Banish the Wedding Worries

Banish the Wedding Worries

From asking your very best friends to be your bridesmaids to finding the perfect lakefront location for your sunset ceremony, how much of yourself have you already invested in planning your wedding? Every bride we’ve ever met has put her heart and soul into coordinating the details of the perfect day she’s been dreaming about since the day she got engaged—or maybe even longer.

 

And that’s not the only investment you’ve made. On average, couples who were married in 2019 spent around $34,000 on a wedding. Hosting a wedding may be the biggest expense you’ve ever taken on.

 

We’re wedding professionals who love what we do. Beyond capturing your long-awaited day in stunning photos, we want you to benefit from our wedding wisdom. In the 30-plus years that we’ve been photographing weddings, we’ve seen thousands of perfect weddings. But we’ve also seen a few unexpected calamities. That’s why we recommend adding one more line item to your wedding budget: wedding insurance.

 

You may have had nightmares about something going wrong at your wedding. You spill coffee on your wedding dress. The preacher doesn’t show up. Your parents, who live out of town, miss their flight due to bad weather. Hosting a successful wedding involves dozens of details coming together and a whole bunch of professionals working in lockstep. You may have paid some of your wedding vendors in advance. For example, it’s likely you’ve put down a hefty deposit to reserve your reception site. You’ve planned for the best but it makes sense to prepare for the worst.  The best wedding insurance policies anticipate many wedding pitfalls and provide protection should something go wrong on your special day.

 

There are two primary categories of wedding insurance you should consider. The first is liability insurance. If you own a car or a home, you’re probably familiar with how liability coverage works. If someone is hurt or if some property is damaged during your wedding, liability insurance kicks in and pays for the damages. Let’s say that beautiful ice sculpture you commissioned for your buffet leaves a puddle of water on the floor. A dear friend slips and breaks a leg. Your wedding liability policy would cover the medical cost of getting her back on her feet. If the tent you rent for your backyard wedding is ripped during your reception, wedding insurance will pay to repair or replace it.

 

Weddings are celebratory events and celebrating often involves having a drink or two. But some people can’t resist the lure of the open bar and drink more than is wise. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of accidents and some can be quite tragic. That’s why one of the most important wedding insurance options you can choose is host liquor liability insurance. Juries routinely award six-figure and higher verdicts in drunk driving lawsuits. That’s the last financial burden you’d want to take on at any time in your life, but especially when you’re a newlywed.

 

Before you purchase wedding liability insurance, it makes sense to see whether your wedding vendors carry coverage of their own. Many reception halls do have their own policies in place, while some insist you purchase your own. If you are a homeowner, you might also want to consult with your insurance agent. Some homeowners’ policies do cover events you hold outside your home. No one needs the extra expense of duplicate coverage. Just be sure you are protected one way or another.

 

The second kind of wedding insurance you may want to carry is cancellation coverage. Remember all those intertwined details and expenses we talked about earlier? If something unexpected happens and you’re forced you to postpone or cancel your wedding, cancellation coverage can at least help soften the financial blow. Many states envy Florida’s beautiful weather, but it can also be unpredictable. Natural disasters like hurricanes and flooding are among the events that cancellation policies cover. If your maid-of-honor falls ill and you just can’t see getting married without her by your side, you can postpone your wedding and your policy will reimburse you for any non-refundable costs you’ve incurred.

 

Many wedding insurance companies allow you to customize your policy. You can elect coverage for your rehearsal dinner, your honeymoon, your wedding dress, and that table full of gifts you’re bound to receive. Specialized coverage for destination weddings, which can be even more complicated than local weddings, is also available.

 

It probably seems like all we’ve been sharing with you is bad wedding news. But we have some good news for you, too. Wedding insurance, particularly when seen as a percentage of your entire wedding investment, is very affordable. First of all, it’s a one-time premium. You pay it, and with any luck, you can just forget it. Depending on the coverage limits you select (and they typically range from $500,000 to $5,000,000), you can purchase liability insurance for as little as $100. Cancellation coverage runs higher and you can expect to pay $400 and up, depending on how comprehensive a plan you select.

 

One thing we know about wedding insurance: it will certainly help you rest easy during the hectic weeks leading up to your wedding day. And need we mention that all brides need their beauty sleep?

Pick your Florida Wedding Photographers

  Tips – How to pick your Florida Wedding Photographers

In Central Florida, and anywhere really, choosing your Florida Wedding Photographers can be a seriously daunting task. Modern technology has made it so easy to capture images these days on anything from a phone to a camera, that it seems everyone and their Uncle is a “photographer” . But that is really not the case. Many variables come into play when it comes to capturing your wedding in beautiful images. Here are 3 Tips On How to Pick your Florida Wedding Photographers , who will hopefully , successfully capture the drama, beauty, and emotions of your wedding day.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers -TIP #1

DO NOT CHOOSE YOUR ORLANDO WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS BASED ON PRICE

Yes I know, we all have a budget to work with…ok most of us do. And we understand that money doesn’t grow on trees so you can’t just go spending recklessly, but this is very important advice. Why? Because your Florida Wedding Photographers should be chosen based on their reputation and experience, never ever on price. You’re going to find great “deals” out there, but remember there is a reason for that. Perhaps it’s a newly graduated student trying to drum up work, or simply an amateur who has a nice camera, shot a wedding once for a friend, and now they think that they are a wedding photographer. You don’t really want to end up crying over out of focus, crooked and boring pictures of your beautiful wedding day do you? All you have when the day is over are your pictures. When the music has stopped, your guests are gone, and you’re on your way home from your honeymoon the anticipation of viewing your photos should be an exciting feeling, not one of dread. Skimping on your photographer is simply not a good idea!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers -TIP #2

DO NOT PICK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS WITHOUT GETTING A REFERRAL AND/OR CHECKING REVIEWS

This is a no brainer and a valuable time saver when planning your Orlando wedding. Most likely you have had a friend or relative get married. Reach out to them and ask if they were pleased with their Florida Wedding Photographers, and why? They have done the work for you and they have had the “one on one” experience with their Florida Wedding Photographers. Maybe they weren’t pleased, ask why? Take a look at their pictures and see for yourself if you like what you see or not. If they don’t seem interested in showing off their images then right away you know that they are not happy with them so ask another friend. These days you can go online and check reviews. Make sure that you dig a little. Great reviews tend to pop up quickly and are very visible. Bad reviews might take a little digging to find. DIG! Make sure that you’re finding more positive reviews than you are negative reviews.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers -TIP #3

INTERVIEW THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

3rd Tip on how to pick your Florida Wedding Photographers…Interview the photographer. Sure, we all shop on line and can see images and web sites and prices but the one thing you cannot do is have a face to face and get a feel for the temperament and personality of the photographer you’ll be getting up close and personal with for 6 or 8 hours. Are you going to get a surly chain smoking person, or a pleasant and well dressed photographer? Are you getting a slow, unenthusiastic photographer, or an energetic, lay on the ground, climb the walls to “get the shot” kinda photographer? A consultation prior to signing a contract will make sure you avoid an unpleasant surprise that might ruin your wedding day.

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, we hope that some of the tips provided here can help you hire the very best Orlando Wedding Photographers for you.We wish you the very best on your very special wedding day. We are here eager to share our years of experience to give you added inspiration and ideas during the photo planning stages of your wedding to come. Every bride and groom deserve to have beautiful, timeless images that reflect the moment when they chose to pledge to love one another for forever. We at S & S Photography hope that our Wedding Photography Tips have given you a little something extra to think about and that your Orlando Wedding Photography is a huge success!

 

Central Florida Bella Collina Wedding

Central Florida Bella Collina Wedding

 Esther and Kenso’s Bella Collina Wedding

   Esther and Kenso fell in love with , and chose , the stunning Tuscany themed backdrop of Central Florida’s Bella Collina Wedding Venue for their Central Florida April wedding and what a wedding it was! How can you possibly go wrong with a gorgeous bride, a handsome groom, and a beautiful venue?? This beautiful Haitian couple chose a classic contemporary and elegant theme for their Central Florida wedding. We have such a history with Esther’s family  ( We have already photographed 3 of her siblings weddings with 2 to go!) that Stan and I were really excited as well as nervous about capturing Esther and Kenso’s Bella Collina Wedding just perfectly. Everything went smoothly with the talented team of Lynn Stuckas of Your Events by L & L  who was in charge of coordinating Esther and Kenso’s stunning Central Florida Bella Collina wedding. Esther’s flowers were just beautifully done by Weddings by Carly Anes,   and complimented her stunning mermaid dress from Demetrios Bridal. Her off white mermaid dress was heavily beaded, with lots of sparkle to compliment the dress, while the form fitting skirt enhanced and complimented Esther’s perfect curves. The finishing touches were hair and makeup and beautifully done by LeJeune Artistry  . The reception ballroom at Bella Collina was beautifully decorated with linens by Eli of  Linen Creations, and D.J Geordany Jean Baptiste made sure that the music was a crowd pleaser, playing a well rounded selection of music from soca to hip hop to R & B. Of course we must include that Esther and Kenso’s stunning Bella Collina Wedding was captured by S & S Photography and their beautiful video captured by Kelvin Aultman  .
   A little history….Esther and Kenso’s families have known each other for over 14 years. “My siblings are best friends with Kenso’s only 2 sisters, not to mention our fathers who are both ministers and are also friends. My siblings and Kenso’s sisters arranged a meet for me and Kenso, planned a big party and everything. And of course, I was resistant …lol, they failed to recall that I dislike parties/crowds and believe it or not, I , most of the time, just like to keep to myself. But, after several tries, I agreed to meet with him, only to find out what a great human being this guy was. All I can say is that our love story has only just started, and I hope it NEVER ends.”

Memories of a Central Florida Bella Collina Wedding

Esther’s favorite memory of the day was when Kenso was saying his vows to her, and she says Kenso’s favorite wedding day moment was when Esther was walking down the aisle towards him. Her advice to new brides, “Start planning early and avoid the stress if you can!” I asked Esther if she would do her stunning Central Florida Bella Collina Wedding all again and she said ,” DEFINITELY!!”

 

Bella Collina Dressing Room Bella Collin Bride Bella Collina exit Reception at Bella CollinaLeaving Bella Collina Cake cut at Bella Collina Bella Collina Wedding invitation Bella Collina sweet moment with groom first dance Bella Collina first dance bella collina bridal party entering bridal party fun bella collina wedding planner bella collina reflecting pond bella collina fountain bella collina photo bomb bella collina bell tower bella collina bride and groom bella collina bride veil blowing kissing groom bella collina bride and groom portrait bride veil blowing bella collina garden bella collina bridal party with bride and groom bella collina bride and groom with parents bella collina bride and groom ceremony bella collina ceremony on the lawn bella collina bride and dad walking bride and father bella collina bella collina fun bridal party entrance bella collina bridal party bella collina fun bridal party entrance bella collina groomsmen bella collina groomsmen groom and guys walking bella collina bella collina ring bearer bella collina groom portrait bella collina bridal portraitbella collina groom mens locker room bella collina bridesmaids bella collina fun bridesmaidsbella collina bride bouquetbella collina bride walking bella collina beautiful bridebella collina fun bridal portrait bella collina bride dressing locker room sexy shoes bride bella collina

 

 

5 Orlando Wedding Day Tips

In Orlando, Florida, and anywhere really, there are many variables that need

to come together to have a wonderful wedding ceremony. Unfortunately many

of our couples are overwhelmed with all of the decisions and choices they have

to make . Stan and I have put together a list of 5 Orlando Wedding Day Tips to

help our new clients prioritize what is and what is not important for their wedding.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers –

Tip #1

Make your wedding your own

Wedding magazines and blogs, along with bridal shows and social media,
can be overwhelming to a newly engaged couple. There are so many different
opinions on what they should or should not do, what’s right, what’s wrong,
what’s in and what’s out. These wedding day tips can push a couple into
doing something they normally would not be comfortable doing. Our No. 1
Orlando Wedding Day Tip to all of our couples is …there is no right or
wrong, it’s YOUR day, so make it your own and do what makes YOU happy.
Step back, gather your thoughts, put together a list of what you like
and what you don’t like, and build on that. On your wedding day do what
makes you both happy and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t or should
not…if you like it is hot, if you don’t, it’s not.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers –

TIP #2

HIRE A REPUTABLE PLANNER

A good wedding day planner will quickly pay for herself. The last thing
that a couple needs on their wedding day is the stress of making phone calls
to the florist because the flowers have not been delivered, or the bakery to
find out where the cake is. A good planner will eliminate the stress of your
event by handling everything well in advance of the big day and will make
sure those phone calls, if needed, are not being done by the bride and
groom. This Orlando Wedding Day Tip also allows for us, as photographers, to
be a little less stressed ourselves. Our photography timeline will run a lot
smoother and stay on track when we don’t actually have to stop taking
pictures to go looking for missing people. Having help getting family and
friends where they need to be, and on time, is a huge plus for us!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers –

TIP #3

HAVE A HAIR & MAKEUP TRIAL RUN

Do NOT do your own hair and makeup!! Don’t do it!! Can you hear me screaming at
you?? This is a huge Orlando Wedding Day Tip that rivals No. 1. PLEASE let a
professional hairstylist and makeup artist do this for you, well in advance
of your big day. And when they do, take a picture and look at yourself. Now
is your chance to make changes. A good makeup artist knows that 1) Digital
photography is unforgiving and will pick up every flaw and wash you out so
your makeup needs to be applied a little heavier than normal and 2) glowing,
youthful, shiny makeup reflects the flash and instead of making you look
glowy and youthful you’ll end up looking shiny, hot and sweaty. Matte makeup
ladies!!! As for your hair…set up a trial run and take pictures so you can
decide whether it’s a “keeper” or a “do over”. This is one of Charlene’s
favorite Orlando Wedding Day Tips. ” I had a wonderful Orlando photographer
take my bridal portraits well in advance of our 8/8/1992 wedding in
Trinidad. I absolutely HATED how I looked! They did an updo…I never wear
my hair up, but it was the thing to do, have your hair up. YUCK!! I hated
how I looked! The makeup was unnatural and the hair style simply not me.
Makeup and hair were changed and I was not only happier but felt and looked
a lot more like ME on our wedding day”

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers –

Tip # 4

EAT AND HYDRATE ON YOUR WEDDING DAY

This might seem somewhat trivial but it’s a very important Orlando
Wedding Day Tip. Charlene often jokes with her brides that if they don’t eat
they might end up fainting with the excitement of the day and if they start
falling Charlene might be too busy ” getting the shot ” to catch the bride!
Both Stan and Charlene have caught brides, fanned brides and rushed to bring
them food and water or orange juice to get their blood sugar levels back up
to normal. Brides aren’t the only ones susceptible to fainting on the
wedding day. Grooms, Mothers, bridesmaids…it happens to the best of them.
The excitement, emotions, drama of a wedding day can be overwhelming, so
give your body a great foundation for the day and eat well and drink lots
and lots of water.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers –

Tip # 5

DO NOT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Orlando Wedding day Tip Number 5 is as important as No. 1. It’s OK if
the flowers are not the perfect shade of pink. There will be imperfections.
There will be mistakes. There will be emergencies. Someone will be late.
Someone will be missing. Someone will forget to bring something. That’s ok!!
Remember what it all comes down to, what it’s all about, is that you are
marrying the love of your life. That is ALL that matters! Let those details
go, let it go! Do not obsess! Look at the face of your partner and relish in
that moment you pledge your lives to each other because that’s what your
wedding day is all about, and that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

FINAL THOUGHTS

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 2We hope that these 5 Orlando Wedding Day Tips from Charlene & Stan of S
& S Photography have helped you and made you aware of some things that you
would not have thought of before. Make your wedding your own, hire a
reputable planner, have a hair and makeup trail run, eat and hydrate on your
wedding day, do not sweat the small stuff and we promise that you too will
have a memorable ( in a good way ) fantastic and wonderful wedding day.

 

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers Rainy Wedding Tips

5 Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers
Rainy Wedding Tips

In Orlando Florida, and Florida in general, weather is a very important factor to be seriously considered when planning your wedding day. Your Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers could be hugely impacted by the weather on your special day should it decide to rain. In order to ensure that the photos will be just as beautiful as the happy couple, here are a few Wedding Photography Tips from a couple of Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers that have firsthand experience in coping with this challenge.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers – TIP #1

CHOOSE A VENUE WITH A LOT OF WINDOWS AND BALCONIES

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 1Look at Your Venue. From an Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers perspective, ask yourself, is there a lot of light coming into the building from the outside? Are there lots of big windows to let that light in? Are there overhangs, balconies, outside areas that are sheltered? As Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers we love locations that have all of the above because we want your Wedding Photography to be a treasured keepsake of your wedding for years to come! If it is pouring rain, as Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers, we have experience taking photos inside, by a large window, still giving the photo a kiss of natural light making the shot much more flattering than those taken with a harsh direct flash alone.

The same technique can also apply to balconies. We can easily take wonderful available light pictures under a covered balcony and no one would know that it was pouring rain outside. Your photography should have natural light, and lots of it, because it’s far more flattering than flash photography.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers – TIP #2

AVOID A LATE AFTERNOON WEDDING DURING THE SUMMER

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 2Local Orlando Florida brides will likely already know this, but our destination wedding clients may not. There are many Wedding Photography Tips but this is a biggie! Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers know better than anyone that in the summer months from May to September your wedding photography can become more challenging as our Orlando afternoons are often peppered with violent thunderstorms. Rain with lightening, thunder, and even flooding is almost guaranteed on a daily basis, especially later in the afternoons. This can seriously hamper your Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers results.

Because you cannot avoid the weather, its best to just plan around it. If you do, your Wedding Photography will be much better for it. The more the heat builds up the greater the chance of thunderstorms. So, consider having your wedding start earlier in the day. The mornings are cooler and you increase your chances of avoiding the rain altogether. An added bonus to this is that your Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers often center your photos around beautiful lush landscapes and will appreciate shooting your photos with the softness of the early morning light.

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers – TIP #3

PLAN EXTRA TIME FOR GETTING TO THE CHURCH AND THE RECEPTION!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 3We can’t stress this enough!! If you have a 20-minute drive from the hotel to the church, then give yourself twice that to be safe. If the weather is terrible, and the roads are flooded, which is quite possible in the summer, you will be late if you haven’t allowed yourself extra time. Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers don’t want you to be late because then they will have less time for your photography session. Of all our Wedding Photography Tips, this is one of the most important. Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers need time to take great photos. There is no harm in being early, and your stress levels will remain on an even keel. Starting late can have a domino effect on everything else planned for the remainder of the day and can really bring about additional stress. The last thing your Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers need is less time for your photography session. Florida Wedding Photography takes time and should not be rushed. The more time Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers have, the more poses we can do, the more fun we can have, the more locations we can visit, which all leads to better wedding pictures.

We want your Florida Wedding Photography to remind you of your beautiful rainy wedding day, and not a soggy, stressful disaster of a day!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers – TIP #4

HAVE FUN WITH IT!!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 4What does that mean? Well, if you are having an Orlando Florida Wedding in the summer and you know that you most likely will have to work around the rain, then get some fun umbrellas. As Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers, we know how to use the rain to keep it romantic and fun. An umbrella can quickly add some color, flair and uniqueness to your photos. It may be a good idea to at least have umbrellas available for each couple in your wedding party, and perhaps some extras for the parents, and of course for the bride and groom.

Order them in advance, maybe even in the color scheme of your wedding, or engraved with Mr. & Mrs., Maid of Honor or Best Man. The possibilities are endless and they will be fun props to use in your wedding pictures. With pop up showers always being a possibility in Orlando, you could even consider using umbrellas as wedding gifts for your guests. Now that’s a functional gift everyone can appreciate and the end result is that your photos will have a fun and unique look!

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers – TIP #5

PLAN A FIRST LOOK SESSION

Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers - 5Now not every bride is going to be okay with this suggestion but it really is a good idea. We love having 2 opportunities to photograph our Bride and Groom as it lets us get more pictures. So, let’s run this scenario by you. What happens if it is pouring rain after the ceremony during the time allotted for your wedding photos to be taken? To put it bluntly, you’re screwed. Not every venue will have what we talked about in Tip #1. Lots of light, overhangs, etc. Do you really want all of your wedding pictures to be taken in a dark dimly lit room? Your Wedding Photos will not be the memorable keepsake you had hoped they would be.

Florida is lush and green so your wedding photos should most certainly reflect that. If you have a “First Look” session before the ceremony starts, then we’ve got your shots done and there is nothing to worry about if it’s pouring rain when it’s time for the Bride and Groom pictures after the ceremony. It’s a huge plus for Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers to have this second window to take your pictures. It’s just one more opportunity, on a hectic and busy day, to ensure that your Wedding photos are everything you had hoped they would be and more. If it’s not raining, even better because now we can really have some fun. The pressure is off as we got what we needed earlier. Now we can take this opportunity to be creative and get those fun and romantic pictures that you see in the bridal magazines.
 

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, we hope that some if not all of the tips provided here can help bring out the very best in your Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers photo shoot and to our clients, we wish you all the absolute best on your very special day. We are here eager to share our years of experience to give you added inspiration and ideas during the photo planning stages of your wedding to come.

Every bride and groom deserve to have beautiful, timeless images that reflect the moment when they chose to pledge to love one another for forever. We at S & S Photography hope that our Wedding Photography Tips have given you a little something extra to think about and that your Wedding Photography is a huge success!
Orlando Florida Wedding Photographers Rainy Wedding Tips

Be sure to check out some of S&S Photography’s work on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM!

The Ballroom at Church Street: Brandy and Dave’s Wedding

Ballroom at Church Street Wedding

 

  Brandy and Dave met working aboard the Disney Fantasy Cruise ship in 2013. Brandy worked with the cruise staff team while Dave worked on the ship wide tech team. After nearly 4 years of sailing the seven seas with Mickey Mouse, the two lovebirds decided it was time to start a life together on land, in far away New Zealand. For Brandy’s 28th birthday Dave surprised her with a fantastic trip to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga, the northern most point of New Zealand. It was here, overlooking the ocean, on the last day of their trip, that Dave got down on one knee and popped the question. Brandy of course said “yes!” and the excitement of planning their September 22 nd wedding began.

  When planning their wedding Brandy and Dave wanted a theme that reflected their life together thus far. They loved traveling, and decided to go with a vintage travel theme to match the grandeur feeling of the Ballroom at Church Street Station in downtown Orlando. Each table was themed around a different city in the world that they had visited together and of course they had to incorporate , at the head table no less, the Disney Fantasy Ship where they met. A ” Where in the world are you sitting? ” map directed guests to which city in the world they would be sitting and dining at. Party favors included a delicious candy station which included many different treats from the U.S , the U.K and New Zealand. A nice personal touch were the added photographs of each of their grandparents, on their wedding days ,which added the perfect vintage touch to their Ballroom at Church Street Wedding.

  Since Brandy and Dave are from two different countries the most important thing they wanted to make sure happened on their wedding day was getting their friends and families together, allowing everyone to get to know each other. Their guests came all the way to Orlando from Australia, the United Kingdom and Switzerland to celebrate with them, and celebrate they did with delicious food, lively dancing and drinking all night long until their fiery sparkler departure. Their Ballroom at Church Street Station Wedding was a huge success, that brought together 2 families, and 2 different cultures.

  All wedding days are a blur but no one will forget the epic Maid of Honors ” rap speech ” nor the fun father/daughter mash up dance Brandy did with her dad. Dave’s fondest memory was the tender and sweet dance with his grandmother to her favorite song. Congratulations Brandy and Dave, your wedding was great fun and S&S wishes you both many many years of happiness together!!

 

Venue: The Ballroom Church Street Station

Hair : Primped Up Hair & Makeup

Make Up: https://www.beautespeciale.com/

Florist: Betty J’s Florist

DJ: Scott Messina Productions

Cake/Cupcakes: Party Flavors Custom Cakes

Event Coordinator: Purple Hype LLC – Sara King

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maison Jardin: Madalyn and Aaron’s Wedding

Maison & Jardin Wedding

 

   I honestly can say that Madalyn was one of the most relaxed brides I’ve ever encountered , lucky Aaron! When a bride “goes with the flow” so to say the stress of the wedding is greatly reduced. If you have no theme other than choosing things you like how can you go wrong? Instead of having to find things that fall within your theme or “go with ” your theme you can simply find what works for you thus opening up all sorts of possibilities. Madalyn and Aaron chose Maison et Jardin for their beautiful April 1st Orlando wedding and it was refreshing and surprising to me how beautiful and elegant everything was for a bride who had no theme and no preconceived ideas about how her Central Florida wedding day should be.
   A little background…8 years ago Madalyn and Aaron met through a mutual friend. A friendship blossomed and 2 years ago that friendship took a turn and they began dating. According to Madalyn, ” Aaron proposed the same way he does many things: spontaneously not according to plan. He had arranged for a romantic New Years Eve proposal at the Botanic Gardens, complete with photographer, followed by a fancy dinner at the Peabody Hotel. About a week ahead of schedule Madalyn had a sudden family member visit, as her cousin is a flight attendant. Scrapping the original plans in favor of having family there, he reached out to Madalyn’s cousin to involve her in his newly hatched scheme. That night they all had dinner together, and Madalyn’s cousin was ready and recording when Aaron popped the question.”
   Wedding planning began, and a team of vendors assembled. Event planner Michele Butler on board to supervise , assist and guide the bride and groom from start to finish in all aspects of their Maison Jardin wedding. Photographers hired, S & S Photography, snsweddings.com, check! Florist, Flowers by Leslie who Madalyn says,” was so helpful with answering our questions. We weren’t sure exactly what we wanted, and she helped craft something perfect for us! She was accommodating, flexible, and friendly. The flowers were even more beautiful than we could imagine!. Hair and makeup , ” I used Kristy’s Artistry Design Team for both hair and makeup. The trial went amazingly and my stylist was very personable. It was so much fun to feel pampered, and know I was going to look amazing for the big day. Having a professional do my hair and makeup really made me feel confident, even if I was at first hesitant to fit it into the budget. The website is http://kristyalonzo.com/ . Now the biggie, the dress…Madalyn went to several dress shops before finding the right fit at Something New Bridal. “The dresses felt so unique and high quality, compared to many of the “designer” dresses at other shops. The staff helped make her feel welcomed and special. They even picked her dress for her! It was one she would never have thought to try on, but once it was on she didn’t want to take it off. They helped her branch out (after showing her what she thought she wanted), and she couldn’t have felt more beautiful. The tuxes were rented from Absolutely Fitting. Our out of town guests were able to send in measurements from out of town, and they even delivered the tuxes to our hotel suite to perform the last fitting. Aaron liked his tux so much that he wanted to purchase it! All of the men looked handsome.”
   I asked Madalyn if she had any advice for future couples having an Orlando wedding and she said,” Don’t be afraid to ask for advice/help. Planning a wedding is a huge process, and includes so many details! Professionals can help, and we are so glad that we had a wedding planner and photographer. But also ask and involve your wedding party or close family members. It will make your bridesmaids feel more beautiful if they get to weigh in on a dress, and your mother in law will treasure the opportunity to provide advice. ”
Well the big day came, April 1st 2017, and I can tell you Stan and I were so excited to be Aaron and Madalyn’s Wedding photographers. We had a great location, ( Maison Jardin has a lot of windows so it’s a light and airy interior, as well as overhangs outside, so we knew we could do a great job if the weather turned ugly on us, always an issue in central Florida!!) beautiful , relaxed couple, beautiful day, and an awesome team of vendors all working together to ensure a smooth, stress free, beautiful wedding day for Madalyn and Aaron. The day comes and goes in a blink of an eye but the happy couple ,” simply loved the magic of it all. Everything turned out to be even more special than we had hoped, and the day passed in happy perfection. Truly, we were expecting a much more stressful day, or one filled with catering to others as we tried to make all of our guests happy. But our wedding planners made sure everything ran smoothly, and everyone involved did so much to contribute to making us feel special. ”
   Aaron and Madalyn ,”will be traveling for the foreseeable future. Right now, we’re in Chiang Mai Thailand! Madalyn teaches English online, which allows us to earn travel money from anywhere. Since our wedding we have been island hopping in Indonesia, and to several cities in Thailand. We think of it as our never ending honeymoon. You can follow us on Instagram @stopdroprefresh ”
Congratulations to this wonderful and so in love couple, S & S Photography wishes you many years of health and happiness!!

Our main cake was from Party Flavors Custom Cakes. Our Groom’s cake was from Hello Sugar 
We went with a personal friend to DJ our wedding. He knows our preferences in music and he was so eager to make us happy on our big day!

 

Mission Inn: Paige and Michael’s Wedding

Mission Inn Resort and Club Wedding 

 

   Paige and Mike are a very special couple that are so lucky to have found each other. They are both perfectly suited to each other and S & S Photography is so happy to have been chosen to photograph their beautiful Mission Inn Resort wedding this past February. Here is their story…

   According to sweet Paige…,”Mike and I met on Match.com. I was at my cousin’s wedding in October 2012. I learned that my cousin met her husband on Match. I happened to have an account but was letting it run out because it had weirded me out. My mom said “let’s just look when we get back to the room.” We went online, searched around, and my mom pointed and said “what about him?” It was Mike. I messaged him, we spoke for about 2 weeks until we met up in person. The rest is history! We dated from November 2012 until he proposed in December 2015 (about 3 years). Mike proposed December 13, 2015 in Blue Ridge, Georgia. I graduated with my Master’s Degree on December 12, 2015 at the University of South Alabama. We had a plan after the graduation to drive to Georgia to visit my grandparents for a few days and spend time there with my parents as well. The day after my graduation, we all drove to my grandparents’ house from Alabama to Georgia. Once we arrived, we went out to lunch with my grandparents and then went back to their house to hang out (I thought after this that we would be going to a hotel to change and relax). My entire family was sitting on the couch and talking when my grandpa started talking about a road trip he took as a child. Mike then said to me, “speaking of road trips, we still have an hour drive to go.” I was so confused. He said he was taking me to the mountains as a graduation gift. I was actually sort of upset because I never get to see my grandparents and didn’t understand why he would take me away from them (LOL). We said our goodbyes and got in the car and drove north! About an hour later we arrived to a cabin in the mountains of Blue Ridge, GA. It was the cutest cabin! We walked inside, there was romantic music playing and a dozen roses and a box of chocolate on the kitchen counter. I went upstairs and there were rose petals all over the bedroom. I looked down from the second story and saw Mike on the balcony. I figured I should go out there to thank him. I went outside on the balcony. We hugged, I said thank you, and then he said he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He got down on one knee and proposed! I had no idea! While I was looking around the cabin before the proposal, he had secretly set up a Go Pro on a bench of the balcony to capture it all. It was the best day! The next day we went back to my grandparents’ house and celebrated with them and my parents, we then went back to the cabin for a few days and enjoyed our engagement weekend!”

    Now Mike had a plan all along and in the manner of a traditional , chivalrous gentleman, plotted to ask Paige’s father for her hand in marriage .He said , “I knew quite early on that I wanted to marry Paige. I finally decided on the timing of the proposal because Paige would be graduating from her master’s program and it just felt like the perfect moment. I am a fairly conservative and traditional person so asking for her father’s hand in marriage was something I felt I needed to do, out of respect for her family.On the day I decided to make the drive to her parents house everything lined up perfectly. Paige was working an extra shift at the hospital. I was scheduled to work my normal overnight shift starting at 5PM. My supervisor did not have any issues when I told him I was going to be coming in a little late that night. Once I knew Paige was at her job I hit the road. I had already coordinated with Paige’s brother, Matt, to make sure that her parents would be home that night. Matt did an awesome job of making sure they would be there without giving any hints of what was going on. In 3 shorts hours I was already at their house in the early evening. I rang the door bell and Paige’s mother answered and was surprised to see me but thought I might have been in the area since my father lived near there too. Paige’s father saw me and I knew that he knew exactly why I was there. I spoke quickly probably because I was nervous and just asked them right there in the entrance of the house. Of course they said yes and welcomed me to the family. I felt a huge relief and my nerves were quickly eased. I had a deadline to make it back to work in time. I was only able to stay for a few minutes so Paige’s mother packed me some food for the road and I was on my way. I was back to Orlando in 3 hours and Paige had no idea what had just happened. ”

    Would you believe that Mike & Paige’s parents and brother kept this proposed proposal secret for 3 WEEKS!! How her Mom kept that from her is beyond me, I would have burst from excitement! Paige and Mike eventually chose the beautiful Mission Inn Resort for their Orlando wedding. The day was rainy but nothing could dampen Paige and Mike’s excitement! All the planning , all the details, all came together ( with considerable help from their talented planner Katie Jimenez, owner of Big Day Celebrations, Katie@BigDayCelebrations.com)  and their Mission Inn Resort wedding was a true celebration of the joining of 2 lives and 2 families. Here we are 2 months later and these 2 wonderful people are now busy helping others. Paige is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Mike works in Law Enforcement protecting and serving the citizens of Orlando.

Stan and I wish Paige and Mike a long, happy and healthy life together. These are 2 people that are thoughtful, kind, smart, gorgeous, and just plain NICE…good people as they say, with wonderful families supporting them. Lots of love to them!!

Vendors:

DJ/Lighting: White Rose Entertainment

Hair/Makeup: About Face

Ceremony Music: Catherine Way-Harpist

Wedding Cake: Party Flavors

Videographer: Lucid Productions

Florist: Flowers by Lesley

Favors: Sweets by Holly

Wedding Planner: Katie Jimenez

 

Mystic Dunes: Brittany and Tyler’s Wedding

Mystic Dunes Resort Wedding

 Brittany and Tyler met while studying to be Chiropractors at the College of Chiropractic in Port Orange and it wasn’t long before they started dating, albeit accidentally, due to the scheming of their best friend Taylor. Taylor brought Brittany and Tyler to the beach to ” hang out” only to run away, leaving Tyler and Brittany alone to get to know one another. How cute is that! That same beach is where Tyler decided to propose just over a year later, on August 9th 2015. At sunrise they , ” watched dolphins in the water, seagulls flying above, jumping fish and little crabs in the sand, which was really neat and beautiful to see. No one else was on the beach, just he and I and all of the animals-it could not have been planned better. He got on one knee, spoke so eloquently and asked me to be his wife. It was the best moment and is ours forever”
 Well, perfect is what they are together and perfect was what their Central Florida Mystic Dunes wedding was. I personally cannot tell you enough nice things about the involvement of Brittany’s parents in the wedding plans…everything was done for Brittany with so much love , and with only HER wants and desires in mind. Nancy and Louie you are an amazing team and together you pulled off two things…creating a sensitive, considerate, smart and kind daughter, and a wonderfully perfect wedding for her! Mom did the flowers, yes ALL of the bouquets were made by Brittany’s Mom and were beautifully done with no prior experience, wow!! Mrs Anastasio also did all of the decorations and all night long kept flitting around their Mystic Dunes reception to make sure that everything was just perfect for her beautiful daughter. Some tasks did have to be handled by others….Hair was done by Lloyd Scott who works at Hair Mania. Melody Griffin, the owner of Hair Mania, also assisted with the bridesmaids hair and eyelashes. Makeover Station worked with a few of the girls and also assisted with hair and makeup. The delicious cake was made by Chelsea Sexton with Sweetpea’s Sucre Sweets  and the dance floor kept popping all night to the tunes of DJ Chris Casella  

 I asked Brittany what the most memorable part of her Mystic Dunes Resort Wedding was and she said that it “was walking down the aisle to Tyler. Literally, everything outside of my focus on him blurred away and all I could see was Tyler standing at the alter. I was walking towards my future in Christ, with my dad who has always been by my side, to my soon to be husband, best friend and love of my life.” And Ty’s? ​” My favorite moment was when Britt and I were able to hold each other’s hands behind the archway right before we got married. It was the start of when my life would change in an amazing way. That moment made the day, our wedding day, feel real. I am glad we didn’t see each other before she walked down the aisle, holding her hand was an incredible moment I’ll never forget.” Feeling brave I asked Brittany and Ty what working with S& S was like? She replied… ​”You both are absolutely amazing. We enjoyed every minute of working with you. From the time my parents met with you and knew for sure you were going to photograph the wedding, to the first time we met and talked and shared at Dunkin Donuts, we knew that you were amazing people who would not only be a joy to work with but the perfect pair to capture the moments of the day. It was a ton of fun taking the photos and you both were beyond organized. We had many compliments from our wedding party on working with you as well, which is always so nice to hear! Now that we have seen the proofs, so many friends and family members have expressed how great and talented you are and they love the photos! Thank you so much for capturing such an important start to our journey, we love you and will cherish these memories forever.”
We love you too Brittany and Ty and thank you for allowing us the honor of capturing your beautiful wedding!! I asked where they go to from here and they responded,” We want to serve. We want to volunteer as much as we can. The way we feel we have been chosen to serve is through opening our chiropractic office and bringing hope to people for their health. We also want to start a family of our own and grow with the Central Florida communities. Dance and soccer are also very important to us, so we will see how we can fuel those passions in our family as well. We love being here in central Florida, enjoying all the area has to offer, and we will continue to give back as much as we can and in every capacity that we can.” These two are special, in every way, and a testament to how amazing BOTH sets of parents are because they sure did raise two excellent human beings!!

Venue Coordinator: Rick Martin

 

Town Manor: Allard and Rachael’s Wedding

Town Manor on the Lake Wedding

 Rachael and Allard met in their second year of law school in Syracuse, New York in 2013 through a mutual friend. They never knew each other from any classes, but one evening Allard was having a get together at his house before all of their friends went out that night…and that’s pretty much how everything started. Since that one evening, they were always spending their time together. They dated for almost two years, took many trips together, graduated school and moved down to Florida to pursue their careers. On Rachael’s 27th Birthday, Allard surprised her with a visit to an elephant sanctuary in Gainesville, Florida (she has a passion for the environment and animals, especially elephants). After many personal encounters with the elephants, one particular elephant named Patti had an envelope in her trunk and walked up to Rachael and Allard who were both standing in a nearby field. Patti dropped the envelope into Rachael’s hand and in it was a letter from Allard. All of a sudden, Allard got down on one knee and proposed! Then a little over a year later, they were married at Town Manor on the Lake B&B in Auburndale, Florida. Allard’s favorite memory from the Town Manor on the lake wedding was probably their first kiss as a married couple. Rachael’s favorite memory from the lake wedding was walking down the aisle and seeing Allard for the first time surrounded by friends and family. The red velvet cake was a close second. In the future, they plan on enjoying everything out of life together as a married couple and pursuing their careers.

Vendors:

Venue:Town Manor on the Lake

Dress:Modern Bridal Shop

Designer: Essense Of Australia

Flowers:Paula Jeans Garden

Hair & Makeup: Laura Reynolds Artistry