Filipa & Gonçalo: an autumn wedding by the sea
Getting married in the autumn is rare, as is by the sea. But getting married in the autumn by the sea – and the year of Covid makes it even rarer!
I met Filipa and Gonçalo almost two years ago, in early 2019. They got to me through São, Filipa’s mother, who had been following my work for some time on social media. I’m proud to have a mother enjoy my work to the point of wanting me to photograph her daughter’s wedding. That’s also a great responsibility!
A year later, we went into quarantine due to Covid, so they had to postpone their wedding from April to October. Filipa and Gonçalo like to keep things simple and stress-free. It was the uncertainty caused by the pandemic that made planning their wedding very difficult. All things considered, I think it was quite brave of them to keep their wedding in 2020.
The wedding ended up going beautifully and the proof is here, in these photographs.
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Filipa & Gonçalo
Filipa and Gonçalo met in 2012, at an event where Filipa was the photographer! Yes, that means I had an increased responsibility in my photography, to come up with a storytelling that’s compelling for everyone, especially bride and mother.
7 years later and on a romantic weekend in the Douro valley, Gonçalo proposed to Filipa while having dinner at a hotel overlooking Porto.
“We are the opposite of each other in many things and so we always complete and find balance in one another. Of course, sometimes we have to make compromises and meet halfway. We started out as friends over a drink. Today we are husband and wife, but still the same friends as before.”
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Casa da Praia, Quiaios
Filipa and Gonçalo decided to get married at Casa da Praia in Quiaios. They found this venue beautiful even without any decoration. Being next to the beach and having a hotel right next door also helped! When I asked Filipa what she thought of her wedding day, she replied:
“It was fantastic, exceeded all our expectations! We thought that people might be afraid of Covid but it turned out great, everyone was excited and willing to celebrate. There were a few (good and bad) surprises, but they only made it even more special.”
The wedding of Filipa and Gonçalo was the last I had to pleasure to photograph in 2020, a difficult year for everyone. There were few weddings and everybody was tired of being away from family and friends. Because of that, the few weddings that took place were very special and intense. Everyone needed to spend quality time with family and friends and a wedding is the perfect place to bring important people together.
Staff:
Venue: Beach House
Makeup and Hair: Best Selfie Studio
DJ: Raul Lemos
Bride’s Dress and Groom’s suit: The Beautiful Bride
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We could say that weddings in 2020 were rare. However, if you would want to see another one, please have a look here: Marriage in Times of Covid | Margaret and John
