LOCATIONS:
Getting Ready Location: Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort
Wedding and Reception Location: West Shore Yacht Club, Tampa, Florida
Introduction:
Christine and Jon’s West Shore Yacht Club wedding had everything – clear skies, a dramatic storm front and lots of love. Originally from Philadelphia, they both now call Tampa home, although many of their wedding guests had made the long trip south to be part of their special day.
Christine wanted something really relaxed at the waterfront and they’d selected the West Shore Yacht Club, partly because they offered a taco and fajita bar that perfectly suited the laid-back atmosphere they desired. While a storm front swept through (and momentarily resulted in a power outage), the rain quickly subsided and it allowed us to capture some really dramatic photos.
Getting ready photos at the Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort:
The day all began at the Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort where the bride and groom were getting ready in separate suites. We grabbed some casual black and white shots of Jon making his final preparations and reading a note card from his wife-to-be, as well as a relaxed portrait on his balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
We then went to capture Christine and her bridesmaids as they were getting ready, with the help of the talented makeup artist, Lucrecia, and hairstylist, Jeanne. We documented the bride as she admired her gorgeous gown by Essence of Australia and grabbed a black and white candid of the chaos as the girls made their final preparations. Once the bride was ready to go, we captured some beautiful close-up portraits of Christine looking absolutely radiant.
Although the wedding day schedule was running a bit late, we grabbed some portraits of Christine on her balcony at the Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort and in the dimly-lit hallway, as well as a shot as her bridesmaids embrace her warmly. A mirror in the hallway allowed us to get creative with a reflective shot while the orange lights above were perfect for a silhouette portrait.
Wedding ceremony photos at West Shore Yacht Club:
It was then time for the wedding ceremony to get underway at the West Shore Yacht Club, with Christine and Jon saying “I do” in the presence of around 120 of their closest family and friends. We captured a wide-angle looking across the outdoor wedding ceremony venue and a black and white candid of their first kiss, followed by romantic portraits of the couple around the leafy grounds of the West Shore Yacht Club.
Portraits at the West Shore Yacht Club:
In addition to capturing portraits of Christine with her bridesmaids in their pale blue dresses, we also grabbed a group shot as the couple kissed and their bridal party celebrated. The heavy, dark clouds of a storm then swept across the sky, which we utilized in a dramatic portrait of Christine and Jon standing at the end of the West Shore Yacht Club jetty.
After a bit of drama with a power outage and heavy rains, things subsided and we were able to continue our wedding portrait session at the West Shore Yacht Club. We grabbed intimate black and whites of the newly weds embracing, as well as a creative off-camera flash shot of them standing beneath the Christmas lights.
Reception photos at the West Shore Yacht Club:
Christine and Jon then made a playful grand entrance to their reception at the West Shore Yacht Club (referencing the Philadelphia Eagles) before a night of celebration as they danced with family and friends under the stars. We documented their cake cutting ceremony and some details shots of their wedding invitations, together with a fun shot of them in a Tinder frame (referencing the way they had met online).
The night ended with a grand sparkler exit from the West Shore Yacht Club before Christine and Jon jumped in their romantic trolley to head back to the Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort.
Conclusion:
We loved capturing Christine and Jon’s wedding celebrations at the West Shore Yacht Club and the opportunity to work with wedding planner Amy Winkleman and DJ Anthony Schiavone from Tampa Party Starters. We wish them all the best as they embark on this new chapter together and everything that life brings their way.
Wedding Planner: Amy Winkleman
Wedding Ceremony Location: West Shore Yacht Club
Reception Location: West Shore Yacht Club
Hotel and Accommodations: Getting Ready pictures: Wyndham Clearwater Beach Resort
Cake Artist: Gigi’s cupcakes
Cosmetician Make up: Lucrecia
Hair Stylists: Jeanne
Florists: Publix