Love City « Thoughts From an Island Photographer

April 19, 2010

Photo Monday 4/19/10

Happy Monday!

It’s certainly been a busy week on-island, with many villa companies switching over to Off-Season rates and you know what that means….

Brides. Lots of brides.

It actually means lots of visitors of all kinds enjoying the first week of lower rental rates for the year. Budget minded brides know it is also a perfect time to get married on St. John, whether you are eloping, or bringing the entire family.

Admittedly Trunk Bay was crowded in the middle of the days this week. On Saturday, when we took this photo, it was also designated a Fee Free day by the VI National Park. With no fee charged to enter Trunk Bay, many sunbathers felt it was worth the extra company.

Excessive people on the beach can make photographing a wedding a bit tricky, but that’s why we recommend using a pro for your photos. Then too, most weddings are late in the day or early in the morning, which always means less people on the beach. On Saturday, there were three late afternoon weddings on the beach at popular Trunk Bay all happening concurrently.

But you’d never know it - even from our untouched images like the one above. And that’s a good thing, because every bride deserves their own intimate wedding moments filled with magic. And magical beach weddings are our specialty.

Don’t get us wrong. That tranquil, nature-loving St. John island you know and love is still here, hiding in full sight.

And bone-fishing is still a nice choice for whiling away an afternoon on the North Shore away from everyone and everything. But, we digress.

Wedding parties were easy to spot in Love City this week whether mingling with the locals at the Tap Room in the evening, or headed for a late morning brunch at Rhumb Lines before heading back to their cruise ship.

Every night this week there were celebrations all over the island. It was enough to make us both exhausted, but we loved it all.

Thank goodness we know those quiet places where one can sit back and appreciate the lively charm of it all before heading off to sleep. And that is something we need dearly, before our next week here in Love City.

Until later,

Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays, Weddings — Tags: island photographers, Love City, St. John, Trunk Bay, Vi National Park, Virgin Islands — Karin @ 11:20 pm

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February 12, 2010

Love That Location!

Bench Overlooking Sunset At Gallows Point Resort

There are many perfect spots on St. John to be romantic, whether to pop the marriage question, offer an anniversary surprise, or have a special moment with your Valentine. After all, the island has been known as Love City for over 35 years!

Some people choose very private locations, and others like a cheering crowd. For the latter, the evening crowds at Woody’s, Skinny Legs, or even the dining gazebo at Maho Bay Campgrounds just can’t be beat. A crowded ferry ride with a clued in captain can make a spectacular public display.

If you want a more private moment, St. John has romantic locations galore. As photographers, sometimes we get to tag along under the guise of a vacation photo shoot, or by just “happening by” at just the right time to capture the magic moment in our camera’s lens. Here are some of our most memorable intimate locations for that special surprise:

Surprise Vow Renewal On Wayward Sailor Sailboat

In the private outdoor dining area in the ruins near Caneel Bay’s Equator Room
At sunset on the poolside bench or the small gazebo’s swing at Gallows Point Resort
At the windmill in historic Catherinberg
In the grassy meadow on top of Peace Hill
Overlooking views at the Leinster Bay garrison or Leinster Estate ruins
At the scenic overlook on the Lind Point hiking trail (to Honeymoon Beach) leaving Cruz Bay
Under the beachside tree rimmed with stonework just east of the East End Schoolhouse in Hanson Bay
In early morning on the large rocks at Hawksnest Bay
Inside the Franklin Powell Park bandstand across from the Cruz Bay ferry dock
On the walking bridge in the Westin Resort villas area
On any sunset sail overlooking St. John

The most popular St. John beach wedding locations are – you guessed it – some of the most popular beaches on St. John. There are a few lesser known beaches that also made this list of our top dozen romantic beach locations:

Trunk Bay Beach
Cinnamon Bay Beach
Francis Bay beach
Classic Romance at Cinnamon Bay Beach During Sunset
Hawksnest Beach
Turner Bay Beach
Honeymoon Bay Beach
Little Lameshure Bay Beach
Hanson Bay Beach
Great Cruz Bay Westin beach
Gibney Beach/Oppenheimer Beach
Brown Bay Beach
Jumbie Beach

Because more and more brides are choosing non-beach locations on or around St. John for their special day, we have assembled a list of our own short list of locations to consider for the wedding celebration:

Annaberg Plantation grounds near large frangipani tree
Fortsberg Point garrison area
Westin Resort beachside gazebo
Estate Concordia Preserve
Caneel Bay’s grassy Turtle Point
Gallows Point Resort large gazebo on the point
Framed in the windmill on Peace hill
Offshore – on a sailboat, catamaran, etc.
Inside the Maho Bay pavilion
At the Catherinberg historic ruins

Love City Is For Lovers

Note – private villas all over the island are also excellent choices. There are too many to list here, but if you are interested in this option, we’ve worked with perfect locations for just 2 people to those for large groups. At Tropical Focus, we’re always searching for romantic locations. If you have a personal favorite you want to share – drop us a line. And if you are looking for some place special but none of the above inspired you, then share your vision with us and we’ll do our best to come up with a creative solution.

When it comes right down to it, the truth is that anywhere on St. John can be a very romantic place, especially when you are with the one you love.

Any time and any place… share the love.

Filed under: General, Weddings — Tags: beach wedding, Caneel Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Concordia, Cruz Bay, Love City, Maho Bay, Peace Hill, romance, St. John, Trunk Bay, wedding locations — Karin @ 5:28 pm

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February 8, 2010

Photo Monday 2/08/10

Happy Monday!

Watching the Weather Channel is a bit of a sport to us. With all the snow and rain and cold up north, we decided to start off this week by warming everyone up with this picture postcard perfect view of Cinnamon Bay in the VI National Park.

Overlooking Cinnamon Bay on St. John

Now, how can you look at that view and not feel the warmth of the sun on you and the relaxing scent of tropical flowers?

Of course, you have to work to get there. We especially feel for first time visitors to the island as they adjust to island time. Imagine, after travelling all day, you get to little Cruz Bay, are told to drive on the left side of a road barely wide enough for your vehicle to pass. Then, you pass by this sign and have to make a decision:

Cruz Bay Confusion Guaranteed

Nope… we don’t have a clue what all that sign means either!

Thank goodness that as soon as you get out of town, life settles down to normal. Of course, it helps to remember that our ‘normal’ isn’t the same as most other places in the world.

Just Another Traffic Obstacle - A St. John Iguana In The Road

Iguanas have been spied everywhere this week, hiding in the lee of a palm tree, running back and forth across roadways and even snoring on top of our ixora hedge.

Pink Island Hibiscus

They seeem to prefer pink hibiscus, at least near our little cottage on St. John. Since each blossom lasts only a single day, it was hard to catch a photo before they ate them this week!

Snorkeling Is Awesome In Zootenthaal

Whether you live here or plan to visit sometime in the future, your island is ready for you to have fun. So get out there and snorkel, for goodness sake!