Hello Again!
As I have been run ragged in October with many many things to do, I have equally slacked off in November. Here we sit going into Christmas week and I am now going to finally share my wonderful couples of October.
First and foremost October 9th I had Darryl and Njeri Gichia- Broussard – Orange Park
Then on October 10th Brian and Becky Massey- Brunswick, Ga
The following Weekend Brian and Kristin Reap- Live Oak, FL
Wrapping up October on the 24th Alan and Judy Costley – in the Mandarin area of Jacksonville.
Find the wonderful stories in my next few blogs.
Thanks for keeping up 
Vanessa
Hello everyone,
Ok so we have finally gotten to the end! This is the last article I have for you right now This one is all about underestimated venues… Mainly State Parks. We have such beauty here in Florida and it gets overlooked so often. Lets say you are planning the wedding of your dreams and it must be outside, but the beach is so sandy and a garden is too played out! What are you ever going to do? How about get married by a waterfall? No Im not saying fly to Hawaii, check out you local State Parks. Read all about it.
5. Unique venues in your region—
Florida has some of the most beautifully scenic areas in the United States- varying from crystal clear freshwater springs to rolling green pastures. You will never lack in venues here. My most favorite venues are spread all over Florida. Check out your closest State Parks!
Most State Parks are willing to hold your event and most often cheaper than renting a location. I know Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon is only $1 per person, and like most parks they just ask you clean up after yourselves. In a tight economy this is a very affordable option!
You may think “my location offers a pretty lake and I can have the reception there too”- that’s wonderful! Do they offer waterfalls? How about wildlife? Can you capture a piece of history? Fort Clinch offers tours of the historical fort, and beautiful jette lined beaches behind the fort. Rainbow Springs gives a gorgeous gazebo and 3 different waterfalls. Gold Head State Park has a tucked away ravine with a little river running through it- It’s very beautiful in the fall or winter with the falling leaves and bright colors. Every park I’ve been to offers pavilion rentals for your receptions as well.
Well what about large weddings? You are outdoors! These places could have room for hundreds! I’ve captured weddings with less than 10 and up to 50 – room will never be an issue. The only thing you may ever worry about is the weather. Most parks offer covered pavilions, gazebos, or buildings for this occasion, but if the weather is permitting why not get overlooking a waterfall? These parks are open sunrise to sunset and will gladly host your special event. When planning your day why not visit a park or two in your area? Even if you decide to rent another location you still have a great day walking the park and spending some quality time with your other half.
Hopefully I have helped you at all in this ever so stressful time of wedding planning. Please leave me a comment, or contact me with any feedback or questions you may have. I would love to hear from you!
Good Luck!
Vanessa
Hello,
Alright we are almost there! Here is article 4 of 5. This one is all about the Florida Beach Wedding- what better place to have it than right here in NE Florida? Hopefully these little tips can help you get a grip on your fairytale wedding.
4. Planning a Beach Wedding—
You’ve found the dress and chose the cake. Checked out venues, but the beach still calls to you- Don’t worry you can plan a beach wedding and make it pleasurable for everyone. Here are some tips to help.
First off, decide your time! Search for the sunrise and set times for the date of your wedding. While it is every little girls dream to get married at sunset, you should take into consideration your location and pictures. East coast beaches don’t get as beautiful sunsets as west coast beaches would. Luckily in Florida that shouldn’t be too big of a problem.
Secondly, are you willing to get pictures with your groom prior to the ceremony? You need to decide this if planning a sunset wedding. I personally would recommend setting your ceremony time one and a half hour prior to the ceremony. This gives you time for the complete ceremony and all of the little glitches that happen to all weddings- making you start late. After “sunset” lighting is difficult. Most photographers will not use flash during a ceremony because it is so intrusive. Without enough lighting your pictures can suffer, this can be avoided by taking your posed shots before the ceremony or changing your ceremony time a little.
Finally, check your tide tables! The last thing you want is to be run off the beach because your perfect decorations were ruined by high tide. This is so important, especially if you don’t have a lot of beach to work with anyway. You need to make sure your rental vendor understands you have chosen a beach venue, and will stay for set up and take down. Verify your weather and rain chances. Have a backup location and check the temperature for your timeframe. You don’t want to sweat all over your beautiful gown because you ignored the weather channel.
Beach weddings can be very romantic and priceless, just pay attention to these tips. They will make your day go a whole lot easier.
Happy Planning!
Vanessa
Hello everyone,
Now to the third of five articles. This one is the least wedding related and actually is more relative to portrait sessions like couples, families, engagements, models. I wanted to share “my secret weapon”, My absolute favorite location for outdoor portraits. Consider it when you want to book your next shoot
3. My favorite spots for outdoor portraits/engagement sessions—
If only you could have that beautiful shot from your bridal magazine, you know, the one with the couple on a white sand beach and so in love. Why can’t you? You live in Florida and at no point are more than 70 miles from a beach. As a photographer in Florida, I enjoy utilizing the amazing beaches all around us.
One of my favorite little locations has become “my secret weapon”, Vilano Beach! Most of you have never heard of it and that’s half of the appeal. This particular location is a bit of a hike, but well worth the trip and rarely if ever busy. I’ve captured everything from Children and Family Portraits, Models, and Engagements and loved every moment. There has even been a wedding or two on occasion.
Why do I love this location? Mainly because it has it all! First, Vilano is a beautiful east coast beach with rolling dunes. Second, it offers a lush green park with low growing trees (great for posing). Third, is a cute little playground and wooden fence wonderful for occupying small children or allowing adults to be kids for a bit. There is always so much to work with and you get it all in one place.
Safety is never an issue because this is one of the only beaches to offer a convenient walk over bridge, so you and your guests will never have to cross the busy road. In the spring and summer the dunes are thick and green over the beautiful coquina shells. In the fall and winter the weather is still bearable and the dune grass has started to brown, but still offers a great color contrast. In the summer there is a population pick up, but compared to every other beach in Florida this one could hardly be described as crowded. In fact most of the visitors are surfers, and spend most of the time in the water. Parking is always available and located just at the beginning of the walkover before you get to the park.
With this being my favorite portrait location you would probably like to know more about the process, right? Depending on what you are looking for or weather you can handle really reflects on the time and season of your shoot. Families and small children I recommend visiting and shooting on summer mornings- You get to the beach before it’s really warm. The dunes are lush and green, and after your shoot you can spend a lovely family day together. Models I tend to shoot all year round, but I have found spring afternoons (2-4 pm) always give beautiful lighting and shadows for that dramatic look. Couples and engagements, I prefer afternoons to evenings to really focus on a romantic theme- Generally I prefer late summer through early spring (August through February). The weather is always wonderful, lighting seems to work more favorably, and even though the beach is never really crowded you have less people in these months, so it really is just the two of you.
This location gives the greatest variety in backdrops I’ve ever seen! With such a wide range, the rest is on you. I would suggest visiting lovely Vilano when you get the chance, especially before you book that very important engagement session. Besides a little sun and sand is good for the mind!
Summer is ending and cooler months are coming! What a perfect time to get the family together for a special beach day… Check out my discounts!
Hope to hear from you soon,
Vanessa
