From the very beginning, Alicia and Jake’s vision for their engagement photos felt like a dream: intimate, coastal, romantic, and effortlessly elegant. They wanted something unique, something that felt like them. So instead of a park or the beach, we went out on my sailboat (yes, you heard that right)!
Golden hour on the water
We began our session just before golden hour, with the sun hiding behind the clouds which created a soft, overcast vibe.
The couple popped open a bottle of champagne as the sun began to lower in the sky, filling the deck with warm, amber light. Glasses clinked, laughter flowed, and I captured those real, in-between moments that are so full of love: a gentle hand on the shoulder, the way their eyes locked mid-conversation, the ease they felt just being near each other.
The golden-pink light turned everything into art. The way it hit the sail, the water’s shimmer, the soft breeze in their hair—it all felt like something from a timeless romance novel. And yet, it was actually real life. It felt like every other minute we would stop and swoon over how breathtakingly beautiful of an evening it was. We truly couldn’t have asked for better weather.
Personal touches: Champagne and Polaroids
One of my favorite things about this session was how the couple brought small, meaningful elements that added such a unique touch to their gallery. A bottle of champagne to toast their engagement (and help loosen up a little too ya know?). A vintage-style Polaroid camera they used to snap keepsakes of each other throughout the evening. These tiny details weren’t just fun props—they were reflections of their playful, sentimental bond.
They took turns photographing each other, giggling as they waited for the film to develop, then setting the fresh Polaroids on to the deck waiting for them to develop. It was sweet, candid, and completely them.
These are the kinds of moments I love to capture… The ones that aren’t staged or scripted, but real. When couples bring part of themselves to a shoot, the results are always so much richer.
Blue Hour Romance
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky shifted into dreamy shades of blue and lavender, we moved into blue hour, an underrated time to shoot. There’s something ethereal about the quiet that comes over the ocean at dusk. The light softens completely, the colors deepen, and everything feels just a little more cinematic.
The couple leaned into each other, watching the last rays of daylight fade behind Amelia Island’s coastal marshes. The city lights began to twinkle in the distance while the water turned to silk. Every shot felt intimate and moody.
We ended the session drifting gently under a dusky sky, the sailboat rocking softly in rhythm with the tide. It was peaceful, romantic, and a perfect metaphor for what’s ahead… sailing into whatever the future brings.
Why a Sailboat Session?
Engagement sessions are all about capturing a couple’s essence. Some people feel most themselves in the comfort of their own home, others in a cozy coffee shop, or maybe hanging out in a park. For this couple, the ocean called. Choosing a sailboat for their session gave us a private, serene setting with stunning natural light, ever-changing scenery, and zero distractions (besides some dolphins and manatees).
And it doesn’t hurt that a sailboat at sunset is basically in everybody’s Pinterest boards.
If you’re planning your engagement session and want something outside the norm—something full of story, light, and atmosphere—a sailboat might just be the perfect fit. However if you’re not ocean/boat people, please choose something that aligns with YOU. That’s what your engagement photos are all about!!
Final thoughts
To this sweet couple: thank you for trusting me with such a meaningful chapter in your lives. Watching you celebrate, laugh, and hold each other close under the open sky was nothing short of sweet. Your love is gentle, fun, and full of laughter and it was an honor to capture.
To anyone dreaming of their own coastal love story: this is your sign. Whether on a sailboat, by the sea, or wherever your heart feels most alive, your engagement session can (and should) reflect you.
You can view the full gallery from this Amelia Island sailboat engagement session here.
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Thinking about booking your own sailboat engagement session in Florida? Let’s make it happen. I do own the sailboat after all.
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