Treasure Island Yacht & Tennis Club docks provides the background for this wedding portraitYou may recognize Bianca as I recently featured her in my new Bride Series. She married Derrick at the Gateway Church in St. Petersburg. Their reception was at the Treasure Island Yacht & Tennis Club, a place I photographed at twice before (New Year's Eve, Admiral Farragut Graduation 2010).
Bianca and Derrick take their vows inside Gateway Church in St. Petersburg, Florida
Bianca and Derrick were about as ideal as wedding clients could get for me. First and foremost, Bianca wanted non-traditional photographs and trusted my candid style to let me tell the story of her wedding through my own artistic vision. Also, they are super friendly people and though I had only met them once before their wedding, I already felt like friends with them and that I was not photographing a stranger's wedding, but people I already had some kind of connection with. Again, this is ideal for me.
We would all eventually get stuck at a long drawbridge before reaching the reception on Treasure Island!It also really helped that I was very familiar with the Treasure Island Yacht & Tennis Club. I knew exactly where I wanted to take them for some quick outdoor shots (see top photo) before we all melted in the searing midday Florida sun. I am really glad we all made the effort because the lead shot above turned out to be Bianca's favorite.
Hershey's Kisses cleverly placed amongst diamondsThere was plenty of time to get all the shots I wanted. I could even use my macro lens some to get the above detail shot of the centerpiece to Derrick and Bianca's table at the reception. As a child I would very carefully unwrap Hershey's kisses and save the white label for some reason.
One of these would soon be in my stomach.Cupcakes have become a huge dessert trend in the U.S. over the past few years. The above cupcakes were laid out on a multi-tiered tray in the reception ballroom and I eyed them immediately. Walking past them from three feet away I could still literally smell their sweetness. As my time photographing their wedding came to a close, I was ecstatic that Bianca said I could take one home with me. Little did she know I might have photographed her entire wedding for a tray of those cupcakes rather than cash money. Maybe.
the flower girl ruled the dance floorThe last thing I photographed was some very lively dancing buy the reception guests. The DJ knew how to get a lot of people up and moving. However, everyone made way for this boy and the flower girl and to my surprise he was twirling her and doing complicated dance moves! I always like the last shot I take while on a job to be a high note, and the kids above made that easy this time.
I thank Derrick and Bianca again for choosing me as their wedding photographer!