Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am somewhat obsessed with Italy.  Italy is, to me, the epitome of romance, culture, and elegance.  Anything that evokes Italy catches my eye, and the beautiful Loews Portofino Bay Hotel in Orlando is no exception.  This place looks like a little bit of Italy settled right into the heart of Florida.  They bring the culture directly to you!

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is listed on 10Best.com as one of the most romantic hotels in Orlando.  Not surprising, considering its inspiration.

 

(photos courtesy of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Orlando)

Portofino Bay Hotel believes in what is known in Italian as amore.  Their elegant Italian spaces say that, loud and clear.  Elegant, refined, and absolutely romantic.

They offer three luxurious ballroom to choose from for your wedding day, each beautiful and unique and ready to be custom-designed for the individual bride and groom's needs.

There is the Venetian Ballroom: "Soft hues line the ballroom space, which can be dressed to your preferences. Five bay windows overlook lush green foliage, and add natural light to your event."  The glittering Venetian glass chandeliers and Venetian wall sconces add that touch of Italian authenticity and create the perfect space for a large party.  I'd love to photograph a magnificent black-tie affair in this space.

Then there is the Ligurian Ballroom -- named for body of water which feeds the actual Portofino Harbor in Italy.  This ballroom has "a lively natural color palette, and is elegantly appointed with distinct crown molding, chair rails, tray ceilings and private foyer space."  Sounds fabulous to me!

And their third and grandest ballroom is the Tuscan Ballroom.  Spacious and sophisticated, this ballroom can accommodate at least 1,000 guests!  If you want an impressively large wedding, with everyone you know celebrating with you, I think this is definitely the place to do it!  "The décor features beautiful draperies, grapevine-design wall coverings, Tiffany-style chandeliers, and grand windows overlooking a small outdoor patio."  Sounds to me like this ballroom has everything.

The Portofino Bay Hotel does, of course, offer outdoor options as well.  The Villa Piazza is a versatile space on the property's lawn with views of the hotel itself as well as a simple little gazebo that can easily serve as a space for the wedding altar.

Their other outdoor option is the Citrus Piazza.  "This secluded courtyard is capped with a rustic, intricately designed gazebo and a graceful fountain. Located adjacent to the Venetian Ballroom, this space creates an easy flow from ceremony to cocktails and then to your reception."  Sounds like you even get the best of both worlds out of this space!  And I have always been a sucker for a gorgeous gazebo -- not to mention fountains, which are certainly essential in creating that true Italian feel.

I would definitely have to say that Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is a perfect option for those who, like myself, can't get enough of Italy.

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Are you planning your own Italian style wedding?  Get classic, artistic photography designed to focus on the romance of your wedding day.  Visit our website and book your wedding photos today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Fontainebleau Miami Beach

When I think of Fontainebleau, the first thing that comes to mind is elegant French chateaus with classic architecture.

But Miami Beach's vision of Fontainebleau is rather different -- "a spectacular blend of Golden Era glamour and modern luxury."  This masterpiece of modern architecture offers a sleek, chic look with more than a dash of grandeur.  Glittering chandeliers, bold designs, and a mix of both sparkle and shine create a compelling blend of styles sure to capture the imagination.

(photos courtesy of Fontainebleau)

With a variety of customizable wedding options, the Fontainebleau is a uniquely exquisite venue.  They have multiple ballrooms featuring "floating ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and plentiful sweeping curves."  My personal favorite of these would have to be the dazzling Glimmer Ballroom.

With so much sparkle, and fantastic personalized lighting, this place is certainly eye-catching!

There is the spectacular Oasis Pool Deck, with a private island cabana surrounded by a pool.

Or for those worried about taking an accidental swim, there are beautiful lawns, perfectly manicured, complete with "tropical vistas and an oceanfront breeze."

And of course, there is always the classic route of opting for an actual beach wedding, with the Atlantic Ocean itself as a backdrop.

Whatever your pleasure, Fontainebleau will make sure you have your wedding in style!

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Every bride deserves to have her wedding memories captured and preserved in elegant style.  Come visit our website and book your photography package today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Christmas Wedding

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I am a HUGE fan of Christmas!  I love it, absolutely love it.  The trees (I only get a REAL tree, thank you very much), the ornaments, the wreaths, the mistletoe, the carols...sleigh rides, hot chocolate, holiday lights, Santa Claus, greeting cards, nativities...  Oh my goodness, the list could go on.

And yet, I still have not managed to photograph a Christmas themed wedding.

This is just shameful.  I don't know how this has slipped through the cracks.

So today, I raided my Pinterest board and I thought I'd share a few (a VERY few) of my favorite ideas for Christmas weddings, and maybe one of these days some lucky bride will find me and we'll say, 'Oo, Christmas!  Isn't Christmas the best?' and we'll have way too much fun.

Try a cozy, warm, inviting setting.

Maybe with a gazebo:

 (photo courtesy of Brett Gross)

With a beautiful holiday-inspired bouquet:

And as I said, I do love ornaments!

So why not combine the ideas and use a bouquet MADE out of ornaments?!

There's some beautiful ways you can do your settings as well:

Or try this one:

(photo courtesy of Belle Photography)

And I am absolutely LOVING these holiday jars!

And then there's this truly amazing wedding cake:
(I mean, I don't think you could get any more perfect than that...)

And have some chocolate-covered strawberries as well!  Christmas is definitely the time for sweets.

And sip champagne from these awesome flutes!

I do love winter wedding themes:

And I can't quite decide WHICH of these I like best!

Or, ya know...you can just go all-out luxury and elegance to create a winter wonderland dripping in light and frost and magic:

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Hosting your own lavish winter wedding?  Get the gorgeous photos to match!  Come visit my website and set up your photography today!

Wedding Wish-List Wednesday: Alfred Angelo Gowns

As an avid Disney Weddings fan, I am always looking for more ways to incorporate Disney themes.

One thing I always love about a wedding is bridal fashion.  A wedding day is the one day in her life a woman gets to truly feel like a princess!  And she should have the stunning gown to match.

I can't think of a better designer to do that than the famed Alfred Angelo -- known specifically for creating uniquely beautiful bridal gowns fashioned after the Disney princesses.

(photos courtesy of Alfred Angelo)
 
My particular wish is to photograph brides wearing these elegant gowns, embracing their princess side.

Try a soft, innocent look like Snow White:

Or let yourself feel wild and free as Rapunzel:

Be awoken by your Prince Charming with the magic of true love's first kiss, a Sleeping Beauty:

Go down the Bayou with Tiana:

Or under the sea with Ariel:

Discover a whole new world with Jasmine on a magic carpet:

Have a romantic garden wedding in a gown reminiscent of Belle:

And of course, there's my personal favorite...Cinderella.  You just cannot beat Cinderella for true love, elegance, and sweetness:

There will soon be a Frozen line out as well, and who doesn't want to have a winter-themed wedding as Elsa!  It's every girl's dream right now.

Any one of these exquisite fairy-tale gowns would be a dream come true.

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Having your own dream-come-true fairy tale wedding?  Let me tell your story with beautiful images!  Come 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!