My favorite part of my job as a photographer is the places it brings me, the people I get to meet, and all the life I get to experience. This time, my job brought me to the tiny island of Koh Samui, Thailand, for Jennifer and Derek’s incredible destination wedding. I have so much to share about this tropical destination wedding and all I had the opportunity to experience, so keep reading below if you want all the details.
My Koh Samui Experience
The travel to Koh Samui was no joke. After 4 flights, 30 hours of travel, a 13 hour time change, and learning to drive on the left side of the road, this was quite the adventure. All that travel was definitely worth it because as soon as I got the first glimpse of Koh Samui from my flight , I knew this was going to be the experience of a lifetime. Crystal clear waters, lush and tropical greenery, and islands scattered about was my first impression of Koh Samui from the sky. I stayed at Rocky’s Boutique resort, which I can easily say was one of my favorite hotel’s I have visited. Rocky’s only has a handful of rooms, making this the perfect getaway if you are wanting some rest and relaxation. The staff was incredible and was their restaurant was delicious (Try the Thai tea at breakfast and Pad Thai at dinner!) I will never forget my time in Koh Samui, Thailand.
The Venue
Jennifer and Derek held their Thailand destination wedding at Conrad Koh Samui. To get to Conrad, you have to drive up a steep mountain for about 10 minutes. When you arrive to the top the views are spectacular. The lobby of the hotel is on top of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. There is also a wall entirely covered in brightly colored flowers by the lobby, which we utilized for a lot of their wedding photos. The hotel rooms are scattered all down the mountain side, every single room with an ocean view, and only accessible by golf cart.
Morning Tea Ceremony
Jennifer and Derek had a traditional tea ceremony the morning of their wedding day, which was held in their room at the Conrad. They played games, served tea to the family, and celebrated with their guest that had come from all over the world.
Ocean View Ceremony
Jennifer and Derek held their second ceremony on top of the hotel pool. They created an aisle out of clear floating panels, and then covered the entire thing in florals. I could talk about the florals for hours. They were light pink and white. Roses, orchids, babies breath, and so much more. The backdrop for this Koh Samui wedding was the ocean.
The reception
The reception for this Thailand wedding was one for the books. All the guest took a short walk down to the beach which is where dinner was held under thousands of string lights. The dance floor was framed by hundreds of flowers, with the bride and groom’s sweetheart table right in the center. Jennifer and Derek were able to celebrate right in the center of all their friends and family. After the bride and groom had their grand entrance, it was party time. Derek and Jennifer incorporated both conventional and unconventional activities during their reception. After first dances, toast, and dinner, Jennifer and Derek had a few surprises for the guest. They had fire spinners, a Thailand specialty, who through fire hundreds of feet in the air and performed all kinds of tricks for guest. Derek and Jennifer wrapped up the night with a firework show under the stars and palm trees.
Jennifer and Derek had the most amazing destination wedding in Thailand. This truly was the experience of a lifetime and I’m so excited to share with you all the photos and details of this absolutely stunning day.
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