Katie and Schuyler had a whimsical wedding day at Palma Ceia Country Club in Tampa, Fl. From the vast greens of the golf course that they pranced upon, to the simplicity yet true elegance in Katie’s dress, and the epic ice luge that captured everyone’s attention- this was truly the most perfect day in a beautiful place that made for amazing images they’ll enjoy for years to come.
Scroll on to see a highlight from their colorful and whimsical Tampa wedding day
Something we hear over and over again in our initial client meetings is "Your pictures look different than everyone else's, but they're still timeless. How do they look so soft?" And honestly the number one most important piece of that puzzle is the fact that Justin has over 16 years of experience, and he truly has a gift that you can't teach in my opinion ;)
But the other piece that makes all the difference is the fact that we use film. When I say we use "film"- a lot of people think I'm talking about movies. But I mean "old school", load it in the camera, have it developed in a dark room, FILM that we put in our cameras! You'll see a lot of people stray away from film these days because to be honest, it's a specialized skillset that takes a lot of practice, and it's more expensive. But we understand that delivering high quality, timeless, gorgeous imagery to our clients is beyond worth it. Keep scrolling below to find out why you need to hire a film photographer for your wedding day.
After photographing 500+ weddings, and more than 50% of those having a first time officiant (usually a friend or family member) we thought it was about time to share a few of our best tips! If you’re a bride or groom to Bo and are going to use someone you know personally to officiate, send them this link to help them along!
Alex and Billy knew they wanted to have their wedding day at The Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL from the moment they stepped foot inside. From the modern black and white checkered floors, to the grand staircase, and the fact that the food is far more delicious than your typical “wedding food”- this was the perfect place to host their I Do’s in front of all of their family and friends.
Scroll on to see a highlight from their colorful and whimsical Tampa wedding day
I am 100% convinced that the months you are engaged (and enjoying your wedding to follow) happen at a speed double that of normal life. When I look back on this special season for Justin and I, it truly is a BLUR!And I know I’m not alone in this sentiment- we hear it from our couples on almost every single final call- “I can’t believe it’s actually here already!”
I really want to go back and give my younger self a huge hug and thank you, because we had the forethought to make sure we had a lot of special moments during this season photographed. As time goes on, these photos become more and more priceless to us and bring us so much joy looking back!
We're big believers that what you spend time thinking and dreaming about is where your heart lies- so why not spend more of your free time thinking about and learning how to improve your marriage?
The one huge way we set ourselves up for success early on in our marriage and “secret” I tell everyone about is…
READ BOOKS TOGETHER! Crazy, right?! Our 2nd grade selves are shuddering right now... But our favorite reads have helped us with everything from communication, to managing finances, to keeping our relationship centered on what is most important to us. It may require forethought and an investment of time, but it’s one we’ve found to be so worth it.
So, without further adieu, we’re sharing five of our all time favorite marriage books!
Weather you choose just one or read them all- challenge yourselves to make a personal hubs and wife book club and dive in.
Simple yet modern wish a dash of elegance is how to perfectly describe Charley and John’s wedding day. On our favorite little island of Gasparilla, Charley and John had a wedding day for the books. From kisses shared underneath the Banyan trees lining the streets, to laughs and hugs on the white sand beach, this wedding had so much overflowing warmth. Aside from all the love, Charley and John had stunning details- from gold-rimmed silverware to impeccably white furniture & florals, this wedding exuded elegance to the nth degree.
Before the wedding, we asked Charley what the most important thing to her is for the day and she said: “I do want to document all the beautiful details we put so much thought into but I care most about the capturing the emotion and experience of the day, particularly the love between John and I, and our family and closest friends. I hope the photos are able to reflect the just as beautiful, much more intimate and special micro-wedding we're having during this historic time, quirks and all! Like any guests wearing masks, or the maid of honor sitting at her own table during dinner, or having a 12 piece band for 30 guests! We want to remember the best day of our lives exactly as it is! :)”
Despite their wedding being in the middle of COVID, they safely and beautifully said their I do’s and we could not be happier to have been a part of capturing such a wonderful and unique wedding day. Scroll down to see their Gasparilla Island wedding.
This wedding made possible by this talented and creative team:
Venue: Gasparilla Inn & Club
Planning: NK Productions
Florals: Botanica Florist
Band: The Rivertown Band
Gown: Monique Lhuillier
Videography: Eli Meyer
When you think Florida engagement photo shoot, Tori and Brady’s session is quite literally the picture you’ll envision. A stunning October evening on Fort Desoto Beach, Tori and Brady effortlessly displayed their love for one another. A light-hearted yet passion-filled session amid the backdrop of tall grasses and reflective, calm waters, these two could not have had a more perfect evening to celebrate their upcoming wedding.
Scroll below to see some highlights from Tori and Brady’s session.
We had so much fun spending the day capturing the love of these two. Follow us on Instagram (@justindemutiis) to see more picture-perfect engagement sessions and wedding day moments.
I happen to love beautiful packaging and especially love giving gifts, but the last thing I want is to spend time, energy, and money on something my loved one doesn’t want or will quickly forget about. It pains me to think about all the gift cards I’ve given over the years that might go unused! Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the only thing a family member wants is a gift card to Banana Republic or J.Crew so they can pick out their own clothes, but what about the family members who are notoriously difficult, if not impossible to shop for? The family member who seemingly has everything?
I hope the following tips will not only be a guide to giving better gifts but a guide to gifting experiences that will turn into lifelong memories.
Something to keep in mind… While I love minimalism/essentialism, if you have a family member/spouse that scores high on the “gifts” love language, you might consider getting them something they have always wanted… But maybe see if you can turn that gift into an experience! (For example, if they love candles and that’s what you usually buy them, try a candle-making class!) So, unless you’re 100% confident that you have the absolute perfect gift for someone, consider gifting an experience.
A few quick ideas of experiences this holiday season before the 7 tips: ice skating, spending an evening talking with no distractions, smooching under the mistletoe, visiting a festival of lights, making a gingerbread house, tickets to see an author speak or a comedian, watching a wintertime sunrise or sunset on the beach (you might have the whole beach to yourselves- bring blankets to make the experience warm and cozy!). For more ideas from The Minimalists, click here
Listen - For me, the process starts with listening… As it gets closer to a birthday or Christmas, this can be a moot point, but I find my best inspiration does not come from Pinterest or Google, but from my loved ones. The last thing I want is to give the impression that I’m fishing for gift ideas because that defeats the purpose, but I always pay extra attention - Listening for ideas and making notes I can reference later. I’m a diligent note-taker, so I trust myself to go back! Setting a reminder on your phone works too!
Share a trip - One of our first Christmas’ together, I gifted my wife Ashley a trip to Universal Studios to visit the new Harry Potter worlds… As fate would have it, Ashley gifted me the DVD set of Harry Potter! The following year, Ashley’s parents and grandparents gifted a family ski trip… Only my second time ever skiing(and of all the places Ashley’s grandfather has traveled, it remains one of his all-time favorite trips because we were all together)! You might also consider chatting with siblings before Christmas and visiting one of your favorite childhood theme parks together. Or you might consider gifting your spouse a weekend getaway… January is considered off-season in many places, so it is a great time to travel! It doesn’t have to be far or extravagant, the point is to be in the same place with no distractions! Some of my all-time favorite trips have been just sharing a cabin with my closest friends - Simply being together, sharing meals, and making memories! (Below is a photo of a special surprise trip to Savannah that Ashley planned as a Christmas gift to me three years ago!)
Gift according to love languages - If you (and those you know!) have not taken the Love Languages test, I highly recommend it! We all seem to have a habit of gifting according to what WE want and not what the recipient wants… Change the trend this year! When it comes to gifts, there is no tool or cool gadget that my father-in-law doesn’t already have (or that doesn’t cost a fortune), so we always struggle to find the perfect gift. He often puts in overtime, so a perfect gift for him was an act of service - On his past birthday we gave him 4 options of service-oriented gifts (breakfast of his choice, washing his car, cleaning the gutters, or chopping wood), and he chose the breakfast of his choice! We ate like kings :) See below for some gift ideas that relate to each love language!
Acts of Service - See above!
Quality Time - Bowling, Painting with a Twist, Date Box, or work through Ancestry.com with your grandparents
Physical Touch - Dance class, snuggly stargazing date, or maybe a couples massage
Receiving gifts - Project Repat (turn all of those old t-shirts they can’t part with into a blanket!), candle or soap-making class
Words of Affirmation - Journal prompt (this one for my mom was probably her favorite gift of all time), Happy jar (take 100 pieces of paper and write things you love about them or special memories- they can pull one out and read it throughout the year when they need a dose of happy!)
Gift Consumables - This tip pleases my practical and my eco-friendly side - Gift a consumable! Perhaps a limited edition bag of coffee from a local roaster, handmade local chocolates, or a nice bottle of wine or whiskey! Want to weave in an experience? Take it up a notch and visit a nearby distillery together, or host a whiskey/wine tasting at home. (After all, I always feel that Scotch is best appreciated in the presence of your closest comrades. Bonus tip: Enjoy a glass with Nick Offerman AKA Ron Swanson (you're welcome!)
Make it active - Rent jet skis, ATV adventure tour, Tree Hoppers, Goat Yoga, SUP or kayak, or a hay ride
Gift your time - Give a friend a coupon for a night of babysitting, a coffee date to help her work through her goals for the upcoming year, or offer to come over for a couple of hours on a Saturday so she can take that yoga class she never has time for. The gift of time is one of the best we can receive in this day and age of never-ending busyness!!
Give the gift of timelessness - I am biased, but I can never repeat enough the value of portrait sessions and tangible prints. Try an album or wall print from your wedding, or if you are a guy that hates to be in front of the camera… Book a 20-30 minute mini session and your wife will know you love her! You agreeing to something you don’t enjoy is a true act of love, and when it’s all over you’ll have something that increases in value over time. Give the gift of a portrait session or a timeless album - An anniversary session or a family session! Contact me to book your family session and I’ll include a framed gift card that can be wrapped (and then re-use the frame from your family photo prints!)
We hope your photos will not merely be memory aids but represent what you saw and felt. Your artisan heirloom should increase in value each time you view it over a glass of wine.
What do all of these have in common? Time shared with loved ones. For most of these experiences, the gift will last far longer in your memory and theirs, you’ll move into the near year with a closer bond, and you won’t be stuck with a stack of items to donate!
What are some of your favorite experiences that you have gifted? I can tend to be old school, so if there are any cool apps or websites that you use that help you to find experiences, please share!
