Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer | Anna Maria Island Beach Wedding

LGBTQ couple are photographed as they pour a magrarita into a cocktail tower during their Sarasota wedding at The Sandbar Restaurant.

A Story Worth Telling

Love is Love, and as a Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer I LOVE to capture it! Your love is as unique as you are, and your wedding day pictures should be too. With every couple I meet I make sure to get to know you on a personal level, I even insist that we have a phone call before booking, because in order to tell your story I need to get to know your story. Thomas and I first spoke when I was on vacation in the Mountains of North Carolina (yes, I'm 100% here for that!) but we wanted to get to know each other even better before he and his Fiance Daniel were ready to book, so we met for drinks at their wedding venue, The Sandbar Restaurant on Anna Maria Island. As it turns out, cocktails are the perfect foundation for a beautiful friendship, and that meeting was only the beginning of ours. I learned how this wonderful, kind, funny couple met, how their dog, Dakota, nearly ruined Daniel's proposal, and all about their vision for their wedding day. In return, they got to know me too, not just my approach to wedding photography, but my personality and quirks, and my genuine smile and laugh, because it is so important that by the time wedding day rolls around that they would feel comfortable with me joining them for some of the most intimate and important moments of their lives, and even though I'm there to take pictures, I wanted them to think of me as another friend there to celebrate with them. Whether you're LGBTQ or not, feeling like your wedding photographer is someone you actually want to spend your day celebrating with makes such a difference in the way your wedding pictures turn out!

Time to Get Ready

I may be a Sarasota Photographer, but Anna Maria Island beach weddings are some of my favorites, and The Grand Pavillion at The Sandbar is such a spectacular location for weddings, but since their getting ready room is on the small side, and the couple decided to get ready at their rental along with their two best friends. Their tuxes were picked out, not to match, but to compliment one another, and their details coordinated perfectly. In a touching gesture these two men decided to exchange cuff links, a token to hold onto forever to remember the best day of their lives. Daniel received a set engraved with their wedding date, while Thomas's were made as a representation of their fur baby, Dakota, and I have say that this exchange was one of the sweetest and most touching that I've photographed to date. Afterwards their was champagne and toasts to celebrate the day, then it was off to the venue for portraits before the ceremony.

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures wedding details of cufflinks for a LGBTQ wedding

Friends look on as an LGBTQ couple gets ready for their Sarasota wedding at The Sandbar

Sarasota LGBTQ photographer capture the grooms help each other get ready for their gay wedding on Anna Maria Island

Sarasota couple exchanges a gift prior to the start of their LGBTQ wedding

Groom looks at his wedding gift as he prepares for his LGBTQ wedding in Sarasota

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures a man gazes lovingly at his groom as they exchange gifts before their gay wedding

Sarasota couple sprays a bottle of champagne just before their LGBTQ wedding ceremony

Two grooms spray champagne with their best friends prior to their LGBTQ wedding in Sarasota

Sarasota grooms make a champagne toast before their LGBTQ wedding ceremony begins

Its All About The Details

Arriving at The Sandbar's Grand Pavilion, the grooms were wow-ed with a first look at their reception site, the amazing staff over there never fails to go the extra mile to make sure their couples day is perfect down to the last detail. From there it was time to pin on the boutonnieres and move on to photograph some romantic portraits before stepping back inside to hide as the guests arrived for this spectacular Sarasota LGBTQ wedding. One of my favorite things about this venue for an AMI beach wedding is the number and variety of wonderful portrait spots to give you a diverse gallery of images to tell the story of your wedding day. In addition to the beach and the lovely sand dunes, they have a bench in the shade, a sand garden, a porch with adirondack chairs, a path through the palms, and the sunset deck. We could only capture a few in this time slot, but by setting time aside both before their wedding began, and after their ceremony, as well as again at sunset, allowed us to create a spectacular portrait collection for them, taking advantage of every one of those amazing spots.

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures the grooms as they view their reception space at The Sandbar for the first time

Sarasota LGBTQ wedding reception table details

Sarasota LGBTQ wedding reception table details at The Sandbar on Anna Maria Island

An LGBTQ couple places boutonnieres onto one anothers suits before their Sarasota wedding at the Sandbar

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, the two grooms clasp hands before their gay wedding on Anna Maria Island

LGBTQ Photographer captures two grooms embrace one another among the palm trees at their Sarasota Wedding

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, the grooms share a kiss on their wedding day

LGBTQ couple embrace for a portrait with their photographer at their Sarasota wedding.

Posing for their photographer, two grooms hold hands in the sea grasses at their Sarasota LGBTQ Wedding.

The Wedding Begins

Arriving guests were greeted with champagne and invited to mingle in the shade before walking town the beach path to be seated for the ceremony. 'The ceremony its self was officiated by a friend of the grooms and was truly heartfelt. They said "I do" in the sand and started a forever with hearts and souls that now belong undeniably to one another. And with their fates now inescapably intertwined, what better way to celebrate than with a cocktail?! Because what wedding can't be made better with a martini tower?! An espresso martini tower, to be precise! With a pour and a kiss and a sip and a cheer we were off and on our way for more portraits!

Champagne is served to guests as they arrive to a Sarasota LGBTQwedding

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures picture of the wedding venue before the ceremony

Guests mingle and sip champagne at a Sarasota LGBTQ Wedding

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures simple wedding arch on the beach

The first groom walks down the aisle for his LGBTQ wedding on the beach

Smiling for the photographer, the second groom walks down the aisle for his LGBTQ wedding in Sarasota

Sarasota LGBTQ wedding ceremony on Anna Maria Island

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, guests look on as the grooms read their vows

LGBTQ wedding ceremony in Sarasota. The groom puts a ring onto the finger of his new husband.

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, grooms smile as they pour colored sand for their sand ceremony

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, the grooms share their first kiss at their gay wedding ceremony

After their LGBTQ wedding ceremony, the walk out the aisle towards their photographer.

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures the grooms sharing a kiss as they exit the aisle

Sarasota LGBTQ couple poses for the photographer as they carefully pour a martini into their cocktail tower to start their wedding reception

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer captures the grooms shareing a kiss behind their cocktail tower

Sarasota LGBTQcouple carefully take a sip from the top glass of their cocktail tower

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, The grooms share a kiss and a toast as they show their wedding rings to the camera

Posing for portraits after their wedding, Sarasota LGBTQ couple share a drink to celebrate.

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, in a private moment, the grooms embrace and share their love

Two grooms sit down on the porch at The Sandbar after their LGBTQ wedding in Sarasota

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, now married, the grooms clasp hands in a tender embrace

At the beach in Sarasota, the groom sits on a railing as his husband greets him with a kiss celebrating their LBGTQ wedding

Sarasota LGBTQ Photographer, one groom whispers in the others ear, earning him a smile on his wedding day

Sarasota LGBTQ couple poses in the sea grasses for a portrait with their photographer

An Epic Reception

The celebration of the love these men hold for one another continued as they were introduced for their wedding reception. There was applause all around as they bounded onto the dance floor and began their first dance. Throughout the evening grins were seen from ear to ear in every direction you looked and it made me so happy as a Sarasota LGBTQ photographer to see a couple be so celebrated and loved. And lucky for me (and everyone else too!) my favorite DJ was on the job to make sure the evening was a celebration like no other! DJ Kenwa always makes sure your party is spectacular, and this night was no exception! As the evening ended, Thomas and Daniel crowned their festivities with a sparkler exit and cheers from their guests, and drove off to start forever together. Thanks to both of you for letting me be a part of your love story!