When this Philadelphia Wedding Photographer met Kelli and Nick at the Philadelphia Great Bridal Expo last year, we knew it had to be.  Well, we HOPED that it would be.  Really, really, really hoped!

Not only were Kelli and Nick a great couple whom this Philadelphia photojournalist clicked with immediately, but they were planning a destination wedding in the beautiful Dominican Republic. Rebecca had been on several volunteer trips to the DR through Food for the Hungry’s partnership with Eastern University, and she’d always wanted to take me to this country of palm trees, sugarcane, and plantains that shares an island with Haiti.

Just to go on the record, Rebecca and I LOVE destination weddings, and we THRILL at the opportunity to travel. This year alone, we had the privilege of shooting in Roanoke, Virginia and Kennebunkport, Maine.  But the only time we’ve had the chance to photograph an international wedding was several years ago in Quebec.  Needless to say, we were superbly excited to travel to a tropical island for Kelli and Nick’s big day!

The bride and groom chose a beautiful venue for their family and friends, the Dreams Resort of Punta Cana. Many guests, including Rebecca and I, made a mini-vacation out of the wedding experience by coming a few days early or staying a few days late.  The weather was just what you’d imagine the Caribbean to be — gorgeously sunny, with a couple bouts of refreshing rain in the early evening. The romantic atmosphere was set, and Kelli and Nick’s love fit the ambiance perfectly. Their wedding day was full of smiles, hugs, and laughter.

If you’re considering a destination wedding, here are some tips to take from Kelli and Nick’s day, which honestly went off without a hitch:
–Get organized!  Kelli emailed her guests regular updates, travel agent information, and regional tips (anything from the excursions available at our resort to the CDC guidelines for the area)
–Consider your guest list.  With about 30 guests, Kelli and Nick had the opportunity to spend real quality time with everyone in attendance.
–Hire a good wedding photographer!  While this might sound self-promoting, I recently shot an engagement session for one of my favorite couples.  For their destination wedding, however, they went with the resort photographer and were disappointed with the results.  Certainly, resort photographers can be incredible affordable, but when you hold one of the most important ceremonies of your life in one of the most beautiful venues in the world, it pays to have a photographer document your experience.  Additionally, resort photographers tend to be trained in the “safe shots” — they’re fine with portraits and formals.  With a photojournalist, however, the story of your wedding day is captured in the candid moments that unfold naturally.  These are the memories you want to treasure forever!

One of our favorite parts about a destination wedding is that we arrive early enough to do the rehearsal dinner and stay late enough to do an after-wedding session, if it fit into the bride’s and groom’s schedule.  What was awesome about Kelli and Nick was their desire to do a Trash the Dress session with us the following day.  Kelli had purchased her dress on eBay and was a great sport about letting us rip it into shreds and send her wading with Nick into the Atlantic Ocean.

So Kelli and Nick, thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your family in the Dominican Republic!  It was an absolute delight to document your wedding day for you.

…oh, and that Trash the Dress session was pretty fun too. 

Best! Bec & Joe

JPG Photography

One by Bec

Another great find by Bec

The full event is available online at Pictage: www.pictage.com/660689