I didn’t meet Taylor + Joe until the DAY OF their wedding. And to take it one further, it was the first time I’d ever even spoken to either of them! :) Taylor’s mama did all the correspondence to book their photography (she rocks by the way!). And thank the Lord, I hit it off immediately with this couple. We had instant vibeage and made photo magic!

Portofino yet again provided the perfect backdrop for this beach wedding! Everything timed out exquisitely with sunset, and we captured some of my favorite beachy shots of this year. #goldengoodness

The biggest request that Taylor + Joe had wasn’t what you’d expect: “we don’t want a ton of photos taken!” Honestly they wanted to just hang with their friends and family and enjoy their day, and I could not fault them for that at all. We were able to take plenty of photos with them in about a half hour’s time, too! And that included all the family AND bridal party as well.

Salt + Light Visuals was my “other half” for video this day, and Caleb and Daniel made everyhting that much more amazing. Oh and here’s a sidebar tip for my couples: you cannot buy camaraderie and ease of working together with your vendors… make sure you get referrals so your entire team is cohesive so they’ll seamlessly make your day come together!

Taylor was oh so kind to answer some fun questions for me, and I hope her tips will help my future brides and grooms! {Scroll on down for all the great info!}

Daddy’s first look was totally unscripted by the way!! As with many things on this day, we just winged it…wung it?…we were winging it y’all.

-How did you two meet/How long have you been together?: “We met in college, we had class together; and will both claim we moved seats to sit next to the cute girl/guy from class. We’ve known each other for probably 5 years, and then have been together for four of those years.”

-How did he pop the question?: “For his birthday in October I bought him tickets to the LSU/Alabama football game. It was a scramble to get the ring there in time, and he proposed on campus after the game.”

-What was your absolute favorite part of the day? Does your spouse have a different favorite?: “For both of us, the best part of the day was just being in one place with all of our family and friends. We live away and don’t get to see most of our family or friends very often. Having them all together was a blast.”

-What surprised you about your wedding day?: “Honestly, it was exactly what I imagined.”

-What was the biggest challenge you faced in planning your wedding?: “You met me, so there really weren’t any!!”

-Why did you pick the venue that you chose?: “We chose the Portofino number one because it’s one of my favorite places to be. I love the beach, and hope to live in Pensacola one day. It was also an easy place for our friends and family to travel to.” 

-I love to hear about vendors you love! Please list any vendors here and your experience with them!: “All of the vendors we used were great. I was very happy with the band, because to me that sets the tone for the whole night. Mr. Big and the Rhythm Sisters. They were fun, interactive, and play great songs.”

-What photography-related advice would you offer to other couples?: “Keep it short! Gave us more time to have fun with our family and friends.”

-What advice would you offer to other couples planning a wedding?: “Have fun, and don’t take it too seriously. Getting married is a big deal, but your wedding itself isn’t. It is a day to bring together two families and celebrate.”

-How was your experience taking photos/working with me on your wedding day?: “It was great! After ceremony pictures were easy, and didn’t take too long, and then we moved on to the party.”

Vendor Love
Venue: Portofino Island Resort
Photography: Melissa Wilson Photography
Videography: Salt + Light Visuals
Makeup/Hair: Jillian Jensen

Cake: Emerald Coast Custom Cakes