Destination Weddings - Destination weddings have become all the rage for many couples tying the knot ...
In fact, 20% of all American weddings take place outside the United States. The increase in international destination weddings is due largely in part to the high cost of domestic weddings and the time it takes to plan the event. Why not plan a Dream Wedding in a unique and tranquil environment with your immediate family and closest friends?! In the long run, you will not only save time and money but your honeymoon begin the second you say, “I Do”!
Since 2000, I have been fortunate enough to be included in numerous international destination weddings as a high-profile wedding photographer. I have been requested to shoot these extraordinary weddings due to my extensive travel experience through travelling four times around the globe as an adventure, culture and extreme sport photographer. The transition to destination wedding photographer was imminent. Not only do I set to use my experience and talent in this area of being a world traveler, but I use my editorial, portrait and commercial skills to create a storybook wedding, nothing short of a lush Robinson Crusoe adventure!
When researching a destination for their wedding, many couples opt for wedding and accommodation packages from resorts around the world that cater to weddings. Most of the resorts do offer complete packages such as the wedding ceremony, officiant, honeymoon suite, food & beverage, guest accommodations and even photography packages. Luckily for me, many of those brides and grooms whodo choose destination weddings, book complete packages minus the resort photographer. Why? Many couples find that bringing a seasoned photographer to their destination dream wedding completes their truly “one of a kind” custom storybook, fairy tale wedding.
What makes a good destination wedding photographer? A good destination wedding photographer will not only shoot the actual wedding day ceremony, but will shoot the couples’ entire adventure from start to finish. This coverage includes arriving early at the couple’s destination of choice, shooting the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, the festivities surrounding the actual wedding and capturing the bride and groom in all their gloryin the magical environment. However, a truly seasoned destination wedding photographer, such as me, takes it even further by pushing the limits! This is where I take it upon myself to add something truly spectacular.
Destination: St. Lucia
Lying roughly between 60® longitude and 14® latitude, St. Lucia is approximately 1,300 miles southeast of Florida. This 238 square mile island is part of the Windward Island chain within the West Indies. St. Lucia is south of the neighboring island of Martinique and 100 miles northwest of Barbados.
This unique, tropical and lush island paradise was a perfect setting for me to create a truly amazing storybook wedding on January 13, 2007 for Lauren Kopelove and Luke Facemyer.
I arrived in St. Lucia three days before the wedding and immediately began exploring and photographing thisbeautiful island. The bride and groom put me up at the Sandals Regency Resort, which would be my base for the next five days. I took it upon myself to explore the island by boat, private transportation and helicopter. I wanted to capture the glam and glory that St. Lucia itself had to offer. I would later add these pictures to their album and proofs. I also photographed each resort (Sandals Regency and Sand Grand Lucian) in its’ entirety, including flora and fauna as well as landscapes and architecture. These were the two resorts that the Kopelove/Facemyer’s would call home over the next ten days.
I gave the Kopelove/Facemyer’s and their family and friends their space at the resort and only photographedthe main events even though they included me in everything they did. It was important for me to separate myself from their group on a daily basis, that way they could have a more intimate experience without the feeling of a paparazzophotographer at their back constantly throughout their stay. I was there to capture and document their wedding event and island destination. After all, they are the client, even though they made me feel as part of the family.
The rehearsal dinner was a great family affair as I thoroughly got to know the Kopelove and Facemyer immediate family and friends. Within minutes of me breaking the ice and introducing myself to the entourage, I began immediately to accommodate their needs by taking great family pictures during a cocktail reception and an island styled theme dinner immediately followed.
The wedding ceremony took place the following morning on a serene stretch of beach at the Grande Lucian Resort. After shooting the ceremony and after formals in its entirety, the bride and groom, their families and guests enjoyed a champagnebrunch under a tent in the resort gardens. Shortly after brunch, I took Lauren and Luke around both resorts photographing their wedding day bliss pictorials within the resorts’ lush landscapes. The wedding reception followed that same evening complete with a sit down dinner and steel drum calypso band ensemble. Everyone danced into the tropical night to the rhythms and pulsing beat of the island music.
The destination wedding experience is for those wanting a truly hassle free, subdued, tranquil and romantic getaway. It’s a time and place where sacred vows are exchanged in the presence of your closest loved ones. A “true” fairytale!
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