Bella Collina Wedding - Lauren & Jonathan

As his bride walked toward him, Jonathan couldn’t hold back the tears. The moment had finally arrived when Lauren would become his wife, and the air was thick with joy and happy crying. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Even us photographers were wiping back tears as we captured the moment.

Lauren and Jonathan’s Bella Collina wedding was the first wedding Miguel and I had the privilege of photographing since this pandemic started. After 4 months of not being able to photograph weddings, we were truly thrilled to have this one as our first back. They happiness of these two was palpable the whole day long, and it’s days like these that make us fall in love with our job (and each other!) all over again. As a husband and wife team, we absolutely LOVE to be there for other couples as they embark on a new marriage!

Bella Collina weddings are some of my favorite because this venue is just to die for! Fun fact, I DESPERATELY wanted to have our reception here when Miguel and I got married (almost 7 years ago!!!), but it was too far from our church to make it work. But I digress. Isn’t the architecture amazing!? It’s like you’ve been transported out of Central Florida and straight to Tuscany.

Remember earlier when I said that Jonathan started crying as soon as his bride was visible? I wasn’t kidding! These are seriously some of the sweetest groom reaction images we have ever had the honor of capturing. Miguel’s reaction was similar on our wedding day, and it brought me right back to that moment.

Can we please take a moment to talk about how stunning Lauren looked!? Her dress was gorgeous and fit her perfectly. Not to mention that she’s a gorgeous girl to begin with. Jonathan is one lucky guy.

The flowers for this wedding were so pretty! Check out the florist and the rest of the amazing vendor team at the bottom of this post.

Woo guys, this party was dancing all night long! And Lauren’s dress did that magical flaring out thing when she twirled that I just LOVE!

Lauren & Jonathan, thank you for trusting us to capture your big day. We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness.

Amazing vendor team:

Planner: Bella Sposa Events

Venue: Bella Collina

Rentals: Ocean Hawks Rentals

Flowers: Lee James Floral

Cake: Sugar Sugar Cake Boutique

Hair & Makeup: Laura Reynolds Artistry

Dress: Lily’s Bridal

DJ & Lighting: Soundwave Entertainment

Cypress Grove Estate House Engagement Session - Lynsey & Mike

We were worried about the weather all day leading up to this session. Since it’s summertime here in Orlando, we pretty much have rain every day, and this day was no different. But, as the day went on, the expected start time for the rain kept moving later and later in the day, so we were hopeful we’d get some beautiful sun for Lynsey and Mike’s photos. But, as we ran out the door to make it to their session, we decided to grab our clear umbrellas just in case…

This was my third engagement session back since COVID started, but it was the first one that Miguel got to join me on. Oh, how I have missed shooting with him! You see, he’s definitely the outgoing and sociable one between us, so having Miguel along always makes sessions super fun!

But the only thing that makes engagement sessions more fun than having Miguel around is when our couples spend the whole time laughing. And that’s exactly what these two did! It’s such a privilege and a joy to be able to photograph two people so in love that it’s literally impossible for them to wipe the smiles off their faces!

So remember when I said that Miguel and I grabbed our clear umbrellas just before heading out the door? Well, it’s a good thing we did! Just as Lynsey and Mike were finishing changing into their second outfits, the skies opened up and POURED. But, at the same time, the sunset was shining through the rain like magic. So, we handed them an umbrella and ushered them out into the torrential rainfall for some epic rain shots. We have no regrets.

My favorite shot from the whole session is this rainy image!

Lynsey and Mike, thank for trusting us to photograph your love! We can’t wait for your big day this November!

Lake Runnymede Conservation Area Engagement Session - Sean & Tay

Here in Orlando, Florida, it rains every single day in the summertime. Usually, from May-August it will downpour from 3-6 PM. It’s just a fact of life here. Unfortunately, it makes scheduling engagement sessions in the summer a bit of a challenge. You never know when you’re going to get rained out and have to reschedule. For that reason, we typically recommend sunrise engagement sessions in the summer. Now, I know it can be intimidating to have to arrive photo-ready at 6:30 AM, but Sean & Tay knocked it out of the park! Thank you for getting up before the sun with me!

Also, there’s just something a little more magical about sunrise than sunset. The light is so warm and glow-y (is that a word? It is now.) It’s the perfect backdrop for an engagement session. I especially love the way the light peeks through the trees at Lake Runnymede.

Sean and Tay were the best early morning companions! They never once complained about the early hour; they were just so happy and in love. It certainly makes my job a lot easier when our couples are happy to be working with us. We have the best clients!

Sean & Tay are getting married later this year at the brand new Grand Ol Barn in New Smyrna Beach, and we can’t wait!

Bok Tower Gardens Engagement Session - Laura & Dan

Laura and Dan were my first engagement session back since COVID shutdowns, and let me tell you, I could not have picked a better couple to get back into action with! They were so sweet and fun, and just such a joy to work with! They’re getting married at the Royal Crest Room early next year, and Miguel and I can’t wait to capture their big day!

From the moment we started planning their engagement session, Laura knew that she wanted her photos to be taken at the amazing Bok Tower Gardens. And who could blame her? Bok Tower is one of our absolute favorite places to photograph. There’s so much diversity and so many unique backgrounds that it’s the ideal engagement photo session location.

There was one image in particular that Laura was excited to capture, and that’s the one below. it was inspired by a similar image Miguel and I had taken of another couple in this same spot.

Seriously, how adorable were these two!? Smiles for days, which is just my favorite! Laura and Dan, thank you for spending an afternoon with me and my cameras. I can’t wait for your wedding next March!

Mejias Family Quarantine

Miguel and I almost never write about ourselves. Today, we thought we’d take the time to show a little bit of what’s been going on in our home during this stay at home order.

We have two little boys. Lucas, who is almost four, and Jonah, who is two. Taking care of two toddlers at home all of the time has been quite the daunting task, but we are making it work with lots of new activities for the kiddos. I think their favorite so far has been baking banana muffins. Both of these boys are OBSESSED with bananas, so I knew it would be the perfect baked good to make with them!

The muffins were a hit! Of course, both the boys inherited my sweet tooth. The often ask for cake.

While we may not have been able to go anywhere for Easter, I still took the opportunity to dress the boys up. We did a fun egg hunt in our backyard, and the boys ate way too much candy.

Another activity they loved was chalk art on the driveway. I remember being obsessed with sidewalk chalk when I was a kid, so it was a blast to see my boys enjoy it as much as I used to. Not gonna lie, I totally spent a ton of time playing with it too!

But my favorite times of all have been the quiet times. Miguel reading to them before bed. Us cuddled on the couch watching a movie. Lucas and Jonah playing nicely together for once. Those are the memories I’ll carry always.