luisa & douglas

Join us as we share stories from couples all around the world, that are full of love and happiness, while growing our passion for the Lord, our marriage, family, and photography.

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Our Two Day Trip To Sardinia, Italy

Hello friends! We are Luisa and Douglas. Our journey together started in the most unexpected city in the world, Las Vegas. From there we overcame a 3 year long distance relationship. Living in separate continents. Coming from different cultures, traditions, food, and lifestyles. We quickly fell in love, got married in Vegas, named our little puppy Vegas, and discovered our true passion: Creating experiences. Together.

This world is big, and life here is short. So we do not like to sit still. We want to explore as much as possible and capture as many love stories as we can along the way. Our bucket list is always growing. Our cameras are always capturing moments that will live forever. Our hearts are so full of love, for each other, and everyone we meet on our adventures.

Want to follow along? Here are a few places we have been blessed to explore, with many more to come!!!

2018 June: Sardinia, Italy
2018 June: Valensole & Riez In Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
2018 June: Lavender Fields In Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
2018 June: Marrakech and Sahara Desert, Morocco
2018 July: White Sands National Monument In New Mexico, USA
2018 August: Beirut, Lebanon [coming soon]
2018 September: Canyonlands & Arches National Park In Utah, USA [coming soon]
2018 November: Iceland [coming soon]

After our road trip last year through the Italian countryside, we knew we would jump on any and every opportunity to come back to Italy and explore! After all, there is nothing more special than capturing memories for couples in one of the most romantic countries in the world. This past June, during the Bundesliga summer break, Jasmin and Gonzalo Castro had us fly out to photograph their secret maternity pictures at the beautiful beaches in Sardinia, Italy.

With most of our trips, the flights alone can be an adventure in of itself. Over the years we have prepared ourselves for most of the travel craziness that comes our way, and this trip was no different. We started off with a four hour delay in JFK, which led to delays in Milan and a near missed flight in Rome. But who’s complaining, there are a few other airports we would rather not be stuck in, and the airport food in Italy, is some of the best we have experienced! All the prosciutto sandwiches, pizza, and gelato we could ever want. YUM! 😀

As we were waiting in Milan for our flight to Rome, we received notice that our flight would be delayed again, which meant we had about a 30 minute window to switch planes in Rome. Unfortunately during the boarding process we watched that 30 minute window drop to 10 minutes. Once we landed in Rome, the taxi time to the gate took longer than usual, so we had about 2-3 minutes to make our connection. On the opposite side of the airport…

After the plane parked. Luisa immediately ran from the back of the plan to the front. Yep she was that annoying passenger we all love to hate. But desperate times call for desperate measures. We could not miss this flight! Thankfully our prayers were answered. One of the sweetest Air Italy employees ran over to our gate to take us to our next flight. It was incredible, she was having the plane held for us! A moment of pure relief. To that Air Italy employee, we cannot thank you enough!

Even though we arrived after midnight and had to be up early for our sunrise session, our adrenaline and excitement kicked in and helped us power through. It is hard to explain, but we crave and live for this! After a short power nap and drive, we found ourselves at one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen with once of the sweetest couples we have ever met.

With our tummies growling we headed out to the little town of Porto Cervo and found a cute little cafe, La Virgola, right near the pier. We ordered melon (cantaloupe) with prosciutto. 2 large cappuccinos, and pizza for Douglas. It was delicious! Well, we have had better Pizza in Tuscany and Venice, but it is hard to complain when having pizza in Italy! The best part about exploring cities right after sunrise is there are absolutely no crowds. You get to experience and photograph the most beautiful places, without any distractions. Once crowds start filling the streets, we back up our memory cards, post some teasers, take a power nap, and eat more local food. And whenever there is a chance for wineries or breweries, we will go check those out as well! Which is exactly what we did. We found the cutest winery, Vigne Surrau and fell in love with the beautiful mixture of vines and wild roses surrounded by olive trees. Of course we did a wine tasting! We ordered some sample cheeses & meats with local olives and just enjoyed the nice summer breeze. All while planning our sunset photo-session with Jasmin & Gonzo.

Back at the beach we had the best time capturing breathtaking sunset photos of our sweetest #luisassecretbride(s). Our only regret, we forgot mosquito spray. Luisa counted 57 bites at the end of the day, But at least she took home a little reminder of all the beautiful memories with every itch. 😉

Our Trip To Sardinia, Italy

Airport: Olbia
Accommodation: Residenza Cappricioli
Restaurants:
- You need to go to Aruanà Churrascaria! They have THE best antipasti, steak and all kinds of tender meats freshly grilled and served table side. SO good!
- On our second night we drove 45min south to have dinner ON THE BEACH with the best view! During sunset of course! The restaurant is called 12.1 at Spaggia Porto Taverna! We ordered the oyster appetizer and were surprised by all the raw seafood we got! Don’t think about it. Just try! The raw shrimp is AMAZING! Thankfully we arrived early enough to grab a table with a view. Definitely consider reservations a day or two in advance.
Photo Locations:
- Spaggia Capriccioli: We came here for sunrise AND sunset. It was so beautiful! There were no people at the beach. Clean and bright sand. Blue water, and beautiful rock formations. Everything that your heart desires for an unforgettable photo session at the beach in Sardinia!
- Spaggia del Pirata Capriccioli: Only a 3-5 minute walk from Spaggia Capriccioli. It is the perfect sunset location. You will be able to capture photos in the sand or on rocks in the water. All while the sun sets on the horizon.
To Do’s:
- Wine Tasting: You have to check out Vigne Surrau! Not only do they have amazing wines, but you can also take a fun walk through the vineyard, look at some of the oldest and biggest olive trees, and then settle down on the terrace while enjoying some meats & cheeses. The only question is: White or red?
- Relax: To be honest… We hardly ever just sit back and relax during any of our trips. There is way too many things to explore, love stories to capture, food to eat, coffee and wine to drink…! If you want a relaxing stay, check out Hotel Romazzino. Not only is it stunning look to it, but also offers an incredible spa and wellness center!