I was fortunate to meet Shannon and Martin for an engagement session. They were one of the funniest couple I have ever met!!! Martin is from Argentina, Shannon is from Washington DC.
We chose Crandon Park as the place for their engagement photography session. It occupies the northern part of the island of Key Biscayne, lying between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is connected to the mainland in Miami via the Rickenbacker Causeway. The park is more than 800 acres (325 hectares) in size, and has two miles (3.2 kilometers) of beach on the Atlantic Ocean side. Crandon Boulevard extends from the end of the Rickenbacker Causeway through the length of the park, providing access to the Village of Key Biscayne and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
We choose Crandon Park as the place for their engagement session. The park is a park owned and operated by Miami-Dade County, Florida.
As you can see we had lots of fun!
There are little houses on the beach for the lifeguards. Just like in the movies.
The park has a variety of facilities, including a marina, a golf course, a tennis center, a family amusement center, picnic shelters and a nature center. There is parking for more than 3,000 vehicles in the park. Part of the park is set aside as the Bear Cut Preserve, a designated natural Environment Study Area. Guided tours through the preserve are available.
The land Crandon Park occupies was once part of the largest coconut plantation in the United States, operated by William John Matheson and his heirs. In 1940 the Matheson family donated 808.8 acres (327.3 hectares) of their land to Dade County (now Miami-Dade County) for a public park. In return, county commissioner Charles H. Crandon promised that the county would build a causeway to Key Biscayne. World War II delayed construction, but the causeway opened in 1947.
The beautiful sandy beach, coastal dunes and tropical hardwood hammocks are an important nesting and feeding ground for migrating songbirds, hawks and sea turtles. Seagrass beds provide a home for mangrove snapper, parrot fish, crabs, shrimp, sea stars and puffer fish.
Crandon Park’s beautiful two-mile beach is consistently named among the top ten beaches in the nation. As a Miami wedding photographer, it is one of my favorite beach wedding location. Also, not surprisingly, it is one of the most popular recreation destinations in all of Miami-Dade County, enjoyed by millions of residents and tourists each year.
The beach is celebrated for its pristine sand, calm water, winding promenade, concession stands, multiple picnic areas with tables and grills, and convenient parking for over 3,000 vehicles. Near the beach is Crandon’s Family Amusement Center. Crandon’s famous offshore sandbar protects swimmers from a crashing surf. The sandbar changes constantly because of seasonal squalls, storms and currents. It is enjoyed by many people who swim to it and walk or wade along its length.
The beach is what’s called a lagoon style, or low surf impact beach, and the shoreline varies–sloping from wading depth to six to twelve feet, depending on the tide. Lifeguards patrol from thirteen elevated towers, set about 150 yards apart in the areas of heavy usage. They keep beach-goers informed as to surf, sand and weather conditions.
At one time Crandon Park also included a zoo, occupying 48 acres (19.4 hectares) of the park. The first animals in the zoo, including some lions, an elephant and a rhinoceros, had been stranded when a circus went out of business in Miami. Some Galapagos tortoises, monkeys and pheasants were added from the Matheson plantation. Other animals were added, including a white Bengal tiger. In 1981 the Crandon Park Zoo was moved from the park to a location south of Miami, and became the Miami MetroZoo.
Since 1987, a major professional tennis tournament for both men and women has been held annually in Key Biscayne at the Tennis Center in Crandon Park. Currently known as the Sony Ericsson Open, the event was formerly the Lipton Tennis Championships from 1985 to 1999, the Ericsson Open in 2000 and 2001, and NASDAQ-100 Open from 2002 to 2006.
Crandon Park has a rich history. It was once home to Indian tribes, soldiers and pirates; and was once used as a huge coconut plantation.
If you have any questions or you want to schedule a wedding photography consultation, please give us a call: 786 444 9743, send us an email to info@haringphotography.com or visit Miami Wedding Photographer’s website.
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