Sheila Simmington – Sarasota Wedding Photography

With its beautiful tropical and subtropical plants, serene sunsets over Sarasota Bay, and its proximity to downtown Sarasota, Selby Gardens has become a favorite location for weddings. For brides and grooms, the most difficult decision is not whether to have their wedding at Selby Gardens, but rather where in the Gardens to have the wedding.

Summer Discounts: Hold your wedding and/or reception at the gardens during the months of June, July, August and September and receive 25% off the total rental.

Friday and Sunday Discounts: Hold your wedding and/or reception at the Gardens and receive a 20% discount off of the entire rental.

WEDDING SITE OPTIONS

Weddings may be held anywhere on the grounds. The most popular areas are the Schimmel Wedding Lawn and Pavilion and the Bayside Oak adjacent to the Mansion. Other areas include the Great Room by the Bay and the Mansion Museum.

Indoor receptions are generally held in the Great Room by the Bay and the Mansion. The Great Room by the Bay is a 3,600 square-foot room and it has 60-feet of glass windows facing west for spectacular bay and sunset views. It seats approximately 175 persons at round dinner tables or up to 250 people theater style. The Mansion will accommodate 45 guests for a sit down dinner or up to 75 for a cocktail reception.

Duration of Events

The following time periods are provided as part of the contract the day of your event unless previously approved by a Selby Gardens Manager.

• Set up time (Receptions; 3 hours, Wedding Ceremony; 1 hour)
• Wedding Rehearsals, 1 hour maximum
• Wedding Ceremony, guest arrival to departure, 2 hours
• Receptions, Parties, Dinners, etc., as noted on your contract
• Dressing Rooms (if available after 3:00 p.m.), 2 hours prior to ceremony until 1 hour following ceremony
• Cleanup, removal of decorations, caterer clean up, etc., 1 hour

Jumping for Love

Photographing weddings is such a joy for me.  I have a passion for telling stories with my images. I will photograph your story using an attentive eye to anticipate and feel the moments that become the image. I use my camera as a tool to turn a heartfelt moment into a photograph.

For the last 10 years I have worked with families who value the art of photography and who have planned the creative and sophisticated wedding.

The photos that I strive to take are emotional. Each person is unique and the energy that he or she exudes is very distinct to that individual. A group takes on it’s own energy that is very unique and distinct to the people in it. It is my desire to express that energy in a photograph, so when someone looks at the photograph, they can feel it with their heart, not just see it with their eyes.

Living in Sarasota, Florida is a treat for the eyes. As a Sarasota wedding photographer, I know a lot of special places in Southwest Florida that can be used as stunning, unique and amazing back drops for engagement sessions, and bridal shoots as well.

I have had the privilege of working and creating art at these fine places: the Ritz-Carlton, Crosley Mansion, Hyatt, Ringling Museum, Siesta Key, Boca Grande, Saint Petersburg, Longboat Key, Anna Maria, Lakewood Ranch, Montana, New England, Ireland, Barcelona.

I am passionate about each wedding I get the privilege of shooting!  Treating each and every wedding individually… I love to be creative, spontaneous, and adventuresome, making it my goal to try new things at each event, as it is those special images that are YOU, and no one else!

Italian art isn’t the only thing happening at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota. It is a great place to do romantic shots. The skylights and the large paintings create a beautiful light. Nicole and Steve’s wedding started at the Ritz-Carlton for family photographs and bridal portraits. The ceremony and reception took place in the courtyard of the Museum in March 2009 with about 75 guests in attendance. I gave the couple 250 edited pictures.

The Clarence Hotel in Dublin is a perfect place to have a wedding. It is owned by Bono of U2. It is the finest hotel on the Liffey River. My niece and I spent a few nights there over new years of 2008. This is the hot tub in the penthouse overlooking the city of Dublin through the round window.  This image was also the first to sell at my art opening at Lemon and Main St in downtown Sarasota, Florida.

I have a page of my portfolio dedicated to art photography here.

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This image, won several awards and printed in magazines, was taken on beautiful Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota Florida.

I thought this would show how much fun your weddings can be. Fun comes in every wedding package for free.

The beach is a great place for weddings, it is one of my favorite places to photograph them. Along with fun, beach ball madness, and soft white sand, there’s always a lovely romantic sunset shot on Siesta Key beach in Sarasota.

Sarasota Wedding in Progress:   If the couple is adventurous and loves attention to details, then you might want to consider the wedding photojournalistic style of photography on your big day.  An increasingly popular style today, wedding photojournalism offers fresh and new style of taking photos in the occasion. Characterized by candid shots of the subjects unaware of the moving camera, the photojournalism style lets the wedding party act freely to capture their true emotion.

The photojournalist pays more attention to timely details and candid shots rather than posed and arranged ones. We are more into capturing interesting moments and producing an artful collection of images that tell a story. Wedding photojournalists are always on the alert, looking for moments which are real and unrehearsed. People skills are just as important because we need to be outgoing and friendly so that we blend in with the guests.

Although some traditional poses will be present, expect photos that show actual emotions of the bride and groom and of other participants throughout the duration of the wedding when you choose the photojournalism style.

Weddings are one of the most exciting chapters of one’s life. Make sure that you choose a wedding photographer that can meet all your standards.

I read this article on www.WQMagOnline.com and had to share it with you!

Discussing these 5 question with your fiancé before the wedding will give you a jump start on ‘happily ever after.’

“Many brides and grooms to be focus on the wedding day preparations and plans, spending more time on planning one day than on considering the commitment to each other that is going to be made on that day. While the wedding day is a lovely, special time of celebration of your love for each other, it is only the start of your marriage. Asking these five questions and discussing the answers with each other before you say “I do” will help you both to prepare for the marriage, not just the wedding day.

Question 1 – How will money be spent?
Many couples end up fighting over how money is to be spent. Discussing the issue before you get married helps you to avoid many arguments and upsets within your marriage. Decide whether all income will be shared and placed automatically into joint bank accounts, or whether some money will be allocated for individual’s discretionary spending.

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