COURTNEY + JUSTIN - NAPLES WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
I first met Baby Brooks and his parents at their newborn session. They have such a genuine and sincere way about them, that it made my job easy.
Children's photography is one of the most difficult photographic discipline, mainly because your main subject can be unpredictable. To ensure a great session, always schedule your photo shoot either early in the morning or shortly after a nap. This will ensure your child is as fresh and well-rested as possible.
Keep some favorite toys on hand - especially ones that are shiny, light up and make noise. These are all cajoling agents behind the lens.
Finally, it never hurts to have grandma in the background making funny sounds (as we did with Baby Brooks!). You can see his adorable smile in response to her.
Courtney + Justin were so much fun! They never ceased to surprise me with a cool fact or story. Seeing that I was pregnant at the time of this wedding, Courtney, who is an OBGYN, volunteered to deliver my baby in her wedding dress, should the worst occur (fortunately, it didn't). But I whole heartedly appreciated her selflessness in sentiment.
The pair hail from Ohio, and were originally planning a 400 person hometown wedding, but ultimately, opted for an intimate destination wedding at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point for just 80 guests.
One of my favorite stories from the day revolved around Courtney's engagement ring. It was a family heirloom, passed down to Justin from his grandfather. Justin's grandmother had worn the ring for more than 50 years, and left it to her grandson. But even more beautiful is the story of how the ring came to be in the first place. Justin's grandfather was fighting the Korean war. After only knowing his future wife a very short time (i.e. 1 month or less!), he bought her a ring and shipped it to her in a shoebox from Korea. His bride accepted via letter and the two were married when he returned from the war. Romance is just not what it once was!
Their garden wedding took place under cool blue skies in the Florida fall. With a wonderfully experienced vendor team including planner Along Came Stephanie and Signature Florals, the day ran smoothly and beautifully.