fbpx
Reviews

Category: Wedding

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

Agata & James

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Agata & James

Agata & James

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!

Minu & Phillip

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Minu & Phillip

Minu & Phillip

We have ourselves a real-life Grey’s Anatomy going on here, people!

The Destination Wedding Edition, that is.

Meet Phillip, a dashing young doctor who had started a new job in a hospital in New Jersey. One day he received a call to run up to the ICU to assist a patient. While running in, he saw nurses working to keep a patient alive… one of the nurses in particular. So in control, hardworking..but hey, there was work to be done, right?! Luckily, the patient survived, and Phillip went his merry way, but he kept thinking about one nurse.

Phillip continued being called up to the ICU to save lives together with that particular nurse. Once, after assisting with a code, Phillip finally looked at the nurse and asked, ” Do you like pizza?” Minu, the nurse, had noticed Phillip from the beginning and was happy to accept the invitation.

Fast forward to February 27, 2021. After being together for a while and being engaged for well over a year, Phillip & Minu finally said their vows at The Ritz-Carlton Aruba for their destination wedding. You see, Aruba, much like the rest of the world, had this thing going on called the Corona pandemic, and many weddings were postponed, as was Phillip & Minu’s wedding. So we were really excited to finally capture their long-awaited wedding through photography and videography.

Katelyn & Christopher

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Katelyn & Christopher

Katelyn & Christopher

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.

Brooke & Ralph

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Brooke & Ralph

Brooke & Ralph

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!

Elaine & Travis

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Elaine & Travis

Elaine & Travis

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.

Alexi & Todd

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Alexi & Todd

Alexi & Todd

During all the years we have spent as destination wedding photographers and videographers in Aruba, we have yet to experience rain during the ceremony. With over 300 days of sunshine recorded annually, located outside of the hurricane belt, and enjoying steady trade winds, Aruba is a sure bet for nice weather on your wedding day. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t rain in Aruba at all. On October 1, 2020, after that whole Covid lock-down, postponing the wedding, and postponing again, Alexi, Todd, and loved ones finally made the trip to Aruba for their destination wedding.

Expecting clear skies and sunshine, Alexi was not in a good mood when she woke up to see dark skies over our lovely island. The tone was set for the day. Stressed because of the weather, people were arriving late. You can only imagine. When we entered Todd’s room to take the preparation shots, you could see the worry in his eyes. What would Alexi be going through!? He was a caring man; he checked if there was a “bad weather option” for the ceremony. Here in Aruba, although we have never experienced a destination wedding ceremony indoors, almost all hotels do have the option to move indoors in case of bad weather.

After looking at the weather radar and speaking with people, Todd and Alexi took the risk to continue their destination wedding ceremony on the beach.

We then met up with Alexi for her part of the wedding preparation photography, and boy, she was worried. At this point, I told her that we had never had rain during the ceremony, and there is something about the Aruban climate so that it doesn’t rain around sunset. It is hard to explain, but I have never seen it occur.

At that moment, as if it was meant to be, the sun peeked through from behind the clouds. At this point, Alexi relaxed, and we could get some great wedding preparation photography done here. Doesn’t she look stunning in these wedding portraits?

Finally, when we headed down to the ceremony, the skies cleared a bit further. Things started moving smoothly. During her vows, Alexi told Todd that the hair-dresser that morning said to her that rain on your wedding day is a blessing because a wet knot is hard to untie; therefore, if you tie the knot on a rainy day, your marriage is hard to unravel.

Days after the big day, we met up with the happy couple once more to take a few bridal portraits in the Aruban countryside in a short “trash-the-dress” photo shoot. They looked like they could stand whatever comes their way, ready to face a lifetime together.

The wedding photography looks fantastic, and once again, we chalked up another dry ceremony, cementing the fact that in the years of experience we have as destination wedding photographers and videographers, we have never had rain during the ceremony.

Nature is a fickle beast, though, so please don’t hold it against us when you plan you plan your destination wedding in Aruba, and you have a slight drizzle during the ceremony…wink wink.

Melissa & Travis

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Melissa & Travis

Melissa & Travis

By the end of the crazy 2020 we got a request to do a wedding. Still overwhelm by everything that was happening and catching up with all safety measures, without knowing what was going to be for upcoming 2021, we decided to embark on a new destination wedding adventure.

Susan was our first contact, being the mother of the bride she really wanted to be on top of every detail. Our conversations where so easy and warm that it was clear for us the success that this event was going to be; The daughter Melissa, was determined not to postpone, the long-awaited date of her ceremony on one of the most beautiful beaches in Aruba. Meanwhile Travis was giving his entire support to his upcoming wife and of course to our wedding team.

After a couple of phone calls and a few emails we where all set, WE HAVE A DATE! May will be the month and the 7th the day.

Fast forward to May 2021 after vaccination and testing negative, we got to meet in person in Aruba Weddings For You office. That day was key to review every detail and understand how Melissa & Travis wanted their wedding pictures done. The cosy feeling and the chemistry between then let us know that the images where going to be amazing.

May 7th, 2021 Wedding Day – Partly cloudy, hoping for the best…

4:30pm

We started with photos at the room where Travis was getting dressed. The room was filled with joy, everybody was helping each other and at the same time making fun of themself. We where having so much fun that we didn’t realize about the time almost missing Melissa’s prep.

5:00pm

We got To Melissa’s room; music is playing, champaign bottles are being pop and the hectic feeling it’s all over. All the ladies are helping Melissa with jewelry, last hair and make up details. Between clicks and words we blended as part of the family and suddenly we where all dancing and laughing   celebrating life and love while capturing unique images.

5:50pm

We are all set to go to the Sandpiper Beach at Divi Tamarijn. Both families show concern about the cloudy weather and how this is going to affect the Wedding photos and the most important, the sunset.

6:00pm

Ceremony starts, they even brought a cut out of their dog to be able to have all the love ones present in their unique destination wedding and yes, the sky  it is full of scattered clouds but not cloudy, this translated into vibrant and unique sunset colors, like always happens here in the One happy island.

After the sunset pictures what is left aside is to share with your love ones and partying until the body endures.

Thank you guys for letting us tell your story and capture your wedding photos.

We wish you joy and fulfillment forever.

Erica & Matt

Posted on by Sigmar Sommer

Erica & Matt

Erica & Matt

Erica and Matt’s ‘how we met’ story will renew your faith in the persistence of love. Matt first laid eyes on Erica when he visited a bar in New York she worked at years ago. After convincing his friends to return to the bar with him several times so he could see her, Matt finally worked up the courage to get her number. Matt’s high hopes were dashed when his texts to Erica were being ignored. Matt decided to visit Erica one last time at the bar to explain that he would stop messaging her, which is when they both discovered that something had gone amiss — Erica had not been receiving the text messages at all! Apparently, Matt had accidentally been sending the messages to another Erica on his phone! On that unexpected note, the couple started dating. Eventually, they moved in together. Eight years later they tied the knot … in Aruba!

A destination wedding is incredibly special, but Erica and Matt took it to the next level by saying their ‘I dos’ at Renaissance Island. A destination within a destination. The lush, 40-acre retreat is just a few hundred yards off of Aruba’s harbor — reachable by boat shuttle from the water launch at the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino. These few hundred yards away can feel like miles away from civilization, with secluded coves and tropical garden retreats dotting this private island. Wedding ceremonies take place on a private beach, closed off to other island guests. When it is time for the reception and all other guests have left the island, the couple and all their friends and family have the entire island all to themselves (except for the resident flamingos of course). It’s the perfect location for a truly magical wedding!

Weddings on the private island do come with some challenges from time to time. The boat ride to the island makes photography a bit trickier. On top of that, couples that get married on Renaissance Island are usually also guests of the Renaissance Hotel. For Erica and Matt this was not the case, they stayed at the RIU Palace, which posed an interesting logistical challenge. However, it wasn’t anything our team couldn’t handle with sound planning and timely execution.

Of course, nighttime receptions can be challenging due to the lack of light which makes it difficult for cameras to focus. However, Renaissance Island offers ample, cozy lighting after the sun goes down. Not to mention that our team is experienced in taking professional photos in a variety of light situations. It’s this seasoned experience that enabled us to beautifully capture the radiating smiles of both Erica and Matt as they danced their wedding night away under the stars. We feel truly honored to have captured the wedding of their dreams.