I have known Xiomara Santiago since she was 3 years old. I was her Rainbows (Sunday School), teacher.  She was a very well behaved and quiet child.  To get a smile from her, it had to be something big!  Fast Forward a "few" years, Xiomara joins the Air Force and meets William. They become friends and enjoy the benefits of being good friends.  After Xiomara finishes her years in the Air Force, she moves to Pennsylvania, marries and has a daughter. William stay in the Air Force and made it a career and never married. Unfortunately, Xio's first marriage didn't work out. After a year into her divorce, she re-connects with William, I believe thru Facebook.  Willam lived in Florida, while Xio continue to live in Pennsylvania.  They started to chat through facebook, then they would call each other up and soon Skype sessions began.  The friendship started blossoming into a full fledged romance.  I remember her telling me about William and asking me to pray for God to give her discernment and confirm if this is the ONE.

Well, as you will see through the pictures, he turned out to be the one God sent her to spend the rest of her life. William adores, Xiomara, as well as her beautiful little girl, Isabella. He dotes on them and loves to make his "girls" happy.  Xiomara, gladly moved down to Florida a year ago, to start planning the wedding and they now live in Ft. Walton beach, Florida.

I was so happy when Xio asked me, over a year ago, if I would go down to Florida to photograph her wedding.  I was beyond happy and honored that she asked me.  The wedding was going to be at the beautiful Emerald Coast of Florida.

The week of the wedding we kept looking at the forecast and it called for rain the whole week and weekend. We were so disappointed and kept praying that God would clear the day for the ceremony. The day of the wedding rehearsal, the sun manage to break through and we were ecstatic.  That night there were severe thunderstorms all night till early morning.  We kept praying for a break through. The break through came, although the day was cloudy and some ominous clouds threatened the sky. We couldn't go to the courtyard of the hotel to take pictures of Xiomara and her bridesmaid. There was to much water and puddles and lots of mud.

The time of the wedding was at 5:30 pm, it was not raining. Xiomara was able to walked down the beautiful white sand to meet her handsome groom waiting for her. The ceremony was so romantic! No rain!

As we gathered to take family pictures...the rain held off.  I had just started taking pictures of Xiomara and William when a few drops started falling, we able to just get a few pictures of them, when the rain starting to come down.  We ran inside the hotel, which was right on the beach, to begin the reception.

As a photographer, I was highly disappointed that I didn't get the pictures I wanted outside, at the beautiful beach with aqua colored water.  I had so many ideas and poses, but was unable to fulfilled them.

Despite the rain, the reception was awesome! The air was filled with love and family who adore the couple.  Xio and William did not let the rain damper their spirits. They danced the night away.

The bride and groom surprised the guest, with their first dance.  They did a beautiful, choreographed Tango.  I was so impressed at a how good William did for a "white boy."  LOL!!

I wish all the best for Xio and Will. May God blessed their marriage and may their love continues to multiply year by year, well into their old age.  It truly is a beautiful love story and I couldn't be more happy for them.