Liz + Jeff Real Wedding | Flamingo Beach at Renaissance Aruba - Wedding Photographer Connecticut - Florida

We asked Liz and Jeff to answer some questions about their wedding in Aruba!

Initially, Liz and Jeff just hired us for an engagement session out on Block Island. After spending the afternoon with them that day, we talked about their ridiculously fun plan for the wedding in Aruba, and knew we just had to be a part of the adventure. Plus L & J were getting married on our own anniversary, so how do you say no to a spending that time together doing what you love on the beautiful island of Aruba. We had such a great time getting to know all of their friends while hanging out at the pool, the beach, the bar, the booze bus, and the countless dinners!

When was your Wedding?

August 11th

What made you choose your wedding date.

Convenience for friends

Who did your hair and makeup?

Amanda Pepin

What was the weather like, and was it what you hoped for? How did it impact your day?

Hot and sunny! Exactly what you’d expect in Aruba!

Where was the dress purchased and what made the dress stand out as “THE ONE”?

Mariella’s Creation

Where did the guys get their suits/tuxes?

Seccombe’s Men’s Shop, Inc.

Where did you have your Ceremony?

The ceremony took place at Flamingo Beach on the Renaissance Aruba’s privately owned island

We had so much fun at this wedding. My favorite part was that they started the ceremony with everyone taking a shot! You know it’s going to be a great party when that happens!

What do you remember most about the Ceremony?

I remember almost everything about the ceremony. The highlights were:

Surprising our guests with our Justice of the Peace and good friend, Steve Darby. Steve, Jeff, and I had discussed the possibility of Steve performing the ceremony the year before the wedding over drinks, but wanted to keep it a surprise. When it appeared that no one was going to be marrying us that day, Steve stood up for the job, and the looks on people’s faces were priceless! Steve did such a wonderful job pulling in elements that were very “us”, like little jokes, having us write our own vows, and even starting the ceremony off right with a toast. He did the most amazing job and we were wouldn’t have changed a thing.

I also remember thinking Jeff would be the one to break down during the vows, but it was actually I who shed the tears. My MVP/MOH, Carolyn McCutchan, was right there with the handkerchief in hand!

What was the funniest thing that your remember happening?

The looks on people’s faces when Steve stood up to perform the ceremony! One of the groomsmen looked like he was about to tackle him to the floor to “save the wedding”

What made your reception personalized to your own unique vision and expectations?

Our wedding coordinator, Gabriela Garcia, was amazing! She surprised us with the light up “LOVE” sign, because she knew I liked “sparkly” things. We wanted a dance party all night long, so DJ Tino kept everyone moving with a mix of 90-00’s pop and hip hop.

Besides the “getting married” part, what was the most vivid memory of the wedding day? (for both of you)

At one point during the reception, we took a step back to take in the scene that was our reception. All of friends from different groups of friends, were on the dance floor, arms around each other, singing to each other, and having what looked like the time of their lives with people they knew forever. Seeing how much fun people were having and the friendships that were being created because of us was the most vivid and rewarding memory we have

What part of the day do you wish you could do all over again and why?

We agree that the reception was the most fun part of the night. Everyone danced to the throwback playlist we put together and kept the dancedfloor packed the entire night, champagne bottles were sprayed, and everyone acted as though they were all the best of friends who had known each other for years (which wasn’t entirely the case). There was so much love felt at that reception and it’s a feeling I’ll never forget!

What regrets, (if any) do you have about the planning of your wedding and your decisions leading up to the day?

The only regret I have is that the cupcake table wasn’t closer to everyone. Those were AMAZING gourmet cupcakes and I think most people missed out on them. I also regret eating most of the ones that were left after the wedding

What was the most memorable part of your photography experience with Veils and Cufflinks? (From engagement all the way through)

What we love about Jerome and Jen is their “anything goes” mentality. Based on the work we saw in our initial meeting with Jerome, we knew we were in good hands and could trust his suggestions. Whatever we were told to do or wherever we were told to go (no matter how high or how rocky), we knew we had to do it to get the shot Jerome was envisioning. Everyone at the wedding loved having the Braga’s around because they have a great way of fitting into the crowd and making people feel comfortable (and providing a ton of laughs). Booking them was one of the best decisions we made throughout the entire wedding planning process!

What ended up being your favorite photo/moment?

Jumping into the pool in our wedding attire!

Any advice to offer new couples who are planning their own wedding?

If you have the ability to do a destination wedding, DO IT. It’s a beautiful vacation with your friends and family for several days, not just one day. In a lot of cases, it’s less expensive than a local wedding, as well. It’s definitely worth the look!

Where did you get your rings?

Bride’s rings are from Adiamor and the groom’s ring is from Michael’s

Tagged Aruba Destination