“I’m already fortunate enough to based in California’s beautiful Napa/Sonoma Valley however it was a great treat for me to leave the vineyards behind and experience the sandy beaches and palm trees of the Caribbean. This tropical location allowed me to approach their wedding with a new set of eyes and greater appreciation for the worldly beauty.

Generally when photographing a wedding, my time is spent with the couple for just the day, but because we were all on the island nearly a week, I was able to fold into the friends and family and really get to know them better.

The journey to this remote island took a total of 24 hours (if you include time zones) and that was part of the great adventure. It looked a little something like: Flight. Another Flight. Taxi. Ferry. Taxi. Ferry. My greatest tip is that we prepaid for all of our taxi/ferry transfers through Smith’s Ferry so we’d literally get off one mode of transportation and someone would be magically waiting for us and take us to our next, and so on.

Tracy and Jon’s wedding was an amazing and lovely in every way!”

From the bride:

“We decided to have a destination wedding because I have a very large extended family and we wanted to keep the numbers down. A destination wedding allowed us to invite everyone -knowing that the people who were supposed to be there -would come and share this special time with us.

Our first choice was Mexico but with the random acts of violence going on we were afraid that it would be too stressful. Our next choice was Australia but it was too far to travel. We decided on The Bitter End Yacht Club in the Caribbean because Jon’s family used to charter a sailboat for family vacations and they used to stop their for dinner and anchor in their bay overnight. Jon showed me the website and I was sold.

One of the obstacles we encountered when planning was figuring out the marriage certificate requirements and coordinating it with our actual ceremony. In this particular case, you needed to be in the country (British Virgin Islands) three days before you got married. You also had to purchase “wedding stamps” $110 from their local post office to be submitted with your marriage certificate. The government is paid in “wedding stamps” for the license. We then walked over to the general registrars office to submit the marriage certificate paperwork. After that we had to walk to the birth, death, marriage office and show them the receipts. They marked us down as having paid and submitted. We decided to use the pastor that the resort recommended. Part of his fee was picking up the marriage certificate once it was completed.

Our favorites memories there were so many! First of all we had 28 of our closest friends and family in paradise. Aside from rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, sunset cruise, ceremony and reception there was not a set daily agenda. We interacted with everyone either by breakfast, pool, excursions, sailing- which by the way were all included in your stay at BEYC. The location is heaven on earth our sunset wedding barefoot on the beach we will never forget. Also the rum punch and dark & stormys were good too. An unexpected bonus we were upgraded to the estate house as it was not booked during our stay.
We even had wedding crashers Jay and Linda! We met them on the ferry. Jay was a US Army doctor and Linda was a nurse. Jay jokingly said they were going to crash the wedding. We invited them but dubbed them the wedding crashers. They showed up to the ceremony with a gift from the gift store on the resort and joined us at the reception to dance the night away.

Tips for future brides:
Destination weddings are not for the ultra control freak bridezillas. Everything operates on “island time”. That goes for anywhere in the world because no place operates like the United States. Jon and I are world travelers and know first hand that you can plan everything down to the last detail and it can go out the window in seconds. Taxis, ferries, government offices ” island time”.
I fortunately spoke to someone who got married at BEYC and she gave me great advice that I would pass along. The wedding planner there can be unresponsive at times but she is awesome! She pulls it together, nothing was missed and it was seamless. It can be a little stressful planning abroad because you don’t have answers. The flowers were amazing. I chose my favorite, peonies. Our wedding dinner was incredible, we did surf n turf which was all local. A mashed potato bar where you could pick your own toppings. I would like to point out that breakfast lunch and dinner is included in your stay. We used our guests dinner credit for our wedding dinner and upgraded to surf n turf and paid the difference out of our pocket.

We wanted a taste of Sonoma County represented at our wedding as I was born and raised so we decided to do it in wine and sparking wine. BEYC has a good but limited selection of wines. We planned ahead and were able to work with their local distributor to bring in Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, La Crema Pinot Noir, J Sparkling Brut. The DJ had to leave at 11 because it is the last ferry back to mainland. If you want to continue the party go to the pub at the resort, it is open until 2am.”

Notables: Ceremony/Reception Venue: The Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands~Photographer: Meg Clouse~Bridal Gown Designer: Nicole Miller~ Groom’s Attire: Faconnable~Floral Designer: Blossoms Florist

“This was a special wedding for me because not only was I able to travel to gorgeous Greece but this was my cousin’s wedding as well which sweetened the experience for me!

I’ve traveled all around the world but this was my first time in Greece and ….wow. The water, the beaches, the people and last but not least the FOOD.

Kefalonia is the biggest island of the Greek islands and is not as widely popular. There are great spots to see and cities to visit. Because tourism is also slower less people are around which is nice if you’re looking for a more private experience. It also means less luxury and amenities (at least in the small village I was in) so keep that in mind. There is so much beauty that I found it easy to take tons of inspired photos. The vibrant colors of the interior of the church reflects the colors of the island. The flowers and boats in the water caught my eye especially. Also the small town and restaurants were fun to shoot.

If I were to give some advise about getting married in Greece I’d say shoot for a cooler time of year. It gets VERY hot and the sun is serious there so a big chunk of the day is out of the question for shooting outdoors. Other then that is one of the most picturesque destinations you could choose for powerful photos.”

“Filming David & Kristy’s wedding is proof that you can’t underestimate the ower of Facebook.  That’s where they first found Limelight Studios and the rest is history.  A destination wedding is such a fantastic way to start and celebrate a marriage.  We loved being a part of the day and cherish each destination we attend.

David & Kristy invited us to share in their destination wedding on November 30th, 2010 at the Now Jade Riviera Cancun Resort in Puerto Morales – a small fishing village located roughly halfway between Cancun & Playa del Carmen on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Kristy is the owner of Pose Events – an “all inclusive” travel agency and wedding & events specialist company.  They took care of every last details to make this dream wedding come true!”

And now… for their film:

From the Bride:

“David and I initially decided to have a destination wedding as we had a lot of friends and family who lived abroad and we felt the best way for us to celebrate our special day was to have a fabulous vacation and wedding all rolled into one, we were also able to spend more than just one day with our guests since we all stayed at the resort for 8 nights. It was a continuous reception party the whole vacation long.

The only obstacle we encountered was one of the airlines a few guests were travelling declared bankruptcy approx. one month before departure. This was a little stressful for a few days but hey what can you do? This is something that is beyond control and it does actually happen more often than not so the travel experts were able to rebook everyone efficiently and our guests also got a full refund.

I think a lasting memory will be when myself (the bride) was sick on our wedding day and we had to see the doctor half way through the reception (the doctor said I was his first bride! So that was an accomplishment) Of course the other lasting memory will be the fact that I married my best friend and it was truly the perfect day with our amazing friends and family members.

BOOK IT! The Now Jade is breathtaking, not one out of our 50 guests could fault this resort in any way possible, the food was spectacular, the staff were extremely professional and friendly and the grounds and the rooms were a true 10/10 experience.

I would also definitely recommend booking with a travel agency ESP one that specializes in destination weddings. They make the whole process stress free for the bride/groom and the bonus is they do not charge a fee! I would recommend Pose Travel (who booked ours).”

“We first met Connie and Steven when a mutual friend set us up on a blind date, so-to-speak. They had just gotten engaged and were just starting to think about how/where/when they’d actually tie the knot so we joined them at their place in New York City for a casual session and for some wedding talk, naturally. It was just so easy to get along with them, and it wasn’t long before we were trading destination wedding planning tricks with them over dinner and catching up with them whenever we were back in the city.

Naturally, when they picked Mexico as the location for their wedding, we were doubly excited and hoping that they’d take us along! Needless to say, we’re thrilled that they picked us to document their beautiful wedding in paradise. They had about 75 of their friends and family join them all the way in Cancun – a real testament to how loved these two are. And Mother Nature must love them too, as unpredictable torrential downpours hit throughout their wedding day, but conveniently stopped whenever they were needed to be outdoors. How’s that for lucky?!”

“Hope and Tom were married in Barbados in August 2010. The resort, The Crane, was amazing and had these beautiful cliffs overlooking the gorgeous ocean.

Hope and Tom contacted me (the photographer) after their other photographer backed out less than 3 weeks before the wedding. I was thrilled to not only travel for this wedding, but to be photographing this couple, who was super sweet, funny, and all around, just amazing people.

Barbados is stunning, tons of great food (especially at this resort) and the rooms are gorgeous. Mine had my own private little pool on a rooftop deck with grill! I can’t wait to go back!

The Wedding was super low key with just their parents and 2 sets of friends, very private on the resorts private beach, and they had an amazing day after session and even jumped off the cliffs! (They had a private reception for family and friends when they got back home too!)”

Notables: Ceremony/Reception Venue: The Crane, St. Phillips, Barbados~Photography: Amanda McMahon~Bridal Gown: Maggie Sottero

I can’t wait to share this destination wedding shot by Aaron Hogan.  The ceremony took place at the gorgeous Radisson Blu.  Here’s what he had to say about it (and I love that he added some great tips too!!)

“Never before have I visited a country that brought about such inspiration to me as an artist and photographer. Dubrovnik, the largest tourist town in Croatia where the wedding was held is paradise filled with fabulous fresh seafood, tantalizing gelato that rivals that from Italy, vivid blue seas, and 1000s of micro islands off its semi-arid Dalmatian coast.

Such a feeling of freedom riding a large catamaran (ship) to different islands with the bride and groom and 20 of their closest friends that I got to know very well over 7 days. We jumped off the top of the ship (30 feet high), did cliff jumping (50 feet tall), swam in dense salty lagoons, ate amazingly fresh fish daily, photographed textures in every nook and cranny of the old part of Dubrovnik where the massive Middle Age period walls stand. I think I photographed more textures on the walls and ground than I did of gorgeous city vistas.

Lokrum Island is a must see – spend an afternoon there at least and bring your bathing suit. Visit the Benedictine monastery ruins dating back to the late 12th century. It’s surrounded by exotic plants and a botanical garden

Also consider the Elafiti Island Tours in which you visit 4 islands all day long from a catamaran.

The villas we stayed at in Zaton Mali west of Dubrovnik (outside the main part of town) were $59/night in June which is just before the busy tourist season of July/August.

Tips:
Carry lots of Croatian Kuna (their monetary unit). The Euro isn’t widely accepted in small/tourist towns in Croatia as of 2010.
Avoid the taxicab drivers at the airport – secure a driver at a lower price before you ever leave home. They will overcharge at the airport. 
Fly into Zagreb and then get a short flight to Dubrovnik to save some money instead of flying direct to Dubrovnik.”

“What we loved about Suzanne & Matt’s wedding was the tropical theme and bright pink vivid colors of the bridesmaids dresses and decor and lighting. Though this was a destination wedding, they had a huge guest list of 180 people who came from all over the country to celebrate their special day. It was exciting to see them surrounded by so much love and document the fun they shared on the dance floor partying the night away with their guests. Amelia Island is one of those quiet old Florida towns that continues to be a special get-a-way people overlook when crossing from Georgia into Florida. As you drive into the Ritz-Carlton, you are canopied by oak trees that then release you onto the tall grass sand dunes on the gorgeous Florida beach. When visiting Amelia Island, be sure to also step outside the resort and take a drive over to Centre Street in Fernandina Beach to stroll down the old historic row of shops and great restaurants there on the intracoastal waters!”

From the bride:

“I have always wanted a destination wedding. The thought of spending so much time planning a wedding that would last for five hours seemed crazy to me. I wanted to be able to enjoy the wedding as much as my guests did. I choose a weekend so that we could spend time and have fun with our friends and family. I also love the beach and knew I wanted a beach wedding. We decided to have our wedding in Amelia Island because it is close to Jacksonville Airport and close to my parent’s house in Florida.

The main obstacle we encountered during our planning was that the hotel had a construction project going on that started after our initial visit. We heard terrible things on Trip Advisor. I had nightmares that the reviews were true—that the grounds were ripped up and it sounded like a war zone. My parents flew down to check it out. It wasn’t perfect but it was not as bad as it sounded! The hotel worked with us to make sure our guests didn’t notice it too much. We also had to switch the location of our Welcome Dinner (after we had put it on our invitations!) but it worked out in the end. The second challenge was the welcome bags! I don’t like leaving things to the last minute but we had to because we had to stuff them there. We created a beach bag and we had to stuff it. If I were to do it again I would have chosen a smaller bag. It was hard to physically get all the snacks and waters to the hotel. It took a while but in the end it was worth it. I think the guests enjoyed them!

It is hard to say which was my favorite memory from the trip, there were so many! We had a dinner with our families on Thursday night and after dinner we went to the lobby bar. As we were there, our friends and family started to come in. It was so exciting to see everyone arrive. The hotel had a band and we had an awesome time together. It was a great way to start the weekend! We had a welcome dinner on Friday evening with everyone so I was able to spend time and say hello to all of the guests (180). On our wedding day I was able to just have fun because the formal hellos were over. We had so much fun on the dance floor!

If you are thinking of having your wedding at the Ritz-Carlton, you should! The staff is incredible. I recommend having Christina Saldana as your wedding planner. She was fantastic and attended to every detail. She made our wedding perfect!”

Notables: Ceremony/Reception Venue: Ritz Carlton Amelia Island Island~ Bridal Gown: Monique Lhuillier~Bridal Shoes: Jimmy Choo~Cinematographer: Turner Classic Weddings~Florals: Liz Stewart ~Band: Atlanta Showstoppers~Make-up: Gemma B

“I’m from Chicago and when Carli and Craig (a Chicago area couple) who are friend’s of friends contacted me to shoot their wedding I was thrilled that a Chicagoland couple chose to get married in WARM Cabo San Lucas! Good for them. With close family and friends, they planned a small and simple ceremony and reception at a semi-private estate in the hills right off the coast. On a patio with distant views of the ocean and slightly stormy skies, Carli and Craig said I Do and then danced under the stars as the skies cleared.

We had planned a “day after” photo session since Carli didn’t want to leave the hacienda the day of the wedding and with clear skies and warm weather we set off for a morning of fun in the sun and loads of portraits. Relaxed and not worried about ruining the dress, we traipsed around Cabo and had a blast. Carli even wore a bikini under her dress so she could whip the dress on and off as we moved from location to location! It’s rare that a photographer gets this much time with the bride and groom and I loved every minute of that shoot. Nice to let the creative juices flow when I’m relaxed and not worried about a wedding day schedule. What a treat!”

From the bride:

“We decided to have a destination wedding because we love to travel and wanted a small wedding. Not everyone was able to come, but we had a blast with everyone who was able to make it. We ended up helping a few poeple because it was important to us that they be there.

Planning-there was no one stop shopping here. Luckily Craig and Lori Harrison of Casa Contenta were so eager to help. They had contacts for everything we desired. After tons of emails we had everything sorted out. We never tried any of the food or even our cake, but everything was amazing! We were so lucky.

One favorite memory??? It was such a pleasant week. We were able to honeymoon with all our guests. It was great to vacation in such a big group.

Tips – Without Craig and Lori our wedding would have been a lot harder to plan. I don’t know of any wedding planners there. Having a point of contact that lived in Cabo and that was knowledgeable about all things wedding was amazing! Be ready for anything and have a great time, you’re in Cabo!”

Notables: Ceremony/Reception Venue: Casa Contenta~Photographer: Julie Mikos~Bridal Gown: David’s Bridal~Bridal Jewelry: Local Street Vendor in Cabo!~Bride & Groom’s Ring Designer: Rogers and Hollands~Groom/Groomsmen Attire: Chicago Retail Store~Catering: Lazy Gourmet Catering~Rehearsal Dinner: Pancho’s