Destination weddings are always a positive challenge for travel photographers like myself. I was so excited when the incredible island of Saint Vincent was added to my photography portfolio a couple of months ago. Kevin and Rozann were familiar with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and felt confident in appointing me as their destination wedding photographer. This experience was simply one of a kind. Honestly, I don’t know where to start from: The pre-wedding pics at Dark View Falls? The ceremony at the stunning Methodist Church of Kingstown? Or the impressive locations where the Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed? Seemingly, there were endless opportunities in Saint Vincent to work with regarding the wedding photography shoot.
Introduction: St. Vincent is one of the top Wedding Destinations in the Caribbean and Beyond
If you are looking for the most intimate destination to get married, then Saint Vincent and the Grenadines should be in your top list. When you land at Argyle Airport (SVG), you will immediately realize that this Caribbean country has something different to offer. Thankfully, for such an amazing Caribbean country, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are not struggling with keeping up with the boom of tourism. At least not yet. As a tourist, it was so nice to experience welcoming, friendly and very generous locals throughout the island. Also, it’s a religious Christian nation and there are lots of churches in the country. Most of the locals prefer to get married traditionally in a church. On the other hand, lots of tourists have been choosing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for their beautiful Caribbean beaches and garden weddings. This makes sense since there are lots of wedding venues in St. Vincent to choose from. Some of them are built right next to the beach while some others offer fantastic garden receptions decorated with thousands of flowers. The décor is usually included in all St. Vincent Wedding packages. Therefore, you definitely can’t go wrong if you are planning to get married there.
Kevin’s and Rozann’s Wedding in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The Accommodation
The Pre-Wedding Photo Tour at Dark View Falls
The day before the ceremony, Kevin and Rozann hired a private bus to take their guests on a tour around St Vincent. It took us around 1.5 hours to reach one of the hidden gems of the country, also known as Dark View Falls. The ride was an experience in itself. A real adventure with lots of ups and downs and amazing landscapes along the way. The passengers didn’t stop laughing, singing, and teasing each other. Soon they had lost track of time. Nobody realized that we had been driving for a pretty long time. Dark View Falls is hidden and protected by the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Thus, there is no direct access to the attraction. The wedding guests didn’t care at all. They immediately jumped off the bus and got ready for their next challenge.
On the walking tour up to the falls, the first impressive attraction was an astonishing bamboo bridge that let us cross over the river to the other side. The bridge seemed unstable, but it was perfectly safe. This is officially where the pre-wedding photography shoot in St. Vincent started. It was an amazing sight to see Kevin as a modern-day Indiana Jones and Rozann as his lover posing fearlessly on the bridge. We captured some nice shots there and continued the hike up to the falls. Kevin and Rozann were in such good shape and the heat of the day didn’t bother them during the whole shoot. They were also extremely comfortable in front of the camera. On the way up to the top, we did a few more stops and took some romantic pre-wedding photos between large plants. The lush greenery felt like a serene jungle without any tourists around making photography easier and even more extraordinary.
Eventually, the hike up to the falls paid off. What a spectacular spot – an absolute paradise! Dark View Falls in St. Vincent created the perfect background for our pre-wedding photography. Kevin and Rozann were extremely excited and didn’t miss the chance for a quick dip into the cool waters. Rozann was as beautiful as a mermaid and Kevin was as powerful as a king. Of course, I couldn’t miss this photographic opportunity. I immediately grabbed my professional camera and took a mixture of romantic, candid, and funny pictures of the couple having fun in the water. One of the cutest moments was when Kevin spent some precious time with his beautiful daughter in the water too. The faces of the father daughter duo were full of smiles and emotions. I had to thank God that I was blessed enough to capture the candid and real love of their relationship. Kevin is a very busy man and spending time with his daughter was one of the best things he could do before the Big Day. Collectively, the pre-wedding photography shoot at Dark View Falls was a special and fun day out in St. Vincent. On the way back, after a brief stop at the Methodist Church and a pre-meeting with the priest, we returned to our hotels to get some rest for the wedding.
The Bridal and Groom Preparations
The Groom's Preparations on the Wedding Day
Kevin had booked a private room at the top of the hill of the resort. He had been extremely busy with the arrangements of the St. Vincent wedding and wanted some privacy and silence. He wanted this marriage to be a perfect one and he went above and beyond his means. The day before, when some of his guests missed their flights, he stayed up very late to make sure that his friends arrived safely. Even on the day of, he kept smiling and directing the people involved. He was such an excellent St. Vincent wedding planner, filled with incredible amounts of energy and calmness.
Following my advice, on the day of, the groom started to get ready for the ceremony at a very early time. A few last minute phone calls were placed to arrange some things and then we were all set. Eventually Kevin found a few minutes to relax alongside his friends, groomsmen, and some unforgettable champagne. His bachelor life was coming to an end and they all wanted to celebrate his big step forward. At the same time, Rozann’s brother was doing an exceptional job with his drone videography.
The Bride’s Preparations on the Wedding Day
After taking photos of the groom’s preparations, along with the videographer, we ran fast to the house where Rozann was getting ready. I quickly set up my photography equipment and started capturing the moments.
Rozann was filled with excitement and anticipation as she enjoyed getting ready with her mother and bridesmaids. With the help of her mother, the gorgeous queen was transformed into a royal bride with a befitting tiara. At the same time, the beautiful flower girls, were modeling their gowns, dreaming of the day that they too would become brides. Not to mention, the makeup artist and hairdresser did an excellent job on the entourage. Finally, the soon-to-be bride, escorted by her father, were ready to descend the staircase and head to the church to meet the man that had changed her life forever.
The Ceremony at the Methodist Church of Kingstown
The couple got married at the Methodist Church of Kingstown. Following the tradition, Kevin arrived first and waited next to the altar for the arrival of his bride-to-be. The guests, all dressed up nicely couldn’t wait to photograph Rozann coming down the aisle. The groomsmen, all up to the task, were standing right next to the groom. After the arrival of their families and the bridesmaids, everybody was ready to welcome the bride and her father. Rozann, followed the directions I gave her as a photographer and entered the church slowly. This is usually the part of the wedding where the bride walks too fast to the groom and gives the photographer very limited time to capture the moment. Rozann, in anticipation, couldn’t wait anymore! With her father on her right, she eagerly walked down the aisle towards Kevin. She was given away to the groom and the religious ceremony started.
The ceremony was so engaging and filled with personal touches and emotions. The couple was surrounded by the most intimate and dearest relatives and friends. The atmosphere was relaxed and the resulting photos turned out truly stunning. There couldn’t have been a better place than the Methodist Church of Kingstown for this lovely wedding. From the gorgeous bride in her stunning dress and veil, to the groom with tears in his eyes, everything was simply amazing. I felt so blessed and honored that Kevin and Rozann trusted me to document their day. Being a St. Vincent wedding photographer was always a dream of mine and became true thanks to Kevin and Rozann.
The priest was also super-friendly and accommodating. Sometimes professional photographers become overzealous at work, but this gentleman had been very patient with me. Without a doubt, he delivered an excellent service and his comments were very valuable to all of us. The happy couple, after signing the register and posing for quick photos with the bridal party, exited the church and headed to the Young Island Resort where the party was about to begin.
The Sunset Shoot and the Reception Party
As the sun in St. Vincent was setting and right before the wedding party, we did a quick, yet fantastic sunset shoot right next to the beach. The wedding reception was held on the private beach of Young Island Resort. This was an ideal location in complete privacy and luxury. The food was great, the decorations amazing, and the atmosphere was ethereal. The speeches were hilarious and some of them heartfelt. Overall, they all reminded everyone why they were there: to celebrate two people in love. During the speeches, the couple personally thanked me for traveling so far to do their wedding photography in St. Vincent. Soon, they cut the cake and did the first dance. Afterwards, a crazy party commenced and concluded early the next morning.
The Next Day Photo Session on Bequia Island
The next day, we all took a private catamaran boat and sailed to a nearby paradise: The island of Bequia! During the sailing, lots of drinks and snacks were served to the people on board. It took us around two hours to reach our destination at Port Elizabeth. Everybody was in a fantastic mood: dancing, drinking alcohol, and singing along the way. Once we arrived at the island, Kevin and Rozann quickly put on their wedding outfits and we conducted a fantastic photo-shoot at Princess Margaret Beach of Bequia. Despite the heat and the burning sun, the Bequia photo session went very well. The deep blue sky and the forest terrains provided the perfect backdrop for our Caribbean wedding photography session. Without any doubt, our day trip to Bequia included superb destination photography. I knew that the newlyweds were very tired, but they gave me everything they had. The result? More stunning photos, this time at one of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbean; Bequia.
Hiring Studio Kristo as your Wedding Photographer in St Vincent and the Grenadines
Me and my team at Studio Kristo serve our clients everywhere in the world. We are always willing to accommodate your destination wedding in St. Vincent and the Grenadines anytime of the year. By hiring Studio Kristo for your St. Vincent wedding, you can rest assured that you will get an experienced travel photographer who is familiar with the place and the local people. Don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail at info@studiokristo.com or call us using WhatsApp at +306986984670 to create the best photography package for you.
