Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Boca Raton's The Addison

For the love of all things luxurious, opulent, and just plain gorgeous, it's hard to beat Boca Raton's beautiful resort, The Addison!

(photo courtesy of The Addison)

This is what their wedding site has to say about their location: "The Addison has the grandeur of a 1920's estate steeped in old world elegance and charm...set amidst a breathtaking courtyard featuring 100 year old banyan trees and a cascading fountain..."

Sounds like a winner to me!

We start with the beautiful Mizner Ballroom -- a more chic, sophisticated type of opulence combining versatility and modern technology with classic beauty.

The Solano Ballroom and Lounge features floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the courtyard with its magnificent fountain. Marble floors add a touch of elegance to the simplicity of this ballroom.

And the lovely Banyan Ballroom rounds out our ballroom trio with rich yet simple beauty.

For more intimate weddings, there is the Adios Room and Terrace -- a small but lovely little space featuring its own gorgeous little terrace overlooking the courtyard.  I call this a killer combo!

Not to be outdone by anything, of course, the Main Dining Room is "a 1920's masterpiece and is simply breathtaking."  Huge chandeliers, wood beam ceilings, and all in all a kind of near-rustic elegance that can be transformed into the most incredible wedding spaces.

We then have the Club Room (completely stunning) and the Fountain Room (a magnificent example of fine Spanish architecture).

And, of course, we must not forget the perfect outdoor wedding location, the Courtyard itself.  Cascading fountain and all.

This place has it all!  Fountains.  Marble.  Arches (some in a soft pink).  Chandeliers.  It's absolutely magical.

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Planning an elegant luxury wedding in Orlando?  For fine art photography to match, visit my WEBSITE and book today!

Disney Themed "Little Mermaid" Photo Session

So, we've probably all seen this buzzfeed post making the rounds on social media.  A "Little Mermaid" Disney themed wedding!

Now, granted, technically the wedding photos were a journey into the land of make-believe, given that it wasn't an actual real wedding, but rather a themed publicity shoot.  But honestly, who cares, right?  It doesn't have to be a real wedding to get the creative juices flowing, does it?

And themed weddings are becoming all the rage now -- which I LOVE!

Especially when it's Disney.

So, why not incorporate that into a "real" photo-shoot?

This past weekend, I had the extremely fun opportunity to do a couples session with two Disney fans who decided weeks ago to dress as Eric and Ariel from the classic Disney film.  Attending a masquerade ball was the impetus for this photo session, and it worked beautifully!

Of course, you simply MUST have a dinglehopper...

Then enter the charming Prince Eric!

It's a masquerade ball, so time to tie on the masks!

A little dancing must be involved -- including the lift!  (It is a royal ball, after all!)

And don't forget Flounder!

Beyond that, it's just Happily Ever After.

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Are you ready to do your own themed wedding photography session?  Come to my website and book today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Bella Collina

So, last time, I expressed my wish of photographing a true destination wedding in Italy.  (And seriously, can you blame me?)

Granted, we can't all have grand destination weddings.  But that doesn't mean you can't get the feel of a destination wedding without all the travel!  With just as much elegance, atmosphere, and even old-world charm.

I present to you: Bella Collina -- a little bit of Tuscany tucked away in Central Florida.

(photo courtesy of Bella Collina)

The words breathtaking, stunning, and elegant can all accurately be used to describe this incredible venue.  Modeled after a genuine villa in Italy, Bella Collina makes for the perfect destination wedding at home.

With a beautiful variety of choices for both indoor and outdoor weddings, this is an ideal place to host your special event.

There's The Atrium  (pictured above) -- "Peeking through the sandstone columns...is the remarkable view of our Reflection Pool and Lake Sienna.  A ceremony in the Atrium provides a romantic atmosphere complete with the backdrop of our cascading fountain."  Well, you don't have to sell me.  Between the classic stonework, the elegant columns, and a gorgeous fountain, this would easily be a favored spot.  I mean, I'm a sucker for a classic Italian fountain!

And speaking of the Reflection Pool, why not take their suggestion and have a cocktail hour mingling on The Verandah in style?

Then there's the option of having your wedding at The Bell Tower.  "Billowing ivy leaves ascend the stone walls and an antique wishing well inspires hope."  And I do love a good wishing well myself!

Try the Grande Lawn for a beautiful outdoor wedding, with its sweeping panoramic views.

Not to mention the Formal Ballroom with its outdoor terrace.  Or the Clubhouse, which boasts an "alluring atmosphere" with its "inviting fireplaces, rustic wooden tables, and authentic designs."

Any way you go with this venue, it seems you're sure to do so in luxury and grand style.

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Planning your own luxury wedding?  Get the classic and romantic photos to best capture your beautiful and priceless memories!  Visit my WEBSITE and book today!

Motorcycle Chick

Not my "usual" type of shoot, I suppose...but I had fun with this!

Okay, story time.

I was on my way to a session and, pulling into the agreed-upon meeting place, there happened to be a random motorcycle with a "For Sale" sign parked to the side.

This model hopped out of the car and started enthusing over the motorcycle.  Apparently a fan, she mentioned a desire to do a photoshoot with a motorbike theme.  Well, I thought, why not try one for two minutes, just for fun?  You know, before we started on the "real" shoot, and our reason for being there in the first place.

She asked if the owner would mind, or if we'd get in trouble.  So, I looked at the "For Sale" sign and called the number listed.  (Hey, a photographer can never be too careful!)

It was quick, but it was fun.  And now, to be perfectly honest with you, I have a serious desire to do a major photo shoot with this theme!  How fun would it be to get a bride on a Harley!

I'll post more of this model soon, but for now, enjoy the fun results our sneaky two-minute mini-session.

(And thanks to the owner of this awesome bike which served as an impromptu prop!  I wonder if he'll be able to sell it better now that it's been handled by a gorgeous model...)

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Looking to get some portraits done?  Be it fun, elegant, or something in between, come visit my WEBSITE and book your session today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Aman Canal Grande

Well, last week the world was all a-flutter with talk of the star-studded celebrity wedding of George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin.

Ordinarily, I don't get all googly-eyed at a celebrity wedding -- at least, not for the simple sake of the fact that it's about famous people.  The simple sake that it's a wedding, period...well, that's another matter altogether.

In this particular case, what interested me most was that this wedding drew me to a new Wish-List item.

Behold the famous seven-star (that's right, you heard me, SEVEN-STAR) Aman Canal Grande in Venice.

 

  (photo courtesy of amanresorts)

So first of all...it's Venice!  I mean, that's enough of a draw right there.  You will never have to twist my arm to shoot a wedding in Venice.

Beyond that, this is simply one of those places that just screams elegance and opulence.  It seems to me to be the perfect setting for a romantic luxury wedding.

So this is what they have to say as an introduction to their magnificent establishment:

"From the Reception Hall, a sweeping staircase rises through two levels to the piano nobile, traditionally the grandest floor of a palazzo. At the top of the stairs, guests are welcomed into the Vestibule, which leads to an elegant lounging area in the Ballroom. This offers a balcony and beautiful views of the Grand Canal."

Frankly, you had me at "sweeping staircase."  And you absolutely cannot keep me away from a ballroom featuring a balcony which leads out to views of the famed Canal in Venice.

Not to mention, they have an elegant salon, a library, a roof terrace, and their gardens.  This vision of baroque beauty already has me salivating!  So, who wants a wedding in Venice?

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Planning your own luxury wedding?  Come visit my WEBSITE and book today!

Holman Family Portraits

Though it's not my "usual" fare, I enjoy occasionally getting out of my element and doing a fun family photo shoot.

This family was a blast to work with!  Very pleasant people, and the kids were just way too cute.  We all had fun together at a park and an up-scale shopping center.

So, say hello to...

For starters, we found this lovely little clearing in the wooded area of the park.

We then moved on to the bridge.

And of course, we had to get a big group-hug shot!

And check out their kids!  Look at these two handsome young boys -- they're gonna have all the ladies after them one of these days.

The oldest brother we just had to give the "Mr. Cool-Guy" look.

The younger brother loved to have a good chuckle.  We laughed and told jokes!

I've watched the oldest daughter dancing at competitions for the past several years.  She's a senior in high school now and my mind did somersaults as I processed that!  Too weird!

And her younger sister had just the cutest dang smile!

Four good-lookin' kids, wouldn't you agree?

Yup.  I'd work with this family any time!

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Looking to schedule a portrait session?  For classic elegance -- plus a little bit of fun -- come check out my WEBSITE and book today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Magical Disney Cake

So, I was actually going to post something completely different for today's Wedding Wish-List...but then THIS little bit of amazingness happened!

And now I'm drooling.  And geeking out.  And in general just about ready to start BEGGING for someone to let me photograph this!

But that would be unprofessional, right?

(What about bribery?  Can I bribe someone?  No?  Oh, well.  *sigh*)

Honestly, this is totally one of the reasons I want to work more frequently with Disney weddings.  They make a wedding day into such a uniquely magical experience!  I mean, come on, NO ONE does magic like Disney does, and when you put that classic dash of pure romance in...it just means the ultimate in wedding perfection.

So now that just went on my official wish list -- now to find a way to make this one come true.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with this sweet little confection of a cake from my last Disney wedding.  It may not have fancy projections, but it is classic Disney.  And it includes a Happily Ever After.

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Getting married soon and looking for a little Memory Magic?  Come check out my portfolio!
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