Nothing like cherishing a summer Turks & Caicos destination wedding in the middle of winter! JPG had the honor of flying to the caribbean to document Sam and Andy’s beautiful Turks & Caicos destination wedding, and what a weekend! We’ve shot weddings in the British Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bermuda and The Dominican Republic, but as the plane carrying Rebecca and I made its final descent into the Providenciales Airport, we saw island water that was bluer and more vibrant than anywhere we’ve ever seen.
For destination weddings, we always arrive early (lucky for us) to scout locations and to get to know the family, but Andy and I have been acquainted for years. When I was living in Salisbury, MD working as a a reporter for The Daily Times, Andy was my roommate. Back then, Andy had plenty of “female suiters,” so when he called me up to ask if I’d be the wedding photographer at his wedding, I was thrilled to hear he met his match. When we arrived in Turks and Caicos and found out how smart, beautiful, kind and funny Sam is, I quickly understood why he decided to spend the rest of his life with her. Sam beamed the entire trip. Also, she’s pregnant now! Congrats, Sam!
Normally, destination weddings by design are small affairs, but Sam and Andy’s had 75 guests, which is a testament to how much they’re loved by their friends and families. We shot some quick engagement photos the day before the wedding, but I knew we had to do something else in this paradise. I asked the couple to do an impromptu shoot of them in the water. I hadn’t done photos in the water before, so I was a bit nervous of using one of my cameras in water — before the wedding — but it worked out! One of the photos from that shoot went on to win a prestigious Fearless Award.
The ceremony was held at the gorgeous Alexandra Resort, and I just have to say how remarkable Sam and Andy’s love was. Destination weddings have a special way of making everyone involved feel like family, and this one was no exception. Everyone travels together, parties in close proximity and is untied in the way they love and care for the couple getting married. All these conditions are prime for photography, and we were thrilled with the shots we got of Sam and Andy’s special day. The actual ceremony was on the beach, and it featured abundant sunshine and wind (Sam and Andy handled the wind with grace and poise). It was a day that featured a couple deeply in love getting married in one of the most beautiful places on Earth; AKA every wedding photographer’s dream. Sam and Andy, congratulations, and thank you so much for having us document your incredible wedding! We hope to be a Turks & Caicos Destination Wedding Photographer again soon!
Best, Joe G.
