Cypress Grove Estate House Engagement Session - Emily & Ryan

Emily wore this floral dress on one of her very first dates with Ryan, and she knew then she wanted to wear it for her engagement session. I’d say that was a pretty great decision, because it looked absolutely lovely on her.

Emily and Ryan met us bright and early in the morning at Cypress Grove Estate House for their engagement session. There’s something a little extra magical about sunrise engagement sessions that I just can’t get enough of. The world is a lot quieter and peaceful compared to an evening session, and that’s perfect for showing off a couple in love.

This year’s Pantone color of the year is Classic Blue, which could not have been more perfect for Emily. When I first met with her last year, before the color was even announced, she told me all about the blue wedding she had been dreaming up. Her second dress for this session was the perfect shade of Classic Blue.

Miguel and I cannot wait for Emily and Ryan’s wedding at Walt Disney World later this year! It will surely be one for the books.

Tampa Wedding - Ajay & Erin

It's great when you can reconnect with old friends, and we are so honored when friends choose us to capture their wedding day. Amanda and I have known Ajay since college, so when he reached out to us to photograph his wedding, we were thrilled!

A wedding is a beautiful event filled with love and celebration for not only the couple, but many times for the guests who get to reconnect with mutual friends who they haven't had a chance to see. We love photography because we get to capture true joy, not just from the couple, but from those surrounding them as well. Everyone in attendance is there to support and celebrate the couple, which is so amazing to be a part of.

Ajay and Erin chose to do a first look, which is always a good idea. It’s the perfect intimate moment before the ceremony to really take in what’s about to happen. And look at those smiles!

Because this was a December wedding, the Christmas inspiration was all around. The color of the bridesmaid dresses was a perfect emerald green, and all the ladies looked lovely in them.

One thing that was very important to Erin was the location for their bride and groom portraits. We all got into the car and headed over to this beautiful spot for some pretty great photos. The sun streaming in was just perfect, and it was a gorgeous day for a wedding.

After portraits, we headed to the church for the perfect red and green Christmastime ceremony. The ceremony was filled with so much love and laughter from all in the room, and we are lucky to have witnessed these two become husband and wife.

Ajay and Erin, thank you for trusting us to capture your big day! We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness.

2019 In Review

2019 saw a lot of changes and growth in our business.

2019 was Miguel’s first full year with Flora Bloom Photography, and I truly believe that he is a huge part of the reason why we had so much growth this year. His vibrant and outgoing personality brought what I needed into our business and helped us to get where we are today! Thanks to my hubby, we have booked more weddings than ever before, added video to our offerings, and made amazing industry friends and partners. Here’s a look back at some of our favorite moments this year:

1) Our First Video

Andrew and Heather got married in February of this year. At that point, we knew we wanted to add video to Flora Bloom Photography, but we didn’t have much experience with it. Heather and Andrew are dear friends of ours, and Miguel and I were actually invited to their wedding as guests. That morning, I woke up, asked Miguel if he wanted to try out video, called Heather to ask if she had hired a videographer (she said no), and then offered to come early to do video for them. It was certainly a whirlwind, but I am so pleased with how it came out!

2) A Wedding Planner’s Wedding

Few things feel better or speak louder than when an industry professional trusts you for their own wedding. Kim of Pearl White Events married her love this summer, and their wedding was one for the books. This wedding was a multicultural all day affair that saw some of Orlando’s best vendors come together to create true magic. We are so honored to have been a part of it. See more of their fairytale wedding day here.

3) Wedding MBA

Every year in October or November, there is a huge wedding industry conference in Las Vegas called Wedding MBA. It’s a week of education and networking from some of the best in the industry, and we have gone the past two years. So many notes were taken, and so many things have been implemented to improve our business. It’s an amazing experience, and one that we would recommend to anyone who asks. Plus, who doesn’t love going to Vegas?

4) Our First Disney Wedding

We live in Orlando y’all. I have been obsessed with Disney weddings since I was a teenager, and I have longed to photograph one for agesssssss. This year, we had the privilege of photographing this amazing couple’s wedding, and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. The day was absolutely perfect, and it will go down as one of my top five weddings ever. See more of their wedding here.

5) We Exceeded Our Booking Goal!

These are just a few of the amazing couples who’s weddings we get to photograph this year! At the end of 2018, we set a goal for ourselves to book more weddings in 2019 than we ever had in a single year before. We met that goal less than half way through the year! By the time 2019 came to a close last night, we had exceeded our goal by 50%! None of this would have been possible without the support and friendship of those in the industry who want to help us succeed. We owe so much to our friendors and the amazing couples who have trusted us for 2020, and we can’t wait to see what this year brings!

Here’s to 2020!!!

Disney's Port Orleans Wedding - Victoria & Santos

Even though he’d seen her earlier in the day, Santos couldn’t help the tears that began to fall as Victoria walked down the aisle to meet him. The day was finally here. The day they would become husband and wife. The day they had been longing for. And here she was, walking toward their forever.

Victoria & Santos decided to have a small, intimate vow exchange before their ceremony. It was such a beautiful and touching moment to witness. Because it was just the two of them (and a few cameras), they were able to really concentrate on each other without having to worry about anyone else. The moment was raw, meaningful, and perfect.

One of the many benefits of a first look is that we had lots of time with Victoria & Santos for their portraits. More time = more great images for your walls and to show off for generations to come. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the weather on their wedding day was absolutely perfect. Cool temps, soft breeze, fluffy clouds, and gorgeous sunlight.

We often hear from couples that they don’t want to do a first look because they are afraid it will ruin the aisle moment. Well, as Santos can attest to, that is totally not the case! Victoria & Santos had a first look, and yet Santos still cried as his bride walked up the aisle toward him.

How cool is that rose petal exit!? If you’re not going to have a grand exit from the reception at the end of the night, then consider one from your ceremony. Rose petals, bubbles, and bird seed are all great options.

Victoria & Santos had their reception at the Atlantic Dance Hall at the Disney Boardwalk. I just love that the marquee had their names on it. It was so cool and special!

Who says a bride should only dance with her father? Victoria decided to share a special dance with her mom as well, and it was such a sweet moment! It had me wishing I had danced with my momma on my wedding day. Also, Miguel and I have been married for 6 years, and Victoria is the first bride who has danced with her dad to the same song I danced with my daddy to <3 I may or may not have been crying behind my camera…

Cypress Grove Estate House Engagement Session - Ajay & Erin

When life gives you rainy days, dress up and ROCK your engagement session! That’s exactly what these two cuties did. This “Fall” in Central Florida has been unusually rainy, and so we’ve had our fair share of rainy sessions lately. Ajay and Erin didn’t let it stop them from being their adorable selves for one second.

Miguel and I met Ajay wayyyy back in college, about 10 years ago. We were fast friends, and we’re so excited to see him marry the love of his life next month! When planning their engagement session, we had to reschedule a couple of times due to the weather. Finally, we decided to just go for it, and I am SO GLAD we did!

There’s something more than a little magical about photos in the rain, and we took full advantage of that. These plastic umbrellas from Target are just the cutest, and they were the perfect compliment to the day. We decided to photograph their engagement session at Cypress Grove Estate House because of its classic charm and southern vibe. Erin particularly loved the little white bridge :)

Ajay and Erin, thank you for trusting Miguel and I to photograph your engagement session and wedding next month. We can’t wait to see you two become husband and wife!!!