Kelly and Dan share a love for sailing, in fact, it’s what brought them together. Really, Dan could have just said “I enjoy sailing, will you marry me?” And Kelly just might have agreed. Shortly after I met Kelly and Dan, we boarded the Kekoa boat for a sunset sail. With their entire guest list, we took to the beautiful Virgin Island waters. The views were just breathtaking and it was the perfect way to kick-start the wedding celebrations!

The morning of the wedding, I arrived to Kelly’s villa to find her in a bikini, rollers in hair, and champagne in hand. Perfect! The preparations begun with Kelly doing her own hair and makeup, which I was quite impressed by. After doing a few portraits at their Villa in the Virgin Islands, we headed to Trunk Bay for their Virgin Islands wedding. Surrounded, literally, by those closets to them, Kelly and Dan exchanged vows with the sun setting behind them. When the officiant told the two they could kiss, Kelly threw her hands up in the air (the universal sign of celebration and triumph) and passionately kissed her groom! Following their ceremony we were able to use the incredible backdrops surrounding us at Trunk Bay in the Virgin Islands for their portraits.

The reception was held at a local restaurant in St. John, Virgin Islands. The evening was filled with many laughs, a few tears, and some intense celebrating. Just the way we like it! This wedding was a tremendous experience for Katie and I and we truly enjoyed being part of it. Kelly and Dan took such good care of us while we were in the Virgin Islands for their wedding and we’re so appreciative. Lastly, a big thanks to Tim Nosenzo for referring Kelly + Dan to us! It was great to get to know all of you and I know we’ll return to the Virgin Islands again some day!

With the appeal of proposition 8 currently being decided on with the supreme court, I am so proud and excited to share these images with you. An example of why we are fighting for equality. To show you that love, is simply love. Love is the combination of friendship, laughter, comfort, respect, admiration; and Matty + Dave have this and more for each other. Looking beyond anything political, when you see Dave + Matty together, you can’t help but be inspired and equally overwhelmed to witness such tremendous love. It’s undeniable that these two are perfectly matched and we were fortunate to have been invited to be part of their wedding.

Dave and Matty planned their wedding for the spring in Atlanta, Georgia. While they were legally married in New York, they had their service at their Church. Though we weren’t allowed inside the sanctuary during the ceremony service, we could still feel the emotions felt during the exchange of their vows. Their reception was held at the Metro Chamber of Comerence in Atlanta, Georgia, with beautiful views over-looking the city. Following dinner, Dave, Matty (and of course Erin + Ryan were there too) celebrated with their family and friends with one of the most epic dance parties I’ve ever seen. Even after the last dance had concluded, their guests refused to go home. I think that’s a sign of a fantastic wedding.

Melanie contacted me last year about the possibility of shooting their wedding in St. Lucia and we scheduled a call to chat about it more. I instantly adored her sweet and bubbly personality and was so excited about their wedding plans. Eight or so months later, after checking into our own Villa, we traveled up and down the bumpy windy roads of St. Lucia to finally meet Melanie and Allan. Just moments after meeting, it felt as though we were old friends.  Melanie, Allan and their families welcomed us like we were part of what was a very small group. I’m not sure I’ve ever been treated with such hospitality, but Melanie and Allan would have it no other way. That is just the kind of people they are.

They decided to have their wedding at the place that they were staying, the Casa Blanc Villa in St. Lucia. This villa, was the most incredible piece of architecture I’ve ever seen. No detail was spared when building this incredible home. The views literally took your breath away. Needless to say, there was not a shortage of places to do their portraits. On the days surrounding their wedding it poured in St. Lucia. We were so fortunate to have just an hour of rain during the day, followed by sun and a beautiful sunset! Melanie and Allan exchanged vows with the infamous St. Lucian Pitons behind them. Combining Allan’s Filipino traditions into the ceremony along with their own personal vows, made for a beautiful and emotional ceremony. Melanie and Allan allowed us some creative freedoms to really get close during the ceremony; which gave us the opportunity to get some unique vantage points. (notice the exchanging of rings). Their ceremony ended with just over an hour of day left, which is the most beautiful light of the day. We took advantage of the gorgeous settings in and around the Casa Blanc Villa in St. Lucia and finally headed over to the Boucan for the dinner reception. The Boucan is a very beautiful and unique restaurant that offers food that is infused with chocolate. Everything from their water to their steaks has a hint of chocolate in the mix. It was quite an experience! We enjoyed it so much that we returned the next day!

We ended the night back at the Casa Blanc Villa with a bit of dancing and one last torrential down pour and it was honestly the perfect ending to an incredible day. This wedding and meeting Mel, Allan, and their families, was truly a very special thing for us and I am so very fortunate to have been a part of it and to have a handful of new friends!

Their wedding week was very special for them, as it was the longest amount of time they’d been able to spend together since they began dating. Following the wedding, Joel and Karmen had just two weeks together before he deployed for a 9-month tour of duty. Needless to say, Joel and Karmen truly cherished every moment of their wedding day. There was a profound sense of celebration and happiness shared between them, their friends and family and it was so special to be a part of their day