Miami is home, and one of the things I love most about photographing weddings here is that no two have to look or feel the same.
You can get married surrounded by the city, inside a beautiful old building that feels like you’ve stepped back in time, in a garden in Coconut Grove, or with the water right behind you. And honestly, that’s part of what makes Miami so good for weddings. You get to make it completely your own.
But before we ever talk about where we’re taking portraits or what time the sun sets, I want to know about the two of you. What are you excited about? Who are the people you can’t imagine this day without? What do you want your wedding to actually feel like?
Because yes, we’re going to make beautiful photographs. But I also want you to look back at them and remember what was happening around you, who was there, and how it all felt.
There Isn’t Just One Way to Have a Miami Wedding
That’s one of the things I love about this city. You can completely change the feel of your wedding without going very far.
You can celebrate high above the city with the Miami skyline around you, have an elegant ballroom wedding at a five-star resort, or take everything outdoors.
Villa Woodbine in Coconut Grove gives you gardens, greenery and beautiful Mediterranean architecture. Then there’s Vizcaya, where the architecture and gardens can make you feel like you’ve stepped into another time, with Biscayne Bay right there too.
Head farther south and the Historic Walton House feels completely different again, surrounded by tropical gardens and so much character.
And then there’s the Miami we all think of: the water. Your wedding can overlook the bay, happen at a beachfront resort, beside a pool, under the palms or outside on a lawn.
City, garden, historic, resort, water… you don’t have to fit your wedding into one particular Miami look.
That’s the fun part. Your venue becomes part of the personality of your day, and the way I photograph it should feel like it belongs there while still feeling like you.
Before We Build a Photography Timeline, I Want to Know How Your Day Is Moving
One of the first things I ask my couples is what their wedding day actually looks likeWhere are you getting ready? Is your ceremony at the same venue, or are you getting married at a church? Are you doing a first look? Where is the reception? And how important is it to you to be part of cocktail hour?
These things make a difference, especially in Miami.
You might be getting ready at a hotel in Miami Beach, having your ceremony at a church in Miami and then celebrating at your reception in Coconut Grove.
Each location might be perfect on its own. The important part is making sure the three of them work together once we add travel, portraits, family photographs and everything else happening that day.
That’s why I don’t start with a generic wedding timeline and try to make your day fit into it.
We start with your wedding and build the photography around it.
And Yes, We Have to Talk About Miami Traffic
This is one of those things that doesn’t sound very romantic, but it matters.
If your wedding is happening in several locations, it isn’t enough to look at how many miles apart they are. We need to think about what day you’re getting married and what time you’ll actually be on the road.
Friday is a perfect example.
A 5:30 p.m. church ceremony can put you right in the middle of Miami’s afternoon traffic. And an earlier ceremony doesn’t automatically solve everything. Around school dismissal, certain neighborhoods and routes can slow down too.
That drive that looked completely reasonable when you checked it on a Sunday morning may look very different on a Friday afternoon.
So when we’re planning photography, I’m looking at the actual day and time you’ll be traveling, not just the distance between your hotel, church and reception.
I’d much rather give us a little breathing room than have you sitting in traffic in your wedding dress watching the clock.
Let’s Talk About Where You’re Getting Ready
Your getting-ready space matters more than most couples realize.
Think about who is actually going to be in that room. You may have bridesmaids, family, a hair and makeup team, photography, video, flowers arriving, dresses hanging and everyone’s bags and belongings.
A regular hotel room can get crowded very quickly.
If you’re getting ready at a hotel in Miami or Miami Beach, a larger suite with good natural light can make such a difference.
Your hair and makeup team has room to work, everyone can move around comfortably, and we have space to create those beautiful getting-ready portraits without having to move twenty bags every time we change angles.
Natural light is something I especially love having available. It gives us options for portraits and helps create a cleaner, more beautiful getting-ready space in your photographs.
And if both of you are getting ready at the same hotel but don’t want to see each other before the ceremony or first look, consider rooms on different floors. It’s one little decision that can save everyone from playing hide-and-seek with the elevators all morning.
Your Ceremony Time Changes More Than You Think
Once you tell me your ceremony time, one of the first things I’m checking is sunset.
Then I work backwards.
How long is your ceremony? How much daylight will we have afterward? When are we doing family photographs? When are we photographing the two of you? Do you want to attend cocktail hour?
This becomes especially important during the months when the sun sets earlier.
If you have a later ceremony and want most of your portraits in natural light, this is where we might talk about doing a first look.
Do You Have to Do a First Look? No.
I never want a couple to feel like they have to do a first look just because it makes the photography timeline easier.
But I do want you to understand what it can give you.
A first look can allow us to photograph the two of you, your wedding party and potentially some or all of your family before the ceremony. If sunset is early or your ceremony is later, that can take a lot of pressure off the time afterward.
It can also give you something couples don’t always realize they have a choice about: cocktail hour.
Cocktail Hour Doesn’t Automatically Have to Become Portrait Hour
If being at cocktail hour with your guests matters to you, tell me.
Maybe family and friends have flown into Miami from across the country and you actually want to spend that hour with them. You can.
With the right timeline, we can potentially complete most of your portraits beforehand so you don’t disappear for the entire cocktail hour.
And it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
If the sunset is beautiful, we can sneak away for 10 or 15 minutes, take advantage of that light and get you right back to your people.
Or maybe you don’t care about attending cocktail hour and would rather use that time for portraits. That works too.
There isn’t one correct answer. I want to know what matters to you, and then we’ll figure out how photography fits into it.
Getting Married in a Catholic Church?
Miami has so many beautiful church weddings, and if that’s part of your day, there’s one thing worth asking about ahead of time: photography guidelines.
Every church and even individual priests can have different rules. Some may not allow flash photography during the ceremony. Others may have restrictions about where photographers can stand or whether we can step onto the altar.
It doesn’t mean we can’t photograph your ceremony beautifully. It just means I’d rather know the guidelines beforehand so we can respect the church and plan accordingly.
And if your day includes getting ready at one location, traveling to the church and then traveling again to your reception, we’ll make sure those transitions are part of the photography timeline too.
Having Your Ceremony Outside? Welcome to Miami.
Outdoor weddings here are something I’m very used to.
If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony, one of the biggest things I’d think about is simply keeping everyone comfortable.
Consider what time your ceremony starts, how long everyone will be outside, whether there’s shade and how your guests will stay hydrated, especially during the warmer months.
This is also where little details can be both practical and beautiful. Paper parasols or fans can help keep guests comfortable and look so good in photographs.
Letting guests know ahead of time that your ceremony will be outdoors is helpful too. Give them a chance to dress for it.
And because this is South Florida, talk to your venue or planner about the backup plan. Hopefully Plan A happens exactly as expected, but knowing what Plan B looks like means nobody has to figure it out for the first time on your wedding day.
The Photographs I Don’t Want You to Miss
Of course I care about your portraits. We’re going to make those beautiful.
But a wedding gallery shouldn’t only be a collection of beautiful photographs of the two of you.
I’m watching your parents during the ceremony. I’m noticing your friends on the dance floor, your grandmother talking to someone she hasn’t seen in forever, and your bridesmaids helping you before you walk out the door. I’m paying attention to the hugs, reactions and little things happening around you while your attention is somewhere else.
Some of my favorite photographs are the ones my couples didn’t even know I was taking.
Those are the photographs that bring you back to the people who were there and what the day actually felt like.
So yes, I’ll guide you. I’ll fix the little things when I see them. We’ll intentionally create beautiful portraits and plan around the best light we have.
But there are also times when I’m going to step back and let your wedding happen.
You shouldn’t spend your entire wedding day taking pictures of your wedding.
You should get to live it too.
Miami Is Home. The Florida Keys Are My Backyard.
Miami is home for me, but keep driving south and you’re heading straight into another place I photograph all the time: the Florida Keys.
That means my weddings can look very different from one weekend to the next.
One weekend may be architecture, city lights and a ballroom in Miami. The next may be palm trees, ocean and a waterfront celebration in Key Largo or Islamorada.
The scenery changes. My approach doesn’t.
I want to know who you are together, what matters to you, who your people are and how you want this day to feel.
Then we create photographs that belong to your wedding, not somebody else’s.
Are you actually based in Miami?
Yes. Miami is home. I photograph weddings throughout Miami, Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and South Florida, along with Key Largo, Islamorada and the Florida Keys.
Will you help us with our photography timeline?
Absolutely. We’ll talk about where you’re getting ready, your ceremony and reception locations, ceremony time, sunset, whether you’re considering a first look, family photographs and the moments that matter most to you. Then I’ll create the photography timeline around your wedding plans and work alongside your planner or coordinator.
Do we have to do a first look?
No. There are weddings where a first look makes a lot of sense and others where the couple would rather wait until the ceremony. I’ll show you what your timeline looks like both ways and explain what each option gives us. Then you decide.
What if we’re getting ready, having our ceremony and celebrating at three different locations?
That’s very doable. We simply need to plan for it. We’ll consider the actual travel time between locations, the time of day you’ll be driving, Miami traffic, your ceremony time and sunset so we’re not trying to squeeze too much photography into too little time.
Can we enjoy cocktail hour instead of spending the entire time taking photographs?
Yes. If that’s important to you, tell me early. A first look and portraits before the ceremony can potentially free up much more of cocktail hour. And if there’s beautiful sunset light, we can always sneak away for a few minutes without taking you away from your guests for the entire hour.
Do you photograph Catholic church weddings?
Yes. Individual churches and priests may have different photography guidelines, so it’s always helpful to confirm those beforehand. Some churches may have restrictions on flash or where photographers can stand during the ceremony, while others may allow a short period of time after the ceremony for portraits inside the church or near the altar.
Once I know the guidelines and how much time we’re allowed afterward, I can plan the photography timeline around them while still respecting the church and the ceremony.
What happens if we’re planning an outdoor Miami wedding?
From the photography side, we’ll think about the time of day, available light and how that affects your portraits. For weather logistics and backup locations, your venue or planner will be your best resource. I always recommend knowing what the backup plan is ahead of time, even if we never need it.
Do you photograph weddings in the Florida Keys?
All the time. Miami is home and the Florida Keys are my backyard. I photograph weddings throughout Key Largo, Islamorada and the Florida Keys, as well as destination weddings beyond South Florida.
Let’s Make It Feel Like You
Maybe you’re getting married high above the city. Maybe you found a garden in Coconut Grove that feels completely like you. Maybe it’s Vizcaya, a beautiful resort, a church you’ve known your entire life, or somewhere overlooking the water.
Your wedding doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
We’ll plan the photography intentionally, create the portraits you’ve been dreaming about and leave plenty of room for the things we could never plan.
Because usually, somewhere between everything we planned and everything we didn’t, are the photographs you end up loving the most.
