A Love 44 Years in the Making and the Most Magical “I Do” at the Iconic Don Cesar.
There are weddings… and then there are weddings that feel like they were written by the universe itself. The kind that give you chills, bring tears to your eyes, and leave your heart bursting wide open. This was that kind of wedding and I, feel like the luckiest person in the world for having been part of it.
It all started at a middle school bus stop.
Boy tries to pull a silly prank on girl’s little brother.
Girl fierce, protective, unstoppable threatens to rearrange his face.
Boy, terrified (and probably a little impressed), decides to never go near her again.
Until years later, when life brings them back together at a party. And this time? He sees her for who she truly is: funny, brilliant, gorgeous and kind. That night ends with a kiss. High school dances follow. He even rocks a purple cummerbund to match her dress a true love flex if there ever was one.
But as young love often does, life takes them in different directions. She moves to Ohio, becomes a pharmacist, raises two beautiful daughters. He stays in Florida, becomes a journalist, builds a family of his own. Years pass. Decades, even. There are joys. There are heartbreaks. There is growth.
Then one day after an unimaginable loss, he reaches out to her, not just for advice, but for comfort. And what she offers isn’t just words… it’s healing. A laugh that lights up the dark. A voice that feels like home.
A James Taylor concert in Columbus becomes their second first date. And three years later, 44 years after that bus stop encounter, they’re saying “I do” at The Don Cesar, one of the most breathtaking wedding venues in the world.
And let me tell you… this place isn’t just a venue. It’s a dream.
The Don is pure magic, like stepping into a fairytale. That soft-pink palace rising above the sand, the ocean breeze, the glowing sunset that seemed like it was painted just for them. People dream of getting married here their whole lives. And watching these two soulmates tie the knot in a place so magnificent felt like witnessing a scene from a movie but better, because it was real.
I stood there with my camera, heart pounding, goosebumps on my arms, trying to hold back tears as I captured it all. The way he looked at her when she walked down the aisle. The way she laughed during their vows. The way every single guest had this look of, “We are witnessing something sacred here.”
And then… the cherry on top? Their love story, this honest, beautiful, soul-stirring journey will be published in The New York Times. Immortalized forever. Just like their love deserves to be.
To this incredible couple: You have touched everyone around you with the power of your story. You’ve reminded us that it’s never too late for love, for laughter, for butterflies, for that feeling of “home.” I wish you a life full of late-night dancing in the kitchen, shared sunrises, deep talks, and constant awe at how lucky you are to have found each other again.
Thank you for letting me, be there, not just as a photographer, but as a witness to something that felt like divine timing.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a forever that’s even more beautiful than this perfect day.
With love, always, Natalia
Lead Photographer | Natalia Fontes
Associate Photographer | Alayna Vance
Assistant | Isabella Santos
Bridesmaid Dresses | Azazie
Caterer | The Don CeSar
Ceremony Site | The Don CeSar
DJ | Ryan Fry
Florist | Jennie’s Florist
Reception Venue | The Don CeSar
