Reviews

Author: Sigmar Sommer

Peter & Savanah

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Peter & Savanah

Peter & Savanah

When Peter set out to surprise Savannah, he completely swept her off her feet. Peter and Savannah had been together for a while, and Peter wanted to take the next step. So he secretly arranged for Savannah to be off from work and booked a trip to Aruba to stay in The Ritz-Carlton Aruba, all the while hiding that big shiny ring.

Then on June 19, they set out for dinner. Savannah did notice Peter being a bit nervous. Once they found their way outside and walked towards the restaurant, Peter lagged a bit behind, looking around.

Peter and the unsuspecting Savannah passed by a small photo shoot. Savannah remarked that it would be fun to book a shoot together in Aruba. Peter stopped, looked at Savannah, and went down on his knee.

Both Savannah and Peter were overcome with emotion. In the meantime, we stopped pretending to do that photo shoot, pointed our camera towards the couple, and captured the whole thing. You see, Peter booked us a while back to capture the proposal & engagement photo shoot.

Peter and Savannah needed quite some time to gather themselves, but once we got the engagement photo shoot going, things were smooth sailing.

As photographers/videographers, we always try to capture a series of photographs that reflect both the character and stories of our clients. We also love to let our creativity roam freely from time to time. Because the shoot went so smoothly, with Peter and Savannah posing naturally, no direction required, we decided to see if we could push it a little further.

At the end of the shoot, after the sun had set, we created a unique misty scene with the help of little cans of smoke we have in our cases for situations just like these. Aren’t the engagement photos stunning?

Jay & Meg

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Jay & Meg

Jay & Meg

We are suckers for anything that can make your proposal unique to you, and oh boy, did we witness a nice little “personal touch” during the proposal of Jay & Meg.

The couple had been together for a while, and Jay knew, after surviving this pandemic business, their relationship was ready to level up. He booked a trip to Aruba—you know, why not, right?—and started looking for a photographer to capture the proposal, and perhaps a few engagement photos after Meg said yes. After speaking with a few photographers, he finally settled his mind on us.

You see, we always try to look for ways to truly make a little love story out of every engagement photo shoot, and whenever we get to participate in planning a proposal, we try to get as authentic as possible. We help couples brainstorm little ways to make the moment the question is popped on the beaches of Aruba just a tad more special.

Jay and Meg met online, and they hit it off immediately. After dating for a while, Meg had made a little book with all the messages they sent to each other when they first started talking to each other. We all remember that feeling when you first message someone you like, and that just HAD TO BE THE CENTERPIECE of Jay’s proposal. I mean, how couldn’t it!?!

So we asked Jay to bring the book, have a little note saying “Open me” and another saying “Will you marry me?” We met up on the big day to go over the game plan; he entrusted the book to us, and later that night, we would hide near the beach of Fisherman’s Huts in Aruba, waiting for Jay & the unsuspecting Meg.

As we arrived to set everything up, poor Jay couldn’t stall Meg any longer without raising suspicion. Luckily we like to be early. Jay sent us a message, and we replied we were good to go. We sent the exact location via GPS & a picture so Jay could easily find the little setup we created for the proposal. Jay was SO nervous he wouldn’t be able to find it, so when we saw him checking his phone in the distance, I tried to guide him through “discreet” messages. “A little further, see that little wall there??” But the nerves just took over. While guiding Meg towards the setup to be surprised to see the book she made, he completely missed it. He just walked straight past the setup!

In a moment of “Oh, my God!!” I grabbed my phone, sent a picture to him where he could once more see where the setup was in relation to them. We tried to stay out of sight, of course. Meg still didn’t know what was going down here.

Finally, after wandering around a bit, Meg noticed something in the sand, and upon closer inspection, she recognized the book. From that moment on, she knew. Tears of joy were everywhere!

Look, I remember when I proposed to my wife and later when I first saw her walk down the aisle. You can plan all you want and rehearse the words you want to say over and over and over again, but when it is game time, nerves sometimes just completely overtake your ability to speak and think and do. You know what? For me, the emotions running high, the fact they couldn’t find the setup, and the personal touch of that book with messages make this one of my favorite proposals. No big flash mob, no fancy floral décor, no family hidden around the corner. Just Meg, Jay, and the love between them. Oh, and she said yes!

Matt & Alexa

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Matt & Alexa

Matt & Alexa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToFfB6-UK9o

Often we are contacted by men wanting to do something special for their proposal/engagement photography during their travels to Aruba. When Matt reached out to us regarding his plans to propose to Alexa, he knew exactly what he wanted. Matt & Alexa love traveling, and they have been all over the world and love to go off the beaten path. What better way to pop the question than to go on a “tour” that does just that.

So we took Matt & Alexa on a tour across the island, carrying our cameras under the disguise of making a video commercial for a private tour company, and took off towards Arikok National Park on Aruba’s north coast. Matt looked online in preparation for the big moment and found Dos Playa, a set of twin coves in the park.

Matt was a bit afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep the ring a secret for long, so he was eager to pop the question as soon as possible. They walked up towards the edge of a cliff, and as Alexa looked at the waters below, Matt got down on his knee. May I add that this was quite the sacrifice from him as the north coast, especially Dos Playa, consists of sharp limestone rock formed from old coral reefs. In preparation, we had our drone up in the air to capture this fantastic moment with nothing short of an epic shot! After this fantastic proposal, we got to shoot an awesome upbeat proposal video to reflect the upbeat characters of Matt & Alexa.

Aruba is a fantastic place to explore, and if we get to take our guests off the beaten path, we get to create incredible videos and photography. Locations like Plantage Prins, Balashi Gold Mill Ruins, and the mangroves of Frenchmen’s Pass are stunning backdrops for your proposal videos and engagement photos. We love to create something that fits the characters of our clients, and I think, based on our time with Matt and Alexa, we did just that.

George & Alyce

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

George & Alyce

George & Alyce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBq7FS_r7zE

Wow, wow, wow. Where to begin?

In our time as wedding photographers and videographers on the lovely island of Aruba, we have gotten to witness some great—no, awesome!—stories of couples taking the next step in their lives together. Today I will be telling the story of a proposal that had me crying, and we were there to capture it all.

We get to form integral parts of weddings, proposals, engagement shoots, family shoots, and whatnot, but none quite as unique as the day George popped the question and asked Alyce to marry him.

You see, George had asked Alyce to marry him before, but she was not quite ready yet. Alyce had some challenges to face, and George would stand right beside her every step of the way.

And then, the time was right. Alyce was ready, and George was willing and able. So they booked a nice romantic couples vacation to Aruba. Alyce suspected that something was up, and oh boy, something was.

A while before traveling to Aruba, George sought out Marielle from Proposal Planner Aruba to come up with a plan to propose to Alyce. After a lot of brainstorming, planning, and preparations, it was time.

George booked an “island tour” with “a bunch of guys” who happen to be photographers & videographers (this is where we came in). So we arrived and picked them up to explore Aruba’s wilder side and take a few pictures along the way.

Here she must have suspected that something was up, but Marielle and George surmised as much and found a way to remedy that.

A MISSION OF MISDIRECTION

We arrived at the first location, the ruins of an old gold smelter with great rustic aesthetics on the northern coast of Aruba, called Bushiribana, where Marielle was waiting. Before Alyce was allowed into the ruins, though, she had to put on a blindfold.

After being guided through the ruins, they came to a standstill. We could see the excitement on her face. “This is it…he’s going to propose!” she must have thought. When she took off the blindfold, she was surprised by George…standing there—not for the proposal, but rather to surprise her for her birthday with a few balloons.

Of course, we don’t mean just a few balloons. I mean, it was a nice-looking setup, just not what Alyce expected. It was the day before her birthday, after all, and the first mission of misdirection succeeded.

We did get to take some great photographs and video, and they looked absolutely stunning, but Alyce was not aware that there was more to follow.

GOOD FORTUNE

Next stop…Ayo Rock Formations, one of our favorite locations. Not beachy at all, but rather rustic and wild. (Aruba has so much more to offer than just white sandy beaches!) So we walked through the site, talked a bit about the ancient history of Aruba, the Pre-Columbian era, and had a good ol’ time. One of our team members was “struggling” with some of the gear, and we asked if George could “help him out.” In the meantime, we decided to take some solo portraits of Alyce on top of a nice-sized rock.

When George returned, he was carrying a little tray with some fortune cookies. “What is this?” Alyce must have thought. “This is the moment he will propose to me! We are getting engaged!”

So, George gave her the first cookie, and Alyce opened it. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me,” it said. The next one said, “I am so proud of you,” and the third said, “To celebrate the person you are, I’ve made reservations at Passions on the Beach.”

There she stood. Happy. Confused. She must have thought, “Why tell me where we are going for dinner like that? Sweet, but, why?!?” The second mission of misdirection accomplished.

THE GRAND FINALE

After passing by a few more locations, taking pictures, having fun, we arrived at Eagle Beach, Aruba’s award-winning beach. The “unsuspecting” couple was received by Marielle from Proposal Planner Aruba once more. Now, George was blindfolded, after which Alyce was also blindfolded. Why both, though, right? It’s all about misdirection, my friend.

George took off his blindfold, and they guided Alyce onto the beach. Proposal Planner Aruba had arranged a setup with flowers, lanterns, and a violinist, pulling all the stops, because this was the moment—George would go down onto one knee and ask Alyce to marry him.

Alyce heard the violinist, asked if there was a wedding going on, still somewhat confused as to what was going on, but this didn’t last long. Cue the waterworks!!

The blindfold came off, and there George was, down on one knee with a ring in his hands and giving the best speech I’ve ever heard. A sunset sky explosion, champagne, puppies, tears, smiles, and the best proposal we have ever witnessed.

We witnessed a masterclass in building up tension for your proposal. It was the perfect 3-step master plan to pop the question during a Caribbean getaway vacation.

Dustin & Jenna

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Dustin & Jenna

Dustin & Jenna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTLkkGK-RNE

On September 4th, 2021, after many delays, We were finally able to be part of Dustin Smylek and Jenna Tureson’s big day. And what a day it was!!

The Marriott Stellaris Casino and Resort – here in Aruba has some of the most professional wedding coordinators. Jenna & Dustin knew what they wanted, and together they came up with quite a list of little moments to make their Aruba Destination Wedding Extra special. We, of course, we were there to take their Wedding Photography and Wedding Videography.

Perfect little moments like the first look with Jenna and her father, a special gift from Dustin for Jenna with a handwritten card, or the first touch with Dustin and Jenna. And what an emotional rollercoaster it was.

Please take a look at that moment when Dustin gets to hold Jenna’s hand without seeing her….You can clearly see his heart racing. The emotions were unmistakable. He was able to hold some of the tears back, although one escaped him. This did build up the tension for when he first got to see her walking down the aisle. Then and There, the emotions got the better of him.

There was a lot more going on that day, though. So let’s drop a little truth bomb here, though. I know Aruba is generally well known for the sunny days and a sure bet for dry weather during your wedding. And it still is. But, we did get a little scare during the preparations. Look, the Aruban flora and fauna also need some water to survive…and yes. However unlikely, there is always a chance it rains on your wedding day. This was such a day. And as you can imagine, Jenna was visibly under pressure. Luckily she was about the say her “I Do” to Dustin.

For the most part, this was the case. Up until the meeting right before the wedding. Look, we have seen many brides, and we know that this” getting married” thing is a lot. We have seen many grooms “just being part of it.” But not Dustin. Once Dustin knew what would happen on the big day. he was on top of things. In the last days leading up to the big day, he carried the torch, making sure we knew changes.

During the preparations, Dustin made sure everything was taken care of, elevating some of the pressure. And when the rain poured down on the big day at about 3 pm, Dusting made sure to express Jenna’s wish to continue as planned and have a ceremony on the beach. (If you plan your ceremony at a resort, they generally have a bad weather option)

Now, I assume you are still reading this, right? And you will be like, “OMG, what if that happens to me ?!?! Let me tell you the following. As a wedding photographer with more than seven years of photographing Destination weddings in Aruba, adding to that the experience of my colleagues here at Aruba Wedding, we have, in all that time, only once had a little spritz of rain, right before the ceremony. Once. Never during a ceremony, and never during the reception. That is not to say this will not happen to your destination wedding. That guarantee we can’t give you. We can say, though, that it is highly unlikely.

And guess what happened on September 4th?? at 5 pm, the weather cleared, and the sun peaked through the clouds right as Jenna walked down the aisle. From that moment on, the only drops falling were tears of joy from Dustin’s face and drinks spilling from glasses during a wild and crazy Wedding Reception !!

Christina & Aaron

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Christina & Aaron

Christina & Aaron

“It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are.”

Paul Caponigro

I, personally love this quote. It is true, Not every one is as comfortable in-front of a camera. Their personality gets hidden from the camera by their shy appearance, awkward looks etc. Luckily we have a large toolbox of tricks to get that personality to the surface and shine bright in all our clients Wedding Photographs. A Destination wedding in Aruba is something to remember, after all, and nothing helps you remember like wedding photographs & Video.

Sometimes though…just sometimes, we meet people for their wedding photography and we instantly know, that there is now hiding that personality. That personality will shine bright!!

After walking into a barbershop, Aaron sat down in Christina’s chair for a haircut, and, well, basically, he never left. If love at first sight exists, this was definitely it, and from what we saw, it was a love ever so true. While Christina is working her magic with scissors day in and day out, Aaron has a demanding job as a lawyer. “No one calls a lawyer just to talk about the weather,” Aaron points out, “but whenever my mind is clouded with stress, it’s the ever-smiling Christina who brightens up my day.” And wow, how she brightens up places! On April 22, 2017, Christina and Aaron finally tied the knot during their breathtaking destination wedding on Aruba, and Christina was absolutely radiant. Her personality shined so bright Aaron couldn’t take his eyes of her. It couldn’t be more clear that these two are perfectly made for each other. And from all the things they have in common, we would say their shared love of dancing and having fun is high up there on the list…what a party!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5V_owCFF6k

There are many things that influence the flow of a wedding-day and unlike in many places like the US, it is customary in Aruba to have your ceremony around 5:30pm, 6pm and do Formal’s or Family Photographs after that, and of-course Bridal Portraits after that.

This is partly because of the fact that it is just too darn hot to do those shots prior to the ceremony, but also due to the fact that most people want their Bridal Portraits to be shot with at sunset on the Aruban Beaches.

When doing “formal’s” or family combinations, it’s important to have someone to help gather all the people together. We, as Wedding Photographer’s don’t know all the names of friend’s and family members, and if we spend too much time trying to wrangle everyone together—first the family of the bride, then the family of the groom, then the bride’s friends, then the groom’s friends, etc.—we’ll run out of sunlight for those stunning sunset Bridal Portraits that every couple wants.

Fortunately, we received lots of help from various guests in pulling everyone together in a timely manner. (And trust us, we know it’s not easy getting Uncle John away from the bar!)

Consequently, we could get all the group shots we needed with these great people and still beat the sun to get those epic sunset shots! It’s highly possible these folks were also very efficient during the photography session because they were eager to get back to the party…what a wild shebang!

We hope the laughter and happiness we witnessed on their wedding night is a reflection of the life that Christina and Aaron are about to share together.

MEET OUR TEAM: Kanter Constandse

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

MEET OUR TEAM: Kanter Constandse

MEET OUR TEAM: Kanter Constandse

Kanter Constandse is a videographer and editor at Wings Global Media & Aruba Wedding. He has been with the company for just under 5 years. Born and raised in the Netherlands, he moved to Aruba when he was a teenager and grew up here. He has a strong bond with the island and loves the beach sun and fun lifestyle.

He has dedication to deliver bespoke and tailored projects to clients, and enjoys bringing to life all sorts of video projects. In his spare time at Wings he also enjoys shooting documentaries and also spends time shooting underwater photography. In 2022 he won best Professional Underwater photographer of Aruba in a competition organized by Arikok National Park and Aruba Post.

In his free time Kanter enjoys martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-jutsu and Muay Thai and trains multiple times a week to keep growing and learning more. He also likes to watch films and has a particular fascination with japanese anime and culture.

MEET OUR TEAM: Marald Van Montfoort

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

MEET OUR TEAM: Marald Van Montfoort

MEET OUR TEAM: Marald Van Montfoort

Marald started picking up the camera professionally in 2007 doing commercial work in the Netherlands.

Marald executes the perfect balancing act, keeping a sharp eye on the technical part of photography and videography while making room for limitless creativity. The “anything for the art” attitude with a dose of humor—yet pure professionalism—to set.

After spending years honing his skills in Europe, his wife wanted to return home. Living in paradise isn’t all that bad of a prospect, so in 2014, Marald and his family moved to Aruba.

With more than 10 years of happy marriage and two little boys, Marald knows what you are saying “I do” to. Although these kids are 100% the number one priority in his life, the uncompromising sense of duty makes Marald a reliable and constant part of the team.

In his free time, Marald loves to enjoy the Aruban outdoors together with his family by going to the beach, body boarding, hiking and bouldering (climbing rocks), scuba diving, and free diving.

TEAMWORK MAKES THE (DESTINATION WEDDING) DREAM WORK

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

TEAMWORK MAKES THE (DESTINATION WEDDING) DREAM WORK

TEAMWORK MAKES THE (DESTINATION WEDDING) DREAM WORK

It’s one thing to want a dream destination wedding. It’s a whole other thing to make your dream destination wedding come true. There are just so many things to consider, so many moving parts: getting all the guests to the destination, the rehearsal dinner, the preparations leading up to the wedding, the ceremony itself, and the reception, plus all the details, from the dress, hair & makeup, and flowers to the cake, food, music, and wedding party gifts. And then of course, there’s the wedding photography and videography, with lots of moving part of their own. Between planning the various shots, capturing footage through various lenses and angles, and editing, it’s certainly not a one-man job. High-quality wedding photos and videos that to justice to your dream destination wedding require a team effort, and that’s exactly what you get with the Aruba Wedding team. 

The gorgeous destination wedding of Diana and Mike Rogers here in Aruba in August 2022 is the perfect illustration of how beautifully our team members work together to ensure the best possible wedding photography and videography experience for couples. Diana and Mike first met Jordy, our team leader, back in 2020 and kept in touch for two years during the peak of the Covid pandemic. In August 2022, they met in person with photographer Rafael to talk in detail about the images (both photo and video) that would be created on the day of their destination wedding on the exclusive Renaissance Island. Everything started flowing very naturally, and the couple quickly realized how seamlessly our team works together to ensure the best outcome. 

Of course, Renaissance’s expert wedding planner Zulaika Dijkhoff-Boekhoudt gave the couple a lot of confidence as well. She double checked all the details with them, from the flowers and cake to every song on their playlist. Diana and Mike definitely left the meeting knowing without a doubt that they were going to enjoy their wedding day to the fullest.

But the teamwork didn’t stop there. While Rafael served as the photographer on the day of the wedding, he was joined by one of our videographers, Kanter, in order to document every special moment through video, from the preparations at Renaissance’s Marina Tower to the celebratory reception on Renaissance Island. One of our photographers, Joshua, shot the Island Tour package that the couple opted for. And finally, team member Ames did the editing for the wedding video. 

Clearly, teamwork makes the destination wedding dream work! We thank Diana and Mike for the complete trust they placed in our team to help realize the destination wedding of their dreams! The result? their review speaks for itself. 

Click HERE for the Story about Diana & Mike

MEET OUR TEAM: Jordy Koolwijk

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

MEET OUR TEAM: Jordy Koolwijk

MEET OUR TEAM: Jordy Koolwijk

Jordy Koolwijk is the founder and managing director of Aruba Wedding and its sister company Wings Global Media. His journey started over 11 years ago, in 2011. Born and raised in the Netherlands, he moved to our One Happy Island and started Wings Global Media from scratch. Aruba Wedding soon followed after just two years.

He has been passionately running both businesses from the start and built them to what they are today. Nowadays, Aruba Wedding is known for its team of professionals with different specializations and excellent reputation among its clientele.

In his free time, Jordy loves to travel, go to festivals, and spend time with his partner.