The Ancient Spanish Monastery Wedding | Evelyn & Daniel

Oct 6

Wedding photo gallery is available at the bottom of the article.

Evelyn and Daniel’s wedding at The Ancient Spanish Monastery combined a traditional chapel ceremony with an open-air reception surrounded by historic stone arches and tropical gardens.

Deep burgundy bridesmaid dresses, navy suits, white flowers and gold details brought warmth and color to the medieval setting. As daylight faded, the monastery’s illuminated walls created a completely different atmosphere for their evening portraits and celebration.

I photographed and filmed the entire wedding for QMWeddings, from Evelyn’s morning preparations through to the packed dance floor later that night.

Watch Evelyn and Daniel’s Wedding Film

The photographs preserve the expressions, styling and architecture surrounding the celebration. Their film will bring back the voices, music and movement—the ceremony, speeches, first dance and energy of the reception.

Couples who want their complete story captured by one team can explore our coordinated photography and film coverage.

A Relaxed Morning With Family

Evelyn began the morning in a bright suite overlooking the city. She wore a white lace robe while having her hair and makeup finished, surrounded by the women closest to her.

The preparations included several generations of her family, creating a mixture of lively conversations and quieter moments. Once Evelyn changed into her gown, her family helped fasten the detailed back, arrange her jewelry and make sure every layer of the skirt and train sat correctly.

Her off-the-shoulder gown featured floral lace, a full skirt and an extended train. A delicate headpiece was woven through her updo, while her long veil added movement to the portraits later in the day.

Evelyn’s bouquet combined white roses and other soft white flowers with loose greenery. The restrained colors allowed the shape and texture of the arrangement to stand out against her dress.

A First Look With Evelyn’s Family

Before leaving for the ceremony, Evelyn shared a reveal with her bridesmaids and family.

The bridesmaids wore matching floor-length burgundy dresses with an off-the-shoulder neckline. Their reactions as they saw Evelyn fully dressed moved quickly from surprise to laughter and hugs.

Photographing this part of the morning gave Evelyn time to enjoy the moment rather than rushing directly from preparations to the ceremony. It also preserved the reactions of the people who had spent the morning helping her get ready.

At the monastery, we photographed Evelyn’s gown beneath one of its carved stone doorways. Displaying the dress against the historic architecture helped establish the setting before the ceremony began.

Daniel and His Groomsmen at the Monastery

Daniel got ready with his groomsmen on the monastery grounds.

He wore a deep navy three-piece suit with a black bow tie and white boutonniere. A burgundy pocket square connected his outfit to the bridesmaids’ dresses and the reception details.

His groomsmen also wore dark navy suits, with small burgundy accents bringing the group together. The covered walkways, stone walls and garden terraces gave us a strong setting for both individual portraits and relaxed photographs of everyone helping one another with jackets, ties and boutonnieres.

These photographs captured the anticipation before the ceremony while giving Daniel and his friends time together before guests began arriving.

A Chapel Ceremony Surrounded by History

Evelyn and Daniel exchanged vows inside the monastery’s Main Chapel.

White floral arrangements and clouds of baby’s breath decorated the aisle, softening the dark wooden pews and pale stone walls. Young members of the wedding party led the processional before Evelyn entered with a loved one.

Daniel waited at the front in his navy suit as Evelyn walked towards him carrying her white-and-green bouquet.

The ceremony included readings, vows and the exchange of rings. We photographed the wider chapel to preserve the scale and character of the setting, alongside close images of Evelyn and Daniel’s expressions and the reactions of their families.

After being pronounced married, they walked back through the chapel together as their guests celebrated around them.

The Ancient Spanish Monastery is officially known as St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church and is located in North Miami Beach. Its chapel, cloisters and gardens allow a wedding to move between several distinctive settings without guests needing to travel to another venue.

Wedding-Party Portraits Around the Cloisters

After the ceremony, we organized family and wedding-party photographs while everyone was still together.

The burgundy bridesmaid dresses and navy suits stood out against the pale stone walls. We created formal group portraits along the covered walkways, followed by more relaxed photographs in which the wedding party could interact naturally.

Keeping the group portraits close to the ceremony location made this part of the timeline efficient. Once they were complete, the wedding party could join the reception while Evelyn and Daniel stayed behind for their portraits.

Portraits Through the Gardens

The monastery grounds gave Evelyn and Daniel several portrait settings within a short walk.

We began along the cloisters and arched stone entrances before moving into the gardens. The open lawn provided space to show the full length of Evelyn’s gown and veil, while mature trees and dense greenery created a softer background for closer portraits.

Evelyn’s veil became an important part of the session. We used its length and movement for both wide photographs and intimate images of the couple together beneath it.

The variety of architecture and greenery meant we could create a complete portrait collection without turning the session into a long production. Evelyn and Daniel still had time to enjoy the grounds and return to their guests.

You can learn more about my approach to documenting a wedding naturally while keeping portraits organized.

A White, Burgundy and Gold Cloister Reception

The reception tables were arranged beneath the monastery’s vaulted stone cloisters.

White linens and flowers kept the dining space bright, while burgundy napkins and menus introduced a richer color against the neutral architecture. Gold chairs, place settings and tall candleholders added warmth without overwhelming the historic surroundings.

Low arrangements of white flowers and greenery ran along the tables, leaving guests able to see and speak with one another. The couple’s table continued the same styling with a fuller floral arrangement and personalized wooden initials.

The design worked because it complemented the venue rather than trying to cover it. The arches, carved columns and stone walls remained clearly visible throughout the reception.

Guests gathered in the central courtyard for drinks and conversation before moving beneath the cloisters for dinner and speeches.

If you are still exploring locations, you can compare more distinctive wedding venues across Miami.

A First Dance in the Courtyard

Evelyn and Daniel held their first dance in the center of the monastery courtyard.

Their guests formed a circle around them while the stone arches and tropical plants framed the open dance floor. Low fog gathered around their feet as they danced, creating a soft contrast against Daniel’s navy suit and Evelyn’s white gown.

Cold sparks added light and movement around them without hiding the architecture behind the moment.

The photographs capture individual expressions and the full courtyard setting, but this is one of the parts of the day that will feel especially powerful on film—the music, movement and reactions from everyone watching.

Couples interested in preserving those elements can see how our wedding films bring the atmosphere and voices back.

Dinner, Speeches and Personal Details

The reception continued with speeches from family and members of the wedding party.

Evelyn and Daniel listened from their flower-filled table as guests shared stories, raised glasses and filled the stone dining space with laughter. The photographs focus not only on each speaker but also on the couple’s reactions and the responses around the tables.

Dinner included tableside service, adding another interactive moment for guests. An instant-camera guestbook gave everyone an opportunity to leave Evelyn and Daniel a photograph and handwritten message.

Their white tiered cake was decorated with fine gold details and their initials. Its clean design connected naturally to the white flowers, gold place settings and historic surroundings.

Nighttime Portraits Among the Illuminated Arches

Once darkness arrived, we took Evelyn and Daniel outside for a short set of evening portraits.

Warm architectural lighting illuminated the monastery’s stone walls and arched entrances, giving the same locations used during the day an entirely different character.

We photographed the couple walking through the arches, beside the gardens and underneath the old stone well. The deep blue evening sky and warm building lights created strong contrast while keeping the monastery recognizable in the background.

The portrait session was deliberately brief. Evelyn and Daniel gained another distinctive part of their gallery without spending a large section of the reception away from their guests.

A Full Dance Floor to Finish the Evening

After dinner, cake and speeches, the courtyard became a lively dance floor.

Evelyn and Daniel stayed at the center of the celebration while friends and relatives gathered closely around them. The formal atmosphere of the ceremony had completely shifted by this point—the final photographs are filled with raised hands, movement, laughter and guests dancing beneath the monastery arches.

It was a joyful ending to a wedding that moved naturally from calm morning preparations and a traditional chapel ceremony to portraits in the gardens and a busy evening celebration.

Ancient Spanish Monastery Wedding Photography and Videography

Evelyn and Daniel’s celebration shows how many different settings The Ancient Spanish Monastery can offer during one wedding.

Their gallery moves from the Main Chapel to shaded cloisters, open lawns, tropical gardens and the central courtyard. The historic architecture provides continuity, while each part of the venue gives the photographs a different feeling.

Most importantly, their coverage preserves the relationships and reactions that made the day personal: family helping Evelyn prepare, Daniel with his groomsmen, the ceremony, emotional speeches and everyone filling the courtyard during the reception.

If you are planning your own celebration here, explore photography for weddings in Miami and North Miami Beach or watch more wedding films created for couples throughout the Miami area.

You can also see how planning, coverage and collections work, or tell me about your Ancient Spanish Monastery wedding.

Are You Ready To Get Married?

If you’re thinking about hiring a professional photo/video team to capture your wedding day at The Ancient Spanish Monastery, message us! Let’s work together to create memories that’ll make you smile for years to come.

Schedule a consultation by clicking HERE!

I’m a Boca Raton Wedding Photographer and would love to make your proposal extra special!

Phone: (734) 604-2846

Email: qualitymediafl@gmail.com