IF YOU LOVE COLOR THEN YOU’LL BE INSPIRED BY THIS BEACH ELOPEMENT WEDDING!
Janelle and Chris got married at the spectacular Virgin Islands National Park, St. John's. It was a stunning beach elopement wedding, with an intimate ceremony on top of a hill and beachy vibes to keep guests entertained.
THE FIRST LOOK
Janelle and I woke up at 4:30 AM to make sure we had enough time to get her hair and makeup done before the sunrise first look and vow reading we had planned for her and Chris. Janelle has SO. MUCH. HAIR. It was so special for me to be able to help her get ready, help her get in her dress and finish all of those little details with her day of. I had little tears in my eyes, and even tear up just thinking about her getting married to the man of her dreams, who she had waited for and prayed for, for so many years. We took Janelle and Chris out to a secluded beach on St. Thomas, right next to a bunch of sailboats in the harbor. They wrote and read personal vows to each other, which they shared after their first look.
THE CEREMONY
The ceremony took place on a hilltop, and was surrounded by water, overlooking Trunk Bay. Janelle's dad walked her down the isle, while her step-mom stood by watching proudly. The ceremony included a dramatic first kiss and Chuck was the officiant. He talked about how God created marriage, how it's a difficult, but wonderful challenge, and how Janelle and Chris need to look toward Christ as their ultimate Savior. It was a wonderful ceremony, full of excited hand squeezes, giggles, and beautiful advice. After the ceremony, popped a bottle of champagne, which was the perfect time for me to get candid photos, and I got some really special photos as they enjoyed the afternoon. The weather at this beach elopement wedding was so sunny, it was a stunning day.
THE BEACH ELOPEMENT WEDDING
After the ceremony, we went to a local spot for lunch and celebratory drinks! We continued our afternoon of adventuring around the island, and took a handful of portraits of Janelle and Chris before heading back to St. Thomas for their sunset session. The sunset was absolutely incredible. We initially had planned on heading over to the famous Mermaid's Chair, but found out we were only able to be out on the point until sundown and were required to have left the gated community before the sun fully set. It was about a 20 minute walk to the end of the island, so we scrapped that idea and chose to head over to another beach. The evening ended with the couple in the water, which was such a unique idea. I had been wanting to take pictures of a couple in water for quite some time, so when Janelle told me she was having a beach elopement, I instantly requested they hop in the water! And boy and I sure glad they did! The whole beach elopement wedding was just the happiest occasion, from the bride’s awesome dress to the sun setting across the sky as they lit a sky lantern and watched it float away in the distance.
TOP TIP FOR PLANNING A WEDDING
ALWAYS have a backup plan for your backup plan and remember that if something changes on the itinerary, that's okay. You never know what the weather will be like the day of, you don't know if there is going to be an extra 20 minute hike to get out to the initial photo spot, only have that plan shut down. It's so important to remember that your wedding day is a day to CELEBRATE your new union with the love of your life. Don't let that stop you from enjoying every moment of it though.
I loved this beach elopement wedding so much. If you’re getting married and looking for a wedding photographer, get in touch.
Here is Janelle and Chris’s story in photos and video!
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