Elisa + Brian | Whimsical Rainy Wedding in Boca Raton, Florida

Whimsical Rainy Wedding at the Wyndham Hotel in Boca Raton, Florida

On May 26th, 2018, Andrew and I had the honor of documenting Elisa and Brian's whimsical rainy wedding day in Boca Raton, Florida. Their day was not like any other wedding day we have ever captured. It was perhaps the sweetest, most joyful day we have ever had the pleasure of witnessing. Not even Subtropical Storm Alberto could dampen their joy and excitement!

The initial plan was to say "I do" on the sandy shore of their favorite beach, Red Reef Beach in Boca Raton. But when the forecast called for a very stormy weekend they decided to move the ceremony indoors to the reception location at The Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton. The whole day day was filled with nothing but smiles (Andrew & I included)! Their smiles radiated and lit up the room! So much so that if it wasn't for the rain drops you would think it was the brightest spring day!

When Brian first saw Elisa on their wedding day, he lit up and the biggest smile graced his face! He held his hand over his mouth in awe---completely wowed by his bride. It was the sweetest moment of the entire day. Brian and Elisa were caught up in the moment that was their wedding day and you could tell nothing would ruin it. This was because their priorities weren't found in perfect details or the perfect weather, it was already as perfect as it could because they were marrying each other.

This is true love.

THIS is why we do what we do.

The Love Story

Brian and Elisa met where all true love blooms, the oh-so-hip and ever-trendiest salad buffet, Sweet Tomatoes. Elisa was visiting South Florida from Tallahassee, where she was finishing her graduate degree. That day she was having lunch with her new coworkers, which included Brian. Neither Brian nor Elisa remember saying more than a sentence or two to one another that day. However, the following month, during Elisa's first week on the job, Brian was scheduled to take her along for a day in the field. It was then that they really began to hit it off!

During the following months, their friendship grew as they began to spend more and more time together outside of work. They went to the beach, belted Justin Timberlake songs in the car, and stayed up until 4AM chatting on Facebook. It was obvious to the people who knew them best that they were a match. One night, Elisa mustered up the courage to invite Brian over for dinner. Brian showed up, surprising Elisa with her favorite ice cream and they sat on her patio floor using a moving box as a table.

Elisa confessed her feelings for Brian and waited for his response to which he replied, "the feeling is mutual." The rest, as they say, is history. On their four-year dating anniversary, Brian and Elisa decided together to take a sunrise-sunset trip, visiting both coasts of Florida in one day. They began by watching the sunrise over Red Reef Beach in Boca Raton and then proceeded to head west to Marco Island. There, they spent the day kayaking through a lagoon, eating old-fashioned ice cream and racing down water slides at their hotel.

They ended the day at Naples Pier where they watched the sunset over the Gulf, attempting to spot some dolphins. Then Brian took Elisa to a private bench overlooking the water and popped the big question as the sun was setting. They celebrated back at the hotel with Broski Cider as well as some Don Perignon and chocolate covered strawberries!

Special Thanks

Elisa & Brian, thank you so much for trusting us to document your big day! It was such a honor to witness your wedding day! You both bring out so much joy and love in each other--don't ever let that go! In life, just like your wedding day, many thing won't go according to plan and that's okay.

Choosing to look past all the things that can go wrong and choosing to joyfully love one another is always the best way. In the end, we can't control the outcome, just how we choose to react. Just like you embodied that concept on your wedding day, remember that five, twenty-five, fifty years from now. Couples like you are why we love what we do! We wish you all the best in this wonderful new season of life!

The day began getting ready at the The Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton.

Right before her first look with Brian, I surprised her with a father/daughter first look as she was getting off the elevator! It was such a sweet moment! Then it was time for the first look!

These two truly have the BEST smiles!  Their wedding day was a rainy one but these next portraits ended up being some of my favorites! Rain is magical on a wedding day!

Such a good looking bridal party!

Ceremony time!

Then it was time for the reception! 

These delightful looking cupcakes were delicious and they were VEGAN! Parlour Vegan Bakery is amazing! 

Then the best man gave his speech, but it got a bit side tracked halfway through... When the couple are musicians and a lot of their friends are too, I guess it's completely natural for friends to burst into singing and dancing! ;) They comically serenaded them with the song from Disney's Little Mermaid, "Kiss the Girl"!  It was the BEST part of the whole night!!  And in the end he kissed the girl.

The creative team that brought this Whimsical Rainy Wedding together:

Venue: The Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton

Coordinator: Erin Hmielewski

Florist: Event Bliss

MC: Mike Utter

Photographers: Crystal & Andrew Bolin

Officiant: Julie Novak

Caterers: Farmer’s Table

Cupcakes: Parlour Vegan Bakery

Decorators: Event Bliss

Lighting Designers: PSAV

Invitation​ Designer: Minted Memories shop on Etsy

Makeup Artist: Jennette Zitani

Hair Stylist: Jennette Zitani

Dress Designer: David’s Bridal

Ring Designer: Raymond Lee Jewelers

Jewelry​ Designers: Floridian Ocean Jewelry

Hair Piece Designer: BHLDN

Shoe Designer: David’s Bridal

Bridesmaid's Dresses: BHLDN

Men's​ Wear: Express

Katie + Ryan | Romantic Spring Wedding at the Breakers West Country Club

A Romantic Spring Wedding at the Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida

On May 19th 2018, Andrew and I had the honor of documenting Katie and Ryan's romantic Spring wedding at the Breakers West Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Their elegant day was filled with soft pastel hues and romantic feels. Although their day was filled with an incredible amount of rain, it only added to the dreaminess of their romantic spring wedding!

There were so many stunning details to gush over. Katie's dress alone was a showstopper! Together, with Ryan in a classic black and white tuxedo, there was something so elegant that made this wedding really stand out. But perhaps one of my favorite details wasn't actually a detail at all, but the way Ryan would look at Katie throughout the entire day. The sweetest glances from across the room and the tender smiles he gave her when she caught his eye. These are the things that make me truly love what I do.

The Love Story

Ryan and Katie first started dating after meeting through mutual friends in high school. They continued dating through college and still couldn't get enough of each other. Ryan proposed to Katie last year, by the intracoastal of downtown West Palm Beach. Now ten years since they first met, they officially tied the knot! It is so sweet to see how they really are best friends! They have even been writing "forever & always" on notes to each other since the beginning. Katie and Ryan, may your lives together be filled with love, trust, joy and so many blessings for many years to come!

The Inspiration for their Wedding Day

When looking for inspiration for the wedding theme, Katie decided it was best to just be herself and let the style of her personality shine through. There were muted tones of green and champagne with gold accents throughout the decor. Katie's bridal look is also a reflection of her personality, with romantic beading and lace appliques, but also sleek & trendy with a deep v-neck front and an open back. The designer of the dress (Martine) actually picked the dress out specifically for Katie during a trunk show for bridal gowns. It was love at first sight--just like when she first saw Ryan!

The wedding day began at the stunning Hilton in Downtown West Palm Beach. Their rooms let in so much gorgeous natural light! 

Ah, I love ring shots! 

Then it was time for the father/daughter first look followed by Katie and Ryan’s first look! Ryan's expressions were priceless. We captured all their portraits in the main lobby of the West Palm Beach Hilton. All those windows could make even a rainy day seem bright! 

One of my favorites!  Then we headed over to St Ann's Catholic Church for their ceremony! 

After the ceremony, we headed to the  Breakers West Country Club for the reception. When the rain slowed down we grabbed a few golf carts and explored the grounds to capture a few more bridal portraits.

Reception time!

The Details the brought this Romantic Spring Wedding together:

Getting Ready Location: Hilton in West Palm Beach

Ceremony Location: St Ann's Catholic Church

Reception Location: Breakers West Country Club

Florist: The Bride: Katie with flowers from Whole Foods

DJ: Jason SalernoVideography: Lupinek Productions

Photography: Crystal and Andrew Bolin

Officiate: St Ann's Catholic Church  

Priest: Father Dennis

Caterers: Breakers West Country Club

Wedding Cake Baker: Breakers West Country Club

Decorators: The Bride, Katie and Breakers West Country Club

Invitation​ Designer: Minted

Makeup Artist: Arielle Sanchez

Hair Stylist: Dana Bates

Dress Designer: Martina Liana, purchased at Boca Raton Bridal

Men's​ Wear: Groom: Vince Camuto, Groomsmen: Calvin Klein

Ring Designers: Engagement ring: Ryan's great grandmother; Wedding bands: Costco

Bridesmaids Necklaces: Kate Spade & Kelsi Dagger

Head Piece Designer: Katie Headpiece: LottieDaDesigns

Shoe Designer: Badgley Mischka

Bridesmaids Dresses: "Dessy" from Bella Bridesmaids

Featured: Dreamy Spring Palm Beach Wedding Inspiration

A Dreamy Palm Beach Wedding Inspiration Shoot

On a sunny South Florida afternoon, a team of wedding creatives merged their talents to create a dreamy Palm Beach wedding inspiration shoot. Creamy pastels, coastal Palm Beach scenes and a head-over-heels-in-love couple effortlessly filled each frame. The epitome of elegant and nautical, this styled shoot was filled to the brim with whimsical scenes and joyful spirits. Classical touches of the 1950’s, fitting perfectly with the Annual Palm Beach Regatta providing sailboats and dreamy shores for a breezy backdrop. The bride adorns a timeless lace gown with an elusion neckline and delicate long sleeves, all of which were custom-designed. Her bouquet and flower crown were composed of soft pastels -- giving a light, airy hint of Spring. Simple diamond jewelry paired gracefully with a bold yet tasteful crimson lip color. Classic navy pants, a sharp white shirt, and a light blue striped tie coupled nicely with the tan suspenders worn by the groom.

Planning and capturing this wedding inspiration shoot was a dream to create. This was my first styled shoot ever and I also planned the shoot in THREE days! When I heard about the 2nd Annual Palm Beach Regatta that was happening three days later, I had a thought. I LOVE sailboats and anything nautical so I thought it would make an incredible backdrop for a styled shoot! I thought of the location almost immediately!  I knew the West Palm Beach side would be packed because of the Regatta but I figured that on the Palm Beach island the view would be great and there wouldn't be a crowd. I thought the Lake Trails next to the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum would be perfect! The spot was amazing, even though there weren't as many sailboats as I had hoped the view was still incredible!

When it came time to find models, I immediately thought of a friend and fellow photographer, Augusta and her husband Travis. Augusta contacted me about a year ago when she moved back to South Florida after living in Alaska with her husband! We met up for coffee, chatted about life & photography and have been friends ever since! When I asked Augusta, she quickly asked Travis and within a few hours they said yes! I was so excited!

Since this was my first styled shoot, I knew I wanted to keep it simple yet I wanted a classic 1950s American elegance. I contacted some of my favorite wedding vendors and friends!   Within ONE day I have all the vendors I needed! I was shocked with how quickly they all committed! I sent them an inspiration board but told them to have fun with it and create something they loved. Oh boy, did they deliver! I am SO thankful for them all!

On Thursday, June 2nd, 2016 this dreamy Palm Beach wedding inspiration shoot was featured on Southeastern Bride! It was such an honor to be featured! This was my first styled wedding shoot and my first exclusive publication feature! To view the full feature on Southeastern Bride click here!

Gorgeous letterpress invitations by The Windmill Paper Boutique.Amazing florals by the oh-so-talented Darines Castro of Simply Flowers! If you are looking for a fabulous florist she is the best!! I worked with her for Sarah and Todd's Croquet Wedding back in January! She did an incredible job with their colorful wedding! The perfect flower crown! Hand-lettering/Calligraphy and props were done by the talented Corey Morrow of Ink Letter Love! She's incredibly gifted and has an amazing selection of creations on her Etsy store! I also worked with her for Sarah and Todd's Croquet Wedding! Check out her store here. My favorite piece! Love that quote! Augusta, you are SO stunning!! Gorgeous hair and makeup by the talented Melissa Montoya of Beauty by VM! Mikaela Ndreca of A Pretty Affair helped with the planning and coordination of the shoot. She was such a big help! She also recommended Melissa and I am so thankful because she did an incredible job! Together they are an amazing team! Augusta and Travis Roberts were our models for this wedding shoot! They were so gracious and did an amazing job as models! I planned this shoot in THREE days! Then I asked Augusta, she quickly asked Travis and they were fully committed within a few hours! So thankful for them!! One of my favorite spots on the whole island is Major Alley! Love this little house! When we were shooting the owner of the home came out and started chatting with us! We initially just wanted to get a few shots on the sidewalk with the house in the background, but when the owner came out she started to tell us about the history of the property (I love a good story about the history of something) she invited us to take as many photos as we would like! She told us that her father built the house, in the early 1900s and passed it along to her after his passing. During the story telling, she even invited some of the team into her home for a tour! Seriously, the sweetest women ever! My favorite shot!! 

Hoped you enjoyed this dreamy Palm Beach wedding inspiration shoot!

The creative team that brought this dreamy Palm Beach wedding Inspiration shoot together:

Florist: Simply Flowers

Hair & Makeup: Beauty by VM

Hand Lettering: Ink Letter Love

Photography:  Crystal Bolin Photography

Wedding Planner: A Pretty Affair

Invitation Designer: The Windmill Paper Boutique

Wedding Gown: Novia's Bridal