Warm October Golden Hour Destination Wedding in the Mountains at Appalachian Lodge at Rivers Bend || Marshall, N

Far and away, my favorite trend right now is couples making their vows to each other privately, allowing for a few minutes of both raw emotion and quiet togetherness before diving into the chaos of their full public ceremony and celebration. Rhaisa and Jack’s private vows were particularly heartfelt, leaving all four of us a bit choked up as they soaked in the special moment and the spectacular view.

As we moved from the tranquility of their private vows to the gregarious jokes, tributes, and impressive dances shared with their loved ones, it was obvious just how loved this couple is.

Texas-Meets-North Carolina October Mountain View Wedding at The Crest Center || Asheville, NC

Of course, rain it did. And a mountain rain at that, forcing everyone to run inside mere minutes before the ceremony as the skies unloaded. But, Kristen and Suzanne had already made their vows to each other privately, surrounded only by the fall foliage and the peaceful scenery and we three photographer/videographers - removing all nerves and allowing them simply to soak up their time with family, both blood and chosen alike.

Once the bad weather rolled through, the skies gifted us a beautiful - if chilly - evening for their Mountain View ceremony which was equal parts heartfelt and hilarious. Getting to experience their deep and genuine affection for and from their loved ones made the evening all the more cozy, bested only by a cuddly portrait session in their vintage getaway car.

Romantic Purple & Burgundy Gothic-Inspired Fall Wedding at the Grove Park Inn || Asheville, NC

Their dark romantic theme carried through the candlelight reception in the photographer’s dream of a floral color palette. Then, thanks to Amber & Sierra’s genius planning, we got to fully lean into the spooky vibes with a perfectly-matching smoke bomb to kick off their tiny-but-mighty dance party (followed by late night grilled cheese and milkshakes!) However, amidst all of their visual beauty and artistic details, it was their devotion to each other that wove through their celebration the most, leaving every person out on the lawn a little teary-eyed as these two made their deeply heartfelt vows to each other.

Bold Bridal Portraits in Black at the Iconic Cookery Wedding Venue in Downtown Durham

When I first moved to the Triangle, one of the things that really interested me about the area was the historical architecture. While I’m a nature girl at heart, photographically I’ve always preferred the lines, colors and abstract shapes that geometric backdrops provide - especially if their stories add another dimension to those within my images. When touring venues and getting to know other local wedding vendors, The Cookery stood out to me as the exact indoor + outdoor wedding venue with a variety of textures and lighting steeped in Durham history that I first envisioned!

In particular, the bar area built from Durham’s former trolley line and backed by the building’s original brick spoke of jazz music and speakeasies - and I later learned that it had actually been a jazz club in the 1920’s. In my mind I immediately created this portrait of a bold bride in black, perhaps resting between dances and totally stealing the show with her vibrant accent colors set against the alternative flowing gown.

While the weather’s restrictions may have initially created some strict parameters in which we had to rethink and re-explore our original ideas, I think that’s the perfect analogy for a creative life: even the best laid plays go astray and it’s how you create amidst the changes that really matters. Thank you so, so much to everyone who helped us create this epic photoshoot! I’m now more excited than ever to be a part of this incredible wedding community.

Epic Sunset Summer Destination Wedding at The Crest Center || Asheville, NC

And as always with this kind of theme, their wedding day dawned with the sure promise of rain right at the time of their first look. As their photographer, this was disappointing for me as well because I’d scouted what I knew to be an epic selection of first look and portrait locations amongst the River Arts District studios, but Mother Nature had other plans. Not only were Mike and Lexi exceptionally relaxed as we changed plans on a dime, but they graciously trusted me to guide them through their first look, wedding party portraits and couple’s photos in a location they’d never seen, simply happy to be together.

Fairytale Garden Wedding at Tryon Palace || New Bern, NC

If there is any perk to planning and replanning a wedding several times, from across the country, over the course of three years, it’s that by the time their wedding day finally arrived, Amy and Bryce had created a wedding perfectly suited to them. From their focus on sustainability through local, eco-friendly florals to their use of the Stardust theme throughout their reception decor; their incorporation of hand fasting into their ceremony to their personally-design trivia game for the reception, every detail and experience told a story about their relationship.