Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Wedding | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Jesus + Brittany

Brittany and Jesús met in the Coast Guard, and their story is one of the most selfless, romantic connections I’ve heard in a LONGGG time. They met in the engine control room, and Brittany was instantly smitten with Jesús’ ‘beautiful jawline and ocean blue eyes’ (her words exactly!!)  They just hung out as friends first, because the military has pretty strict rules about sailors on the same cutter fraternizing (aka dating). Jesús’ orders changed after a few months, and he went to a training school while Brittany remained stationed on the cutter. That meant that they could actually acknowledge that there was some college-level chemistry between them!!

Brittany had the opportunity to go to Officer Candidate School, which meant that she and Jesús had to make a REALLY hard decision. The military dislikes enlisted sailors and officers mingling even more than they dislike the whole ‘fraternization’; thing, so Jesús decided to forgo a career with the Coast Guard in order to be with the woman he loves. Both Jesús and Brittany overcame the fear of uncertainty and the upheaval that comes with military life to take the leap for true love.

The night before their wedding, Brittany, Jesús , and I went down to Old San Juan and explored the historic streets, taking photos along the way. We ended on the pier as the sunset in the most spectacular display I’ve ever seen.

Jesús and Brittany tied the knot on February 17, 2019 with a tropical intimate wedding at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Resort in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Brittany’s family traveled to the island for their wedding; however, since Jesús is from Puerto Rico his family was right at home. Their ceremony took place on the grass outside the main area of the resort with a gorgeous flower-filled arch. The guest list was intimate and small, mainly filled up of just immediate family members and a few close friends.

With Jesús’  family being Puerto Rican, they incorporated a little Hispanic flair into their wedding day, with an invitation suite that had both English and Spanish sides as well as Jesús saying his handwritten vows in both English and Spanish during their ceremony. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience as these two shared their tear-filled vows to each other.

The party continued later into the evening with a beachside reception under twinkle lights and palm trees. They infused bohemian elements with tropical touches to have a wedding that fit both their personal styles, as well as paying tribute to their tropical location. During cocktail hour, I took the newlyweds out to the beach for 20 minutes for their sunset portraits, and they played on the beach at dusk, drunk in love and giddy at their newly married status. We got some of my absolute favorite shots of the entire day during those sunset portraits, with Brittany and Jesús trusting me completely to create magic for them.

The reception faded into the evening as everyone danced the night away right next to the ocean waves. Brittany & Jesús, thank you so much for hiring me to be your wedding photographer, for flying me from Hawaii to Puerto Rico to be with you on your big day, and for having complete trust in me to serve you in the best way I know how. You guys made the day so enjoyable for me, and I’ll be reliving your incredible Puerto Rican wedding day for a lonnnnggg time.

Vendors: Photography: Lindsey Roman // Wedding Venue: Wyndham Grande Rio Mar // Bridesmaid Dresses: Lulu’s // Wedding Ring Designer: Reeds // Bridal Makeup: Mandara Spa // Bridal Hair: Kaylyn Franklin (Sister of the Bride) // Florist: Lorraine’s Flowers // Reception Music: High Setup // Invitations: Minted

Lindsey Roman is an adventurous destination wedding and intimate elopement photographer based out of Oahu, Hawaii, but she travels worldwide. She lives for outdoor adventures, intimate moments, and candid images. Her style is raw, passionate, and authentic. She believes in chasing sunsets, laughing too hard, and most importantly: capturing genuine moments that evoke feeling over perfectly posed photographs.