Emily and Ken | Southernmost Beach Resort Wedding in Key West
Sometimes a love story is just meant to be. The first time Emily and Ken met, it was through some mutual friends who had just so happened to invite them both over to their house…a house, mind you, that they’d both visited and hung out at before, but it had never worked out that they were there together at the same time….until an evening in 2012 when the initial sparks flew! Fast forward through college where they made the time and distance work, to 2020 when Ken surprised Emily on a family vacation where he asked her to marry him, to 2023 when they decided to celebrate their big day in Key West, Florida.
Press PLAY to relive the beautiful day!
The afternoon began at their venue, the Southernmost Beach Resort, where I met up with Emily and her girls in their getting ready suite overlooking the Tranquility Pool. While I was busy in there, my associate photographer/second shooter that day, Mark Funkhouser, headed over to meet up with Ken and the guys. While Emily laughed and smiled with her girlfriends in their floral robes and donned her wedding dress, the boys helped the groom get his jacket, tie, and accessories perfectly into place.
Both groups convened for a First Look with Bride and Daughter, and then Ken came out to wait patiently for Emily to give him that little “tap tap” on the shoulder, so he could turn around and see her on the wedding day for the first time, and get some lovely photos of not only them, but with their family and bridal party before the excitement of the ceremony began!
After the “I do’s” were said and the rings exchanged, it was time for some fun group photos with the entire set of guests in attendance, then as everyone made their way to cocktail hour, Ken and Emily hung back with me, Mark, Joanna, and Flo, for some photos and videos of the two of them together. We made use of the serpentine walkway through the courtyard of the Southernmost Beach Resort, where the groom twirled his bride in some fun dance moves, and we captured some lovely palm-tree tropical backgrounds, as well as stopped off by the pool for some creative shots between the pillars and under the “waterfall” fountain.
As the evening continued with introductions into the reception space, announcements, speeches, blessings, and - of course - sunset photos of the bride and groom, everyone joined in the merrymaking, laughed and cried as stories were shared and memories made. We enjoyed some hilarious portraits out on the beach with the bridal party, each of them teasing the bride and groom, picking them up, squeezing them tight, and celebrating with their friends in their own way. The highlight for me was of course the couple joining hand in hand as they walked down the sand, and stood snuggled up on the exposed coral rock as the Key West sunset went down behind them.
We then headed back to the party where it was time to cut the cake, and dance the night away with the rest of the family.
Congratulations again to Emily and Ken and may that serendipitous meeting all those years ago continue to wave a story throughout your lives that is filled with joy, warmth, laughs, and love.
SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO THESE AMAZING WEDDING VENDORS, WHO MADE THIS DAY POSSIBLE!
Venue: Southernmost Beach Resort
Planner: Bernadette McCall
Officiant: Friend of the Family
Hair and Makeup: Studio Marie Pierre
DJ: Soundwave / Top Jimmy
Videographer: Soundwave / Joanna Cooper
Photographers: Karrie Porter and Mark Funkhouser