Veronica & Franz | Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Engagement Session | Miami, Florida
Some connections in this industry run deeper than a single booking. Veronica and Franz are one of those stories.
I first met them at a wedding I photographed about two years ago. Franz's mom was getting married, and both Veronica and Franz were there. We crossed paths that day, spent time together between moments, and that was that. I went back to Puerto Rico and they stayed in Miami, both deep in their medical school schedules.
Then my phone rang.
It was Deliris Ramos, the same wedding planner from that day, calling to ask about my availability for Veronica and Franz's own wedding. That call alone already made this feel like something worth showing up for.
They signed on, selected a collection that included an engagement session, and that is when the scheduling puzzle started. Both of them are medical students. September is not exactly a flexible month when you are in that world. They wanted their session documented that month, but their schedules in Puerto Rico were not going to cooperate.
So they asked me a question I did not hesitate on: could I travel to Miami?
I confirmed the date, booked the first AA flight out of San Juan, and started thinking about where in Miami we could actually do this.
Why I Chose Vizcaya
I had visited Vizcaya Museum & Gardens years ago and never forgot it. The place sits right on Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove, and it holds this rare combination of Italian Renaissance architecture, lush tropical gardens, and waterfront access that you simply do not find anywhere else in Miami.
When Veronica and Franz asked where to shoot, Vizcaya was the first and only name I said.
They looked it up. They agreed immediately.
What I did not tell them yet was just how good it was going to look at 9am with almost nobody else around.
The Morning Everything Lined Up
I landed early. They picked me up at the airport and we drove straight to the venue. Veronica had already paid the entrance fee, so we walked right in without any delays.
And then something happened that I always hope for but cannot plan.
We were some of the first people through the gates that morning. The gardens were empty. No tour groups. No school visits. Just us and about 100 acres of one of the most photographically interesting properties in Florida.
For the first full hour, Vizcaya belonged to them.
The Locations That Made This Session
Vizcaya is not one backdrop. It is ten. Every turn reveals something completely different, and I wanted to use as many of them as possible while the light was still working in our favor.
We started in the formal Italian gardens, working through the long reflection canal lined with sculpted oak trees. From above, the symmetry is remarkable, and having the two of them small within that scale made for some of my favorite images of the morning.
We moved to the stone obelisk reflection pool, where they sat together on the ledge facing the carved garden fountain. Their white outfits mirrored perfectly in the still water below. That shot is one of those where the camera finds the composition before you do.
The grand waterfall staircase stopped us for a while. Water cascades down several tiers of carved stone between flanking staircases, with terracotta urns and trimmed hedges framing the whole structure. We worked both angles here, one where Franz leads Veronica by the hand across the base of the falls, and another where he spins her and she laughs right into it.
From there we moved through the ivy covered stone arch tunnel that connects sections of the garden. Veronica stood inside it facing the garden, her backless lace gown and trailing skirt filling the frame. That arch does something to the light. Everything goes soft and cool and the garden beyond becomes the brightest point in the image.
We passed through the ornate baroque style garden pavilion with its triple stone arches and classical statues along the roofline. Walking out of it, hand in hand, they looked like they owned the place.
One of my favorite sequences of the morning happened near the iron gate entrance. The carved stone columns, the blue scrolled iron details, the tropical overgrowth around them. I asked them to stop there for a moment and just lean into each other. Franz pulled her in. Veronica laughed first, then went quiet. That is the version I kept.
The cobblestone path leading down toward the central fountain gave us one of the most editorial frames of the session. Veronica holding her dress, both of them walking away from camera, the manicured garden and white marble fountain anchoring the background. Then at the fountain itself, Franz dipped her. Wide frame, the full symmetry of Vizcaya around them.
We also stopped at the stone gate entrance on the outer grounds. This one is easy to miss, but it photographs beautifully. The weathered stone pillars, the iron work, the garden statues visible along the hedge wall. Pure Vizcaya.
The Waterfront
Vizcaya sits directly on Biscayne Bay, and the waterfront access is unlike anything you find at an inland property. We walked to the dock and they sat together facing the water. The stone barge ruins visible to the left, open bay ahead, clouds stacking up above the horizon.
No posing needed. They just sat there.
Then came the tea house pavilion. The green lattice dome sitting right at the water's edge on the south terrace of the villa is one of the most distinctive structures at Vizcaya. We shot it from outside first, the two of them climbing the steps toward it.
Inside, the geometry takes over. The lattice panels frame every angle. I shot one image in black and white with them silhouetted in the doorway against the open bay. Then I brought in color and shot it again from outside, the full green dome surrounding them as they face each other.
The Details
Between locations we stopped for the ring. A solitaire diamond on a classic band. Veronica's hand resting over Franz's, his watch visible in the frame.
And toward the end, we found a quiet bench in the formal garden, pulled back, and just let them be together. No direction. Veronica leaned into Franz. He kissed her temple. The garden stayed soft and green behind them.
What Happens Next
By around 11am the light started shifting and the heat was building. Quinceañeras were beginning to arrive in full force, which honestly made me smile. Only in Miami.
We called it. Two hours, multiple locations, and a session that covered nearly every major corner of Vizcaya.
They dropped me at the airport with just enough time to catch my 5pm flight back to San Juan.
The story does not end here, though. Veronica and Franz are getting married in Puerto Rico in 2026. And I will be there for every moment of it at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in San Juan, one of the most architecturally stunning venues on the island.
Photographing his mother's wedding is what brought us together. Photographing theirs is what completes the circle.
A Note for Couples Considering Vizcaya
If you are planning an engagement session in Miami and have not considered Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, consider this your sign.
A few things worth knowing before you go:
- Arrive as early as possible after opening. The first hour with minimal foot traffic makes a real difference.
- The venue charges an entrance fee, so plan for that.
- Bring a second outfit if you want variety. The grounds are large enough to support a full wardrobe change mid session.
- Morning light between 9 and 11am works well. By midday the Florida sun gets harsh and flat.
- Give yourself at least two hours. There is more here than most photographers use in a single visit.
Vendor Team
Wedding Planner: Deliris Ramos
Photography: Gary Rosado | Gary Rosado Photography | @garyrosadophotography
Thinking about your own engagement session in Miami or Puerto Rico? I would love to hear about it. Send me a message and let us talk about your vision.