Gretchen and Bobby | Cheeca Lodge Islamorada Wedding
When COVID-19 completely changed plans for Gretchen and Bobby’s big day, we did what anyone would do and rolled with the punches!
The couple were supposed to have their dream wedding in Key West in June of 2020. Then the pandemic hit, and everything got put on hold. So when they reached out and said plans were back on for summer of 2021, we wanted to do everything we could to give Gretchen and Bobby photos that would last a lifetime! So on a beautiful Florida Keys afternoon, my assistant and I took the drive up the Keys to the beautiful Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada, where we would capture not only their beautiful seaside ceremony, but a family portrait session and a Trash the Dress all in one day!
Press PLAY to relive the beautiful day!
After the wedding ceremony, it was time for champagne all around! The amazing crew at Cheeca Lodge brought out trays of bubbly and the family toasted and celebrated the couple’s nuptials (hey! that rhymes!) 😁
Since their original requirements for coverage had changed over time with the smaller guest list, the intimate setting made it a perfect opportunity to spend some time getting a range of family portraits. While group photos are typical of every wedding, we generally just focus on the groups with the actual couple themselves. In this case, Gretchen wanted everyone to be able to enjoy some oceanfront family photos with not just her and Bobby, but in their own immediate families as well.
Of course this was totally doable, and we made use of the sandy beach, the long beautiful dock, and the smiles and well wishes of everyone enjoying a beautiful day in the Florida Keys!
But the fun didn’t stop there. Given the amazing surroundings of the resort, with it’s picturesque palm trees, winding walkways, and luscious landscapes, we took advantage and got some beautiful photos of the couple as well. The bride’s gorgeous blush pink dress with her epic long veil covered in flowers made a gorgeous color balance with the soft blue sky. And Bobby’s royal shirt outfitted with palm trees was the perfect compliment to a tropical destination wedding!
And last but not least, it was time to trash the dress! Cheeca Lodge has this gorgeous grotto with crystal clear turquoise water. The colors made Gretchen’s pink dress pop, and we had fun creating a variety of romantic images using the veil and surrounding greenery and waterfall.
Congratulations to the happy couple and many more memories to come!
Venue: Cheeca Lodge & Spa
Photographer: Karrie Porter