Sirata Beach Resort Wedding – St Pete – Laura & Mike
Wedding and Reception Location: Sirata Beach Resort
Introduction:
Laura and Mike were flying down from Illinois for their destination wedding at Sirata Beach Resort in St Pete Beach. They’d planned a really relaxed wedding day, with around 60 of their closest family and friends watching on as they said “I do” with their feet sunk into the sands.
Kat Turchich from Coastal Coordinating was the planner behind their beach wedding, which included a reception party well into the night in one of the small ballrooms of Sirata Beach Resort. We met up with them in the early afternoon to capture their final getting ready moments as they prepared in separate oceanfront suites.
Getting ready photos at Sirata Beach Resort
We began the day capturing a photo of Laura’s stunning wedding dress from WTOO by Watters hanging in her elegant suite, as well as an up-close shot as she had the final touches applied to her makeup. While she slipped into her dress, we headed over to the boys’ suite where Mike’s groomsmen were assisting him in getting ready.
Here we captured a creative silhouette of the groom with the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the background, as well as some casual portraits in his suite. Mike had organized some caricature beer steins as gifts for his groomsmen, so we grabbed some candid shots of their reactions at seeing themselves as a cartoon!
We then headed outside for some portraits of the guys on the beach trail that led over the sand dunes to St Pete Beach. As well as group shots of the groomsmen in their gray slacks and brown, leather braces, we also captured a few portraits of Mike on his own.
When we returned to the girls’ suite, Laura’s bridesmaids were straightening the train of her gorgeous wedding dress after receiving their very own caricature glasses! We utilized the time to capture portraits of the beautiful bride standing at the balcony window of her Sirata Beach Resort suite, as well as a close-up shot showing off her engagement ring as she held her bouquet.
Pre-Ceremony portraits at Sirata Beach Resort:
Mike was going to surprise Laura for their first look, so we asked the bride to come downstairs and into the gardens of Sirata Beach Resort to continue her portrait session. After a few shots on her own, we grabbed a candid photo as Mike snuck up behind her and the bride’s reaction at seeing her groom for the first time on their special day.
It was the perfect opportunity for couple portraits as they enjoyed this loved-up moment together, with an ornate balcony providing the perfect setting for a shot of them kissing. We also had time for some portraits of the bridesmaids on the path leading down to St Pete Beach, including some playful ones of Laura being lifted into the air by one of her bridesmaids and another as she and her married friends showed off their rings.
Ceremony photos at Sirata Beach Resort:
Laura and Mike’s barefoot wedding ceremony at Sirata Beach Resort was being held just in front of the sand dunes, with clear and sunny skies overhead. We captured a wide-angle shot looking across this idyllic setting, as well as up-close candids as they poured sand into a vessel together.
After saying “I do”, the couple sealed their marriage with a kiss, which we captured with a black and white photo as their bridal party congratulated them. They then made their recessional walk as “husband and wife”, framed by their ceremonial bamboo arch.
Post-Ceremony photos at Sirata Beach Resort:
We took advantage of the rich, late-afternoon light for a bridal party portrait session on the beach, including a shot of the newlyweds kissing as their entourage celebrated around them and another as they jumped into the air. It was then time for romantics of just the bride and groom as they walked hand-in-hand along the sands and watched the sun sink below the horizon together. We finished the session with a black and white portrait of them embracing and an off-camera flash shot on the beach trail as dusk set in.
Reception photos at Sirata Beach Resort:
Laura and Mike kicked off their ballroom wedding reception with their first dance, which was followed by speeches and toasts from those closest to them. It was then time for their cake-cutting ceremony, with a cute set of personalized cake toppers (including their two dogs) perched on top. We grabbed some details shots of their enticing dessert table, then a candid as they smashed caked into one another’s faces.
The rest of the night was open dancing as young and old celebrated this new union. We captured candid shots of the groomsmen getting down and the bride enjoying the dance floor with her friends, as well as an up-close details shot of the couple’s wedding rings. The night ended with a drinking game to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck”, with the requirement being that you had to drink every time the words “thunder” were heard.
Conclusion
We can’t thank Laura and Mike enough for selecting us as their photographers for this Florida destination wedding at Sirata Beach Resort. We wish them all the best as they return to Illinois to begin their married life together and hope that they like this sneak peek of what’s to come.
Wedding Ceremony Location: SIrata Beach Resort
Wedding Coordinators: Katy Turchich – Coastal Coordinating
Hair Stylists: Kylelynn Weddings
Florists: Bloominous
Cake Artist: Walmart
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