LOCATIONS:
Gulf Drive Cafe – Anna Maria Island, Florida
Bradenton Beach
Capturing an intimate moment between Taylor and Sean during their Anna Maria Island wedding portrait session.
Introduction:
With a hurricane sweeping along Florida’s Gulf Coast, I was concerned about the effect it was going to have on Taylor and Sean’s wedding at the Gulf Drive Cafe. But they weren’t going to let it dampen their mood, with plenty of love and warmth to capture throughout their special day. Everything was happening on beautiful Anna Maria Island, with the girls getting ready in a private beach house while the boys had checked-in to a hotel.
Getting ready photos on Anna Maria Island:
We captured candid shots of Taylor as she made her final preparations, as well as some creative shots of the bridesmaids as they were getting ready in the mirror. We also grabbed details shots of her gorgeous bouquet, colorful garter and earrings, as well as a black and white as she shared in this special moment with her mom.
Once she was in her dress and looking absolutely radiant, we staged some portraits in front of the French doors of her private beach house and on the sweeping verandah. We also captured some more creative portraits of the bride with her bouquet and a gorgeous close-up shot featuring her engagement ring.
Meanwhile, Sean and the groomsmen were making their preparations in a nearby hotel. We captured a creative, reflective shot of the groom outside the hotel, then a few more playful shots with his nine groomsmen in the sand dunes behind Bradenton Beach.
A creative shot of Taylor's mom helping her get ready in a private beach house on Anna Maria Island.
A close-up details shot of Taylor's colorful garter and earrings in a private beach house on Anna Maria Island.
Taylor's beautiful floral bouquet in a glass vase as she prepared for her wedding at Gulf Drive Cafe.
A creative, reflective shot of Taylor's bridesmaids getting ready in a mirror at their private beach house.
A black and white shot capturing a special moment between Taylor and her mom as they prepared for the Gulf Drive Cafe wedding.
Taylor's bridesmaids and mom assist her as she steps into her wedding dress at a private beach house in Florida.
A portrait of Taylor looking radiant with her floral bouquet in a private Florida beach house.
A creative shot of Taylor holding her beautiful bouquet as she prepared for her wedding on Anna Maria Island.
A portrait of Taylor in front of the French doors at her private Anna Maria Island beach house.
A close-up portrait of Taylor highlighting her engagement ring as she prepared for her wedding at the Gulf Drive Cafe.
Taylor soaks up the views from the verandah of her private beach house on Anna Maria Island
A whimsical black and white portrait of Taylor standing in the sand dunes on Anna Maria Island.
A close-up shot of Taylor drinking champagne as she prepared for her wedding at Gulf Drive Cafe.
A reflective black and white portrait of Sean outside the Gulf Drive Cafe on his wedding day.
A candid shot of Sean and one of his groomsmen getting ready for the Gulf Drive Cafe wedding.
A playful black and white shot of Sean hanging out with his groomsmen at Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island.
A creative black and white shot of Sean with his groomsmen in the lead up to his wedding on Anna Maria Island.
A casual portrait of Sean standing in the sand dunes of Anna Maria Island in the lead up to his beach wedding.
Ceremony photos at Gulf Drive Cafe:
With the water having flooded up onto the beach, Taylor and Sean’s wedding ceremony had to be moved slightly further inland so they weren’t standing knee deep! But it was still a magnificent setting, with perfect diffuse lighting that really made the colors “pop”.
We grabbed a wide-angle shot as the couple and their wedding guests paused to pray, with thatched beach huts lining the backdrop. Then captured all the celebration as the newly weds embraced for a spontaneous kiss, surrounded by their elated bridal party.
Capturing a kiss between the newly weds, surrounded by their bridal party, on Anna Maria Island.
Taylor and Sean walk hand-in-hand along the sands of Bradenton Beach, followed by their bridal party.
Taylor surrounded by her bridesmaids in their blue and green-hued dresses on the sands of Bradenton Beach.
A candid shot of Taylor and her bridesmaids walking along the idyllic white sands of Anna Maria Island.
Taylor, Sean and their wedding guests pause to pray during the beachfront wedding at Gulf Drive Cafe.
A creative shot of Taylor and her bridesmaids holding their floral bouquets during the Anna Maria Island wedding photo session.
Portraits on Anna Maria Island:
With the water having receded slightly, we were able to head down onto the white sands of Anna Maria Island for some bridal party portraits, illuminated by the blue and green-hued colors of the bridesmaids dresses. We grabbed casual shots as the couple walked hand-in-hand along the beach with their bridal party following behind, as well as some more creative angles in this picturesque setting.
We then moved on to photograph some romantic couple portraits of Taylor and Sean in this loved-up moment, capturing black and whites and close-up shots, as well as a whimsical portrait of Taylor leading Sean along the beach.
Capturing an intimate moment between Taylor and Sean during their Anna Maria Island wedding portrait session.
Capturing a kiss between the newly weds in black and white on the sands of Anna Maria Island.
A whimsical black and white portrait of the newly married couple on the white sands of Anna Maria Island.
Capturing a tender moment between Taylor and Sean during their Florida island wedding portrait session.
An ethereal shot of Taylor leading Sean along an Anna Maria Island beach during their wedding portrait session.
Taylor and Sean look lovingly into each other's eyes following their beachside wedding on Anna Maria Island.
Taylor and Sean were all smiles following their romantic beach wedding ceremony on Anna Maria Island in Florida.
Reception photos at Gulf Drive Cafe:
It was then time for the reception to get underway, although we did manage to sneak in a bit early to grab a few details shots of the three-tiered wedding cake and creative sweetheart table first. Taylor and Sean were full of love as they danced and fed one another sweets, with around 160 of their closest family and friends there to celebrate with them.
During the evening, we managed to sneak out with the newly weds for a few romantic nighttime couple portraits, utilizing our off-camera flash. We captured a creative shot on the dunes with their elongated shadows, as well as a few more intimate embraces to end the evening.
The creative sweetheart table for Taylor and Sean at their Gulf Drive Cafe reception.
A details shot of the blue-hued wedding cake at Taylor and Sean's Gulf Drive Cafe wedding reception.
Taylor and Sean feed each other sweets during their beachside reception at Gulf Drive Cafe.
A details shot of Taylor and Sean's wedding rings at Gulf Drive Cafe on Anna Maria Island.
The newly weds enjoying the dance floor during their intimate beachside wedding at the Gulf Drive Cafe.
intimate-nighttime-couple-portrait
A romantic nighttime couple portrait of Taylor and Sean walking along the sands of Anna Maria Island.
Conclusion:
We really want to thank Taylor and Sean for selecting Fallbrook Photography to capture their beautiful wedding at Gulf Drive Cafe and wish them all the happiness in their married life together.
Wedding and Reception hall: Gulf Drive Cafe
Cake Artist: Publix
Cosmetician and hair stylists: Krista Worth
Florists: Sally Teahan
Officiant: Kevin Kiser
Planner: Laura Snow