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Past Few Months {May to August}

  • Posted on August 30, 2010 at 9:02 pm

May 29th was cloudy here in Jacksonville, but beautiful in St. Mary’s, Georgia where John and Angel tied the knot.
The Ceremony was lovely in the quaint historical church – Our Lady Star of the Sea. The couple did everything online, but with intensive planning and a little faith they had the wedding of their dreams! Congrats John and Angel- I hope the years bring you many smiles!

June brought a fun night of music! I got the distinct pleasure of covering the concert Featuring: The John Brandon Project. They Rocked! It was such a fun experiance and my first visit to Freebird at the beaches. If you ever get the chance to see them in concert don’t miss it! Not only was it fun, but they donated the ticket proceeds to VH1 Save the Music! Nothing like a little heart with your music. Congrats Guys!

July was heartwarming! I got to wittness and capture my 2nd Naval Homecoming. Courtney hired me to get her hubby’s return – As exciting as it was there were tears from many (including myself). Nothing touches your heart more than a military homecoming, or a surprise proposal :) I was lucky that my hubby was deployed before we met, I didnt have to endure those never ending months that many military spouses do. That alone is admirable! Thanks Courtney for sharing your moment! Military wives are tough! Thanks to the men and women in the service and for those who wait for them to return.

August has been the busiest of my summer- don’t get me wrong, I love my photography, but the little break was nice. There is nothing like a beach trip just for relaxation! A little rest and I was more than ready to hop back in.
August started with Jordan and Mark. With a busy month ahead for all and new school year starting, Mark and Jordan, wanted to capture their engagement photos early. We met at Vilano and enjoyed some time taking in the scenery. Jordan and Mark are a wonderful couple who will be celebrating their marriage next May. Congrats on the Engagement guys, can’t wait for the wedding :)

Tyler is a beautiful and bright young lady who is entering her senior year at Wolfson. She also got to visit the beach with me. Such a bright sunshiney morning to complete our shoot! We were even surprised with a few playful dolphins in the background. There is a good way to enjoy your Senior Portraits for years to come :) Good luck Tyler – Senior Year goes by all to quickly!

I am still working on Kelley’s Model session from last week, those should be done in a few days :)
I have some exciting events coming up in the next few months. Stay posted to catch the first news!
Thanks again for reading. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Vanessa

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Darryl and Njeri/ Gichia-Broussard Wedding

  • Posted on December 15, 2009 at 7:50 pm

Hello everyone,
On October 9th Njeri and Darryl became man and wife. BroussardGichiaWedding00605They are a lovely couple who have been so lucky to find each other overcoming many obstacles in the journey. We met through Alpha and Omega Events here in Jacksonville even though the couple live down South.

Njeri was a beautiful bride! I had the Pleasure of capturing her bridal preparations – BroussardGichiaWedding00107< BroussardGichiaWedding00085BroussardGichiaWedding00020BroussardGichiaWedding00025
They were married at the Church of the Good Samaratian and celebrated the union at the Continental Club in Orange Park, FL.
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Congrats to Darryl and Njeri. I hope your Marriage brings you all the Happiness you Deserve :)

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Long awaited updates!

  • Posted on December 15, 2009 at 7:18 pm

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

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Unique Venues

  • Posted on September 26, 2009 at 2:57 am

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

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Planning a Beach Wedding

  • Posted on September 26, 2009 at 2:49 am

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

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Doug and Carol Eleyet- 6/13/09

  • Posted on June 28, 2009 at 11:09 pm

Hello again everyone,
I wanted to share a little about a recent wedding June 13, 2009- The lovely couple Doug and Carol contacted me through Craigslist ( I get a lot of customers through craigslist). After learning more about them and a few price quotes later, my economy specials served a purpose. We conversed through email and never actually met until the wedding. Think thats strange? You should hear Carol tell you the story of her longlasting friendship via the internet- Its quite amazing!

I was very excited in returning to Rainbow Springs State Park, In Dunnellon, FL. I had a wedding there in January and grew up in Dunnellon for most of my life- so it was a nice retreat visiting family along the way. If you’ve never been to Rainbow Springs State Park or are planning a wedding in the area VISIT IT SOON! Its very beautiful and wedding friendly – Offering free parking, $1 entrance fee, gazebo’s, pavillions, clear fresh water (72 degrees year round), and some of the most amazing scenery around! Check out the pictures and see for yourself!

The Eleyets- Rainbow Springs State Park- Dunnellon, FL

The Eleyets- Rainbow Springs State Park- Dunnellon, FL

Upon entering the park, I realized that the wedding had been moved. Orginially intended for the Gazebo was now taking place in the main pavillion because the forcast called for rain. Luckily it didn’t rain and the wedding was beautiful!
Entering the pavillion

Entering the pavillion

In a nice little twist, the couple decided to have a sand’s ceremony rather than unity candles. This was a great thing to witness, and a nice keepsake for the mantle. They did have the traditional ring exchange. All together the ceremony- while short and simple- was very beautiful.
Sand Ceremony

Sand Ceremony

After the ceremony the wedding party and I took a nice nature walk from the pavillion to the gazebo and waterfalls.
nature walk

nature walk

I shot group formals inside the gazebo and infront of one of the waterfalls— this fall was the largest in the park.
Waterfall Formal

Waterfall Formal

It was nice to see the families blend so well together.
Following the group formals come my favorite shots- the bride and groom formals. I enjoy these shots the most in every wedding I have captured. It so wonderful to take the couple aside and let them enjoy newlywed bliss for a few minutes before traipsing back to the reception. We visited some of the other falls.
Bride and Groom Waterfall

Bride and Groom Waterfall

We also took a walk on the peir, and overlooked the water
Bride and groom over the water

Bride and groom over the water

Once Doug, Carol, and I were content with the photographs and wanting to escape the heat(!)- leave it to me to wear all black- we joined the rest of the party back at the pavillion for the reception. Toasts were given by the maid of honor and best man, we enjoyed a nice cold drink and some shade.
Toasting Glasses

Toasting Glasses

Then the couple cut the cake and shared their first dance.
Cake

Cake

Overall it was a simple wedding and reception, with a touch of tradition and a bit of pizazz! Thanks Carol and Doug for sharing your day with me and Good Luck in your years to come.
Doug and Carol 6/13/09 Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon, FL.

Doug and Carol 6/13/09 Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon, FL.


Vanessa

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