Kim and Jon’s Tropical New Year’s Eve Wedding

Celebrating the end of 2021 and starting the new year right with Kim and Jon’s tropical New Year’s Eve wedding!

Kim and Jon

Hinge is to thank for bringing these two together. In 2019, they met on the dating app and went out for drinks. Because they were both in a place where they knew exactly what they wanted in a partner, they became serious very quickly.

“We both had just gone through really bad relationships before. As a result, we pretty much knew instantly that we’d both found the one. On our first date, I (Kim) said something about just going to the courthouse for our second date LOL! It was love at first sight. We’re pretty similar so we didn’t play any games, and we were both just like, ‘I’m all in starting right now.'”

He Proposed and She Said …

Jon popped the question in the mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado. During an overnight trip with some close friends, they went up to the lake to take photos before dinner. That’s when and where Jon asked Kim to marry him. After he proposed, they ended up being chased by mountain goats! I would say that’s quite the epic, unique, and memorable end to the night and proposal!

New Year’s Eve Wedding

This “happy, loving, edgy, stylish, and outgoing” couple planned the most gorgeous New Year’s Eve wedding at Kim’s parents’ home in Boca Raton, Florida. Between the couple living in Colorado and their friends and family coming from all over the world, this intimate celebration is a destination wedding. One that no one will ever forget!

The Day Has Finally Come

After all the planning, the day has finally come. I walked into the private residence and was greeted with so much warmth. With Christmas decorations still up, the chaos of all the ladies getting ready, and sun shining through the windows, it reminded me of holidays with my family. After sweet “hellos” and hugs (because this family and wedding party are the absolute best), I got to work!

Starting with photographing Kim’s stunning Galia Lahav gown:

Galia Lahav wedding gown

That Kim and Jon’s dog, Ernie, decided he needed to protect!

Galia Lahav bridal gown with dog

Sometimes the smallest details mean the most …

Wedding details

A group shot before the ladies start putting on their dresses. This was actually set up for me to take the photo with their polaroid camera but I couldn’t resist taking one with my own!

A casual shot of all the ladies before heading upstairs to get ready

Ernie and the bride heading upstairs for champagne and getting ready for the ceremony:

The bride making her way up to her bridal suite
Bridesmaids hanging out with the bride
Sharing the champagne.
Mom of the bride getting her jewelry on.
Helping the bride get into her Galia Lahav gown.
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
The bride putting on her gown and jewelry.
Final touches on the bride
The gorgeous bride
Bride with her mom and sister.

Ernie’s ready to walk down the aisle and give the bride away.

Bride with her cute dog, Ernie.
Bridal portraits

While the ladies got ready at the home, Jon and his boys got ready at a nearby hotel:

The groom's details
Dad helping the groom get ready
The groom with his groosmen
The guys getting ready to go down the aisle.
Groom and groomsmen portraits
More formal photos of the groom with his family
Groom's portraits

“We Do”

The trolley made a few rounds to bring all the guests to the ceremony site where they were greeted with refreshments. Florida seemed to have no mind that it was technically winter, so we were met with sunshine and heat!

The guests arriving to the ceremony site
The guests enjoying a refreshing drink before the ceremony begins
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Wedding ceremony decoration

Kim’s dad’s Porsche was all decked out for photo opps and the couple’s get-away:

The bride's dad's car all ready for their get-away!

Ernie was the first to walk down the aisle.

Ernie walking down the aisle
The flower girls and ring bearers.
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

Focusing on Jon’s reaction as Kim walked down the aisle … his reaction was priceless!

The groom's reaction to the bride coming down the aisle

He couldn’t help but shed a few happy tears.

Shedding a few happy tears as the bride comes down to meet him
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
The wedding party at the ceremony
The wedding ceremony
Bridesmaids floral bouquets
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Wedding Ceremony prayers

Emotional vows followed by the ring-exchange:

The bride's emotional reaction during the vows.
Shedding a few tears
First kiss as husband and wife

And they’re officially husband and wife!

They're married!
Boca Raton, Florida wedding ceremony

A group shot of everyone in attendance (thank goodness for the outdoor staircase that allowed me to capture this shot):

A huge group shot post-wedding ceremony

Family and Group Photos

Wedding formal photos
The wedding party
Kim and Jon with their furbaby
The bridal party
The groom with his groomsmen at the ceremony site
Bride with her sister

Bride and Groom Portraits

Bridal portraits
Bride looking gorgeous in her Galia Lahav gown
The happy couple
Taking photos next to the lake by the home.
What a beautiful couple!
Bride and groom
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding
A silhouette shot of the couple as the sun sets
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding
A private first dance
Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
A close up shot of the bride's rings
Promises to love each other forever.

Welcome the New Days

I love all the little and big details that Kim and Jon incorporated into their wedding day. One of my most favorite details is definitely the cocktail stirrers embellished with Ernie’s head!

Detailed shots
Detailed shots at the residence

How breathtaking is their reception tent? Daniel Events really transformed the space into the most amazing tropical paradise!

Gorgeous decor done by Daniel Events
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

And as the outside lighting changed, so did the reception space, making it even more dramatic:

Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

How cute is Kim’s reception purse?!

The bride's reception purse
Food shots
The reception tent before guests enter
The bride and groom's rings

What’s a New Year’s Eve wedding without bells to ring, champagne to drink, and noisemakers to use?

All the Christmas and New Year's decorations
Candid shots

Their first dance as husband and wife:

Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

Followed by sweet parent dances. At the end of the father-daughter dance, the rest of her family came up for a group hug and sweet tears.

Father daughter dance
Mother-son dance

Cheers to the Days!

Toasts to the bride and groom on their wedding day
Wedding Cake
Cutting the cake
A kiss

The flower girls surprised the bride and groom with a choreographed dance. And Kim couldn’t resist recording the special performance!

The flower girls dedicated a special dance to the married couple

Dancing and celebrating the end of 2021 together …

Wedding reception
The wedding reception
Wedding reception time
Bouquet toss
The party dancing
Tropical New Year's Eve Wedding | Destination Wedding Photographer

And prepping to enter 2022 with a BANG! All of their guests were given glasses of champagne, noisemakers, and petals.

It's almost midnight

The petal toss at midnight:

The petal toss at midnight!

And while everyone was under the tent cheering to the new year, the outside world was filled with fireworks.

Fireworks on New Year's Eve

And with that, the happy couple exited their reception and entered the new year with sparklers!

The grand sparkler exit

What an amazing start to 2022! Congratulations to the beautiful couple and thank you so much for allowing me to celebrate with you!

The Wonderful Wedding Vendors

Bridal Boutique: Boca Raton Bridal ♥ Wedding Dress: Galia Lahav ♥ Hair Stylist: Trish Vanzee ♥ Makeup Artist: Emily Rivera Artistry ♥ Wedding Venue: Private Residence ♥ Photographer: Sweet Memories Photography ♥ Floral Company: Daniel Events ♥ Catering: Silver Sac Catering ♥ DJ: AAMusicians ♥ Wedding Cake: Silver Sac Catering