Category: Videography Story

When you’re in the business of wedding photography and videography, you come across a lot of photographs and videos capturing all sorts of weddings, from simple yet elegant beachside ceremonies to extravagant ballroom affairs. You would think that the particular color scheme of the wedding or the ceremony décor or the choice of poses or even the weather would play a major role in determining the quality of wedding photos and videos, but you would be wrong. So what matters the most? The positive energy of the couple as well as their wedding guests…hands down.

Case in point…the Drobbins. We recently had the true pleasure of working with Travis and Elaine Drobbin from Hoboken, New Jersey, who chose beautiful Aruba for their destination wedding. From the moment we met them, our team clicked with this lovely couple. They exuded a warm, relaxed, down-to-earth energy that drew us in and made us feel equally relaxed and comfortable. This positive chemistry created space for mutual respect and trust, which is the backbone of any successful collaboration.

Not only were Travis and Elaine incredibly welcoming of our team, but so were their friends and family. We weren’t just documenting their celebration – we were PART of their celebration, allowing us to capture all those intimate, raw moments that often only close family and friends get to witness.

The fact that Travis and Elaine were so relaxed also ensured that they looked completely natural in the photographs and video. For them, their wedding wasn’t about creating the perfect moment, but rather about LIVING in the moment, which translated so beautifully in photo and film. It was this “living in the moment” attitude that had them all jumping in the pool by the end of the night!

Ultimately, the level of comfort and trust established between the wedding couple and our team is one of the most important factors determining how “successful” wedding photos turn out. Positive vibes almost always equate to fabulous photos and videos, no doubt about it. After all, this trust that we hope to establish on every shoot gives us the freedom to be creative.

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 !!