Emily + Jim Step into The Limelight | the resort at long boat key club and The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota | Sarasota, FL

May 10, 2018

Emily and Jim were married in a beautiful beach ceremony at The Resort at Long Boat Key Club and outdoor evening reception at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota Beach Club! I love what the bride and groom shared with me about their story!

"Our relationship began as a friendship. It is that friendship that built a solid foundation for a strong relationship. We met in NYC in the summer of 2010 as friends and remained friends for close to 2 years before we finally began to date, or we could say until Emily finally agreed to date Jim. While in NYC we enjoyed our time exploring the many different cultural aspects of the city (Museums, Broadway Shows, Dinners, Sporting Events and Concerts). We eventually moved in together living in Astoria, Queens. It is there where we adopted our first pet (Jorge). It was around this same time that we started our Costa Rican Adventure. We spent the next 9 months exploring Costa Rica together. Emily was more than happy to set up a home base out there while Jim would travel back and forth to NYC. There we had many adventures visiting volcanos, hot springs, great wildlife, getting lost driving through rivers and streets with no signs. We were even there during a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. But little did we know our biggest adventures were still ahead of us. We welcomed our first child to the world in January of 2014 and then moved to Florida that summer. More recently we welcomed our second child with a home birth in May of 2016. We are enjoying our family life here in Tampa, FL and are looking forward to enjoying our life adventure as a married couple. After knowing each other for 8 years, dating for 6 of those years, and a 4 year long engagement we have set the date and decided to get married on April 21, 2018. The time has finally come for us to 'tie the knot’!”

It was a pleasure to capture this beautiful wedding day and I was also so excited to have recently been able to capture a Back in the Limelight Session with this happy couple as well so that Emily could get in the ocean in her dress after her wedding day! We were blessed with beautiful weather on both the couple's wedding day and for their second session! It was a pleasure to work with Emily and Jim and their sweet children and loving families! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Parker!

Lead Photographer | Sarah McDonald
Associate Photographer | Kay Kennedy

Rachael + Nicholas Step Into The Limelight | Florida Aquarium | Tampa, FL

May 10, 2018

Rachael and Nicholas joined hands in matrimony on this beautiful day in late April. The gorgeous couple invited friends and family to The Florida Aquarium where they would both say I Do and start a love-filled journey together. Beautiful detailing went into this spectacular event, one being the cake which was covered in sea inspired details. Nick wore cufflinks with sea life and shells were included into every corner of the venue. One of the most memorable moments were the late comers to the wedding which were two cute penguins that walked the aisle and the magnificent shark that swam at the top of the tank as Rachael and Nick shared their first kiss - truly remarkable!!

I had joined the two earlier this year to photograph their engagement. The same love and joy they had translated to their wedding day. Family and Friends made it even better! The amount of laughter and fun times at this wedding made it all so special to capture, it truly was something great. Very happy for the both of you, congratulation to Rachael and Nicholas!

Lead Photographer | Carlos Rello
Associate Photographer | Alexa Rodriguez

Kristin + Daniel Step Into The Limelight | Le Meridien | Tampa, FL

May 9, 2018

Kristin and Danny met each other years ago through mutual friends. However, they both always had significant others. It was not until a night when the mutual friends invited them both out to a comedy show that they reconnected and were in the right place at the right time, without significant others. It is a delight to see them together making each other laugh, being silly, and sharing a true passion for each other. They enjoy working out, cooking, drinking wine, and just spending time together.

Danny proposed right before he was to leave for a new job in Austin, Texas. They were just having a night in at our apartment. He popped down on one knee and asked Kristin to marry him with a silicone ring. He wanted her to know even though he was leaving he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. Kristin of course said yes! Danny did get the gorgeous ring a few months later. It wasn’t about a big fancy ring for them. They both just wanted to be together for the rest of their lives - so romantic!

Kristin and Daniel wanted to do something local and historical to Tampa for their wedding. Le Méridien is the old Tampa courthouse transformed into a beautiful boutique hotel. The entire night was magical, filled with fun, and love. It was sophisticated and elegant. It was large enough to include their closest friends and family members, but small enough to feel intimate to Kristin and Danny. Their guests all felt so welcomed, like family, and excited!

Kristin’s dress, the exchange of vows, their first kiss, their first dance and their grand exit were beautiful highlights of the day.

Lead Photographers | Michael + Rebecca Zoumberos

Ashley + Justin Step Into The Limelight | Saint Petersburg, FL

May 4, 2018

Ashley and Justin first met each other freshmen year of college at Florida State University in 2005. They quickly became and remained best friends for the next ten years. In 2015, a couple of years after they had graduated, they were out and about having a great time together when they decided to pretend to be engaged around a bunch of strangers. Ultimately feeling guilty, they confessed they weren’t together and were just best friends, however, the crowd didn’t believe them. Several months later, Justin asked Ashley out on a date and they started their relationship, shocking most of their close friends! With a solid foundation of friendship to support them, they began traveling, spending time with their families as a couple, and enjoying their pup Roxy.

For the proposal, Justin and Ashley went to a beach that they had gone to in the beginning of their relationship. Justin hid their engagement ring in their cooler and patiently waited for Ashley to open it. Ashley opened the cooler, didn’t see it, and when she turned around and looked at Justin he was on his knee. She became confused until Justin asked her to look in the cooler again…and then she saw it!

Ashley and Justin have been to many weddings as friends, but this wedding was their first as a couple, and it was their very own! They have spent all of these years together celebrating their friends relationships and now they have their friends around to rally for them. They had one of the biggest wedding parties that I have ever seen totaling 29 in all.

Ashley and Justin’s wedding was stunning, from their venue choice to their attire and flowers, all the way down to the finest of details. You could tell that Ashley and Justin put a lot of their heart and soul into customizing this day and it will be a night that their guests will certainly remember.

This wedding was full of fun, laughter, and love and it was a pleasure being there while everyone was making memories under the stars!

Congratulations Ashley and Justin, I wish nothing but the best in life for you!

Lead Photographer | Stephanie Duffany
Associate Photographer | Audrey Clifford

Claire + Enrique Step Into The Limelight | Powel Crosley Estate | Sarasota, FL

May 2, 2018

Claire and Enrique met in Sarasota in the spring of 2017 while salsa dancing. Enrique took Claire to a bench near the Ringling bridge on a Sunday evening to talk and enjoy a quiet evening. While there, he asked her what the tradition was for marriage proposals in America and if the guy is supposed to get on one knee. As he asked that, he got on one knee and said, "like this?" and that is when he proposed. Claire loves Enrique's caring and sweet disposition, he is her rock in everything she does. Enrique says that he loves how much he and Claire compliment each other, and how they make a great team. They work well together and have fun together. They enjoy traveling, dancing and walking on the beach together.

A very special touch is that Enrique handmade Claire a box during their courtship and they put it on the gift table for guests to enjoy and leave cards for the happy couple.

Since they met in Sarasota they wanted to get married there. They both moved to Sarasota around the same time to start a new chapter in life and found each other there. Enrique is from Peru and Claire likes a classical look, so the "theme" is a classy, "Spanish" look with lots of lace and pretty reds, corals and peach colors. They had Spanish lace custom table runners created just for their wedding and selected to decorate with Alstroemeria flowers, which are also known as “Peruvian Lillies”. Of course the DANCING was one of the best parts of this Peruvian-American weddings!

Lead Photographer | Michael + Rebecca Zoumberos

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