Destination weddings are always fun! My top 3 destination weddings are anywhere tropical, but also laid back! Destination weddings do not have to be huge, extravagant events. However, sometimes they are! I have listed below a few of my favorite locations to photograph! If you are planning a destination wedding, and want to make sure you have a friend behind the camera, let’s chat!

1. Puerto Rico – The sun is hot, the air is steamy, the water is warm and the salt helps you float! Isabella, PR is where the locals like to vacation. Probably because it’s not tourist heavy, its absolutely gorgeous, and there is an amazing resort where you can get married with a private beach! Check out the venue here! And see more from this wedding on our blog!

   

2. The Caribbean – I photographed a wedding are a cruise ship, and they took us to a private island. It was absolutely stunning! The Caribbean is like no other place I have ever seen. The air smells great, the colors are so vibrant, the people are friendly, and nothing is better than walking around an island in your wedding dress taking beautiful portraits with the love of your life in paradise! See more of this wedding on our blog!

   

3. Maine – I feel like Maine is often overlooked, but it is an absolutely stunning place to renew your love for one another. Whether it is something quiet, or something announced, going away and hiring a photographer to come with you even to document an hour of your special time is worth all of the memories in the world! See more of this Anniversary Shoot on our blog!

Want to know my bucket list of destination locations? These are places I would LOVE to travel to:

1. Tuscan, Arizona – I really love cactuses. Need I say more?
2. Nantucket, Massachusetts – I dream of the cobblestone streets, lighthouses and houses with weathered shingles!
3. Maui, Hawaii – Waterfalls, rainbows, white sandy beaches? It’s a tropical paradise!
4. Florida Keys – Get that old Florida tropical vibe without leaving the states, I’m in!
5. Las Vegas, Nevada – Elvis-impersonators and portraits in the lights? SO MUCH YAS!
6. Bermuda – Pink sand beaches make me swoon so hard!
7. Turks and Caicos – The colors here are so tranquil! I can just imagine a beautiful couple on the beach at sunset.
8. Amalfi Coast, Italy – Seriously, just stunning. All of the architecture just draws me in!
9. Ireland – So much greenery, stone buildings and winding paths. It’s ultimately romantic.
10. New Zealand – Countryside like you’ve never seen before! (Or at least I haven’t)

 

A few weeks ago, I photographed Nicole and Nick’s intimate wedding in Malaga NJ. Their wedding was informal, but beautiful done. They had fresh flowers lining the walkway up to their front porch. They exchanged vows in front of their cabin and someone near and dear to their heart preformed the ceremony. They were surrounded by the people who love them, and drove off into the sunset on a motor cycle. How much more romantic can it get? When I met Nicole, I was so happy she asked me to capture these memories for her. Photography can be that one thing that you never think of until the moment has passed, and you always wish you had a photo of that one time… Not in this case. Nicole and Nick have beautiful images to remember the day they said, I DO!

Nicole and Nick, thank you for trusting me with your memories. I wish you nothing but love and sucess in your marriage together!

If you are having an Intimate wedding in Malaga NJ, email me today! I’d love to chat with you! lauren@bokehlovephotography.net

That time I had an Anniversary Photoshoot in Maine… I knew growing old with my husband would be the most amazing thing ever…

Love isn’t perfect. Everyone knows that. Making the decision to love someone is probably the most difficult decision in the entire world, so to do it, takes strength, vulnerability, compassion, and giving someone else your own heart in hopes that they protect it. Barbara and Gary show each of those qualities each and every single day. Sure, they fight, who doesn’t? What’s different about these two, is they never go to bed angry, they don’t even leave the house angry. No matter how upset they are with each other, they always make sure the other one knows – they are loved, and they seal it with a kiss. I have never in my life met such a special couple. The first time I remember meeting them, it was total chaos, and then out of that chaos the entire kitchen stopped spinning, so Gary could have a few seconds to lean in, and kiss his wife on the lips, just to say “i love you, i will see you tonight”… and off to work he went.

This year, they are celebrating 37 years of love. 37 years of chaos. 37 years of happiness. 37 years of joy. 37 years of togetherness. and 37 years of dedication. I admire Barbara and Gary, even when things get crazy, I KNOW that they are perfect for each other, and that their bond will never be less strong than yesterday. They will continue to grow closer, and continue to get to know each other, and continue to find out their likes and dislikes. They will never stray and they will always walk hand in hand into the wind together. Kisses will never stop, and blanket snuggles will ALWAYS be a thing. And of course, getting dolled up for an Anniversary Photoshoot will ALWAYS be a possibility!

I wish them the best of luck, love and happiness from this day to their last day. I am so happy to be a part of their family so I can watch them grow old together, because after all, isn’t that everyones dream? Cheers to them, they are certainly living it!

If you are celebrating an anniversary, and you would like to book an anniversary photoshoot, please email me! I would love to celebrate with you, and to create and capture beautiful images for you and your family to love and adore!