Monica & Matthew’s Orlando Destination Wedding

When you’re a Disney lover like Monica, and grow up going on vacation in central FL a lot you kind of have to have an Orlando destination wedding. Monica loves Disney World as much as, if not more, than John and I do, and she grew up going to the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando when her family visited WDW. She’s pulling Matthew into the world of Disney love and I don’t think she’s having to try too hard.

Anyway, how did this end up as an Orlando destination wedding for all of us? This awesome couple lives near my mom in the Tampa, FL area and they happened to strike up a conversation with my mom at the bar of a local restaurant. Enough friendly conversation happened that Monica shared she and Matthew were getting married in Orlando at the resort she grew up going to with her family. My mom shared that I’m a wedding photographer AND that I love Disney so much that I happen to be in Orlando 4 or 5 times a year. Monica messaged me that week and the rest is history.

Love to the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress team (many of whom were in attendance as guests since Monica has made friends with everyone over the years) who helped make this wedding happen, and also to Everglazed donuts for the delicious desserts!

Without further ado, a peak at Monica & Matthew’s wedding day:

Figment is Monica’s favorite Disney character. But you won’t know this little guy from any movies. He’s an Epcot original, from the ride Journey into Imagination. He’s become something of a mascot for Epcot and though he’s not my absolute favorite like Monica, I do love this guy a lot too!

Monica and Matthew got ready together, which is a small wedding trend that I am loving! It does mean there’s no reveal like at a first look, but it’s calming and it’s really sweet quality time with your partner on the day you say your vows.

Also, can we get an AWWW for Matthew’s lapel pin? If you need a refresher, this is one of the pins that young Ellie wears in Pixar’s Up. And we all know that Carl and Ellie are the epitome of true love.

Once they were ready, we headed to the courtyard from the header image with its gorgeous lanterns for some portraits of our happy couple (and their custom Vans!)

Meanwhile, one of the resort terraces (12 floors up if I’m recalling correctly?) was being prepped for the wedding and reception. I loved their specialty cocktail signs!!!

Then, right as the sun was setting, the ceremony started and Monica’s uncle walked her out onto the terrace where Monica and Matthew were surrounded by their closest friends and family with a gem colored sky behind them.

Love a couple who has a first toast right after their first kiss!

The official sunset happened during the ceremony, but blue hour was like, I can do you one better.

Here are Monica & her brothers with their ancient weapons. No limbs were lost in the making of this photo.

This here is Merlot! He’s the ambassador at the resort and apparently he can be kinda mean, but he was nice enough to come up and say hello for a bit during the reception.

Donut kisses!!

And I’ll end things off with a shot of the couple headed down to their after party!

Thank you for having us Matthew & Monica! Your wedding was so much fun and the next time we’re in Orlando at the same time we are absolutely drinking around the world!!

We believe that love is fun and colorful, and your wedding photographs should be too.

Kivus & Camera are Raleigh Wedding photographers who create bold, colorful, magical memories of your wedding day with beautiful, artistic portraits AND enthusiastic, genuine moments. Your unique love story deserves to be told through unforgettable, breath-taking photographs that stand out from the crowd. Kivus & Camera love creating that magic. After all, as past bride Courtney says, we are photography sorcerers.

And though we call ourselves Raleigh wedding photographers, we definitely photograph Durham weddings, Chapel Hill weddings, Cary weddings, etc. We’re all over the Triangle area, and we’re happy to head to the beach or mountains and even to places outside of North Carolina! Just let us know where your love story is headed.

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