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David Gallardo

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Turks and Caicos elopement ceremony

Sometimes simplicity works best. Zahiah and Alladdine, a laid-back and adventurous couple from California, had two goals in January: get certified to scuba dive, and get married in a Turks and Caicos elopement ceremony.

After spending a couple of days getting certified with Dive Provo in Providenciales, Zahiah and Alladdine got married at the Royal West Indies. The couple knew one thing for sure: they wanted underwater photos, so they planned their wedding early so they could get underwater photos after. Teresa Brunner from Tropical Destination Management made sure their ceremony was exactly what they envisioned: a quiet, private ceremony for just the two of them.

After their ceremony, we went straight to da Conch Shack in Blue Hills for photos with the rustic, pastel buildings. We then headed down to Malcolm Beach to take some underwater photos, but the water was too rough to get in. Zahiah and Alladdine went with the flow, and it all worked out anyway — the waves breaking over the iron shore proved to be just as stunning as any underwater photos.

Zahiah and Alladdine were one of the most relaxed couples I’ve ever worked with — and they had some fun photo ideas too. A few days after their wedding, we went out for another photo session, but more on that later!

In the meantime, here’s a peek of Zahiah and Alladdine’s wedding day.

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Underwater ‘trash’ the wedding dress

After twelve years of taking photos in the Turks and Caicos Islands, I still enjoy photographing couples and families around our beautiful islands – but one of the things I love most is when I get the chance to do an underwater ‘trash’ the wedding dress.

We don’t do this type of photo shoot very often, but when we do, we get very excited about it. We did our first trash the dress shoot in 2011, and we have done quite a few more since then.

Ashley and Kyle got married last year in their home state of Illinois. While planing their honeymoon to the Turks and Caicos, Ashley contacted us because she wanted to do a shoot around the islands – specifically an underwater shoot with her wedding dress.

On January 21st, I picked up Ashley and Kyle at the Alexandra Resort where they were staying. For the first part of the shoot, we went to Leeward Beach, and then to Bugaloo’s beach bar.

For the ‘trash’ the wedding dress part, we went to Malcolm’s Beach. This part of the island is well known for being a peaceful place with a rocky shore and vibrant blue seascape. The sea was a bit rough that day, but I was quite happy as the water was still very clear and it was the first time I had photographed a bride under the waves.

Here are a few images from the Malcom’s Beach ‘trash the wedding dress…..

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Turks & Caicos as the place for their destination wedding

Mark and Anna were engaged here in the islands last year, so it wasn’t hard to choose the Turks & Caicos as the place for their destination wedding this past January.

Before their ceremony at the Sands resort, Mark and Anna decided to do something a little different. Rather than getting photos of the two getting ready, they opted to have a “first look” photo shoot.

Once they were dressed in their wedding attire, Mark and Anna went back to the place where got engaged – Pelican Beach in Leeward. There, they got to see each other for the first time before their ceremony and share a quiet, private moment before the festivities would begin.

Anna’s sister couldn’t be at the wedding, so her brother was on double-duty – he played not only groomsman, but bridesmaid as well. After the ceremony, Mark and Anna had their reception at Hemingway’s restaurant. They ended the night the right way for a January night in the Caribbean – a bonfire on the beach.

Many congratulations to Mark and Anna – it was a pleasure sharing your wedding day with you!

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First wedding of the year in the Turks & Caicos

A year after Nicole and Erik got engaged here on Grace Bay Beach, they became husband and wife on the perfect day for new beginnings: New Year’s Day, marking the first wedding of the year in the Turks and Caicos.

In 2013, the week before New Year’s, Nicole and Erik were on holiday from Boston when he decided to pop the question with a little help from a conch shell, a national symbol for the Turks and Caicos. Erik placed the ring inside a shell on the beach when Nicole wasn’t looking, then casually picked it up as they walked along the shore. Nicole saw the ring and assumed it had been left for someone else, so she urged Erik to put it back. Little did she know the ring belonged to her, if she said yes. And she did.

And so Providenciales became an important part of their love story. Nicole and Erik decided to tie the knot on the tiny island where they decided to make the ultimate commitment to each other.

The couple originally planned to have their ceremony at a villa, but plans fell through and they thought they’d have to postpone the wedding. But it was a blessing in disguise, as Sibonne came through after a last-minute cancellation. And it couldn’t have been a more perfect place for Nicole and Erik to say “I do” in front of their friends and family.

The wedding was organized by Island Harmony and catered by Bay Bistro. After a small ceremony on the beach, the newlyweds and their guests lit paper wish lanterns to send off into the sky. And an occasion as special and joyous as Nicole and Erik’s wedding could only end one way: dancing on the beach.

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A fun engagement session

Just two days after the start of the new year I had the opportunity to photograph a fun engagement session around Provo.

Melissa and her fiancé Ian came to the Turks & Caicos to enjoy a well-deserved holiday and escape the frigid New York winter for a few days

While visiting the islands, Melissa and Ian decided to take the opportunity to get some engagement photos. They will have a destination wedding later this year in Mexico.

For the first part of their Beach Escape photo shoot, we went to the Bugaloo’s beach bar and restaurant to get some photos near the shallow waters of the Caicos banks and with some of the bright, colorful buildings that surround. For the second part, we went to one of my favorite beaches on Provo, Leeward Beach.

Here are just a few images from their engagement session…..

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Fun destination wedding at The Seven Stars Resort

The first time Anita and I met with Angie and Christopher was a few months before their wedding day.  After a short meeting to talk about their wedding plans, we knew this was going to be a fun wedding to capture.

As part of their wedding week we got to capture a beach bonfire, beach barbecue and the big wedding day on December 13th.  For the wedding week, they chose the beautiful Seven Stars resort located in the heart of Grace Bay.

Before the start of the ceremony Angie and Christopher planned to have a private ‘first look’ at the resort garden, something that Anita and I love to photograph. After a short ceremony at Grace Bay beach everyone moved to the cocktail party. It was the start of a long fun night with lots of dancing and a photo booth, which created some funny moments.

Here are just a few images from their wedding day…..

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wedding at the Gansevoort Turks and Caicos

A few weeks ago I had the real pleasure to photograph a beautiful destination wedding at the Gansevoort Turks and Caicos.

Erin and Alex wanted to have a small wedding somewhere in the tropics with beautiful beaches and turquoise waters, and the Turks & Caicos Islands were the perfect location for them.

For their wedding day bride and groom decided to have their ceremony on Grace Bay beach , just next to the Gansevoort resort where they were staying.  After a fifteen minute ceremony and some photos everyone had a very relaxed dinner and cocktails on the beach with the stars and the ocean as an idyllic background

Teresa and her team from Tropical DMC did all the planning and decorations for the ceremony and reception. Here are a few photos from Erin and Alex’s wedding day…..

Destination wedding at the gansevoort turks and caicos

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