Photographing a destination wedding had always been a dream of mine - but when you pair a beautiful travel wedding with a couple like Blake and Laura, you feel like you hit the jackpot! I was so excited for this wedding the moment I received Laura's inquiry last year. A wedding less than 15 minutes from Seaside where I grew up going every summer with my family? Count me in! That area of Florida is so special to me! But I truly realized this wedding was a dream come true when Laura and I had a FaceTime meeting, and I instantly felt like we had been friends for years! That type of instant connection with a bride is one of my favorite feelings, and one of the reasons I'm so in love with my job!
Blake and Laura chose to get married at The Bellamy of 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, FL. I loved this venue!! From the modern architecture to the coastal tones and decor, my Florida-loving heart was doing backflips! Blake and Laura were living in separate states while planning their wedding, and I was so impressed by how everything came together. Their planner, Caroline Skelton, made sure the planning process and day-of schedule ran smoothly. She did a fantastic job! The one thing we couldn't plan was the weather. I think there were a total of 654 fingers crossed in hopes that subtropical storm Alberto would pass by before the big day. Luckily he realized he didn't get an invite to the wedding ;) The skies were clear!
Laura works for Kendra Scott, so of course she has amazing taste and all of the jewelry was stunning! One of my favorite pieces was her bracelet, which was actually named in memory of her friend, Codi. Laura and her friends each wore the Codi Pinch Bracelet and it was such a sweet detail to capture.
Yes - the venue, beach portraits, florals, decor and details were all beautiful. But what made this wedding day perfect was seeing Blake & Laura together. Seeing the way they looked at each other was hands down the very best part of the day, and I'm overjoyed I was there to capture it!
VENUE: The Bellamy of 30A - Santa Rosa Beach, FL
PLANNER: Caroline Skelton - Starkville, MS
DAY-OF ASSISTANT: Leslie Merritt
ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHERS: Robin Spratling, Carol Beth Madden
HAIR: Ellen Bankemper - New Albany, IN MAKE-UP: Elyssa Anne - Memphis, TN
DRESS: BHLDN
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Bella Bridesmaids - Nashville, TN
FLORALS: FleurdeLis - Starkville, MS
CATERING: Kenny D's
ENTERTAINMENT: Chuck Lawson - Destin/FL Gulf Coast/AL Gulf Coast
GETAWAY CART: LiveWell30A
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