The first question I get asked about our wedding is, “When and where is it happening?” There was much debate for Dakota and I between a hometown vs destination wedding.

We’re blessed with both local and out-of-state friends and family we love that we’d really enjoy some extra quality time with. We love vacationing in the islands, but feel very supported by our local community. We knew we wanted to get married when it's warm, but getting married locally while it's warm meant it would be during my prime wedding season, which meant missing out on clients for my own wedding and honeymoon.

After much discussion, we knew what we wanted most was an intimate wedding, during a time of year that we could escape the cold and where my attention to my brides wouldn’t be divided. We landed on a December 2017 wedding in the Virgin Islands with commitment to bringing local flare to our favorite vacation spot. But, we’d also make it a priority to have a celebration with friends and family back home.

Dakota’s parents have been vacationing in St. Thomas for 30+ years; it's where they celebrated their own honeymoon. They fell in love and have been making yearly trips ever since, ultimately sharing the experience with their kids! Dakota fell in love with St. Thomas and it’s been our favorite spot to relax and rejuvenate each year.

Guest experience is at the very top of our wedding priority list. We want to share our favorite vacation spot with them during the week-long wedding event! Being on island time allows us to slow down and really get in some quality time with our guests, disconnecting from regular stress. Hallelujah!

The most important part of the wedding experience for us is connecting; celebrating a hometown wedding just wasn’t going to allow us enough time with the people we love. I deeply love my work so stepping back and being present in my personal life is very difficult for me. A destination wedding gives me the best set of circumstances to relax and enjoy!

The most consistent thing I hear from my brides is that the wedding day goes so fast. They didn’t have time to talk to everyone they wanted to and that they wish they could experience the day all over again! Hearing that, Dakota and I knew I definitely wanted to soak in the experience and make the most of our time with loved ones. A destination wedding would be just perfect for that, having a whole week to celebrate with those we care about most! Below are some images from past vacations in St. Thomas, I'm counting down the days until the wedding!

Hometown vs Destination Wedding | Evansville Indiana Photographer