Hogs Breath Saloon | Key West Restaurant Marketing and Branding Photography

After new owners took over Hog's Breath Saloon, the iconic Key West establishment that's been a staple of island life for decades, I received a call to work with them on their new branding and marketing photos. The saloon’s website and social media are getting a fresh makeover, and I was excited to capture the content that will be part of this new campaign. Check out my take on how the shoot was planned, some of the creative challenges it presented, and the final outcome of some of my favorite photos from that day.

BrandingKarrieApril 5, 2024Inn at Key Westcontent creation, social media content, marketing shoot, hogs breathComment

Jessica and Michael | Oldest House Key West Wedding

Capturing Jessica and Michael's wedding day in Key West was an absolute delight. Their love story began in Vale Colorado, eventually landing them in the Southernmost City at The Oldest House in Key West, which provided a historic and intimate backdrop for their friends and family. Surrounded by lush foliage and towering trees, we documented their day with cherished family members, each photograph a testament to the love and joy that only a Key West wedding can bring!

Matt and Eric | Casa Marina Resort Wedding Day

It was spring of 2019 when Matt went on a first date to the movies with Eric, and even though they didn’t love the film, they still considered that the first day of their love story. I would eventually meet them when Matt planned a surprise engagement photo shoot and Eric said yes! Fast forward to the big day of the wedding, when the guys came back to Key West and officially tied the knot at the Casa Marina Resort.

Real WeddingsKP StudioFebruary 1, 2024Casa Marina Resortdestination wedding, casa marina, same sex coupleComment

Best Locations to Propose and Plan a Surprise Engagement in Key West

When it comes time to choose the perfect location to ask the love of your life to marry you, there are a lot of options in Key West! If you’re planning to pop the question and want to set up a surprise engagement session, undercover proposal shoot, or similar moment that your significant other is not expecting, then in addition to booking your photography to capture the moment, you’ll need to think about the perfect location.

Teresa and James | The Reach Resort Wedding in Key West

When Teresa and James were referred to me by a mutual friend local to Key West, they reached out to me about not just their upcoming Key West wedding, but also their welcome party which would be taking place the evening before. As I came to know them better in the months leading up to the big day, I knew this was going to be a lovely couple to be part of their love story.

Karen and Keith | The Reach Resort Wedding in Key West

Karen and Keith’s Key West wedding at The Reach Resort was celebrated in style with an oceanview ceremony on the gazebo over the water, a balcony cocktail hour, and beachfront reception with dinner and dancing in the Caribe ballroom. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Real WeddingsKarrieOctober 30, 2023The Reach Resortkey west wedding, resort wedding, rain backup, the reach resort, caribe ballroomComment

Susan and Tim | DoubleTree Grand Key and Smathers Beach Elopement

Each wedding holds its own unique charm, and Susan and Tim's special day was no exception. Let me take you on a journey through their intimate Smathers Beach wedding, as I had the privilege of capturing every heartfelt moment as they celebrated their elopement in a special ceremony on the beach and photos around town.

Why You Should Hire a Planner for your Key West Wedding (a Photographer's Take)

Your wedding day is naturally one of the best days of your life. It consists of all of the little (and big) things that represent you as a couple, a day for all of your friends and loved ones to enjoy and one that you’ll remember forever. There are so many aspects that you need to focus on in order to bring it all together though, which is why this can be such a stressful period for brides too.

Hiring a wedding planner can make this joyful time a little easier on your nerves. Here are a few reasons why you should consider hiring a professional planner:

Client Education, Wedding PlanningKarrieJune 13, 2023wedding planning, destination wedding, hiring local, timelineComment

Brian and Bry | Fort Zachary Taylor + Smokin Tuna Saloon

Sometimes a little screen time is a good thing! Especially when it results in you meeting the love of your life! One day Brian ended up in conversation with….well….Brian! Besides the uniqueness of meeting a partner who shares your same name, they knew pretty much instantly that it was “right” from the start! They’d been to Key West several times with a group of friends, and have so many special memories here, including walking along Truman Waterfront when “Big Brian” proposed! They knew when it came time to plan the big day, they had to have it in paradise.

Kaitlin and Blaine | The Reach Resort Wedding Day

Going to a friend’s for a birthday party might not seem like the start of a typical love story, but for Kaitlin and Blaine, it was the genesis of a beautiful relationship that started as they both arrived to the party, ended up on the same four-wheeler together, and the rest - as they say - was history! I knew they had something special when I met them first during their Engagement, and was thrilled to find out soon after that their wedding would also take place here in paradise as well at none other than the beautiful Reach Resort.

Key West Destination Wedding Packing Tips

Throwing a wedding in your home city is one thing, but throwing it in a different state, country, or on an island like Key West is another. Destination weddings have become a popular way for brides and grooms across the globe to celebrate some place different and give guests a ceremony they’ll truly never forget. However, planning and hosting a wedding outside of where you live does come with its challenges.

Tips and TricksKarrieDecember 5, 2022wedding planning, destination wedding, what to pack, travel tips, hiring localComment

Wedding Photography Contract 101: What Every Couple Should Know

It’s only natural to want to get to all the exciting stuff when you finally find a photographer, but taking a closer look at your wedding photography contract is the first essential step. As a legally binding agreement, it’s important you know what to watch for, what policies you should see outlined, and why it matters when things don’t go perfectly as planned.

Client EducationKarrieOctober 24, 2022contracts, wedding planning, photography terms, policies and proceduresComment

Jessica and Shaun| Margaritaville Beach House Wedding

So a girl walks into a bar….The owner’s there…big tall handsome guy, he is. He says ‘Hey, I remember you; you came here a year ago.’ Girl says ‘Yeah? What about it?’. Guy says ‘I’ve been waiting for you to walk back through those doors someday.’ Girl says ‘Why’s that?’. He says ‘So I could ask you on a date, fall in love, and run away to Key West to get married someday’.”!

Okay, so maybe that last part is a liiiiittle bit of an exaggeration, but that girl? That was my bride, Jessica! And the guy? Her handsome groom, Shaun! And they DID go on that date, they DID fall in love, and they DID (of course!) come to Key West to get married!

Megan and Samuel | Old Town Manor Wedding

What’s the perfect remedy for two people in the medical field when they fall in love? Head to Key West and say “I Do!” of course! Sam and Megan met when Megan was working as a nurse and Sam as a medic. They learned quickly their mutual love of family walks, Disney, and fireworks, and a relationship grew.

When it came time to ask Megan to marry him, Sam borrowed a tactic that had worked for his own dad many years before, and wrapped a present, proposing on Christmas Day! From their home in Deerfield Beach, they planned the perfect wedding in paradise, and I had the honor of taking part as their Key West photographer to capture the memories!

Real WeddingsKP StudioSeptember 4, 2022Old Town Manordestination wedding, Old Town Manor, garden wedding, historic venueComment

Shandi and Jason | Smathers Beach and Conch Republic Seafood

How is it that 15 minutes can feel like an eternity, but 15 years can fly by in an instant? When Shandi and Jason first met, it was as coworkers 15 years ago. Their journeys destined for two separate paths, life happened, until early 2018 when they were reunited and realized they loved spending time together. I would later meet them when Jason contacted me to capture his proposal undercover at the Reach Resort. Shandi of course said “Yes!” and a year later, when the couple decided it wasn’t enough just to get engaged in Key West, they wanted to get married here too, I got to be there to see them walk down the aisle as well!

Kimberly and Jason | Pier House Resort and Opal Key

What do you get when a couple meets up for margaritas and hits it off from day one? You get the start of a love story that can only culminate with a wedding in Key West, where “5 o’clock somewhere” is a state of being and margaritas are a way of life. Kimberly and Jason’s relationship then grew over dog walks, Netflix binges, and evening on the back deck sipping whiskey or having a glass of wine, when one rainy day in Portsmouth, Jason surprised Kimberly and asked her to be his wife!

Elizabeth and Eugene | The Reach Resort

When Eugene and Elizabeth met for the first time, celebrating with a first date at the National Whitewater Center, they knew there was something about each other that they loved. With a mutual love of outdoor activities, running, cycling, hiking, yoga, camping, their relationship grew. Even with quiet days spent at home reading or doing home improvement projects, being together was what mattered. Their love of travel and trying new things meant no day would be boring, and is no doubt what led them to choose a destination like Key West for their wedding day!

Real WeddingsKarrieJuly 19, 2022The Reach Key West Curiodestination wedding, the reach resortComment

Adele and Michael | Ocean Key Resort and Smathers Beach

Celebrate with newlyweds Adele and Michael, as they brought their intimate group of family and friends to Key West, Florida, for a lovely ceremony on Smathers Beach, and preparations and reception at Ocean Key Resort.

Christina and James | Southernmost Beach Resort

When a couple who love cooking together and watching British Bake Off, you’ve got the perfect “recipe” for a great match! Christina and James soon realized they also loved playing board games, going for walks, and dancing together…so much so that they danced their way all the way to Key West where they got married at the Southernmost Beach Resort!

Ashley and Alex | Schooner America 2.0

When Ashley and Alex met in college, they realized a mutual love of architecture while hanging out in the same circle of friends, but eventually their affections for each other grew. With a passion for movie nights, ski trips, hiking, brewery-hopping, city sight-seeing, and - appropriate for a wedding in Key West - long naps on the beach. I would get the opportunity to be part of their wedding day celebration, as they invited family and friends down to paradise and got married aboard the historic Schooner America II!

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