​Looking for more ideas? Stay tuned, we’ll keep sharing our favorite beaches, to make the process easier for you to find your dream location!

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So, you're considering eloping in Rincon Puerto Rico. Where to begin? What is a good example of what your dream day could be?

Below is an example, but your day can be anything YOU want it to be! There are no rules, no must do's or must nots, no special criteria to check off a list. Your day is custom catered to you and only you, because an elopement is a celebration of the two of you, becoming one. 

Below is an example of what the day could be for the two of you!

First look

Ceremony Location Pools Beach (AKA Sandy Beach West) Rincon, Puerto Rico

Sunset Beach Location Rincon, Puerto Rico

Getting Ready Location: Beach Front AirBnB
Ceremony Location: Pools beach
Additional Portrait Location: Undecided
Meal/Celebration Location: AirBnB


8:00 am - Bride’s Private Massage
 (Tika Stops in with a coffee and for a few photos, before leaving Bride to let her relax)

10:00 am - Bride Getting Ready with Bride’s mom, Groom’s mom, and Bride and Groom’s sisters
 Bride getting ready at airbnb, ocean front
(Tika arrives at 10:30 for photos of getting ready)

10:30 am - Groom Surf session
 Prewedding Surf with Groom’s dad, brother and father of the bride! 
(Kane arrives with group to capture surf photos)

11:30 am - Groom Getting Ready
    Pictures start at 12-12:15, once cleaned up. Will text when ready.
(Kane Photographs)

12:00 pm - Bridal portraits
    Pictures include mom, mother of the groom, and sisters
(Tika will Photograph)

1:00 pm - Mountain Top First Look
    With JUST the Bride and Groom
(Tika and Kane will coordinate couple not seeing each other, prior to the right time)

1:45 pm - Ceremony with closest friends and family
(Tika and Kane will photograph together)

2:15 pm - Photo Tour of the area, stopping at scenic locations for pictures
(Tika and Kane will photograph together)

4:30 pm - Custom Catered dinner at AirBnB
(Small photo break except for a few photos of the set up and the group having a good time. Photographs will be taken of any spontaneous speeches)

5:30 pm - Sunset Portraits
(Tika and Kane will photograph together)

End of day at 6:30 pm

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2020 threw us all for a loop. Your dream shouldn't be put on hold, for an indefinite period of time, while the new world's normal is developed. Start your life sooner than later.

I have some homework for you...I know what you're thinking, "Come on Tika, I didn't come here for homework!" But trust me on this one. Close your eyes. Picture it in your mind's eye. Take a moment, to strip down what is most important to you, about your big day. 



One of the most important things about your big day, is that you want to marry your significant other. 



With that in mind, let your imagination run wild with what your elopement could be. That is where I can help. I can help you plan your dream day, whether it be on a mountainside overlooking the ocean, beachside barefoot in the sand or calf deep in the pool of a gorgeous waterfall. ​Reach out today, for a consultation on planning your dream elopement. 

Can we talk about wedding cake? 

Who doesn't LOVE wedding cake!? I sure do and LOVE it, when a couple sends me home with a slice of wedding cake and always sit down and eat it while editing it. 

I've tried so much cake over the years, I can tell you it doesn't matter the flavor. Vanilla, chocolate, white chocolate, raspberry, peanut butter, it's all delicious. 

When deciding on your wedding cake, there is a couple of things to consider. Do you have someone to cut the cake properly? If your venue can do it, this is the best option. They take the cake into the back and slice it up and serve it on plates for you. I've even seen a wedding venue that wrapped the cake slices up for guests to take home! If your venue can wrap the slices up, this is your best option. More guests took cake home with them, than any other wedding I've ever been to. 

If you don't have someone to cut the cake, I would definitely recommend doing cupcakes and having a small cake to cut! This way no one has to deal with it and they're ready to go! 

You don't like cake? Ummm...what about pie? Donuts? Cookies? Cheesecake? 

One of my favorite accessories a bride has on her wedding day, has always been bouquets. They say so much about the bride, her tastes and the big day. Bouquets don't have to be flowers, but could be anything that their heart desires. I've seen real flowers, fake flowers, wood flowers, button bouquets, lanterns, gold hoops, and many many more!

Most of us have thought about our big day at least once. Some of us dream of big elegant banquets, while other's dreamed up the laid back route. Whatever big day you've dreamed of, you're not wrong, so reach for your dreams, but remember what is most important...You're marrying the love of your life!


For those of us, that dreamed of the laid back dream day, there are many options, from full wedding days on a budget to private elopements. But, no matter what option you choose, getting married doesn't have to be expensive. You can plan an amazing day, for WAY less than you think!


I've gone through and gathered some of the things I believe make for an awesome elopement! Depending on your area and tastes, prices can vary, but I have listed some of the prices I was able to find in my area.

His Suit


Okay, so it doesn't have to be a suit. He could wear whatever worked for your vision of the big day! Khakis shorts and a white button up with the sleeves rolled up? Those black dress pants in the back of the closet and the white dress shirt he picked up at the thrift store, that he wears to every formal event you go to? An inexpensive suit he picked up from a department store, when he was best man in a friends wedding? Heck ya! All of the above are great options. What is important is that he's dressed right!? I mean, unless you're planning a wedding at a nudist colony.

No matter what the two of you pick, here are my tips. Make sure it fits! Too often, I see guys in these generic dress pants that don't fit properly in the length or don't stay above their butt crack and they have to keep hiking them up. Second, don't buy a tie from a department store! Oh my gosh! Kane and I had to pick up a red tie for our valentine's day photo shoot, we did with another area photographer, and let me tell you! I had no idea ties could be that expensive from somewhere as everyday as Kohl's. (No shade to Kohl's, but WOW!) The only red tie we could find was $55 and that was not going to happen! We found an awesome tie at a local thrift store, that looked brand new, for $3!

Floral


This is a touchy subject, because I do not want to step on anyone's toes, in the floral industry, but I have to be honest with you. Floral can be very expensive. There are so many factors that go into wedding floral or any kind of floral arrangements, that can change the price.


So the question is, Real or Fake? Live or faux? That is the question, you have to ask yourself. And, only you can decide which is best for your vision. Both can have budget friendly options.


I reached out to a florist, I know, based out of Michigan, who provided us some tips, to keep your floral costs low, when selecting a florist, for your big day! First, pick in season and even better, in season and locally grown floral! Second, avoid costly stems, by using look a-likes. An example of this, could be peonies for roses. Third, go simple. By picking one or two types of stems, your florist can buy in bulk and keep the cost down! Fourth, repurposed your flowers, by picking a bouquet that can double as a centerpiece, if you're having a small reception afterward! Fifth, ask if you can bring in a few stems from your own garden, to help keep the cost down! Some florist allow couples to bring some of their own flowers, to be included in their bouquet. It doesn't hurt to ask!


She also suggested a sort of cheat sheet, for floral prices, which of course can vary depending on your season and location, but it might help!
Least expensive: daisies, chrysanthemum, baby's breath and dahlias
Middle ground: tulips, roses, calla lilies, hydrangea, and anemones
Most expensive: orchids, peonies, lily of the valley


Okay, so maybe real floral isn't in your budget. Completely okay! You can do one of two things, scrap it all together or find an alternative.


For alternatives, you can purchase pre-made fake flower bouquets from somewhere like Michael's or Joann's. At the time of writing this article, Michael's had their cheapest bouquet for $7.99, which was a cute little white rose and hydrangea bouquet, and their most expensive one for $64.99, which was a succulent bouquet. Plus they had a 20% off coupon going!


Another alternative would be to pick up some flowers from your local grocery store and wrap some white ribbon around the stems, to make your own bouquet! My local Kroger had single Hydrangeas for as low as $2 and big fancy bouquets with 25-30 steps for $30. Just keep in mind, you've got to get a little crafty to make it look like a wedding bouquet!



If flowers aren't your thing, you can always try one of these options: A lantern, button bouquet, broach bouquet, a parasol, a feather bouquet, or even balloons! No matter what you pick, let's be honest, it's more for something to do with your hands in pictures, so don't feel pressured to pick one, if you want to leave it out all together.

Officiant and Marriage License


Unlike flowers, a marriage license is not optional, unless you don't care if your marriage is legal in the eyes of the government. But if you do, you've got to have one. I sadly, don't have any budget friendly tips for this, but they're usually pretty inexpensive, to start with. Our local court house only charges $25 for them.


The officiant is another of those things that can be as inexpensive or as expensive as you choose. I've been told by some brides, they paid $1,000 for their officiant, while my husband and I only paid $150. An even less expensive option could be having someone you know, who is ordained marry you! They may charge you less than someone who doesn't know you. A friend of mine, had her brother marry them and he charged them nothing, but the cost of him getting ordained online!

Venues
This is another tricky one, because traditional weddings can absolutely break the bank. Their prices are justified, as they have expenses and overhead to cover, on top of the astronomical insurance prices they have to pay, but sometimes, it's not in the budget. I get it, really I do, because we had to settle for a less than ideal location for our reception, because we refused to pay thousands for our venue.

I gathered a few inexpensive or free wedding venues that pay help you plan a dream day on a budget!

Parks! Some parks have inexpensive fees for rentals or could even be free! When Kane and I got married, we picked a park just down the street from our house and they charged us nothing, because we didn't want to decorate and planned to have less than 20 people, including ourselves!

Restaurants and Breweries! Some restaurants, bars and breweries have back rooms that they rent out for free, as long as you purchase a certain number of dinner! I've even been to a brewery that allows photos onsite for free, so it wouldn't hurt to ask if you could have a quick small ceremony there in the early afternoon, before they get busy!

Your Home Or a Family Member's Home! Sometimes the best places are right in our own back yards! Literally! If you love your yard, why not have your wedding ceremony there!? You can't get better than free!

The Court House! Okay, I know what you're thinking! I really do, but not ALL court houses are ugly! Do a little digging locally and I bet you can find a hidden gem! Most court houses will allow a few people in with you and even your photographer!

Airbnb! There are some amazing finds on airbnb that allow events! And if it is small enough, it wouldn't hurt to ask the host if it would be okay to have your 5 person ceremony in the back yard! But seriously, definitely ask! I would hate for you to get in trouble, for not asking.

Photography

This will be a VERY unpopular opinion, with my fellow photographers, but photography is not required for your wedding day. I strongly believe it is VERY important, so if you can find it in your budget, I definitely think you should hire a professional. As much as we love Aunt Linda, she's not a professional photographer and isn't going to know how to make the best of a bad wedding day situation.

There are professional photographers to fit everyone's budget and style preferences! So please, even if you are on a budget, at least do a little digging, before scratching it off the list, thinking it won't fit your budget! At the time of writing this article, our elopement packages start at $300, but for the most up to date pricing, please contact us.

As a bride, I didn't consider where I was getting ready to be super important. But, it really is. If the location where you're getting ready isn't beautiful, it may distract from your images and may be a reason you hate a really great shot of you and your grandma. Or a reason you don't hang a picture of your daughter putting up lipstick in the corner of the room.
So I've gathered some awesome tips for successful getting ready portraits.


1. Lighting, Lighting, Lighting.
For photographers, lighting is key. If we don't have great lighting, your images are going to look horrendous. An no one wants that.
Pick a getting ready location with lots of beautiful, preferably natural light.

One of my brides choose to get ready at a friends house. The living room was dark and the sun didn't shine through the windows, everything would have had to be lit with artificial light, which isn't ideal. But just ten steps away, in the kitchen, the patio doors let in the most beautiful natural light. Yes there were things we couldn't avoid like the refrigerator and stove, but the lighting made up for having those less than ideal appliances in the background.

2. Space. Space is SOO important and often over looked. One hotel room for 6 bridesmaids, the bride, her mother, the grandma who can't wait to see her little girl, plus your vendors, is not going to work. I promise you.
So opt for two room, that have a door, connecting them. Or get a suite, with a bedroom, kitchen and living room. I promise it'll be worth it.

Something I do not recommend is choosing solely for convenience, if at all possible. I had a bride who hated the room where she was getting ready but agreed to use it, because it was at the church and it was convenient. We had to throw together a faux vanity, in an attempt to get some shots she was happy with.

Just like your wedding venue, the getting ready location if just as important. It'll keep you looking stylish and help your images flow through your album.

3. Keep the room Tidy.
I've been there, I promise. I know what it's like to forget where you put your shape wear and you're running around the room, like a mad woman, throwing your dirty sweatpants on top of a half empty bag of Cheetos, while someone tosses another empty bottle of wine next to the garbage bin, because it's too full.

These things will manage to find their way into the shot. They always do. I don't know how or what cruel fate decided it has to happen, but it will. You'll be flipping through your images and you'll see it in the background, of the most beautiful precious moment.

Just designate someone to tidy up the room, before the photographer gets there.

4. Gather all of your details.

Get a little basket or Rubbermaid container or even a dufflebag. Just gather everything that's important to you and put it all together the night before. Having all of your special pieces together, keeps you from being disturbed while the photographer tries to get all the shots you don't realize are important until after the big day.

Here is a list of ideas, of things to pack up. Add things, remove things, depending on your day.

Veil, earrings, necklace, the rings, bracelets, garter, a nice hanger for your dress, perfume bottle, hair decorations, your bouquet, shoes.

And if you're keeping up with tradition, don't forget your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence for your shoe.

If you're anything like me, being natural in front of the camera, is not something you were blessed with, from the start. But I was given some amazing tips, to help me look less like a zombie and more like a blushing bride. So today, I'm going to pass those along to you.


1. Think about something. Think about something that invokes emotion. If you're getting ready for your big day, imagine you're gorgeous groom standing at the end of the aisle in his sleek pressed suit, with tears in his eyes, waiting for only you.

What does this do?

This brings life to your eyes, pulls natural smiles to the surface and keeps your portraits natural.

2. You don't have to smile in ever shot. Let's be honest, if I'm following you around for 8+ hours, you're going to get super sick of smiling, your face is going to hurt and your going to get agitated. My job is to document your special moments, throughout the day. And there will be moments, where you're reading a letter your soon to be hubby wrote you and you want to cry. That's okay, the images will be beautiful, because they're real, regardless of if you're smiling.

3. Stand up straight. It's the worst thing, when the day is over and a couple and I are siting going over their wedding images, is when a bride says something like, "this would be my favorite, if only my shoulders weren't so hunched". I follow brides all day long, "stand up straight" "relax your shoulders" "chin up". I do it, not to be annoying, but so you love your photos as much as I want you to!

4. A lot of us women complain about our arms in wedding images, more than any other part of our body. This is a trouble spot and most woman's natural instinct is to pull them in tight and try to hide them. But that's the opposite of what you really want to do. Leave them a little more loose (stand up straight!) and bring your arms out away from your sides just a little. This tights then muscles a little more than leaving them limp noodles at your side.

5. Personalize it! Put your spin on everything! I love when my clients think outside of the box and get a little wild and free.
If you want to do a few wedding shots with the new puppy, your fiance proposed with, let's make it happen!
You want to get a shot of your hubby and you standing out in the snow, dancing in the moonlight. Let's do it!
You want to have a pizza bar but think it's too nontraditional. If someone tells you they don't love pizza, I think they're lying. Pizza is delicious and I would have loved to think of pizza at my wedding! (Or tacos! Tacos are life!)
What ever it is that you want to do, do it. It's your wedding. You're about to marry the love of your life, so let go of everyone else's opinions.

To be continued....

So, you're trying to cater your own big day?

Step back and take a deep breath. Maybe two.

This will be your most stressful "adventure", if you're a control freak like me.

Step One: Plan your menu. Choose easy items that don't need TLC right before it's served, unless you plan on hiring a few college kids to watch over your buffet.

Step Two: Hire those college kids. Seriously. Hire SOMEONE! ANYONE!!! You'll need the extra hands and you should NOT be worried about the potato salad right before walking down the aisle. Find a few people you can trust and ask them to make sure everything with the food is taken care of and you and family don't have to worry.

Side note: DO NOT expect family to tend to something. They will get distracted and want to enjoy your big day too. Things will get missed and not done how you like them, so do yourself this favor and spend a little money on asking someone to watch over the buffet.

Step Three: Get your guest count and plan to make extra, especially if you're serving buffet style.

This is the most important thing. If you don't have enough food, that's a BIG BIG problem that won't go over well. Guests will leave and basically you'll be throwing all the money you spent on other things out the window. Hungry guests aren't happy guests.

Step Four: Google a guide on proving enough food for events. You'll absolutely need this. When they say 10 appetizers per person, they mean it. Seriously. Don't skimp on food. If you're thinking about skimping, see number three again. Hungry guests leave early.

Feel free to reach out, if you have any questions on catering or proving your own food. As a chef, this is something I can absolutely help with, even if you're not interested in booking me for your photography! Food is important!

What is a wedding without desert?

Seriously?!

When I go to a wedding, as a guest, I'm the typical guest who "comes for the cake".

Seeing as I use a be a chef and a baker, I feel like I have a little step up on choosing a baker.

Number one: Always sample their treats before telling them you're interested in booking them for a wedding. Let's be honest, vendors really really really want to book you. They don't eat if they don't get bookings. So they may go above and beyond but might not the day of the wedding.
So anyways my tip is to order a half a dozen cupcakes before reaching out. If they blow you out of the water, then you know to reach out and let them know you're interested in sitting down with them about your wedding!

Another good tip is to pick up a few cupcakes from a few different bakeries (most sell individuals) and have someone set up a taste test for you. You go into it not knowing which one is which bakery and you can make a decision based on flavor only!'

Number Two: More is better! Yes, order more than you think you need. If you're having 150 guests, order 200 cupcakes! Yes, it's going to cost you more, but people WILL be greedy. They WILL take more than one cupcake. And others WILL be without the cupcakes you spent so much time making sure were perfect!



Money saving tip! So you're a broke girl on a budget? No problem. Cake can be simple. Bake you're own cupcakes. (I do not recommend making a cake, if you've never made a wedding cake before!)

If you're not up to making cupcakes from scratch, buy boxed mix and doctor it up! Add milk instead of water, butter instead of oil, an extra egg, add vanilla! Pinterest will be your best friend for doctoring your cupcakes!