Aislinn Kate WeddingsBest of 2020 - Photographer's Choice

Photographer’s Choice – Best of 2020

December 30, 2020

This year, in addition to posting our favorite details, rings, and of course, COUPLES, I asked each of our photographers to pick their favorite five photos they took from the year. What makes a photo our “favorite?” It can be lots of things! Sometimes it’s because of the moment it captures. Other times, it’s because the technical difficulty is high and we’re proud of the result. Maybe it’s because we’re trying a new technique, or mastering a skill that we’ve practiced, or maybe we just think it’s stinking gorgeous. Read on to see our team’s favorite photos, and see why each photo was chosen.

WHY AISLINN LOVES IT: “Joe knew that they would be exiting their wedding reception via paddleboard, while all of their guests lined the iconic white Watercolor bridge and showered them with rose petals. What he didn’t know was that they would be using custom paddleboards with their vows inscribed on the bottom – Ashley’s surprise wedding gift to him! For months, I was nervous and excited – what an incredible photo opportunity, but there were so many things that could have gone wrong. What if the guests were pressed against the rails and I couldn’t get the angle I needed? What if Ashley and Joe paddled too far apart and I could only get photos of them separately? What if I leaned too far over the bridge and fell in the water (I’m not the most graceful human, so this is not outside the realm of possibility). But their brunch reception ended, Ashley switched into a custom suit (with a veil!), and they paddled away to the cheers of their guests – and it was perfect. I love this photo because I love this moment, and because I’m proud that I was able to capture the amazing moment in a way that does it justice.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Ashley + Joe

WHY RACHEL LOVES IT: “Ring shots are so important to me on a wedding day. I wanted to get a very dramatic shot for this couple and I have to admit when I was trying to figure out what to do, I was stumped. The room was extremely bright and I was just having a moment of not knowing which route to go to get what I needed. Then it hit me. I looked at her shoes and saw that they went along with her most fabulous rings. I placed them where the light would hit just right, and there it was. I was able to get a black background without photoshop and gave off the illusion their rings were sitting on a mountain of diamonds.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Jordyn + Colin

WHY MEL LOVES IT: “Keita and Vickie are some of my favorite people….EVER! We love when our clients feel like family and usually over a short period of time that is exactly what happens. In Vickie and Keita’s case all it took was that very first time we spoke, when Vickie called to hire us to photograph her daughter’s wedding. Vickie was kind and warm every time she spoke with our team. She even called during the initial weeks of the pandemic to make sure our team was all healthy and safe. Turns out Keita is just as warm and kind as her mother. The two share an incredible bond that Rachel captured on their wedding day and valued their time with each other like no other. Vickie told me that the most important thing to her for Keita’s wedding was her photographs. She wanted to remember the day, bottle it up, and share the emotions every time she looked at her daughter’s picture. It is our clients that truly make this job special and unique.”

Chosen by: Mel | Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Keita + Matt

WHY TIFFANY LOVES IT: “I love the way the position of Karoline’s hands and arms is is echoed by the shape of the folding screen I shot through while she was getting dressed! She took her time getting dressed and I was able to play a bit with creating images with more visual interest – the best!”

Chosen + Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Karoline + Zach

WHY PERLA LOVES IT: “This was my last wedding of the year, and much like 2020, there were challenges. I mean who doesn’t like thinking outside the box when challenges arrive? WELL, I DO – I find it rather fun! I’m always up for a challenge. Not only were we behind schedule, but it also rained. The groomsmen photos were supposed to be photographed before the ceremony, but things fell behind. I tried not to stress about it – I figured we could take them after the ceremony. After the ceremony, it started to sprinkle and the couple wanted to move all the photos inside the reception or close by the reception. Well, it rained most of the night. And again I tried not to freak out about it because we are creative problem solvers (and we can’t control weather, after all). As soon as the rain calmed down, I grabbed Eric and his groomsmen. Let me tell you – as soon as I snapped these, I knew these would instantly become one of my favorites.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Jessica + Eric

WHY AISLINN LOVES IT: “Like most of our 2020 wedding couples, Jennifer and Alan had to pivot their wedding plans. Instead of postponing their elegant Watercolor wedding, they simply chose to downsize it – to sixteen people! It was an incredible day. Every single person was special to the couple, and that made every moment even more meaningful. This photo of Jennifer’s mother and sister helping her dress is beautiful in its own right, but is also symbolic of what it means to thrive in difficult times. Supported by those who love her the most, Jennifer is moving forward to something beautiful, joyfully.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Jennifer + Alan

WHY RACHEL LOVES IT: “Catching quiet moments is something I look for throughout the day. This moment I vividly remember, and I won’t forget it. Victoria had been going through quite the morning, dealing with so many changes that COVID brought; she was handling it like a champ. Victoria unexpectedly received a call from a family member who was not able to make it to the wedding because of COVID. While on Facetime, Victoria started to get emotional and while watching this all unfurl, I looked down at her hands and I saw the most beautiful soft image. Victoria was trying to hold back the tears and I could see those emotions through her hands. The light hit them so beautifully, her ring catching the beams of light in the most perfect way, and I thought it was absolutely perfect.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Victoria + Austin

WHY MEL LOVES IT: “I am not sure that there is anything more Pensacola than a military couple getting married in the heart of downtown! We all love a classic wedding at Old Christ Church, but have you ever seen a ceremony set up on the front steps?! 2020 has brought a lot of changes and challenges to our couples and Pensacola. But much like our amazing city, our couples have overcome them with grace and a little bit of grit. The morning of Karoline and Zach’s wedding they had to move their entire ceremony to the front lawn of Old Christ Church as an extra precaution against COVID. I know it is not what they planned or probably what Karoline had envisioned her wedding day to look like…but I am BLOWN away at how incredible it turned out. A military wedding on the corner of Church St and Adams in front of the iconic Old Christ Church may actually be the most Pensacola thing of all time!”

Chosen by: Mel | Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Karoline + Zach

WHY TIFFANY LOVES IT: “I love how cinematic this shot from Lizzy and Dean’s engagement session is! Lizzy is effortlessly graceful and they are so connected here, you’d never know I “posed” them like this! This late autumn light is positively dreamy (my favorite kind of light!) and adds to the romantic nature of the moment. I knew the second I saw it on the back of my camera that it would end up in their final gallery!”

Chosen + Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Lizzy + Dean

WHY PERLA LOVES IT: “This photo brings joy to me! This was during their first look and I think this photo just says it all! They were both happy to see each other and excited to get married.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Toni + Leo

WHY AISLINN LOVES IT: “I love that this photo of Kate and Ryan was taken at sea level, but it appears to be on top of a mountain. Really, the waters of Pensacola Bay are barely out of sight behind them. Rachel took a similar photo last year and I was incredibly inspired by her vision, so this image has a special meaning to me as well – I love experiencing how much our team inspires on another, and makes us all better.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Kate + Ryan

WHY RACHEL LOVES IT: “This photo symbolizes so much for me and I believe for this couple as well. The pandemic changed their wedding plans entirely. On this day, Casey was able to wear the wedding dress originally intended for the big day that they never got to have. This image symbolizes to me strength and the strong bond between the two. Their lives will be intertwined together as one and the trees to me show that in such a beautiful way. The colors of the sunset gave off such a calm feeling, which is how the two of them have been through the whole process. The way I positioned them was important because I wanted to give off the feeling of the shape of a heart to subconsciously give all the feels of love. A silhouette to me was the perfect way to capture this moment in time.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Casey + Drew

WHY MEL LOVES IT: “So many of our clients have included their furriest family members in their weddings. We have seen dogs with tuxedo tops, cats with flower collars and more bowties than I can count. Well….Piper is my spirit animal. I only wish I could be and look as cool as her! A pair of funky shades, sipping on a glass champagne in a perfectly designed home in Seaside just sounds right.”

Chosen by: Mel | Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Carson + TK

WHY TIFFANY LOVES IT: “I love the light and joy in this reception shot from Toni and Mafi’s intimate wedding! Mafi was so stoic throughout the day and it was awesome to see him relax a bit more during their reception. He has the best smile!!”

Chosen + Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Toni + Mafi

WHY PERLA LOVES IT: “The moment I photographed this, I knew this would be one of my proudest and favorite photos. 5eleven Palafox is a very popular venue and I’m proud of this shot because it’s different and I’ve never seen any other photographer use this spot 🙂 We may start a trend now! Once other photogs see this, maybe they will be inspired.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Amanda + Brad

WHY AISLINN LOVES IT: “This is the perfect first family photo. Laura and Wesley look so incredibly classy (which they most definitely are), and graceful, and in love…and of course, their 8-week old child is perfection in a puppy’s body. The porch swing adds a beautiful traditional gentility to the scene and I hope this photo is framed in their home forever.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Laura + Wesley

WHY RACHEL LOVES IT: “I gravitate to this image because of the emotion. To me it is so simple but gives so much depth. Along with the technicalities of actually capturing the image, it’s so important the vibes that come off in the image or it won’t come off as strong. I asked Vanessa and Tre if they were up for some night shots during their reception and they were all for it! The two of them are so romantic and I thought the perfect scene would be the two of them showered with rose petals. The image was a success and I know the two of them will treasure it throughout the years.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Vanessa + Tre

WHY MEL LOVES IT: “First off, this cotton candy sky is just dreamy – but what I love more is the fact that this is what the photograph looked like straight out of the camera!!! Now to be fair…Ali and Erik are incredibly beautiful but what you don’t see is the excitement and satisfaction of their photographer, Perla, when she brought it back to our studio. This is THE SHOT that all of our clients want – a perfectly pink sunset at the beach and nothing but absolute happiness in the couples eyes. When all of the elements come together our team jumps with excitement knowing that we fulfilled all of our client’s dreams!”

Chosen by: Mel | Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Ali + Erik

WHY TIFFANY LOVES IT: “Drama, drama, drama. I am obsessed with Mollie’s ring shot! Photographing their rings on a reflective surface (a food service counter!!) with my jacket placed behind them made for this dramatic ring photo. Simple, but stunning and my personal preference for these types of photos!”

Chosen + Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Mollie + Sean

WHY PERLA LOVES IT: “I’m obsessed with photo, I love how this photo shows nothing but fierce.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Haley + Dalton (Styled Shoot)

WHY AISLINN LOVES IT: “The sheer lavishness of this photo takes my breath away. A striking and dramatic portrait in the dark? Check. Chandeliers and lights dripping from the trees behind them? Check. A riot of sparkling droplets exploding behind them like fireworks? Check, check, CHECK.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Aislinn | Couple: Alex + Lane

WHY RACHEL LOVES IT: “I love lines, light, symmetry, the color – all of it…and boy do I like a sharp-dressed couple. I walked past this area during their session and immediately stopped. I saw the pops of color along the ground, the grass, and the light and I knew this image would be one of my favorites. Olivia’s dress was the perfect fit with all of the natural elements and Raphael’s suit would look lovely against the black-blueish walls. This photo symbolizes to me strength and gives off the feels of royalty. I was so excited to be able to deliver this image to this couple.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Olivia + Raphael

WHY MEL LOVES IT: “I am pretty sure I have a small amount of jealousy for Allie and Andrew. They are stunning, fun, and have a really cool truck. Truthfully, a session that brings out a couple’s personality is always my favorite. I see so much fun and love when a couple comes to a session as themselves and ready to have fun! I think our clients get so much more out of their engagements sessions when they have the opportunity to let loose and just be themselves!”

Chosen by: Mel | Photographed by: Rachel | Couple: Allie + Andrew

WHY TIFFANY LOVES IT: “I adore the drama in this bridal getting ready shot. Ashley is so poised and elegant, and these finishing touches are perfection. I am always going to look for this dramatic kind of light while a bride is getting dressed and it’s a bonus when something as ordinary as a TV can be used to create a reflection, making it even MORE dramatic.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Tiffany | Couple: Ashley + Drew

WHY PERLA LOVES IT: “The photo of Jessica is priceless. She was actually looking at Eric while I snapped this and you can see all the joy and confidence she has! It’s so empowering when a woman feels her best and you see and feel it.”

Chosen + Photographed by: Perla | Couple: Jessica + Eric

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OF OUR COUPLES OF 2020: