Photographed By Roy + Adriana  |  Written By Roy

Mirasol Country Club Palm Beach Gardens Wedding

Weddings are a myriad of moments that continue throughout the day. From getting ready to that last wonderful dance of the evening~the feeling is similar to that of an amazing roller coaster that you never want to get off of. With Eryn and Andrew’s wedding day experience it was a ride of a lifetime~the beginning of so many wonderful things to come.

I have three sons and when my oldest, Ryan was getting ready for the wedding I remember emotions running through my heart of joy and pride. I can relate to Mom’s reaction above. You’re there helping your baby girl get ready for the most incredible day of her life and you step back and look at the most beautiful bride and it just hits you…this day is really here!

Eryn looked amazing in her Monique Lhuillier designed bridal gown! I love the way she just totally fits in Andrew’s arms. A romantic vibe is so alive in these two!

“I remember waiting to walk down the aisle and feeling really nervous, then once they gave me the go ahead to walk and I saw Andrew’s face everything went silent, I didn’t hear the music, I didn’t see anyone in the crowd, all I could see was this big smile on my almost husband’s face and I knew this was the moment that was going to change my life forever!”

“The rest was a walk in the park, I’ve never felt more confident than I did when I was reciting my vows.”

“It was truly the most magical day of my life and I’m the luckiest girl in the world!”

A Few Details: Wedding Venue: Mirasol Country Club; Event Coordinator: Danielle Dworkowitz of Creative Touch Party Design; Decor + Flowers: Xquisite Events; Video: Broadway Video; Wedding Gown: Monique Lhuillier; Music: Drew T

A special thank you to both Danielle Dworkowitz of Creative Touch Party Design and Doranda Fitzhugh of Mirasol Country Club for a flawless wedding experience!

Enjoy their lovely slide show by clicking the play button below!

Finally a wonderful note from the joyous Bride and Groom and why I am so enthusiastic about what I love to do:

“We finally finished looking through all our fabulous pictures last night and were able to re-live the most magical moment in our lives thanks to your wonderful eye! We are blown away by your ability to capture our expressions of nervousness, excitement and pure joy! Your dedication to us throughout our wedding was so comforting and very appreciated. Andrew and I are so grateful to have these pictures and love to look at them and reminisce about our most special day! I’m so thrilled with the way everything turned out and I haven’t stopped smiling since I got my pictures! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

xoxo Eryn & Andrew”

So if you want every moment captured forever and want to be totally thrilled with your wedding photographs~we’re just the ones to call about your special day!

xoxo Roy ~ Contact Me

Written By Roy  |  Photographed By Roy

Coral Gables Congregational Wedding  |  Comber Hall Reception

I love weddings! Love the love stories, getting to know each of my couples, and best of all capturing their wedding day experience! Knowing that these photographs will grace the homes of happy parents, grandparents and that an amazing album will reflect the love of our Brides and Grooms inspires me to give 100% of all that I am to create a wonderful experience. So it was with much anticipation that I was looking forward to Ashlee and Alexis’s wedding day! From the moment we met and then photographing their engagement session I knew that this was going to be a fun and spontaneous wedding.

As a Miami wedding photographer I am focused on many details that make a wedding and I love seeing what the Bride is wearing but check out the shoe behind Ashlee’s shoe. She surprised Alexis ~ These are his party shoes!

Ashlee and Alexis decided to get ready and have their “first look” at the beautiful Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. This image is what I call a transition shot~taken as we go from one lovely setting to another. With the couple captured in the moment~spontaneously! Refreshing isn’t it?

A wedding is a collection of amazing moments and subtle details. In the months leading up to a wedding, I get to know my couples and understand the story behind all the subtlety. The brooch that is lovingly attached to Ashlee’s bouquet has a photo of her Grandparents that could not attend the wedding. This photo was taken at Ashlee’s parents wedding.

Ashlee looks stunning in her Lazaro designer gown and together they make a beautiful couple. This portrait was taken moments after the ceremony at Coral Gables Congregational Church before dashing off for the reception.

And what a reception it was! The joy of life I saw in this lovely couple was magnified by the awesome family and friends partying like there was no tomorrow! They even had a “la hora loca” literally a crazy hour to take the party to another level. The music cranks up, out comes masks and fun trinkets that has a definite carnival feel to it!

I bet you can’t wait to see their amazing slide show~~Click on the play button below for a fantastic wedding experience! I guarantee that after you see this you’re going to feel like you were a guest at their wedding!

A Few Details: Wedding Venue: Coral Gables Congregational Church; Reception Venue: Comber Hall; Bridal Gown: Lazaro; Catering and Decor: Sylvia’s Weddings of Distinction; Limousine: Meilan Limousine; Music: DJ Connection

Another interesting detail, Ashlee’s grandmother created with a lot of love each one of the pastries you see in the details image above.

A special “thank you’ to Sylvia Viyella of Sylvia’s Weddings of Distinction for introducing me to this amazing couple! It’s such a joy to work side by side with one who shares an equal passion for weddings!

Finally we received a lovely note from Ashlee and Alexis:

“I finally had a chance to get through all of the pictures this weekend (a few times) and I felt compelled to express my gratitude. You managed to capture all the emotions of our wedding while showcasing “fun” as the central theme of it all. The pictures capture everything we could have ever wanted AND MORE. They are beautiful, fun, sentimental and HILARIOUS. If I had to do it all over again, I would pick you again and again without hesitation. You’re an incredible photographer and you just blew us away with your dedication to our day.  You and your team bent over backwards to capture every detail of our day and even stuck around to the very end.  I am certain these pictures will give us the same feeling of nostalgia we had on our wedding day EVERY TIME we look at them.”

Now this is how every bride should feel after getting her wedding photos!

OK, I am super excited for this Saturday’s wedding! If you want your wedding to be captured as you dreamed it would be~then call me~ I guarantee that you’ll be glad that you invited us to be at your wedding!

Loving life!

Roy~ Contact Me

Written By Roy  |  Photographed by Roy + Adriana

W South Beach Hotel Wedding

Wow! It’s that exclamation that you want your family and friends to feel on your wedding day. No doubt this is what all of us were feeling at Helena and Stormy’s destination beach wedding. Sun, sand and an incredible view of the ocean blue and you get the feeling that this wedding’s blissful blessings will be as infinite as there are grains of sand in the deep blue sea.

Their wedding took place at the very chic W South Beach Hotel. This place is coolness defined. The W South Beach Hotel is a destination wedding paradise. With the Atlantic Ocean as your backyard and South Beach as your playground, it’s ideal for your family and friends to unwind and really have a great South Beach experience. I love the vibe of this ring shot!

The look on the Bride and Groom as they revel in the joy of their wedding day is priceless. Knowing that the rest of their lives will be spent together, growing~sharing~exploring!

I love this view as Helena’s parents escort her to her Stormy. I love the happy faces of the guests as she makes her way to the Chuppah.

You think that Mom is a happy girl?! It’s such an exciting time for all to share in the wedding of this sweet couple.

Special thanks to Susan Jaffe of Pieces of Dreams Events for her passion and creativity in planning this affair. It’s working with Susan and her amazing team that makes my experience all the greater!

A Few Details: Wedding Venue: W South Beach Hotel; Wedding Planner: Susan Jaffe~Pieces of Dreams Events; Floral Decor: Xquisite Events; Music: Powerhouse; Video: Wolfson Productions

Enjoy their wedding in the slide show below by clicking the play button.

Have an amazing day!

Roy~ Contact Me

Photographed by Roy, Stella + Ricardo

Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale Wedding

“Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.”  ~Amiel

When I photograph a wedding it is with great anticipation that I approach such a momentous event! The passion for photographing weddings in me is ignited by the love that exists between the Bride and Groom. Combine that love with the feelings of parents, grandparents and your closest friends and I have an amazing experience to photograph!

Dad was overwhelmed by the moment of seeing Beth for the first time as a Bride. One minute they’re babies in your arms and the next she takes your arm to be given to the love of her life.

Beth and Adam chose to have a wonderful first look before the ceremony. Aside from spending so much more time with each other, you get great formals in a relaxed environment and after “The Kiss”, you’re off to enjoy cocktails  and the rest of your party without missing a beat!

What a view, what a setting! During the ceremony Stella positioned herself in a balcony overlooking the ceremony. Not only does it capture the ceremony from a  spectacular vantage point but it gives you a sense of wonder. That love has no limits, no boundaries, that it can go wherever you want it to go! Great shot Stella!

Rabbi Rothstein spoke eloquently of love, commitment and respect for each other.

Another great moment as Adam dips Beth for a fantastic finish to an amazing first dance! Again thank you Stella for an amazing moment captured!

A special thank you to Adriana Arboleda, Kathryn Hill and all the wonderful professionals at the Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale for your invaluable guidance in creating a flawless affair!

A Few Details: Wedding Venue: Ritz Carlton, Ft Lauderdale; Officiant: Rabbi Sol Rothstein; Floral Decor: Dalsimer; Music: Higher Ground; Wedding Video: Broadway Video

You’re invited to take a peak at this amazing wedding by click the play button below:

“Now that I’m coming off cloud nine, I just wanted to thank you for such a wonderful wedding experience! I saw the Facebook album you created for Beth and Adam the very night of the wedding and they are wonderful! You are terrific to work with!” ~ Mom of the Bride

“You were absolutely amazing and we appreciate all your help, expertise and passion!” ~ Adam

A wedding for me is the ultimate expression of love. To capture those moments, glances, subtle caresses, tears and kisses is an amazing experience! Thank you to all those couples past that have honored us with the trust that we’re going to tell your story with passion!

Engaged? Call me – we have a wedding to talk about!

XOXO,

Roy~ Contact me

Loren shared this pearl of wisdom with me: “Its funny how when you least expect it you find your other half.”

And I love this snippet of how they met and became engaged: “We met at dinner with mutual friends. I wasn’t planning to go but decided last minute and was late as usual so there was one seat open right next to David… we immediately clicked. He was warm and so funny.”…“The night David proposed I had no idea. It was the night before New Years during a romantic dinner- he told me he couldn’t imagine starting the New Year without completely starting it together…that was how we started 2009!”

Loren and David were married at the tropical paradise that is Jungle Island in Miami surrounded by wonderfully loving family and great friends. Loren is one of four sisters that are amazingly close with a lot of terrific nieces and nephews…and David’s grandfather is his Best man…that is so cool! And get this…Rabbi Abramowitz was Loren’s parents Rabbi when they had their Bar and Bat Mitzvah’s, their wedding and the weddings of Loren’s three sisters!

Loren shared her feelings of anticipation with me as her parents escorted her down the aisle:“I remember I started to walk down the aisle and had butterflies but the minute I saw David standing at the end I was absolutely calm and couldn’t wait to get to the end of the aisle so we could begin our lives together.”

A few details: Wedding Venue: Jungle Island; Floral artistry: Petal Productions; Bridal Makeup & Hair: Tatiana Peralta; Wedding Reception music: Marcia Mitchell Music; Wedding Videographer: Senderey Video; Miami Wedding Photographer: Roy Llera Photographers

Enjoy their amazing wedding video!

To say that their wedding was a wild one would be an understatement; with music provided by none other than the Marcia Mitchell band. Marcia and her master musicians created an ambiance that could not be tamed…and when one of those gorilla’s showed up…he just made a monkey of himself.

Loren shared with me her thoughts about her wedding day: “Our wedding night was unforgettable; we danced until we literally couldn’t dance anymore. From the band to the flowers to the amazing food (including banana splits!) it was like a fairy tale. Roy and his team didn’t miss a second of the evening!”

Loren and David, on behalf of Ricardo, Stella and myself—Thank you for an amazing wedding experience. We are honored by your decision to choose only the best that Miami has to offer in wedding photography.

Have a great day and stop in again soon…we have so much to share with you!

Roy Llera – Contact Me

“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same.” (Anonymous)

When I asked Julie to share how she found her “bershect” her soul mate, this quote became all the more noteworthy. Allow me to share with you what Julie shared with me.

“Mutual friends thought we would be perfect for each other…. so we agreed to be set up. After talking on the phone, we decided to meet up for a drink. One drink turned into four hours of talking and one incredible first date. Before the end of the first date, we made plans for the second, and have been inseparable ever since. We both just knew that we had found our other half. “

Well Julie and Jason shared with family and friends their love and respect for each other in a beautiful Temple Emanuel wedding in Miami Beach.

Special thanks to Robin Preston of Azure Event Production for her constant attention to detail at this spectacular wedding!

A few details: Julie’s Wedding Dress: Leggenda Bridal Boutique; Floral Artistry by Dalsimer; Executive Caterers; Entertainment: Music Machine; Cake: Ana Paz Cakes; Miami Wedding Photography: Roy Llera Photographers

Enjoy this beautiful wedding slide show!

So all you single people out there…be nice to everyone you meet…they may just introduce you to your soul mate!  Thanks Julie and Jason for an amazing  Miami wedding experience…

Have a great weekend!

Roy Llera - Contact Me

Gillian and Alex’s wedding was a wonderful celebration of love and traditions. The Jewish wedding traditions create a meaningful link between past, present, and future. The moment I entered Gillian’s suite at the Miami Beach Resort, I was surrounded by tradition. The bottle of wine that was saved from Gillian’s Bat Mitzvah for the Bride’s parents toast, the details in her wedding dress in which she had veiling from her Grandmother’s wedding dresses, the beads from Grandmother’s dress that were worn on Gillian’s mother’s wedding dress…to the wearing of her Mother’s veil-Tradition!

The excitement and joy during the Tish when the men gathered around Alex, the Rabbi and the Fathers as they reviewed and signed the Ketubah and sang in celebration letting the ladies know that they are on their way. Then there’s the B’deken, the moment that the men escort Alex to Gillian, where he makes sure that this is the Bride he’s to marry and then lowers her veil.

I could go on and on about the beauty of a Jewish Marriage, the Kiddushin (betrothal ceremony) and the sheva b’rachot (seven blessings) under the Huppah, the breaking of the glass…Tradition! This wedding was a joy for myself and Ricardo Aguiar to photograph…Thank you Gillian and Alex_ Mazel Tov!!!

A few details: Wedding Venue: Miami Beach Resort; Kosher Wedding Caterer: Executive Caterers; Floral Artistry: Dalsimer; Wedding Music: Shajar Music

Enjoy this amazing wedding video and don’t be shy about leaving a comment!

Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by!

Roy Llera- Contact me

After their engagement session, I was so looking forward to this wedding on many levels. For me the engagement portrait session is an opportunity to connect with my couples, get a sense of who they are on a deeper level and our engagement session no doubt was a wonderful experience.

You may also recall the Blog post where I wrote of the “fabled” Christian Louboutin Blue Soled shoes. These belong to Melissa!

This wedding had everything but a visit from Sebastian the Ibis…from the “Getting Ready” moment at Melissa’s parents home with Mom, Dad and Melissa’s fabulous bridesmaids, to the beautiful, spiritual wedding ceremony at St Brendan Catholic Church in Miami and a rousing and wild wedding reception at the historic Alfred I DUPont Building in Downtown Miami…it was an amazing day!

Here we have Xavier’s best man asking if anyone knows where the rings are?

A wonderful moment captured–see how this image unfolds in the slide show.

But the most special part of this day for me was visiting Xavier’s Abuela on the way to the reception. It was a very special moment to see how excited she was to see her grandson and his new bride. It is a tender moment like this that makes me so happy to be a wedding photographer. To be a part of a a new beginning in the life of a couple in love is a great feeling.

Some notes about the detail images above: As a child, I remember coming to the Dupont Building with my Dad…back then it was a bank. In the first image, they chose images from their engagement session to decorate the place-card/gift table. In the center bottom image, Melissa & Xavier honor marriage with wedding photos of parents and grandparents displayed.

Details: Melissa’s Wedding Gown by Vera Wang; Wedding Shoes by Christian Louboutin; Event Coordination: Eric Trelles of ET Events; Catering: Misha Culinary Events; Wedding Florals by Jason Frix; Wedding Cake-Cake Design By Edda; Music: @ St. Brendan- Luis Curza & Vista Alegre Club, @ wedding reception- DJ Frankie Bravo & the Band- DMD

By the way, Sebastian, the Miami Hurricane’s mascot was at Landshark Stadium finalizing the details to an ideal wedding gift for Melissa & Xavier…a win over eighth ranked Oklahoma…Go Canes!!! Enjoy the slide show below!

An incredible moment as Mom gives Karla to Gerry…

Karla & Gerry were married surrounded by swaying coconut palms, a soft bay breeze, and the love and warmth of family and friends at the beautiful Grove Isle Resort in Coconut Grove.

What an incredible moment, “Just Married”!

Karla is absolutely stunning in a Romona Keveza creation.

The details: Wedding Location: Grove Isle Resort & Spa; Wedding Dress: Romona Keveza; Wedding Officiate: Rev. Eddie Rodriguez; Wedding Floral Artistry: Avant Gardens; Wedding Cake: Ana Paz Cakes; Miami Wedding Photographer:  Roy Llera Photographers

Click the play button below to view their slide show!

We love photographing weddings at the Grove Isle Resort & Spa! Click here to see more Grove Isle Weddings!

I am fascinated by a great love story and how couples come together. One of my favorite brides, Nynke shared the story of how her guy,  Brian swept her off her feet : “He totally had me when he combined a really goofy way of asking me out on a date with a dance in the middle of a packed bar where literally no one else was dancing…I figured this guy was funny, outgoing, and was willing to make a fool of himself for a date with me…how could I say no?” The next thing you know four enjoyable years have passed with Brian. One day Nynke is getting a massage and the masseuse finishes and tells her to just relax and that she’ll be right back. Unbeknownst to Nynke, the masseuse had carefully placed rose petals throughout the room. Moment’s later, she feels her hand being held as Brian softly whispers  “Nynke, I want you-will you marry me?”

A great moment as Dad walks his daughter to the ceremony.

So with a few yeses along the way and a couple of I do’s, Nynke & Brian had a fantastic Biltmore Hotel wedding in Coral Gables, Florida. Their wedding took place on a beautiful sunny day on the back lawn of the Biltmore that was followed by an amazing reception in the Granada ballroom of this legendary hotel. Can these guys party! We had an amazing time capturing many warm wonderful moments.

Mom and Nynke celebrating like there’s no tomorrow!

Shortly after the wedding, Nynke took the time to write one of those wonderful emails that confirm why I love being a wedding photographer: “We both had the absolute time of our lives. It was a really amazing experience and you were so great Roy. EVERYONE was raving about you and kept telling me how lucky I was to have such an awesome photographer”. Thank you Nynke for this meaningful note.

Don’t you just love the details and how about the “Gator” groom cake!

A few details: Wedding Venue: The Biltmore Hotel Coral Gables, Florida; Floral Artistry: Always Flowers; Wedding Cake: We Take the Cake; Music: The 5^th Avenue Band; Wedding Videography: Broadway Video; Miami Wedding Photography: Roy Llera Photographers

Click the play button below to see the slide show.

We love photographing beautiful weddings at the Biltmore. Click here to see more Biltmore weddings.

Thank you for stopping by,

All the best,

Roy-Contact me