Jessica + Koren Step Into The Limelight | The Ringling | Sarasota, FL

March 18, 2021

Get to know Jessica & Koren…

How/when did you meet each other:

Jessica and Koren met on the first day of Physical Therapy school. They became close friends when they started commuting together to Anatomy Lab. They spent hours studying together, and Koren would save Jess a seat in class and bring her snacks on their breaks. Neither Jess or Koren had intentions to date initially, however after three months of friendship, they grew close and have been together since!

How did he propose:

Koren and Jessica and their close friends were at the 2019 X-Games in Aspen to celebrate Jessica's birthday. While they were skiing, Koren and Jess took the lift to the top of the mountain where Koren got down on one knee and proposed! Koren admits that he was terrified of falling and losing the ring the whole day. Jessica was so excited that she skied down the mountain screaming "I'm engaged!"

What do you love about each other:

Jess: I love that Koren is adventurous, he is caring and generous, he always sees the best in people, he brings a sense of humor into every situation.

Koren: I love Jess’s selflessness, drive, sense of humor, patience.

Interests/hobbies you enjoy doing together:

Skiing, hiking, camping, paddle boarding, trying new foods/beers, traveling, biking and hanging with family and friends

Describe the overall story for your wedding:

We wanted to have a weekend full of activities for our guests to enjoy and spend time with us the whole weekend. We are kicking off the weekend with a catamaran cruise, then rehearsal dinner, then wedding and then Beach BBQ the day after the wedding. We value quality time very much and wanted to celebrate with everybody we love over the whole weekend.

Inspiration for your wedding location and theme:

Koren’s family is from Florida and my grandparents are comfortable with Florida so we decided to do it there. We originally were planning our wedding to be overseas as many of our family lives internationally. We decided to keep it in Florida to make it easier on our local guests. I still wanted to have international influence and for that reason I chose the Ringling as it has a Venetian style.

Their wedding day was magic! The Ringing never ceases to amaze us… and it was the perfect background for Jessica & Koren’s romantic, classic, elegant and simply gorgeous wedding. We LOVED being a part of each part of their day, from First Looks to that stunning sunset on the terrace.

Jessica & Koren, thank you so much for having us! We wish you both ALL the happiness in the world.

Lead Photographer | Dafne Spencer
Associate Photographer | Kara Lerchenfeld
Assistant Photographer | Chloe Dennis

Michelle + Garrett Step Into The Limelight | Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club | St. Petersburg, FL

March 5, 2021

Michelle and Garrett met at Florida State University. Right after Michelle graduated with her Masters degree, they took a vacation to Hilton Head, SC with their new puppy Westcott. Their vacation was planned to last a week and were visiting family in Raleigh NC and friends in Atlanta GA. Sunday night when they arrived in Hilton Head Michelle and Garret went to the beach for a picnic dinner. Right as Garrett was getting ready to propose on the beach, it began to RAIN! Their puppy went crazy, the beach got windy, and they had to scramble to pack up our picnic and run to the car. The entire time Michelle was oblivious but Garrett was panicking about the ring loose in his pocket. Once they got back to the Air B&B they watched one of the final episodes of their favorite show, Game of Thrones, and while were enjoying some chocolate lava cake in PJs, Garrett got down on one knee and popped the question! It was simple, intimate, and perfect.

Michelle loves Garrett’s sense of humor, competitiveness, and his grilling. Garrett loves Michelle’s infectious smile, positive attitude, and her cooking. Together, they enjoy Hiking, Cooking, Music festivals, listening to podcasts/audiobooks, taking care of their puppy, and watch all things marvel, harry potter, and Disney!

Both being from South Florida, they chose to have their beautiful wedding at Isla Del Sol. They loved the relaxing private beach and knew this is a place their guest would enjoy.

Their wedding day was Romanic, beachy, relaxing and elegant. It was a true celebration of their love, family and friends. This gorgeous couple also loved getting their photos taken so it was truly such a great time with them with some of the most epic shots captured! From first look under the gazebo, to the sparkler exit at the end, everything was simply beautiful!

We are so happy for you Michelle and Garrett! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs!!!

Lead Photographer | Carlos Rello
Associate Photographer | Kara Lerchenfeld

Susan + Patrick Step Into The Limelight | Sandpearl Resort | Clearwater, FL

February 19, 2021

Susan and Patrick met on a blind date in December 2016. Patrick then proposed at a Jack and Jill baby shower for their son in front of all of our family and friends. It was a HUGE surprise and one that Susan remembers. Together, they enjoy to travel, motorcycle on Patrick’s Harley, they spend quality time with their kids and doggie who is so special to them. Being in Florida, at the beach is their favorite, especially since they have family here so of course, they decided to have their wedding here in Florida. They fell in love with the Sandpearl Resort and knew it was the place they wanted to say their I-Do’s!

The day of their wedding was finally here and even though the skies were gray and rain was present, this didn’t stop this couple from enjoying their special day. Susan and Patrick said their I’Do-s in one of the halls in the Sandpearl which seated their loved ones from different part of the world. Both were so excited and happy to see everyone in attendance that were able to join their celebration of love. At one point of the day, there was a break from the rain which we took advantage of and went outside to capture beautiful images of the couple on the beach. The night progressed and it was time to party! The two enjoyed their guest’s company and danced the night away. Congrats to Susan, Patrick and their adorable family!

Lead Photographer | Carlos Rello
Associate Photographer | Tara Zimmerman

Keara + Anthony Step Into The Limelight | Davis Islands Garden Club | Tampa, FL

February 18, 2021

Get to know Keara & Anthony…

How/when did you meet each other:
In a nutshell, we met through a mutual friend at a birthday party.
The longer story – My sorority sister asked me to join her for an evening of dining and dancing in celebration of her (then) boyfriend’s birthday. I first told her “no” because it was raining and I did not feel like going out. What happened next was the game changer. She reached out to me again and convinced me to come out for the evening. It was that “yes” moment that set the evening into motion. Shortly after arriving at the nightclub, my sorority sister introduced me to a guy that she met the previous week at the same venue. That guy was Anthony. Anthony and I spent the evening talking and dancing. I gave him my phone number at the end of the evening, and he sent me a “get home safely” text message. We went on our first date the following weekend, and the rest is history.

How did he propose:
Anthony and I had been living apart for several months in 2019 while I worked in New York City and he worked in Tampa. One Saturday in December, I made plans to spend the day pampering our two dogs. I intended to take our dogs to Boris and Horton, a dog-friendly café, in the East Village, and then take them to PetCon (an annual pet convention). Anthony surprised me with a visit that morning. I was willing to change my plans to spend time with him, but he insisted that we keep them. We then went to Boris and Horton where he had apparently looped the staff in on his secret mission to propose. One of the café staff took the dogs away to give them “treats” from the back. When they returned, the dogs were presented to me with engraved tags that read “will you marry me?”. He then got down on one knee and proposed in the café.

Interests/hobbies you enjoy doing together:
We have a mutual passion for our pets, and enjoy spending time with them as a family. We enjoy playing video games together (the first time Anthony told me he loved me was after we completed a co-op level of Super Mario Brothers Wii).

We truly LOVED meeting this sweet couple and being a part of their story…their pups Seamus and Yogi stole our hearts and made the cutest “dog’s of honor” we ever did see.
Keara & Anthony’s wedding day was full of beautiful moments with elegant touches of blush, lavender and classic whites throughout the decor… in a true pandemic fashion the couple opted to do include many of their out-of-town friends and family with a virtual ceremony via ZOOM! This was a hit! Such a thoughtful idea and we could feel the love through the screen as their virtual guests participated along with us.

We wish Keara & Anthony ALL that is good! Thank you again for having us! Cheers to many many more years of celebrations!

Lead Photographer | Dafne Spencer
Associate Photographer | Chloe Dennis

Madison + Randall Step Into The Limelight | Rusty Pelican | Tampa, FL

February 8, 2021

Madison and Randall met through their mutual friend, Chelsea. After talking online for a few weeks, they met for drinks/dinner at Mulligans. Before the dinner, Madison almost cancelled due to nerves but, thankfully—with a little bit of convincing from her friends—she went on the date. The rest is history.

Randall proposed to Madison at Hillsborough State Park. Madison was so surprised she cursed, which made Randall laugh so hard that he couldn’t deliver his “proposal” speech. They love each other’s sense of humor and spend their days hiking, taking motorcycle rides, watching movies, finding new restaurants, and spending time on the water.

The couple tied the knot during an enchanting ceremony at The Rusty Pelican. Alexa and I absolutely LOVED the flamingo decor (inside family joke) and how relaxed the day was. It was an amazing day and as always, it was such an honor to be a part of this couple’s love story that will last a life time. Congrats Madison and Randall!

Lead Photographer | Audrey Clifford
Associate Photographer | Alexa Rodriquez

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