Danae + Ricky | Breezy Bohemian Engagement in Palm Beach, FL

 A Breezy Bohemian Engagement in Palm Beach, Florida

On Thursday, August 18th, Andrew and I had the pleasure of documenting Danae and Ricky's breezy bohemian engagement on Palm Beach, Florida. It was a beautiful afternoon and the scene was so dreamy. Danae and Ricky are such a gorgeous couple and they brought their adorable puppy, Cooper! Everything about this boho-inspired engagement shoot was so stunning!

Danae decided to have their photos taken at a serene spot next to the Flagler Museum and the Palm Beach Lake Trail. We began our shoot in the late afternoon, right before golden hour. It was the perfect time of day for a dreamy engagement shoot. Danae wanted an elegant bohemian inspired engagement shoot and I believe we achieved that.

Right before the shoot we were chatting and we discovered that we are all Cuban! Ricky, like myself, was born in the United States but Danae was actually born in Cuba and came to the United States when she was just a toddler. It's not very often that I get the opportunity to work with Cuban couples so working with Danae and Ricky was so nice!

The Love Story:

Their love story starts in a very simple way. A knock on the door. They were both attending the University of Florida at the time. Danae's best friend and roommate had started dating one of Ricky's roommates, so he had been invited to come over for dinner. Danae was a graduate student at the time and had no time to even sit to have dinner with them, so she went to her room to study until she overheard someone talking about “puerco asado” (roasted pork). The Cuban in her couldn’t resist so she went to investigate. Come to find out, Ricky was Cuban too!

Soon they would come to find out they both grew up in West Palm Beach, had gone to South Olive Elementary School, and had grown up in Lake Osbourne Estates! They had grown up just a few blocks from each other but it wasn't until college that they finally met.

Eventually, they both graduated from UF, moved back home to West Palm Beach to be closer to family and bought their first home. A few days after they moved into their home they added Mr. Cooper to their little family, their YorkiePoo. He's the cutest little guy!

The Proposal:

With a strong four-year relationship they never doubted their relationship would last and always knew that one day they would share the same last name. On the last day of June, Ricky planned their beautiful engagement. He invited their families, including Danae's sister who flew in from Ohio, to a day at the Breakers in Palm Beach. After a perfect poolside breakfast with the family, Ricky had scheduled a manicure and pedicure for Danae and her sister. Towards the end of their appointment, their moms came to take Danae and her sister to the bungalows pool.

As they walked over they stopped at a lookout point in front of the ocean, where Ricky, along with both of their families, met them. That was the moment Ricky proposed. They spent the rest of the day drinking champagne, eating, and having a perfect afternoon beachside at the Breakers. Now they are planning their destination wedding for next year, and couldn’t be happier or more excited about their future together!

Danae & Ricky, thank you so much for allowing us the honor of capturing your engagement photos! It was a pleasure working with you guys and little Cooper!

The details that brought this Breezy Bohemian Engagement shoot together:

Location: Palm Beach Lake Trail & The Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, Florida

Photography: Crystal Bolin Photography

Bride's first dress: Lulu’s White Floral Maxi Dress

Bride's second dress: Lulu's Black Snowy Meadows Crocheted Maxi Dress

Floral Headpiece: DC Design Studio

Bouquet: DC Design Studio

Parasol: DC Design Studio

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