Getting To Know Us Wedding Photographer and Cinematographer
GETTING TO KNOW US: Ocala Luxury Wedding
Photographer and Cinematographer team
Marilyn & Jeremy the couple behind the lenses
Taking readers behind the lens just a little further, we wanted to give you a sneak peek into our life, and the journey that brought us here. We are a Central Florida wedding photography and cinematography team specializing in emotional, artistic storytelling for couples across Central Florida and beyond.
For every time we pick up a camera we are giving our all; our clients deserve to know what drives our passion for wedding documentation.
(If you don't want to read just scroll down to the tidbits)
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OUR LOVE STORY:
How Our Love Story Shapes the Way We Document Yours
As an Ocala‑based luxury wedding photographer and cinematographer team, we’ve spent years documenting love stories across Central Florida and beyond. This is the story of how we met, how we work together, and why our couples trust us with their most meaningful moments.
We met at the Dallas Bull, where the neon lights were bright, the boots were loud, and the line dancing was… let’s call it enthusiastic. Jeremy walked up with his smoothest “Do you know this dance?” and Marilyn confidently said nope, knowing very well it was a challenge. Two counts in, we were both going the wrong direction, laughing, spinning, and causing mild chaos on the dance floor. It was the perfect beginning for two people who would spend the rest of their lives figuring things out together, one misstep and one laugh at a time.
Our romance has been an adventure from the start. Jeremy brings the spontaneity,,, the “let’s try it,” “let’s go,” “why not today?” energy ... while Marilyn brings the love of travel that has taken us across the world with cameras in hand. Together, we’ve collected stories, passport stamps, memories, and more inside jokes than we can count.
But our greatest adventure is the one we come home to. We have a little boutique farm in Ocala, where we raise alpacas, rescue horses, and somehow always end up adopting one more animal than we planned. It’s our favorite place in the world, a place that reflects everything we love: creativity, compassion, and a life lived side by side.
And it all started with one questionable line dance.
OUR HEARTS:
A Life Built on Compassion and Creativity as an International Wedding Photography Team
When we first met, Marilyn had one horse and one dog. Now, somehow, we have three dogs, four cats, three horses, and five alpacas. Apparently, Jeremy was the secret ingredient that turned a simple love story into a full‑blown Dr. Dolittle situation in Ocala, Florida. Every day we’re out there feeding, brushing, mucking, herding, training through animal antics, and laughing our way through the animal kingdom of Brim & Lotus. It’s work, but it fills our life with joy, humor, and a sense that we’re adding something good to the world—one furry family member at a time. We share the magic of our farm, Brim & Lotus, by hosting photography sessions, educational tours and somatic horse clinics.
OUR TEAMWORK:
How We Work Together as a Wedding Photography & Film Duo
Some couples have chemistry. We have superpowers. Jeremy moves through life with the speed and enthusiasm of a golden retriever who just heard the word “adventure,” while Marilyn can lock into attuned hyper‑focus so intensely she could probably edit a full gallery during a hurricane, actually she has. On paper, these traits should cancel each other out. In reality, they form a combination so rare it might qualify as a scientific anomaly.
Together, we operate like a two‑person hero squad. Jeremy launches into projects at lightning speed, Marilyn brings the precision and strategy, and somehow the chaos turns into magic. We’re each other’s favorite human, and everything is better when we’re doing it side by side. Even the most ordinary moments feel like a mission we were built to tackle together.
This superpower chemistry shows up on wedding days too. We move in sync without speaking, reading each other’s cues like we’ve trained for this our whole lives. If Marilyn so much as takes a breath, Jeremy already knows he’s drifted into her shot and steps back with the reflexes of someone who has absolutely learned this lesson before.
Every wedding, every project, every day on the farm: we’re a team. And honestly, we wouldn’t want it any other way.
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OUR PASSION:
Why Couples Love Working With Us as Their Florida Wedding Photographer & Cinematographer
As an international award-winning wedding photography and film team based in Ocala, we’ve always been captivated by the kind of images that hold entire stories, a fascination that began long before our business ever existed.
We’ve always been drawn to the magic of photographs and films, but it definitely didn’t hurt that one of us grew up sneaking downstairs at dawn to flip through family albums like it was top‑secret mission training. That early obsession with how a single image can hold an entire story never really wore off; it just evolved into a career where we get to chase that feeling together.
Today, we work as a two‑person creative squad: Marilyn wedding photojournalism with her emotion‑seeking, light‑hunting superpowers, and Jeremy crafting cinematic wedding films with the intensity of someone who absolutely will lie on the ground to get the shot. We believe in documenting love with honesty, artistry, and the kind of light that makes people look at their photos and say, “Okay, wow… that’s us?”
And honestly, getting to do all of this side by side is still our favorite part.
WE LOVE LIFE:
How Our Everyday Adventures Shape the Way We Capture Weddings
Being a top wedding photography and film duo based in Ocala, available worldwide, we’ve spent years chasing the kind of everyday adventures that shaped our love story and the way we document the couples we serve.
We’ve built our life around finding adventure in the simple moments, and somewhere along the way we fell in love with each other just as much as the journey. Jeremy has this wild ability to nudge Marilyn out of her comfort zone. He provides the kind of encouragement that somehow led to voice lessons and singing duets together, which is impressive considering Marilyn once listed “singing in public” right under “being chased by wild boars” on her list of things she just doesn't want to do. His zest for life keeps things exciting, and Marilyn’s willingness to try anything once keeps the story interesting.
But the real magic is what we’ve learned from loving each other every day. Being together has given us a deeper understanding of what it means to be truly seen, supported, and chosen. This insight shows up every time we document a wedding. When we watch our couples laugh, cry, hold hands, or share those tiny glances that say everything without a word, we recognize that feeling. We live it. And it’s an honor to capture that same magnetic connection through our cameras, knowing exactly how powerful it is.
OUR GUIDES:
Family Legacy Inspiring Our Wedding Storytelling
As a Central Florida based international luxury wedding photographer and cinematographer couple, the lessons passed down from our families inspire the way we tell love stories and capture the moments that become part of someone’s legacy.
We are shaped by the people who came before us. Marilyn’s mom was her greatest guide, an artist who taught her to slow down, notice beauty, and appreciate how a single moment can become something lasting. Every time Marilyn picks up a camera, she feels that influence and the confidence her mom instilled in her.
Jeremy grew up watching his parents build their life together with dedication, love, and a shared sense of purpose. Their example showed him what it looks like to find your person and create something meaningful side by side.
Those influences are woven into the way we work as a team. Grounded in love, inspired by legacy, and devoted to telling stories with honesty and heart.
OUR GRATITUDE:
Thanking the Vendors and Couples Who Make Our Work Possible
We’ve spent years creating emotional wedding films and cinematic photographs, and one thing has become hilariously obvious: none of this happens alone. Every wedding, every story, every gallery exists because of the incredible people who walk beside us. We’re grateful for the vendors teammates who show up with talent, heart, and enough caffeine to power a small city. We’re grateful for the planners who keep the day flowing with the grace of a swan and the crisis‑management skills of a Navy SEAL. And of course, the florists, musicians, caterers, venues, and creatives who pour their artistry into every celebration and somehow make it all look effortless.
But most of all, we’re grateful for our couples — the ones who trust us with their memories, invite us into their most meaningful moments, and let us laugh, cry, and occasionally sprint across a field with them. We feel supported, inspired, and lifted by a community that believes in what we do. And truly, we never take a single bit of it for granted… even on the days when we’re running on iced coffee and pure adrenaline.
SOME TIDBITS & FUN FACTS:
1. Jeremy wrote and recorded his song "Party with You"
2. Marilyn dislikes make left hand turns. Thus, Jeremy does the driving.
3. Marilyn has been skydiving 12 times; Jeremy once.
4. Our favorite accessory are cowboy boots.
5. Our wedding and engagement photography/cinematography has been featured in over 150 publications across the world.
6. We may have a slight obsession with the baby alpaca we helped birth, Finn. He's the best.
7. Our bucket list to travel is forever increasing; We would love to photograph weddings in Switzerland, Morocco and Egypt. For when we are behind our cameras, we fully experience the magnitude of where we are visiting.
8. Marilyn would have popcorn for dinner. Jeremy makes sure she gets proper nutrition.
9. When Marilyn gets excited, she will break into a spontaneous happy dance. Jeremy will join her.
10. Jeremy is a Florida native raised in Newberry. Marilyn is from outside Detroit. They debate over who is more country.
11. Jeremy is a sport enthusiast and can play well any sport. Marilyn was a competitive swimmer and is an equestrian.
12. They have photographed couples love stories in the cenotes of Mexico, chateaus of France and rooftops of Greece.
13. Marilyn's newest deep dive is niche perfumery, and Jeremy has been in the hunt for the best bio hack.
14. Together they have fostered 22 animals who they helped place in forever homes.
15. Jeremy gets jelly of the snuggles our Doberman Atlas gets. We are working on it don't worry.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO YOU:
Your wedding day deserves a team who understands connection, emotion, and the beauty of real moments. Everything we’ve lived, learned, and loved shapes the way we document your story—with intention, artistry, and heart.
Thanks so much for taking the time to learn a little more about us and some of our vibe. Hopefully we get the opportunity to learn about your love story!
Planning your wedding in Ocala, Central Florida or beyond? We’d love to document your story with photography, film, or both. Reach out and let’s create something unforgettable together.
Rising Lotus Photography & Films is an Ocala‑based wedding photography and cinematography team serving Central Florida, Gainesville, Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota, and destination weddings worldwide.
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