After years in the making and fresh off their engagement session Kari & Ariel tied the knot at the beautiful NeoVertika Lofts on the Miami River. Like typical South Florida weather it was very touch and go till the last moment, but not rain, nor cold would stop this amazing couple from getting married! A magical rainbow brought clear skies and a memorable night. Kari tended to every detail which brought their guests some great food, awesome music and a spectacular party. Guests danced the night away in true Kari & Ariel style with the beautiful Miami Skyline in the background. Check out some of the shots from their wedding – don’t miss Kari’s hot red shoes!

Kari & Ariel’s reception featured our wedding photo booth you can view more images here.

Getting Ready: JW Marriott
Ceremony: NeoVertika Lofts
Reception: NeoVertika Lofts
Flowers: Trias Flowers
Decor: Tadia Silva
Event Designer: A & S Design Group
Entertainment: Se La Comio!
Catering: A & S Design Group

Be sure to check out Ozzy’s blog for some more images.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Kari + Ariel’s Wedding

After several weather related delays this past weekend I photographed Juniet & Adolfo’s engagement session “Version 2″. Some of you may recall the awesome session we had a while back at the Miami-Dade County Fair you can see the images from that session here. For this session we were looking for a beach feel and what better place to start our day than Miami’s own South Beach! Enjoy these eagerly anticipated teasers!

The Miami Beach locals just could not resist all the attention! Perhaps he is in need of an engagement photographer?

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Juniet + Adolfo’s Engagement Session v2+

It’s that time of year again Communion season is in full swing, this past weekend I had the pleasure of photographing some beautiful children for their First Holy Communion portraits. We had a great time together, here is a quick slideshow of some recent sessions.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Communion Portraits 2010

image from a recent Atlanta wedding photo shoot

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Atlanta Wedding Photographer

Highlights from St. Timothy’s 50th Anniversary Gala

“Hollywood’s Golden Era”

It was a trip back in time at St. Timothy with Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Judy Garland, James Cagney and Rita Hayworth.

To view ALL the images from St. Timothy’s “Hollywood’s Golden Era”
 please click here. If you have not received your password please leave a comment below.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

St. Timothy’s 50th Anniversary Parish Gala

Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers. It’s a day to be a hopeless romantic and lose yourself in the love you feel for your spouse, significant other or chocolate. It’s especially exciting for new lovers. It’s a day to feel giddy inside, the way a child feels before Christmas, anxious in the anticipation of something wonderfully new and exciting. For so many people, Valentine’s can be a day of looking ahead to a candle-light dinner, a first kiss, a weekend getaway, and just maybe, happily ever after.

Yet what would those moments be if we could not capture them in our minds and hold on to them forever? Those memories that become keystones to the relationships we foster with the one person for which we’ve fallen. The mental images that take our hearts from wandering adrift aimlessly in the clouds of hope to being rooted in the fertile fields of real love with that special someone who is worthy of our devotion. They are snapshots of a smile here and a glance there. They are portraits of specific events, embedded with the sounds and smells that made that moment ever so perfect, all of which combine to bring a heartwarming smile to our face. And, we collect them all not in shoe boxes or photo albums, but rather with the depth and intimacy of our own souls. These memories become a part of us as individuals and make up the fabric we weave in unison with the one person who holds our heart.

We celebrate anniversaries and milestones with stories of, “Remember the time….?” We look back at the moments that solidified the relationships we cherish; all the candle lit dinners, that spectacular first kiss, the splendid weekend getaways, and all the little smiles and glances that paved the road that led to happily ever after. Each moment builds on the next, each memory expanding our capacity for love, honor and commitment.

The irony, however, remains in the unfortunate fact that our memories become treasure we can share with only ourselves. Though we may try with words, gestures and the occasional tear to describe the nuggets of experiences we hold so close to our hearts, we can never quite recreate for others what only our mind’s eye sees so clearly.

It is for this very reason we take the time and make the effort to capture our special moments with photos. The engagement party, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the first dance, every first milestone a young couple shares as husband and wife; we capture them all in order to show the world and share our happiness with others. We eagerly hang them on our walls, post them online, and add them to a memory book. They take residence in frames on our mantels and laptops on our desks. They exist in vibrant colors and softened hues that both document a moment in time as well as tell a story forever.

As you celebrate this Valentine’s Day, I wish for you a day full of memories and moments that you will always cherish. May it be a day that produces new images for you, be they mental or physical, that will make your heart beat stronger and remind you of the wonderful power of love.

Gil Gonzalez is the first in a series of guest contributors that we will be featuring over the next couple of months. He is a freelance writer, blogger and author of the ‘Lives‘ book series and can be found at danacreative.net.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Valentine’s Day is a Day for Lovers

Sarah’s First Communion Portrait

Virtue passes easily from a mother into the hearts of her children, who readily copy what they see her do.
- Saint John Vianney

Flowers: Mario Fernandez @ Belle Fleur
Couture: Chantal Designs @ Boy Meets Girl Boutique | Stylist: Maribelle Day Spa

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Sarah’s First Communion Portraits

After several false starts Mother Nature was finally on our side. This past weekend Pauline & Luis joined me for a stroll around South Florida for a fun-filled engagement shoot. We were fortunate to capture some amazing images as we navigated the pre Super Bowl chaos on Ocean Drive. I am really looking forward to their wedding.

We were fortunate to come across some of Shepard Fairey’s recent work in Wynwood. You can see some of my previous use of Fairey’s work here.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Pauline + Luis’ Miami Engagement Pictures

Enjoy this teaser from Pauline & Luis’ recent engagement session. Be sure to check back soon to get an expanded preview.

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Pauline + Luis’ Engagement Teaser

Photo by Lydia Miyashiro

I am so thrilled that Daniel Ho’s incredible work was recognized by The Recording Academy with a Grammy Award for Best Hawaiian Music Album and Hawaii Music Award Winner for Best Contemporary Hawaiian Album. Daniel Ho is the amazing music talent featured on my I am wedding and portrait website. I am constantly receiving emails and even calls about who is the music artist is on my websites. My two personal favorites are Cup O Joe and Coolest Drop of Rain. You can visit his website to order his CDs or you can license his work from the folks at Triple Scoop Music.

Congratulations!

Alex Rodriguez Photograpy © 2000 - 2010, please do not republished without permission.

Daniel Ho 2010 Grammy Award Winner