The Boca Raton, An awesome place for a South Florida Wedding
If you are recently engaged and looking for an amazing wedding venue then you owe it to yourself to the check out The Boca Raton in South Florida.
(SPECIAL NOTE: This South Florida wedding venue was previously name The Boca Resort. Recently the hotel had gone through a multi-million redo. Covid took a toll on the entire South Florida wedding market. The hotel took this opportunity to shut down and re-build. Much of the hotel is still the same as previous, however now there are new locations and even more beautiful photo spots!!
As an experienced wedding photographer, I have had the opportunity to shoot a wide variety of people at venues all over Florida and the Caribbean. South Florida offers some amazing wedding venues. It doesn’t matter if you are in Palm Beach, Broward or Dade counties, if it’s in South Florida I’m sure there is an awesome wedding venue close by. Having all these great locations gives me the ability to not only experiment with my art but also push the envelope of creativity as well. Some of my favorite wedding venues are: The Breakers, The Eau Palm Beach, Vizcaya in Miami. There are also a ton of Country Clubs and Golf Clubs as well. However one of the most beautiful places for weddings happens to be The Boca Raton. Between the shear size of the resort and beauty of the buildings this is a photographers dream location.
BELOW: This photo was taken on the croquet course at The Boca Raton. This part of the property is located on a lawn furthest from the water. It is much less windy at this location. However with a few light tugs of the veil it flew up to help create this beautiful veil flying photo.
Recently I had a super crazy wedding weekend. My Friday evening started with a luxury event in Miami, Saturday I was in Broward County covering another commercial event and on Sunday I was at one of my favorite locations in Palm Beach County at The Boca Raton. I have been working at this venue for years and know virtually every inch of the property.
The Boca Raton offers a multitude of amenities including 11 award-winning restaurants, a luxurious spa experience, access to fun activities like boating, surfing, and golfing, not to mention Boca by Design, the resort’s wedding and design team.
BELOW: One of the things I love most about The Boca Raton is the huge property with many buildings. Every structure at is unique and has an interesting design. Normally clients ask for photos in the most popular locations. The Grand Staircase, The Fountain in the front of the hotel and the Yacht Club are all beautiful locations. However, with a little bit of exploring you can find hidden gems of architecture that are unique.
This location is at the back of the special event conference building. Most wedding couples never visit this part of the venue. However, if time allows there are several beautiful structures that make great backgrounds.
However, the real draw of this South Florida luxury hotel is the hotel itself. Sitting right along the Atlantic coast it’s nestled right in the heart of South Florida’s Mediterranean inspired historic village. The main hotel sits on a golf course and a separate hotel sits right on the beach. With its elegant features and unique look, you can truly have an international experience without the international travel at this luxury Waldorf Astoria Resort. The architecture is simply stunning. The rounded archways are the perfect place to steal a kiss with your new spouse. The beautiful columns are ideal for framing your bridal party as they stand by you on your big day and the gorgeous tile work provides a nice pop of color to any image.
BELOW: Another fantastic place for photos at The Boca Raton is located along side of the Mizner Center. This part of the resort has humongous ballrooms inside. If you walk from the Mizner Center to the main hotel you would most likely walk down this hall. What is most unique about this location is the ceiling made of wood. The hotel pink color is really apparent in this part of the hotel.
Speaking of color, The Boca Raton is famous for its pink hues, (Actually, not any more, The hotel was recently painted white.) providing the perfect contrast to any wedding photo. Towering over 20 stories high it’s the perfect place to get ready for the big day. The front of the resort has this amazing water fountain with water spraying in every direction. It’s a sight to behold. Whenever, I’m shooting at the hotel I make it a point to take pictures in from the to hotel.
BELOW: This very tall wedding cake was created by the pastry chef at There Boca Raton and the floral decor was provided by Boca by Design, which is in house florist and design company.
BELOW: Jessica and Steven taking a walk through The Boca Raton’s lobby. As a South Florida wedding photographer I always look forward to working here because of all the different shooting locations. Just look at this awesome bride and groom walking photo taken in the hotels main lobby. The large windows in from the if lobby allow for incredible soft light to stream in. This makes shooting in the lobby super easy. Even with little or no flash there is enough light to get a great exposure.
Not quite convinced yet? Let me paint you a picture.
It’s your big day, you step off the balcony and toast with your friends as anticipation for the ceremony builds. Then you say “I do” in the courtyard surrounded by your friends and family, the warm South Florida air, and the lush greenery. Imagine eating dinner in the most elegant setting you can imagine. Just think about experiencing your first dance with your loved one in a large ballroom with high ceilings and crystal chandeliers
BELOW: Sometimes at a wedding you have to make the photo happen. Its only took a couple seconds of gathering these kids together the get this hands up shot. The very second I raised my hands these kids know the shot I wanted to take! The played into my photo idea in an instant. At the end of a wedding ceremony all the ring bearers and the flower girl walked back down the aisle together. This gave me the perfect opportunity to gather them all together for this, Hands Up! photo.
Then, as the night draws to a close, you sneak down to the beach kick off your shoes and spend some one-on-one time with your new spouse before the night comes to an end. If that doesn’t quite match your dreams of a Florida destination wedding, The Boca Raton has a ton of options that fit any bride whether you’re looking for something more adventurous, say on a yacht at the marina, or more traditional in their immaculate “Cathedral Room”. No matter what your style, this luxury resort is sure to wow your guests and make your wedding at The Boca Resort one to remember.
BELOW: In addition to weddings The Boca Raton also does a huge amount of corporate and special events. Imagine having your corporate event on a beautiful beach in sunny warm South Florida while most the rest of the country is in a deep freeze. This ice sculpture was created by the event design team at Boca Resort.
BELOW: I received a call from Bill Summerlin, The Special Events Designer/ Social manager /Boca Raton Resort ,Waldorf Astoria, Boca By Design at Boca By Design. He told me that a guy was going to propose to his girlfriend just before they have dinner at the resort. I arrived early and acted like I was photographing boats or birds or something with a long telephoto lens. When the marriage proposal happened I was able to photograph the entire thing. (I’m very sad to say this, During Covid Bill passed on. He was an amazing guy that I loved to work with. Bill was a very friendly, and extremely knowledgeable guy. I’m always going to miss seeing Bill at weddings and events.
Afterwards I took the couple around for a short engagement photo-shoot.
As one of their preferred photographers, I know first-hand that saying your vows in front of this towering pink hotel is truly a unique experience and will provide you with gorgeous photos that will last a lifetime. You can see more of my pictures from The Boca Raton, here, and here & here.
