome & your friends & family were a blast!  It was a great relaxing laid back wedding!  We even broke out onto the dance floor for just a few minutes before tackling the little obstacle course on the lower pool (which we jumped into as well).  Rumor has it everyone else dove into the pool after we left!  We’re so bummed we missed it!  We tried getting folks to jump in before we left, but no luck!! Ah well!!!

Congrats, and heres the slideshow!

Justine + Mark – Married! from Bella Vita Photography on Vimeo.

By the way, if you are looking for an awesome beach resort, or location for a beach wedding & reception, Waterscapes is one of our little known secret gems on the coast here in Destin.  It’s actually on Okaloosa Island, between Fort Walton Beach & Destin, and you would never ever realize from the street that Waterscapes has SO MUCH back there!  The property is absolutely beautiful, the beaches are gorgeous, and the pools are fun for anyone with a family, or coming on their own for a relaxing weekend!

Check them out:

Waterscape by Resort Quest

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/2008/02/bridal-expo-2008/ http://bellavitaphotos.com/blog/2008/02/bridal-expo-2008/#comments Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:36:12 +0000 admin http://bellavitaphotos.wordpress.com/?p=13 Well, I’m finishing my last minute preparations for the 2008 Bridal Expo in Destin, Florida at the Sandestin Hilton along the Emerald Coast of Florida. I’ve got some wonderful friends helping me out, seeing as I lost my voice 2 days prior! Surely, something was bound to have a glitch, and if it’s my voice that suffers rather than my booth, I’m a-ok with that!!!

I’m really excited about this bridal expo. It’s been a lot of work, but being my first bridal show, I’m confident it will get my work out there & a little more well known! I’m not just about babies & bellies (though I do love them most of all!).

So – here’s to no sleep & a missing voice box & to a good day at the Bridal Show! I can’t wait to meet a ton of new people & have a BLAST!

While you’re at it, check out the Sandestin Hilton, a beautiful location where we’ve photographed many family’s beach portraits, and several weddings & receptions on the beautiful white beaches!

Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa
4000 S Sandestin Blvd
Destin, FL 32550
(850) 267-1816

www.sandestinbeachhilton.com