My First Destination Wedding
This past August I had the honor of going to Montego Bay, Jamaica, to photograph my first destination wedding! Sun, sand, endless waves, drinks, and food- what more could I ask for?
Here’s the backstory- one of my really good friends who I’ve known for over 10 years, proposed to the love of his life in Santorini, Greece in 2019 and they planned to have their wedding in 2020. Then the world shut down and after all of their planning, they had to postpone their wedding. They decided in 2021 to have a small Hindu ceremony in Queens, NY, and then have their reception in sunny Jamaica! When they came to me to capture their big day in Jamaica, I jumped on board (pun intended)!
My husband, Ryan, and I would be celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary around the same time as their reception so we decided to make a mini vacation out of it. We flew to Jamaica to join the bride, groom, and their families at the Hilton Rose Hall Spa and Resort in Montego Bay. This was our first time traveling since the pandemic hit and we were nervous both about flying and staying somewhere that was not our home. Our nerves were eased when we saw how well the resort and its amazing staff were handling the new guidelines for the pandemic and keeping both staff and guests safe.
The day we landed, it poured and poured, and I thought for sure the entire weekend was going to be a washout. Luckily, on the day of the reception, the clouds parted and there was nothing but sunshine and a warm breeze all day.
The groom, Shyam, wore an amazingly detailed floral embossed navy blue suit from Bonobos and the bride, Lalita, wore a gorgeous and intricate A-line style gown from Max Bridal, NY. After getting ready, we took a walk out to the beach where we pretty much had the place to ourselves, and took their couple portraits out there. They are an easy-going couple, who are head over heels in love with each other. Add that to the sunshine and the beach, it was a super chill session where they got to relax and have fun with each other. All while capturing these beautiful moments in which no one existed but each other.
The reception took place at a section of the resort that was tucked away from other resort guests walking around, so it was a private and intimate reception, for the most part. After the couple’s entrance and first dance, we had a wonderful buffet-style dinner and then the party really started. Both families of the bride and groom are full of energy and ended up dancing the night away! It was such a great time that we were soon joined by other resort guests who came out onto their balconies to enjoy the beats of the soca, chutney, and reggae music that were blaring out of the speakers. It was definitely a night to remember.
The entire weekend felt like one big party and I’m happy to say that my first, and hopefully not last, destination wedding was a success and an experience that I will never forget. I’m honored to have been able to capture the beginning of the legacy that these two are going to spend their lives building together.
