KERRI + MATT - Jupiter, Florida Wedding - Part II of II

Kerri & Matt... just LOOK at how gorgeous they are! LOVE this photo of them as husband and wife. : )

Kerri & Matt got married at a beautiful church in Hobe Sound - St. Christopher Catholic Church. The priest who married Kerri's parents also married Kerri & Matt. How special is that? On the way back from the church, we detoured to stop at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse for some quick portraits. The reception was held at The Loxahatchee Club, which provided a beautiful backdrop for the (amazing!) party.

Bride's dress: Jim Hjelm Bride's shoes: Stephen Bonanno Bridesmaids' dresses: Alfred Sung Groom and groomsmen attire: Vera Wang for Men's Wearhouse Makeup and hair: Team Beauti Florals: Allen Roberts Floral Designs Cake: Sweet Tiers Band: Pangea

The day was full of emotion and charm. My favorite parts were probably seeing Matt tear up while Kerri walked down the aisle with her dad, as well as watching Kerri and Matt during their vows. And I captured more than a few laughing fits between Matt and his mom (they both have awesome smiles!), which tug at my heartstrings. I also loved the unique elements that were incorporated into Kerri's attire: her purse was made from her mom and grandmother's wedding dresses, and Kerri wore a gardenia, her late grandmother's favorite flower, in her hair during the reception to honor her.

Both families were just so friendly and FUN. I enjoyed every minute of this day! Please enjoy my favorites. : ) (And if you missed part I, you can find it HERE.)

How cute are the out-of-town baskets? A mini palm tree!!

So handsome! Loved the white tux coats.

Kerri's mom and dad... so proud.

GORGEOUS!

These kids are SO precious.

LOVE this one.

MARRIED!

GOOMBAY SMASH! The couple first met in the Bahamas, so they had signature drinks from their favorite island at the reception.

The toasts had everyone laughing!

Kerri was less than thrilled about taking cake to the face, but she was good natured about it. ; )

Love me some twins!

I'm not sure where this tradition started, but I like it.

Shout out to a past MTP bride & groom - hey heyyyyy! Looking good!

KERRI + MATT - Jupiter, Florida Wedding - Part I of II

Kerri & Matt got married in Jupiter, Florida (a beautiful place!) in early July. I met this awesome couple through another couple that I photographed in the Bahamas last year (love y'all!). Kerri & Matt actually met in the Bahamas; they couldn't be sweeter and more perfect for each other. I was lucky they chose me to shoot their rehearsal dinner and wedding. Here are some of my favorites from the night before the wedding! Don't miss the awesome animation at the end of the post of Kerri & her bridesmaids picking up Matt for a photo. Seemed like a good idea... : )

How sweet is this little girl? She had so many great expressions!

Before the sun went down completely, we stepped outside for some portraits. Beautiful light...!

JULIA: NEWBORN

Sometimes when I edit photos, I get emotional. Like tears-streaming-down-my-face emotional. And this is one of those times. : ) Meet Julia Lee Williamson, my new niece. She is so precious and beautiful. My brother and sis-in-love had their second child last month, and I'm so happy for their growing family! It is such a privilege to spend time with and photograph families, especially when the family is my own. I traveled to Florida to photograph Julia when she was 24 days old. And I also snuck in some snuggles with her. : ) Dylan, my nephew, is getting more used to seeing me with a camera in front of my face. All I have to say is: Aunt "paparazzi" Mel is going to be around for awhile! Enjoy Miss Julia and family.

I love Julia's 'fro in these photos!

Dylan wanted to model in the basket after Julia! Too funny.

She has SO much hair!

"Show us your teeth, Dylan!!!" : )

Little darling lips.

DONNA + CHRIS - Ritz-Carlton Wedding

This was the last wedding that I shot in 2012, and boy, was it a beauty! Go grab a hot beverage, you're going to want to spend some time drooling over this wedding...

Donna and Chris got married at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Chris and I are cousins, and I was so honored/thrilled/happy/PUMPED when Donna asked me to shoot their wedding. I love Chris and his family, but over the course of planning the wedding, I got the chance to know Donna and her family better, and they are just THE SWEETEST! Chris, you caught yourself such a caring, beautiful woman. I'm so, SO happy for y'all.

Bride's dress: San Patrick Bride's shoes: Jimmy Choo Bridesmaids' dresses: Coren Moore Groom and groomsmen attire: Old Dog Clothing Ties: J.Crew Makeup and hair: Amy Palma of South Beach Makeup Studio Florals: Xquisite Events Coordinator: Lori Kelly Weddings Cake: Ana Paz Reception music: Mike Sipe Entertainment Videographer: Motion Picture Event Films Caterer: Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale Invitations & programs: It's My Party Rings: Diamonds Direct Charlotte

The day went flawlessly, thanks in huge part to Lori Kelly. Y'all, this lady knows what she is doing! The details at this wedding were jaw-dropping. Literally... I think I found my mouth open in amazement pretty much the entire day. I loved the navy blue suits that the groomsmen wore and the elegance of the bridesmaids' dresses. And Donna has killer style, so of course she looked STUNNING. I could go on and on and on (about the cake, the candy bar, the florals...).

Thanks again for having me, y'all! Now if only I was currently staring at this view... ; )

LOVED Donna's dress and shoes.

Gorgeous.

Stud.

The family are HUGE Carolina fans. We had to!

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

: )

What did I tell you?

This is my absolute favorite.

Get ready to be blown away...

My uncle on the left and my cousins on the right... so fun to photograph family. : )

I think I almost fainted when I saw their cake.

Gangham Style!

KEY WEST

Last October for my birthday, Ryan took me on a surprise trip to Key West, Florida. And I mean it was a COMPLETE surprise. I didn't know we were going on a trip until the day before, and I didn't know where we were going until we got to the gate. All I had to do was pack a bag... and my camera, of course. : ) Here are some highlights from our sunny weekend getaway. Can we go back? Like... now?!

We found an AMAZING vegetarian place called The Cafe, and we ate there both days. SO good.

And this is where my love affair for Woodchuck Pear Cider started... yum.

... the staff was awesome too. : )

I found this painted on the side of a wall...

We found this dude it town with a BEAUTIFUL parrot. Naturally, I was afraid of the bird but got close enough to get some snaps...

... and Ryan made friends with him.

Night #1 sunset from the harbor. It was more unbelievable in person.

Ryan has THE longest eyelashes in the world.

Trip to the butterfly sanctuary!

We stopped by Ernest Hemingway's place...

And here's the lighthouse we tried to visit, but it closed down five minutes before we arrived. Dang.

Night #2 sunset; we watched from atop a hotel in town.

Thank you, Ryan, for such a wonderful trip! : )