Prior to this Castillo de San Marcos wedding, I first had the opportunity to meet this beautiful duo when Patrick was the Best Man at another SO Wedding, and when I had a chance to get to know both he and his now-wife (!), Amanda, I could see that they were even more in love with each other now than they had been even then. The way each of them can’t help but smile when they have eyes on the other, the closeness in which they embrace, and the warm welcome they have for each person they interact with is a rare and beautiful thing – and amazing to photograph. On their wedding day, I found them both with easy, relaxed smiles, ready to marry their best friend. We snuck away for an intimate first look off of the famous Magnolia Ave, and used a yellow umbrella as our revealer, touching on their love of the well-known comedy, How I Met Your Mother.
Lovers of the beautiful historic city of St. Augustine, Florida, they chose to get married on the lawn of the Castillo De San Marcos, with a spectacular view of the water and Fort. The location was special for Amanda, as it was her favorite moment from the day and her father had been a fan of Forts. She paid special tribute to him by placing a single white rose on one of the seats at the ceremony. With a Formal Party as fun as theirs, we had to take both opportunities to get portraits before the ceremony (after the first look) and after on the property of the Fort.
Having another opportunity to get these two birds in front of the camera was just like visiting with old friends, which is exactly what it was! I was able to congratulate and celebrate with the pair, all while capturing all of the emotions. Having a strong foundation in friendship and a true love for THEIR love made their portrait time my personal favorite time of the day.
At the reception, the bride and groom were serenaded for their first dance by Amanda’s very best friend, who sang while her husband played guitar. Everyone in the ballroom watched, entranced, as the pair swayed gently and the love-filled the air. Then, everyone (especially the groom!) busted out their moves on the dance floor and we spent the evening dancing while taking pictures at this beautiful Castillo de San Marcos Wedding.
