Moon Palace Ocho Rios, Jamaica Wedding: Valencia & Ray

We were in Jamaica last year for a photography workshop and fell in love with the country of beautiful landscapes, delicious rum punches and jerk chicken, fun people, and colorful culture. While we’ve shot a few weddings around the East Coast, Valencia & Ray’s Moon Palace Ocho Rios wedding was our first international destination. One thing we know for sure – we couldn’t have asked for a better couple to kick off our 2020 season and travel to one of our favorite tropical places. Especially in February, when our home town of Arlington, Virginia doesn’t offer much sunlight or warmth. And to add to our list of fun memories – their wedding was on February 2 (02/02/2020!).

Valencia is a wedding planner herself (exemplarydesignsbyv.com), so the fact that she chose us for her wedding was a huge endorsement. She told us that the colorful portraits is what initially attracted her to our work, but what made her decide that we were the absolute right fit for them is the documentary style of our galleries – capturing the unique moments in between the action and colorful expressions of love and joy throughout the day. It is those moments that we cherish the most because at the end of the day what will you remember most: the hour that you spent with the photographer posing for photos or the laughs and tears of joy that you share with your family and loved ones?

Valencia and Ray got married at Ocho Rios Moon Palace Resort, with the presence of just their closest family and friends. Most of our weddings this year have a guest list of more than 100 people, so it was nice to be able to give our attention to an intimate group. The day started with a relaxed getting ready session, drinks, and tears. Yes there were plenty of tears from both sides – every time Ray got a note from Valencia with the help of her bridesmaids, when she got her gift from Ray, and when Valencia’s brother saw her for the first time during their first look. 

After multiple rain scares, we made it to the beach for the ceremony where we broke out the drone for a few aerial shots. I was worried that the buzzing of the motors was too distracting, but as Ray told me later, they were both lost in each other’s gazes to notice anything else. The ceremony concluded with a unity ceremony where all the guests had a pebble to throw into the ocean. In order to get the best angle, both Anastasiia and I rushed into the water. Later Valencia told me that as soon as she saw me take my shoes off and roll up my pants, she knew those photos are going to be good 😀

And then we partied! Moon Palace Resort had a VIP section in their night club for Valencia and Ray and their entire party, complete with bottles of champagne, rose petals and their name across a billboard size display. As the night hours passed, and the champagne bottles emptied, Valencia’s brother jumped on the DJ decks to spin some of their favorite songs and that’s when the party really lit up. Scroll down and you might see us turning it up with the party people at the end of the night 😀

Phenomenal team of vendors:

Wedding venue: Moon Palace Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Wedding coordinator: Valencia Exemplary Designs by Valencia

Florist: Something Borrowed Blooms

Calligrapher: Ink Me This

Stationery: Ijorere

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We are Anastasiia & Alex, a couple that united over the love for photography, fun adventures and the appreciation for the range of human emotions. We are a wedding photography duo living in Washington, DC (but shooting weddings in all the fun places) and we are partners in everything: life, love, crime/photography, and beer pong. If you like our style and would love to learn more about us and our services, shoot us a message.

Check out our blog for similar posts to this Jamaica Wedding.