When choosing a wedding venue more and more couples are now considering the option of having a destination wedding. With the lure of sunshine and a beach, it is easy to see why. I recently had the honor of photographing a destination wedding held on a stunning beach. This was made even more special by the fact that the lovely couple were actual longterm friends, with the groom actually being best man at my own wedding. My husband was even a groomsman at this wedding.

It was nearly two years ago now that we meet in London for their pre-wedding shoot. Which was quite a contrast, of the urban background to the seascape of their wedding. It was quite emotionally seeing these two get married and all the love the guests had for them on the day. A big part of their wedding was the photography, with the groom being a budding landscape photographer himself he did not want to take any risks with the photography side of things. They wanted someone they felt relaxed with and whose style of work they were familiar with. This was not something they could guarantee if they used the hotels photographer. Which is how I ended up being their wedding photographer. 

They had quite a few other considerations when planning their destination wedding. They knew it would probably be quite warm, especially during the ceremony when guests would be sat in the heat. So the couple provided the guests with fans to help cool them. They even considered the guests may struggle with footwear as the wedding was on the beach, so provided flip flops for guests to change into. The brides wedding dress had been designed with the heat taken into consideration, with less layers built in, whilst not sacrificing the beautiful detailing. In fact, I was quite surprised at how light it was when I carried it outside to photograph it. This ensured the bride was comfortable throughout the day. The groom went with a slightly casual suit, so he still looked smart but was also not covered in layers.

With the ceremony being later in the day to avoid the heat, we discussed timings for photos, trying to get the images they wanted before the sunset and still have plenty of time for mingling with their guests. They quickly landed on the idea of having a reveal before the ceremony and then doing bridal party and couple shots at this point. It was such a lovely idea, with the bride walking up behind the nervous groom. This really was a beautiful private moment just for the two of them. It gave them time to relax together, privately without all their guests around and was a really special moment. As planned it allowed much more time for mingling with their guests after the ceremony.

It is no easy task organizing a wedding, especially a destination wedding. I think these two did a fantastic job. Looking after and coordinating with around 40 guests. Ensuring everyone was well looked after and knew all the travel details. The day came together beautifully and it was so much fun to be a part of and a huge honor for me to capture this incredible day for them.

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