A Beach Wedding in Destin, FL - Edward & Jenna - May 23rd, 2010

Oh yeah you read it right, that was yesterday.... I have never posted photos within 24 hours. I left my hotel in Destin this morning at 4:00am, flew to Houston, and now I've been in the Vegas airport for going on 8 hours. Thought I'd get some work done. I'm meeting Katie here in a bit and we're off to Tulum, MX for another wedding. But more about Destin!...

Jenna & Edward are the kind of couple you love to photograph. So in love, Jenna was a sweetheart. Always with a smile on her face. There is this energy about her and Edward when they're together. It fills the room and affects everyone. It's really awesome to be apart of. Both sides of the family & their friends were so easy and warm to be around. I felt right at home. I was trusted to create and treated with lots of love. I really appreciate that...

We shot Bridals on Saturday in the heat in Seaside for a couple hours. Then had a rehearsal dinner at Tommy Bahamas. Which needs to be noted, is the most amazing restaurant ever, (according to Jenna's family). And it was actually very good =)

Sunday I headed over around noon to start the getting ready photos. Then the day just flew by from there. They had a beautiful ceremony on the beach around 6 with the sun starting to set. We were fortunate for a storm to blow in, but not rain which created an amazing sunset. We ran back down to the beach when we felt like the time was right to get some more shots. I asked Jenna if she would mind getting in the water a little. You've got to love when you ask a bride if she minds getting a little wet/dirty/sandy and she says, "whatever will make the photos look good!"

The reception was a lot of fun, Jenna & Edward were all smiles all night. I got pretty attached to these guys. It's always hard at the end of a wedding, with all that you invest emotionally as an artist, to finally say good night. I had a wonderful couple days getting to know Jenna, Edward, Jacob and their families.

I better get moving. I think it's actually time for me to head somewhere after sitting here for the last 9 hours... Pics from Tulum up next!

Finished

Beautiful people, beautiful wedding, can't wait to post some pics
tomorrow. I love this couple, so thankful they made me a part of
their wedding.
Just now leaving, gotta be at the airport at 4am, fly to Vegas then
off to cancun. Not sure if I'm gonna try to sleep or just stay up.

Takin a break before the ceremony

Studying

Getting inspired

Dinner @ the back porch

From the air

Houston to Destin

On the way

Destin, FL wedding : Megan & Todd

The first night we arrived in Destin it was perfect. We watched an amazing sunset, Florida sunsets have always been my favorite. The next day, the day before the wedding, it started raining in the evening. The weather was calling for LOTS of high winds and showers. Megan was pretty worried. I said, " I never get rained out, I'm good luck. " She was still pretty worried. It rained the next morning a little bit. Megan's bridesmaids took control. They rented a house on the beach, that morning, on their dollar. That way there would be a back up plan at least if it started to rain hard. "I never get rained out," I said again. In Cancun when it was a monsoon for the first 3 days; in Paris when it was actually raining the entire time, until we went outside, it just misted; in Colorado Springs, it didn't start raining until the reception was over. She was still pretty worried.

When we got to the house, the girls had rented, it was completely decorated, in just a couple hours too. I walked outside.... The house sat on a cliff with a wooden stairway headed down to a private beach. An old rickety fence framed the backdrop behind the arch. It was perfect. We had been at the original location the afternoon before for rehearsal....this was WAY better, it was PERFECT! Time for the ceremony and it didn't rain! Lots of clouds, lots of wind, but NO rain (a photographer's dream), and the location was AMAZING. I don't think they could have planned that better if they tried.

We had a great time. I mean it couldn't have been better or more beautiful, if it had been sunny and "perfect" weather. Watching her friends rally to make Megan's wedding everything she's always wanted, seeing Megan be cool with everything and go with the flow instead of being mad at what she couldn't control, seeing her and Todd so happy. Man, it was amazing, and my luck didn't have anything to do with it. Love you guys, Congratulations!

More from True Emotion Photography Workshop X

Few more from TEPX workshop in Kayenta last Saturday. Heading to Vegas then KC tomorrow.