Brihgid and Mike had the destination wedding of their dreams earlier this month in Jamaica. They were married on November 3rd 2014 at The Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios. They knew they wanted to have an intimate wedding in a beautiful place and this couldn’t have been a better fit. They were surrounded by immediate family members as they said their vows out on a dock over looking the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

I first met Brihgid and Mike last year as I was photographing her Uncle’s Wedding on Cape Cod. As we all got to talking I was so happy to learn that these new found friends I had made were living on Nantucket and working for Nantucket Island Resorts. They began to tell me how much they loved their new life on Nantucket and we all talked for a while about how special the island is. Months later I ran into them in town and we began talking about their plans for their destination wedding! I was practically jumping for joy when they told me they were planning for Jamaica as this is definitely one of my favorite places in the world. I had lived down there for a winter and then traveled back many times. It was within moments that we had made a plan, I was so excited to document their wedding festivities down in the Caribbean.

I loved hearing about how these two originally met…..”Mike and I met at a resort that we worked at on the Cape, Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster. I was the Front Office Manager and Mike was the new cute Information Technology Manager. It’s actually really funny because the first day that we met Mike was with his sister, Kaylene, picking up his new golf course condo keys at my front office. Kaylene still teases us for making eyes at each other that day as we introduced ourselves. I remember texting my friend immediately after “future husband alert!”. It’s sounds so silly when you hear people say “love at first sight”, but I knew from the moment I met him that he was going to be someone special. It only took a few weeks for Mike to finally crack and send me an email asking if I’d be interested in showing him around his new home on the Cape and possibly grabbing drinks and a bite to eat. I jumped up and down when I got the email at home that night, but of course had to maintain my cool and keep him waiting for a response a few days! We eventually met up and started hanging out as friends. It shortly blossomed into a romance and we’ve been inseparable ever since.”

After getting to know Brihgid and Mike over the last year it made perfect sense that a destination wedding by the beach would be the perfect fit for them. Since they also both work in the Resort & Tourism Industry they knew exactly what they were looking for….”We knew right away that we wanted to elope and get away! We are such a super simple laid back couple and didn’t want to panic and stress over wedding planning after we got engaged. We did some research on destination weddings and saw amazing reviews of Royal Plantation from Conde Nast, Travel Channel, Fodors, and most importantly – TripAdvisor. It was listed as the only all inclusive hotel that is a part of the “Small Leading Hotels of the World” ….we were sold! We booked everything in January and didn’t have to think about a thing until we arrived. We are beyond thankful for our decision and cannot wait to return.”

The few days leading up to the wedding we had wild skies and little storms that would pass through in a blink of an eye. I decided we should do some of their portraits early, before the ceremony, so that we could have some flexibility with the weather just in case we needed it. As it turned out the rain stayed away on their wedding day and the scene around the waterfront was lovely.  I planned their first look near a long staircase and it was a lovely place for the two to meet and take it all in. As it turns out this was one of their most memorable moments of the day….”Seeing Each other for the first time during our “first look” was the most memorable part of our day. It was such a beautiful feeling to talk, hug, kiss, and tell each other how much we love one another before our big moment. It really gave us a nice calm and loving feeling before saying our vows.”

Brihgid and Mike are so perfect for each other. As I spent time with them in Jamaica I realized you literally can’t stop smiling when you are around them. They are happy, easy going and they share a truly positive outlook on life. As we walked around the resort it became clear that they really got to know everyone there. Brihgid would smile and wave to everyone we passed and you can tell they were so appreciative for the experience in such a lovely setting. We especially loved the wedding planner, Naomi, as she was so knowledgable and wonderful to work with.

After Brihgid and Mike exchanged vows everyone applauded them as they finished the ceremony and the couple was all smiles. Later in the evening, before dinner, we went back down to the waterfront for a few more portraits. The skies were deep blue and rolling clouds and storms were way off in the distance. The teal Caribbean Sea was gorgeous and we were all in agreement that it was a breath taking scene. Their dinner was up on the terrace and everyone got to enjoy the delicious Caribbean Cuisine. Brihgid and Mike insisted I join them for dinner as I documented their evening. They are two of the most genuinely nice people I’ve ever met and I am so thankful to have been part of this beautiful wedding in Jamaica. Congratulations to this lovely couple!

Dress: Essense of Australia from Alexandra’s Boutique, Shoes: Badgley Mischka, Mike’s Suit: Michael Kors, Photographer: Katie Kaizer Photography, Wedding Planner: Naomi Powell of Sandals Royal Planation, Lodging, Ceremony, Venue, Catering & Flowers: Sandals Royal Plantation

Enjoy! – Katie K.

Bye Jamaica! See you again soon :)