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?
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!
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.
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.
“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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
We know getting married can be overwhelming, so the last thing we want is for brides to be uncertain about anything. That’s why we encourage you to have an “investigating mindset” and fire all your questions at us. We love to help and will happily field any question you might have. Go for it, Sherlock!
There are thousands of possible questions, and no question is silly or inappropriate. We offer more than just keepsakes for life…we offer peace of mind so that you can enjoy the entire experience, not just the gorgeous photos and videos we will deliver as a final product.
So without further adieu, we decided to get the ball rolling with some of the most common questions that brides have asked over the years. Our hope is that you won’t hesitate to ask other questions as well. Trust us…we have the answers!
WHAT FORMAT DO YOU DELIVER THE PHOTOS IN?
We deliver high-quality JPG’s that can be used for almost all printing options, even bigger sizes. We only deliver digital photos; however, we also offer very exclusive printing options as possible add-ons, such as canvas prints, metal prints, and albums.
WHAT DELIVERY METHOD DO YOU USE?
We deliver all photos via a Dropbox link. Dropbox is stable, reliable, and secure. With the personalized link, you can download the photos onto your computer and share with your friends and family without having to put them in public on social media. The Dropbox link is also the platform for possible corrections. By indicating the photo file names/numbers, you can let us know any feedback, concerns, or corrections you might have.
DO THE VIDEO PACKAGES ALSO COME WITH ALL RAW FOOTAGE?
We never give out the actual raw footage; however, we have a solution that will have the same end result, making sure you have all the video footage we have shot. This is called a press-edit, which would come in addition to the video (highlight reel) you already received. A press-edit is basically all usable footage in a very long playable file, meaning you will receive all footage shot, including the shots that are not really good/usable or simply didn’t made the edited video. Preparing this press-edit will come at an additional cost, however, since it is significantly more work. Please note that this press-edit is only a collection of short shots pasted in a sequence for you to archive; it has no edited storytelling. All shots are short, dynamic, and artistic, since we don’t shoot as reporters but more as filmmakers.
HOW BIG IS THE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY CREW DURING MY WEDDING?
This varies based on the package you book. All photography is two crew members (one photographer + one assistant), unless you book a second photographer, making the total count three. In the case of videography, the crew is two (videographer #1 and videographer #2). So at a maximum, the crew during your wedding could run up to seven persons total (considering the fact that we have two different video crews that can capture two different wedding videos/styles); however, a regular combo package (photo and video) will give you four crew members covering your big day!
IS ONE PHOTOGRAPHER ENOUGH?
In order to capture all the essentials, one photographer is enough; however, one photographer can only be in one place at a time. For example, while the photographer is taking photos of the two of you during sunset, we miss shots of your guests mingling during the cocktail hour. The same applies during the first dance: if the photographer is taking the couple’s first dance photos, we miss capturing the jaw-dropping reactions of the guests.
Therefore, we recommend hiring a second photographer, especially for the ceremony itself, for greater coverage. Our photographers work as a team, perfectly anticipating each other’s movements so as not to get in each other’s shots. Booking a second photographer will also result in extra photos delivered. You can book a second photographer for two or more consecutive hours.
WHY DO WE RECOMMEND DOING THE CAKE CUTTING RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST DANCE?
Obviously we adjust to any given situation, so for us, whenever you choose to do the cake cutting is fine; however, please find below a few reasons why we recommend doing the cake cutting right after first dance.
Everybody is already around the dance floor.
The cake is still fresh and looks sharp for the photos.
After cutting one piece of the cake for the sake of the photographs, the hotel staff will bring the cake back to the kitchen where they will slice it up for you to be served as your dessert. You really don’t want to waste your precious time cutting the cake for all your guests; focusing on cutting just that first piece is also more fun!
DO YOU REALLY NEED 1.5 (ONLY PHOTO) TO 2 HOURS (COMBO OF PHOTO AND VIDEO) TO SHOOT THE PREPARATIONS IN THE ROOMS?
This shooting time takes into account that we need to leave the bride’s room 20 minutes before the ceremony in order to set up at the ceremony site, and that we need to relocate from room to room (in between groom and bride). It feels long, but in order to guarantee quality, this amount of time also gives us wiggle room and the ability to craft our shots with precision.
HOW MANY PHOTOS WILL WE DELIVERED PER HOUR OF SHOOTING?
On average, 50-80 photos will be delivered per hour booked. So for example, three hours of shooting results in 150-240 delivered photos and five hours results in 150-400 delivered photos. This all depends on a lot of factors.
DO YOU DELIVER ALL PHOTOS TAKEN?
We do a so-called photographer’s selection, which means that we edit everything that we consider usable in regards to lighting, focus, facial expression, and framing, and of course we filter out all duplicates. However, in case you feel that anything is missing or you wish to see more of a certain part of the day, we will go back to find more (and we open the kimono whenever needed, since transparency is our credo).
HOW ARE THE HOURS USED WITHIN EACH PACKAGE?
The hours within our packages need to be scheduled in a consecutive way. We always help our couples to establish the most efficient timelines possible, ensuring bang for your buck.
WHAT PACKAGE DO COUPLES USUALLY BOOK?
Our best sellers are the three-hour and five-hour packages (this applies for both photography as well as videography).
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE PHOTOS/VIDEO TO BE DELIVERED?
The edited photos will be delivered (via a Dropbox link into your mailbox) within three weeks after the wedding date. The video will be delivered within five weeks after your wedding date via a private/unlisted YouTube link. Once the content is approved, final delivery will take place via Dropbox again for you to download everything onto your computer.
WHAT IF I LOSE MY PHOTOS/VIDEO AFTER FINAL DELIVERY?
No worries, we got you covered. We keep a copy of your files on our server. However, we are not a storage facilitator or cloud storage company, so although we do this, we cannot be held responsible. This is a nonlegal binding service we offer, so ultimately you are responsible for correct storage of your files.
HOW MANY MEETINGS DO WE GET WITH THE CREW?
As many as needed! We know that “with great power comes great responsibility.” We realize that your wedding photos are a visualization of the memories you will have of one of the most beautiful days of your life, so we understand how important our job is, and we take it very seriously. As we will be a vital part of your big day, we want to make sure we make your experience as smooth and pleasant as possible. In general, most couples, on average, have two meetings (aside from some emails back and forth). One meeting is during the intake phase in order to determine what package works best and to draft a timeline, and the last meeting is on island in person, where we go over all details one more time, one-on-one with your wedding photographer or videographer.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY PREFERENCES CLEAR AND COMMUNICATE THE STYLE I LIKE?
First we will investigate this in great detail during the intake by asking the right questions in order to get to know each other. However, for us as visual people, a picture tells not 1,000 but 10,000 words. Therefore, we always ask our brides to send us screenshots, Pinterest boards, and photos of everything they see online that inspires them. We on our end put all images in your project file, and we create a so-called moodboard that we use in order to determine the style, feel, vibe, and personality that should characterize your photo and/or video session. We also use the moodboard as a style guide during your pre-meeting on the island with the crew.
We hope this tip-of-the-iceberg Q&A overview will inspire you to do good research and to build the type of relationship with us that is going to make all the difference in guaranteeing a great experience and amazing end results.
