This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
An emotionally charged post-wedding photo session during sunset at the Ritz Carlton Orlando
I met Tina and Jorge when my team captured her sister’s wedding at the Ancient Spanish Monastery in Miami. Tina & Jorge were inspired to do their own wedding session since they didn’t have one when they got married at a courthouse without a photographer.
I’ve done a lot of post-wedding shoots and it can be a great way to get relaxed images without the pressure of it being the wedding day. Sometimes, couples have hired me because they didn’t like their wedding photos and wanted a re-do. It’s never too late to put on gorgeous clothes and bask in each other’s love in a beautiful place.
Speaking of beautiful place, this session took place at the Ritz Carlton Orlando where they were staying and we went through the formal process of gaining permission which I’m happy to help my clients with in the future. If you’re considering a session at a resort like this, that permission step matters—it’s what lets you shoot without interruption and gives you access to the grounds, the architecture, and the quieter corners most guests wouldn’t think to photograph in.
Tina was very specific about her vision of a warm and earthy edit with lots and lots of B&W. I started off with Jorge and their toddler, Antonella, while we waited for Tina to arrive for their first look. The first look was spectacular with one particular photo I love with Jorge’s jaw dropped and take note, gentlemen, THIS is the reaction she’s looking for!
Tina put together a spectacular Pinterest board for me to draw inspiration from for their session and it was so helpful for me to refer to as I put a shotlist together in my mind. A good reference board isn’t about copying poses—it tells me what a couple is drawn to, how they want to feel in their images, and where the edit should land.
On the subject of why they chose to do this years after their wedding, Tina told me, “Jorge and I were married at the courthouse, a simple but meaningful moment for us. We wanted to capture these photos to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary, making this moment even more meaningful.”
That’s one of my favorite reasons to do a session like this. An anniversary shoot lets you mark how far you’ve come — not just the day you got married, but the life you’ve built since, toddler and all. Antonella came along for this one, and some of the images of the three of them together ended up being my favorites of the day.
We did this session in the last hour of the day with the sun going down over the Ritz Carlton, casting long and striking shadows that stretched across the courtyard and turned the whole space golden. That last hour of light (if the weather is good) is soft, warm, and paired with the resort’s arches, staircases, and palm-lined walkways, it gave us exactly the earthy, timeless feeling they had in mind. We moved from the columns and stairways into the open lawn as the light dropped, finishing with Tina’s veil catching the last rays of the sun.
If you’re thinking about a post-wedding, anniversary, or vow renewal session of your own—whether you eloped, married at the courthouse, or just never loved the photos you got—it’s never too late. Let’s find beautiful light somewhere that means something to you.
