Set sail on a Lobster Boat with this adorable engaged couple, Fernando and Liz– Thank you for this playful, joyful, authentic experience as a Cape Cod wedding photographer!
I love to capture authentic moments, vibrant colors, and deep emotion and wow, this couple and their loved ones had all of that and more! So excited to share these with you! Don’t miss the slideshow at the end or the chance to leave your comments ❤️
Why Rhinehart Photography?
Liz shares, “At the start of the wedding planning process, our ideas around wedding photographers were pretty flexible. I think we had very strong feelings about location, number of guests, band vs DJ, etc. As we started thinking about photographers, Fernando’s mom suggested Lisa. She mentioned your awards and talent and how much she liked samples of Lisa’s work. As soon as we looked at her portfolio and website we were struck by not just the quality of the shots but also how well her style connected with what we were hoping to cherish and remember from our wedding day.”
She continues, “Working on the day of was great. There’s a certain amount of chaos in every event but your calm and experienced hand was a huge help in guiding us and keeping us on track to capture everything we wanted.”
Liz adds, “Our peek really captures the essence of the day. As our Cape Cod wedding photographer, I don’t remember seeing you take those photos, but I remember feeling the emotions and experiencing the moments you captured.”
All Aboard
Fernando says, “We chose the Cape because Liz has close family ties there. Liz used to visit a bunch as a kid when her grandparents were still alive; they lived in Osterville. Liz’s parents moved from Connecticut (where she grew up) to the Cape in 2020. We have visited frequently for holidays, long weekends, and work-from-cape trips.”
He shares, “One of the family’s favorite things to do is go boating. Liz’s Uncle Mark has a beautiful catamaran, and actually, Liz and I spent 9 days on board with Liz’s uncle in 2019 sailing from Charleston to FL. I did not grow up boating, but I’ve grown to love it as much as Liz does. When we found out about the Lobster Roll boat, we were so excited to give our close friends and family the opportunity to go boating, and to experience one of the best foods on the Cape – lobster!”
The Food
Fernando says, “The lobster rolls on the Lobster Roll are some of the best on the Cape. We of course also had to have oysters on board. Liz and I love oysters, and one of our favorite Cape activities is eating oysters on the family’s sailboat that Liz’s dad shucks, and then throws the shells into the ocean. Liz and I have introduced three of Liz’s bridesmaids (Carly, Sara, and Jess) to their first oysters – and it was really fun to see everyone chatting and leaning into the Cape Cod cuisine.”
The (windblown) Folks
Liz laughs, “The wind was wild! We told everyone ahead of time to wear their hair up and wear clothes that won’t blow, but even with that said it still was more than expected. It was a lovely, warm wind though, and everyone looked like fabulous movie stars with their wind-blown hair.”
Falling in Love
Fernando smiles, “Liz and I met at a college party while attending MIT in the Fall of 2014. There was immediate chemistry but we also took each step slowly and deliberately. We started dating in the Spring of 2015. Juggling a relationship while also attending MIT was not easy for either of us but we always found time to check in on each other and our love for one another grew.”
He continues, “When I took a job in New York City, Liz was entering her senior year. I don’t think there was ever any question on if we could make it work. We both just made a plan and stuck to it. We took turns traveling between Boston and New York despite our demanding schedules at work and in school. The real test came the following year. Liz had an offer at her dream job, but that dream job was in San Francisco. The prospect of dating and maintaining a relationship from across the country was pretty daunting but neither of us wanted to consider the alternative. For the next 3.5 years, we trekked cross country, often on late-night and red-eye flights to see each other in places like Chicago, Phoenix, Jackson Hole, and Oregon on whirlwind weekend getaways. While apart, we woke up extra early and stayed up extra late, just to exchange some quick updates and loving encouragement.”
Fernando adds, “Then, in 2020, when the world turned upside down, we made the leap and moved in together. First, in San Francisco and Oregon temporarily, and then finally we settled in New York City. Liz had had to uproot her life, leave her social circle, and change her job but finally, we were both in the same place, living together like we’d been wishing for nearly 5 years.”
Family Antics
Liz and Fernando say, “We had a few ‘warm-up’ events earlier in the week where the family got to meet the bridal party, and that made it so that lots of people already knew each other at the boat event! It was incredible to look over and see the bridal party chatting with uncles, aunts, and cousins, and the two sides of the family seamlessly blending.”
Here I focused more on Fernando’s fun-loving, beautiful family:
Heartfelt Sunset Speeches
Liz smiles, “The speeches were so special. We asked Fernando’s parents to give a speech, and it was so genuine and personal.”
She shares, “Fernando’s groomsman, Juan Di, told a really touching story about the week after his dad had a brain surgery that did not go well… It was Juan Di’s birthday and Fernando insisted they celebrate on a hike, and it meant the world to Juan Di to have a friend that pulled him through a very sad time. Everyone was teary-eyed on the boat after that story; it was personal and intimate, and the way everyone was gathered around on the boat to share the story felt incredibly special.”
Laughing out loud
Fernando shares, “Liz’s matron of honor, Jessica, talked during her speech about ski trips that she has taken with Liz and I. Liz loved the line about how Jessica would do any hard trail on the ski slope if Liz thought she could, because she trusts Liz and Liz is a good teacher. Jessica and her husband Xavier (who was my best man) are our favorite ski partners.”
He adds, “Liz also loved the story about when Jessica and Liz didn’t complete a crazy, not fun 26 mi hike, but they were determined enough that they trained and came back two years later and crushed it. She had a really funny line about the fact that there were no good views, nothing redeeming about the hike, other than to say that we did it because we are both ‘pushers’.”
Looking back
Fernando adds, “Sunsets on the Cape are always beautiful and this is no exception. We got so lucky because the forecast showed rain for almost the entire week. It was cloudy and broody with no actual rain, but still perfect sunset colors.”
Congrats Fernando & Liz! Thanks so much for inviting me to capture such a special time for you two as a Cape Cod wedding photographer!
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