Harbor Beach Marriott Wedding Photography
If you are looking for a fantastic place in South Florida to say “I Do” then the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale is a excellent choice. Located on one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in Broward County, this venue has benefits that many other hotels in the area don’t offer. For one, this hotel sits on the beach, most other Fort Lauderdale hotels are across the street from the beach. This means that the beach at the Marriott is free from the outside guests and is private. The hotel staff works hard to see to it that the sand is always beautiful and free of unwanted debris. This makes wedding photography an easy and enjoyable experience for any photographer. Because your photographer (in this case myself.) doesn’t have to deal with hordes of beach goers or other unwanted items on the beach. Sure there are hotel guests on the beach, but nothing like the amount of guests you would find on a typical Broward County Public Beach. As for Harbor Beach Marriott wedding photography, this place is my favorite. There are endless photo opportunities around the resort. The picturesque ocean view, the rock waterfalls including a small cave, are more than enough to keep a wedding photographer like myself very busy.
Above and Below, you can’t take wedding pictures at the Harbor Beach Marriott without taking some photos on their beach. Especially in the evening during with photographers call the golden hour. Because the main hotel is so tall, the building will cast a shadow over the beach, this creates a natural soft box lighting situation. Between the ocean the great sand and a pink evening sky it’s easy to get pretty pictures.
I love working here because the beautiful beach means I don’t need to shoot around random sunbathers. I also don’t have to deal with seaweed at the waterline. The only thing I need to focus on is getting beautiful expressions and great creative shots. In addition the hotel has many different places to get those unique wonderful images as well. Some of my favorite places to shoot at the Harbor Beach Marriott are the Ocean View Terrace, The Spa, and around the pool with the hotels beautiful waterfall and rock formations. Check out this wedding photo that was taken in the hotel spa’s lobby. Bride and Groom at the Harbor Beach Marriott’s Spa.
As a professional photographer, I believe that good lighting is very important to getting memorable wedding photos. While I have the sophisticated equipment and skills to handle any lighting situation, it’s to the photographers advantage to use the best lighting available. In this regard the Marriott Harbor Beach doesn’t disappoint. In the afternoon the west setting sun casts a wide shadow over the Oceanview Terrace. This creates soft beautiful lighting which makes creating awesome portraits and action shots a no brainer. This lighting is perfect for a bride and groom’s “First Look” in addition, it also blankets an evening wedding ceremony in luminous soft lighting. However, the soft shadow stops at a certain point and blends into a sunny beautiful ocean backdrop. As the sun sets, the shadow travels cross the terrace and onto the sand and finally to the ocean. This traveling shadow allows me to get a wide range of different looking photos.
A very short walk around the corner and you come to the Hotel’s Pool. Along the pool are beautiful rock formations accented by a waterfall. Here the shadow which was cast from the hotel stops, this leaves the pool side of the hotel in the open sun. By photographing the bride and groom facing east, and shooting from their faces from the west I’m treating to the most amazing backlit situation. The effect of the bride and groom’s hair backlit against the rocks and waterfall makes for another set of picturesque images. Working as a wedding photographer in South Florida I find that the Harbor Beach Marriott is one of the best places for upscale wedding photography. Between the beautiful beach, rock formations, the attractive lobby there is no limit to the wonderful pictures a photographer can create at this venue.
If you have enough time to venture further around the hotel there are many more equally beautiful Kodak photo spots to explore. The Spa lobby is amazing, the lobby has several great photo spots as well. Also the indoor hallway next to the Ocean Ballroom is unique and always has great natural light.
While shooting pictures at the Marriott is a great experience, the hotel staff is always warm and friendly. It’s a pleasure working with the hotels certified wedding and event planners, mostly because they are actual event professionals, who know how to handle highend weddings and events. They never miss a beat, way before the wedding day arrives I’m in touch with the assigned Harbor Beach Marriott’s event planner to discuss the wedding day timeline. Days before the event I receive a detailed wedding timeline that is not only well thought out, but is also flexible and adjustable just incase of any last minute changes are needed. In addition to a beautiful beach, the Marriott Harbor Beach has a collection of tiki huts, hammocks like this one here: Bride and Groom at the Harbor Beach Marriott
During my past 15 years in South Florida I have photographed many weddings and corporate events at the Harbor Beach Marriott. I have watched the hotel go through several renovations and upgrades, each time the hotel emerges more beautiful and additional photography locations appear.
Below is a link to Sarah and Andrew’s wedding. They had a very nice wedding with a reception in the Ocean Ballroom. This is just one of many weddings I have photographed here. LINK: Harbor Beach Marriott Wedding (Sarah and Andrew)
If you are searching for an amazing wedding location in Broward County and have the beach and ocean on mind then the Harbor Beach Marriott should be on you list of possible wedding venues. Here is the link to the hotel website: Harbor Beach Marriott Website
MORE FROM THE HARBOR BEACH MARRIOTT.
I was recently at a client meeting at the Harbor Beach Marriott, since I was so early I figured I would walk around and shoot some pictures and video. Anyone who is planning a wedding in Fort Lauderdale, should consider this hotel. People often refer to this Fort Lauderdale wedding venue as the Harbor Beach Marriott, however the official name is actually Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. If you are planning a wedding, corporate event, Bat or Bar Mitzvah in Fort Lauderdale, this is a fantastic venue to consider. One of their popular ballrooms is the Ocean Ballroom. This is a huge ballroom with windows that look out at the Marriotts pristine beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The ballroom was recently renovated with new carpet, new fixtures, and some other upscale appointments. When I entered the venue during a wedding walk through, I had to shoot this video showing the size of the ballroom. Normally, when I enter the Harbor Beach Marriott’s Ocean Ballroom it’s completely decorated with beautiful flowers, a stage with a band, & colorful decorative uplighting. Other times when I enter the ballroom, the room is filled with high tech video screens, a stage in which a keynote speaker will deliver corporate event opening remarks. I have also seen this room filled with booths for different corporate sales vendors. This is one of the few times when I have seen the ballroom empty. Most if the time I’m at this hotel I’m creating Harbor Beach Marriott wedding photography, however, I have also shot a large amount of corporate events, special events and even Bat – Bar Mitzvahs at this venue.
This picture actually shows less than half of the Ocean Terrace. Over the years working at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa I have photographed a wide range of events on this ocean view terrace. The view from this terrace features a fantastic view of the most beautiful stretch of beach in Fort Lauderdale. I’m serious when I say “Most beautiful stretch of beach.” The Marriott absolutely makes sure the beach is clean, and perfectly maintained. The beach is one of the widest beaches in all of South Florida. You can’t see it in this picture but at the end of this terrace is a wooden walkway that is perfect for bride and groom pictures. One of my favorite pictures taken on this walkway is here: Bike riding at the Harbor Beach Marriott. Cool photo isn’t it. Here is a “First Look” picture I orchestrated on the same wooden walkway. Bride and Grooms First Look at the Marriott Harbor Beach.
Have you ever shot a wedding at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort with the ceremony on the beach, cocktail hour on the smaller “coconut terrace” and in the Caribbean Ballroom?
Also, have you ever had to shoot a wedding at that hotel on a day there were two weddings happening around the same time?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, Yes, Yes, Yes & Yes. I have shot wedding ceremonies on the beach at the Marriott Harbor Beach. Actually I shot ceremonies on the beach below the Ocean Terrace, and on the beach across from the pool. Both locations are beautiful. The Coconut Terrace at the Harbor Beach Marriott is very pretty. The weddings I have photographed on the Coconut Terrace had lights strung across the terrace which made for a very attractive lighting situation. This shot was taken on the Coconut Terrace. Since the venue is large and the Ocean Terrace runs across the entire hotel there is plenty of room for two weddings. Having photographed so many weddings and events at the Marriott Harbor Beach, I have worked in all the ballrooms. While the Ocean Ballroom is popular because of the ocean view, the Caribbean Ballroom is also a great place for a wedding reception. I like both rooms.