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William and Alejandra

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

William and Alejandra

William and Alejandra

William and Alejandra’s love story could be straight out of a movie. They met while on vacation in Aruba and were immediately drawn to each other. William, a handsome Dutchman, was on a trip with his buddies, while Alejandra, a stunning Colombian woman living in Italy, was also enjoying a break from her busy life. One fateful night at a club, William was captivated by Alejandra’s beauty and approached her with his smooth dance moves. They spent the rest of their vacation exploring the island, enjoying romantic dinners, and falling deeply in love.

When their vacation ended, William and Alejandra returned to their respective homes, but they couldn’t stop thinking about each other. They started a long-distance relationship, traveling back and forth to see each other whenever possible. Their love only grew stronger with each visit, and after several years, they decided to take their relationship to the next level and move in together in the Netherlands.

As their relationship blossomed, William and Alejandra knew they wanted to get married, but they also knew they wanted to do it where they first fell in love: Aruba. They started planning their dream wedding, and our team was honored to be asked to capture every moment of their special day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBP-exSIoQ0

William and Alejandra’s wedding was a two-part celebration, beginning with a civil ceremony at City Hall in downtown Oranjestad. The bright and colorful Dutch Caribbean architecture of City Hall served as the perfect backdrop for some casual couple shots after the more formal ceremony. Our team snapped photos of the happy couple as they posed in front of the building’s vibrant walls and beautiful archways.

The second part of the wedding took place on the beach at the Divi Sandpiper, and it was indeed a magical setting. The beach was adorned with a wooden arch draped with sheer fabric and decorated with three big flower bouquets set in the pristine sand close to the water’s edge. Next to this was the reception area, where three beautifully decorated dinner tables were set under three large pergolas, also draped with sheer fabric, decorative ivy, and twinkling lights. The pergolas were centered around a makeshift dance floor, where the couple shared their first dance as newlyweds.

Our team captured some beautiful moments throughout the day, from the couple’s first dance to the cake-cutting ceremony, which featured a stunning cake frosted with ripples of icing. We also loved the various speeches in several languages, reflecting the couple’s backgrounds and the cultural fusion that made their relationship unique. But what stood out the most was William and Alejandra’s deep love and connection. Their love radiated throughout the day, and our team felt honored to capture that love in every frame. It was clear to everyone who attended the wedding that this was a couple who were truly meant to be together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6XpOLaV7Y

As the sun set over the Caribbean Sea and the stars came out, William and Alejandra celebrated their love with family and friends. It was a truly magical day, and our team was thrilled to be a part of it. We wish the happy couple all the best as they embark on this new chapter in their lives together, and we know that their love story will continue to inspire others for years to come.

Clair & Tony

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Clair & Tony

Clair & Tony

Claire Harmsworth & Tony Griffiths work together as the managing director and founder, respectively, of an award-winning residential construction company specializing in luxury homes and housing developments in the UK. Recently, they went from being power-couple business partners to also being life partners, tying the knot here in Aruba and choosing our team to capture every moment of it.

Claire and Tony understand and appreciate luxury, so it’s no surprise that they chose to hold their nuptials on the private island off Aruba’s coast. Renaissance Island, owned by the Renaissance Resort, is a 40-acre oasis featuring two beaches and a lush mangrove network, reached by an 8-minute water taxi ride from the mainland. Its Bali-style cabanas, pristine sand, luxury amenities, and exclusivity make it one of the most incredible places in Aruba to get married. Understanding that the surroundings on Renaissance Island are breathtaking enough, the couple kept the wedding décor minimalistic. The wedding arch was simply draped with sheet fabric with a spray of white flowers in one corner, framing the gorgeous Caribbean Sea beyond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ftC2AUaeeM

Claire wowed in her fabulous dress with its long train, which added to the drama of the photography. And speaking of photography, we’ll admit, Renaissance Island is one of our favorite wedding locations on Aruba, as it offers incredible diversity for stunning bridal portraits. We were even able to capture a few shots of the couple with Renaissance

Island’s famed resident flamingos.

Our team also had the pleasure of capturing the first look between Claire and her father, as well as his speech during the reception, where he explained that giving her away in marriage was one of the proudest moments of his life. He further explained how when she was born, she completely changed his life. With her love, support, loyalty, and understanding, she has become his soulmate. He thanked her for always keeping him young…in mind at least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgim2F6PtY

Kristen & Kyle Brodhagen

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Kristen & Kyle Brodhagen

Kristen & Kyle Brodhagen

Over-the-top elegant, rustic, bohemian, classic, you name it. When it comes to wedding photography and videos, our Aruba Wedding team aims to capture the vibe of each type. While we don’t necessarily have a favorite kind of wedding to shoot, we will say that there are advantages to each and every one. So what about the simple, understated wedding? What’s the advantage there? Kristen & Kyle Brodhagen’s simply elegant wedding on the shores of Palm Beach at the RIU Antillas in Aruba on November 16, 2022, perfectly illustrates the photographic advantage of the unassuming wedding celebration. A simple arch, tastefully decorated with sheer white fabric and white flowers, framing the gorgeous Caribbean Sea, set the stage for their small, intimate wedding, surrounded by close friends and family. The classic, one-tier cake and the casual reception added to the no-frills of it all. So what’s the advantage here? Take one look at the videos and photos of their wedding. We think you’ll see it too. Kristen and Kyle’s warm personalities and genuine love for one another shine brightly and become the focal point of each video and photo. Nothing else gets in the way. It’s truly beautiful!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkUBQsCNE6Q

While capturing his wedding message before the ceremony, Kyle shared that Kristen arrived an hour late on her first date. She had made a mistake while navigating and took a wrong turn, causing her to arrive at the wrong location. When She finally arrived, She found Kyle sitting on the porch waiting for her. Kyle, Still in good spirits, looked up at her and saw her smile. That smile instantly made the waiting worthwhile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6mQh1j4SrQ

His favorite thing about Kristen is that she is always positive and upbeat. Indeed, her beautiful, genuine smile lights up the entire day. She can hardly keep the huge grin off her face! In her message, Kristen shared that Kyle is her rock, always steady, trustworthy, and taking care of everything. Again, this is apparent in their videos and photos—he is a solid, calm presence that grounds her and, as she mentions in her vows, “always feels like home to her.” This is exactly the feeling we get when we look at the images we captured.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZt_DTf1rME

When Kyle read his vows, he spoke about how when he was little, whether it was a good day or bad day, all would be ok because there were always cartoons in the morning. Bad days were good days, and good days were great days, because instead of cartoons, he has her in the mornings. We loved this analogy! The couple also has a playful side, which we were able to capture during the vows. Kristen had wanted Kyle to write the vows in a book, but Kyle, wanting to stay true to his off-the-cuff character, never wrote them down, and after finishing his vows, playfully showed her the empty pages of the little notebook he was supposedly reading from, eliciting cries of laughter from Kristen.

Our team always strives to capture the unique vibe in each wedding photograph or clip as we document a wedding. This one was no exception. The simplicity of the setting allowed us to focus on the couple’s personalities and their genuine love for each other, which shines through in every photo and video. We absolutely loved the extra time allocated for portraits and video, which allowed us to delve into the couple’s dynamic and produce stunning and intimate results. Shooting wedding portraits is an essential part of any wedding photography experience. It allows the couple to have beautiful, timeless images they can cherish forever. It is essential to allow enough time for the photographer to shoot the portraits. Often times we are left with a short period because Wedding Ceremonies generally take place close to sunset due to the hot midday sun in Aruba. Additionally, when we set out to shoot a wedding video and photography, we love to add little snippets of the portrait session to emphasize the love between the bride&groom. Having extra time with a couple

of which the chemistry is so tangible only adds to the magic in both photography and video.

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

While their wedding was understated, Kristen and Kyle’s love was much more radiant in every one of their wedding videos and photos. Thank you, Kristen and Kyle, for allowing us the pleasure of capturing your radiance!
We are incredibly grateful to Kristen and Kyle for entrusting us with the task of capturing the radiance of their love, and we feel privileged to have been a part of their special day.

Jennifer & Adam

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Jennifer & Adam

Jennifer & Adam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahQtgzMM8j8

For Jennifer, it was his kind, hazel eyes. For Adam, it was her infectious laughter and smile. But that romantic click didn’t happen right away. Jennifer and Adam first met in band class in high school when  Jennifer was a freshman flutist and Adam a sophomore saxophonist. It wasn’t until two years later, when one of Jennifer’s friends had a crush on Adam, that Jennifer developed a crush on his as well (those hazel eyes!) and eventually mustered up the courage to ask him out. Fifteen years later, the two sealed the deal on the beautiful shores of Palm Beach at the Aruba Marriott Resort, surrounded by over 100 family members and friends, and our Aruba Wedding team had the immense pleasure of capturing all the special moments of their destination wedding in Aruba as their wedding photographer and videographer. Adam attributed the large number of guests to Jennifer’s ability to so easily attract people to her, given her fun-loving, charismatic nature, which we witnessed firsthand. But Adam undersold his own part in bringing so many people together to celebrate their wedding in Aruba. His hotel room was indeed filled with good vibes and positive energy as our wedding photographer shot all the guys getting ready for the beach ceremony.

Speaking of the beach ceremony…it was the bohemian beach wedding of Jennifer’s dreams, with a wooden octagon arch decorated with white flowers and wispy pastel pampas grass, set in the sand against the azure Caribbean Sea backdrop. The understated wedding colors, slate blue and gray, kept to the natural, bohemian vibe, with just a few fun touches thrown in, like the groomsmen handing out beers to the guests left and right as they walked down the aisle.

We especially loved the speech given by Adam’s little brother and best man, Matt, who shared that during Adam’s college days, he would come home during summer breaks and play video games late into the night in the attic with him. But every night at 11 pm sharp, Adam would pause the game to call Jennifer to talk to her and wish her sweet dreams. (Yeah, he’s a keeper!)

Jennifer and Adam’s “semi-nude” cake also kept to the bohemian theme, and we captured some great shots of Jennifer playfully smearing some icing on Adam’s nose in the wedding video. But the moment that really took the cake was when Jennifer stopped halfway through the father-daughter dance with her dad to invite her sister, Michelle, to finish the dance with her dad since Michelle didn’t have the chance to dance with her dad at her own wedding. Tears were flowing during this heartfelt moment—our own team even got a bit teary-eyed.

Based on the laughter and love we witnessed at their beautiful destination beach wedding in Aruba, as you can see yourself in their wedding video, we’d venture to guess that Jennifer and Adam have a long, loving future ahead of them. We feel honored to have been part of their incredibly special day to provide them with a wedding video they can cherish forever. Congratulations, Silbermans!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lET_PxU2cY

Agata & James

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Agata & James

Agata & James

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IYUPd1iVLg

On August 21, 2017, James pulled up to Sandbar Island in Lake Norman in a boat with his friends, hoping to be in a special place to experience the expected solar eclipse, dubbed the “Great American Eclipse.” They arrived just as another boat was pulling up, and that’s when James laid his eyes on Agata for the first time. For James, Agata stole his attention and eclipsed everything else that day. Five years later, on June 25, 2022, the couple officially tied the knot on Aruba at the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino among a small group of loved ones, all eager to celebrate the couple’s love and devotion to one another. Our team was honored to be there to capture this very special part of their love story.

With Agata originally from Poland, the majority of her family was absent, except her mother and sister. Both mom and sis helped Agata get ready for the big day in the quiet, intimate setting of their hotel room. The understated wedding preparations reflected Agata’s demure nature, and also gave her the perfect chance to take a peaceful moment, which we captured on camera, to read out loud the beautiful letter that James wrote her. Likewise, the groom’s preparations were equally quite private and intimate. James lovingly helped the couple’s son, William, to get ready for the ceremony. He also received a letter and gifts from Agata, which he took the time to enjoy during an emotional moment.

The Hilton’s clean elegance and classic beauty were the perfect match for this lovely, modest couple. The wooden gazebo arch, featuring a crystal chandelier, gorgeous flowers, and flowing gauze, backed by the azure waters of the Caribbean Sea, served as the perfect backdrop to the couple’s “I dos.” And what a gorgeous sunset! It started off a classic orange and yellow that eventually bled into pink and purple—the perfect backdrop for amazing wedding photos!

The couple chose a reception right on the beach at the Hilton, with the tables surrounding the dance floor. After heartfelt speeches given by family and friends, and the cutting of the stunning wedding cake, the couple and all their guests tore up that dance floor!

Our team clicked so well with Agata and James, which undoubtedly led to really exceptional footage. The couple also chose really nice music from our library, resulting in unique videos that we know they will enjoy for the rest of their new life together. Congratulations, Agata and James!

Katelyn & Christopher

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Katelyn & Christopher

Katelyn & Christopher

https://youtu.be/2a-syqnIHK0

While Christopher explained a “love at first sight” scenario (“the first time I saw her across the room, with her side braid, she stole my heart”), the love that he and Katelyn have for one another is based on true friendship. Katelyn made this very clear when she so beautifully shared that she is marrying the love of her life, her best friend, her partner, and everything that makes her a better person.  She added, “You have been my favorite part of every day, and I can’t wait to have more of those with you.”

As photographers and videographers, we strive to capture weddings in a way that truly reflects the unique relationship that exists between couples. For Katelyn and Christopher’s wedding, we knew that we needed to make sure to capture and showcase the deep, down-to-earth connection that these two lovely people—these best friends—share as they tied the knot in front of their friends and family on May 28 at the Divi Resorts, under the guiding hand of Divi’s premier wedding planner, Aruba Weddings for You!. Both Katelyn and Christopher are also very close to their families, which we also aimed to highlight.

The festivities began as both the groom and bride got ready with the wedding party in their respective rooms. The couple chose beautiful pistachio green and khaki as their wedding colors, which perfectly complemented the couple’s easy, laid-back vibe. The guys threw back a few beers wrapped in personalized beer cozies while the ladies had some fun of their own with some bubbly as they primped.

Dad’s first look was incredibly special. Katelyn had a beautiful gift for her dad—a handkerchief printed with words of love and appreciation for the “first man she ever loved.” We felt truly honored to witness and capture such an important moment between father and daughter.

The day could not have been more gorgeous, with the sun reflecting off the pure white sands of Sandpiper Beach. The couple exchanged their vows under a breathtaking wedding arch filled with white flowers, lush greenery, and wispy heather. A unity sand ceremony followed, representing the couple’s new union and their mutual vow to embark upon a new life together, no matter the challenges they would face.

We love that the couple chose to hold their reception right on the same beach where they just got married. We also loved the specially rehearsed first dances of the night, which took place under the gorgeous twinkling lights strung over the sand dance floor. Most of all, we were incredibly impressed by the sincere sentiments shared during the speeches given by the bride’s sister and the groom’s brother. It’s been a long time since we heard such an emotional, heartfelt speech given by the best man, and our first thought was, “This marriage is definitely going to work!”

We were truly honored to work with such a great couple with inspiring energy. We established a really amazing chemistry with both the couple and the wedding party, and that’s truly one of the most important keys in capturing incredible footage. Thank you, Katelyn and Christopher, for allowing us to be part of such an amazing day and for reminding us that love based on friendship is perhaps one of the best kinds of love there is.

Paulo & Leticia

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Paulo & Leticia

Paulo & Leticia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L57WmZJL5tA&t=2s

Ladies!! Are you tired of waiting on your man to pop the question? Well, this was not really the case of Leticia and Paulo. The first three times Paulo proposed to Leticia, she was just not ready yet. When she finally was ready, she was scared Paulo had given up. Leticia, an assertive go-getter from Brazil, saw an advertisement from Aruba offering the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Aruba for women ready to propose to their boyfriends, and she took it as a sign.

It must have felt like destiny calling when she was informed that she had won the trip. Experienced back-packers, Paulo and Leticia always look for new destinations and things to see. A surprise trip did not seem strange to Paulo, so the happy campers got on the airplane and went on their next adventure.

Being experienced wedding photographers and videographers, having captured many proposals, we got to take the couple out on a tour around the island and capture “whatever” would happen. Paulo and Leticia always try to find new experiences on a budget, and to Paulo, participating in a video/photo shoot didn’t raise any suspicion.

When we arrived at our first location, a secluded beach on the north coast of Aruba, it was H-hour for Leticia. She walked up to Paulo with the rings in hand, asked him if he would marry her, and Paulo took his sweet loving time to register what happened. Once he fully comprehended what Leticia was asking him—that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, breaking all convention and proposing to him—he couldn’t hide the emotions!!

It is more than acceptable for a man to shed a little tear of joy at moments like this, right ladies?

The Aruba Tourism Authority, the organizer of this all, wanted to stimulate women to propose to their partners, breaking with all conventions and encouraging women to take control of their lives. That is why we love this particular story. We don’t see this nearly enough. Most stories of proposals and engagements in Aruba are of men proposing to their girlfriends/partners. We are sure more women are out there, ready to take control and just pop the question. It is more than acceptable in this day and age, and we support it fully!

Side note…have you guys seen those rings? With a map of the world engraved on them?!?! Are you kidding me?? How fitting is that for a couple that love traveling, always on the hunt for their next adventure? Well, Paulo & Leticia, we wish you all the best as you embark on the biggest adventure of all!

Gallery

Brooke & Ralph

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Brooke & Ralph

Brooke & Ralph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIyHuUm3fJg

Their love story began when Ralph used to wait outside Brooke’s math class during high school to sneak a kiss between classes. In the next 10 or so years, the love of these high school sweethearts matured and evolved into a truly beautiful relationship, and our team was honored to capture the day, June 23, when they officially committed themselves to each other in marriage.

These Long Island, NY, natives, both of Italian background, invited their families and friends to share their special day with them at Divi Sandpiper in gorgeous Aruba, with everything painstakingly planned and coordinated by the amazing team of Aruba Weddings For You.

From behind our cameras, we could sense how important family is to both Brooke and Ralph, and also how intertwined their respective families are, given the longevity of Brooke and Ralph’s relationship. We captured a beautiful moment when Ralph’s mom was reading a letter from Brooke that stated, “I’ve been your girl since 16,” as well as the moving words, “Today a wife, tomorrow a bride, forever your daughter.” It was moments like these that perfectly illustrated the strong love between the bride and groom’s families, with the couple’s own love at the core. Ralph and Brooke’s letters to one another shed more light on their love story as well as where their story goes next. They are both excited to start a family together, and in their words, “It starts today.”

The couple added special touches to their wedding that we featured in their wedding video, including the unity sand ceremony, as well as a moving memorial butterfly release in honor of Ralph’s late father. The Divi Sandpiper, as always, created the perfect setting for the wedding ceremony on the beach, followed by a beachside reception. After some really great speeches given by family and friends, the newlywed couple and all their guests tore it up on the dance floor.

Brooke and Ralph additionally chose to book our photography and videography island tour, whereby we took them to gorgeous island landmarks for even more amazing opportunities to build their story through photos and video. We took them to the quaint Civil Town House in downtown Oranjestad, as well as a few special spots highlighting Aruba’s beautiful and unique nature. We were really happy with how these shots turned out, as we were able to truly leverage Brooke and Ralph’s playful personalities against perfect backdrops.

Cheers to Brooke, Ralph, and their families, as well as the new family they will soon start together!

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!