ChristyAnn & Michael – The Kusiaks Casa Marina Wedding

A Love Story Lit by the Night of Lights (and a Wild Wedding Storm!)

As a Jacksonville Beach wedding photographer, I’ve seen a lot of beautiful love stories—but ChristyAnn and Michael’s was something truly special.

They met as bright-eyed freshmen at the University of North Florida, crossing paths on campus as they prepared to start an exciting new chapter of life. What began as friendship turned into something more—on December 9th, 2022, Michael took ChristyAnn to the iconic Night of Lights in St. Augustine and asked her to be his girlfriend. Exactly one year later, he brought her back to that same spot… and asked her to be his wife. COME ON—how romantic is that?!

I was originally contacted by ChristyAnn’s amazing mama, Stacey (seriously, I adored her from the minute we spoke!). But I always want to make sure the couple feels 1000% excited to work with me, so we planned a meet-up in my studio. Let me just say… these two are literally the cutest humans. We instantly bonded, and I just knew their wedding day was going to be something special.

Cue the Wedding Day…

Set at the stunning Casa Marina—a historic venue right on the beach in Jacksonville—the vibes were immaculate… until THE STORM rolled in. And not just a little sprinkle—this thing was wild. The beach was completely empty (a rare sight at Casa Marina), and the thunder was starting to rumble. But you know what we weren’t going to do? Miss a chance for some epic portraits.

So, I grabbed ChristyAnn and Michael immediately after the ceremony and we RAN to the beach. Thunder cracking. Wind whipping. And in just ten minutes, we captured the most magical, dramatic, romantic photos with those stormy skies as the backdrop. Then we booked it back just in time before the skies let loose.

And after that? PARTY TIME.
Both families and all their friends tore up the dance floor like it was nobody’s business. The love, the joy, the energy—it was unreal.

I’m beyond thankful that ChristyAnn and Michael chose me as their Jacksonville Beach wedding photographer to document such a meaningful day—rain and all. These two are the real deal, and their love story is one I’ll never forget.

Want to see another Jacksonville Beach Wedding? Check out Danielle and Bradley’s Wedding on Jacksonville Beach