naples wedding photography

Bryan & Christopher

L O V E -is- L O V E

On January 6, 2015, same-sex marriage was legalized in the state of Florida - six months before the US Supreme Court made it legal in all 50 states. 

When Bryan & Christopher invited us to capture the day as they prepared to become the first gay couple in Collier County history to get married, we couldn't WAIT to celebrate with them!

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It was a historic day - one that MSP was so proud to be a part of! 
But this blog isn't about that day, as you can find those details in many publications and magazines (check out Equal & Forever, LGBTWeddings.com, H&H Weddings, or any others out there on Google).

Instead, this month's blog is about Bryan & Christopher's SECOND wedding day.
While the first took place at the county courthouse with their closest family and friends, B&C wanted to celebrate in a more personalized style - an event with all the trimmings, the extended guest list, and the formal celebration of their marriage! We think the couple put it best on their Save the Dates (done by the talented DM Paper Designs, featuring an MSP image, of course!):

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The day started off at the Bayfront Inn 5th Avenue in Naples, Florida, where Bryan & Christopher were spending the day with their very best friends!

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This is Bryan - TV news anchor and all-around cutie pie!

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And here's Christopher - talented dancer, choreographer, and all-around great guy!

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Super cute couple, right?! And their besties were also SO wonderful to be around, if you couldn't tell from the ridiculously adorable blue plaid shirts!

B&C have SUCH creative souls in their crew - we instantly fell in love with this gift idea from one of their groomsmen: a bottle of wine for each milestone the newlyweds will hit in the future!

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Not to mention the musical talent...

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But of course, none of them would have made it there if it weren't for the jewel-toned invitation suite DM Paper Designs provided (featuring the couple's special peacock feather design!)

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With both grooms ready, it was time for the First Glance at the Naples Performing Arts Center!

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Even now (a few years later), this First Glance stands out as one of the most emotional, beautiful experiences we've gotten to capture! Once it was over, it was time for the ceremony to begin!

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The design of Bryan & Christopher's wedding was one where the ceremony seating doubled as the reception seating - the entire event took place in one area of the Performing Arts Center. We don't see that a lot, but we loved the idea - we even did it on our own wedding day!

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Seeing our images framed on a wedding day (in this case, from their January courthouse wedding!) never fails to make us ::swoon::

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Instead of a traditional aisle, the path to the altar brought both of the grooms through the crowd of their guests - so they could meet in the middle of their very dearest loved ones!

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::swoon::

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With the ceremony through, the couple used the creative poem below to announce that it was dinner time!

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To celebrate, Tastebuds Custom Catering created a mock taco truck that let guests enjoy the most delicious tacos ever -
while remaining cool indoors. BRILLIANT!

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We are so grateful to have clients like Bryan & Christopher - we've remained friends the last few years, and can't wait to see where the future takes them!

Venue: Naples Performing Arts Center
Stationery: DM Paper Designs
Boutonnieres: Signature Floral
Cake: Grace & Shelly's
Cateer & Rentals: Tastebuds Custom Catering
 

Engaged! Maria & Ben in Naples, FL

We're big believers in engagement photography. An engagement session is a great opportunity to spend some time with us (and get used to being in front of the camera!) before your wedding day. Few things can prepare you for your wedding day like this special shoot, and magic truly happens when you see the images that result from our time together. The images will empower you to see how gorgeous you & your beloved are together - because nothing is more beautiful than true love!

Check out this engagement shoot we did for lovely couple Maria & Ben... nailed it!

Maria & Ben met us on 3rd Street in Naples, where we can get a lot of variety into a shoot.
We started in the shopping district, with its gorgeous palms, vines, and charming storefronts!

I know, right? SO cute. We can't wait for them to get married next year! Maria & Ben used their session time SO wisely, changing outfits TWICE - it let us have SO much fun with the changing scenery!

Can you believe we fit all of this in to an hour?
And before we knew it, it was time for sunset. Where could we go, but gorgeous Naples beach!

How romantic is Maria's headband and dress?! We just adore these two lovebugs!

Stay tuned for an update blog on Maria & Ben - they are getting hitched February 2018, and we can't wait to show you what happens next!