Planning a wedding from across the country while working a demanding job and moving several times is a feat of its own, but being so thoughtful and welcoming in the process is - from what I learned from her loved ones’ speeches - what truly defines Hayley. To be able to come in from North Carolina and share in her family’s happiness, spend the morning with her friends laughing and being impressed by their musical prowess, watch her continually bring even the newest friends (me!) into the fold, made the weekend truly special. Thank you for having us, and thank you to all the folks who made the weekend so full of joy!
Read MoreFar 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.
Read MoreOf 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.
Read MoreTheir 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.
Read MoreThere are beautiful weddings that make you cry (and I’ve teared up during every single ceremony!) and then there are the weddings where you watch your college roommate marry her best friend (I didn’t even make it to the ceremony before I started tearing up!) 14 years and change ago, Heather and I were moving into Mills, deliriously jamming to the Wicked cast recording as we set up our dorm room, trying to survive our first college preseason. A year later, my second ever professional photoshoot featured Heather in goal. After another year as roommates and several classes together, Heather’s seen my dream of a business grow since the very beginning.
Read MoreWhen two artists get married, the wedding is automatically bound to be beautiful. Sarah and Brandon’s May celebration was no exception; beginning with the invitation suite hand drawn by the talented bride herself, framed by the many lines & lights of Saugerties Performing Arts Factory, and ending the evening serenaded by a live band. In the ultimate test of friendship, the couple also trusted their wedding party to, without any coordination, select their own attire in order to create an eclectic and vibrant spring color palette - a feat which they pulled off so perfectly that the bridesmaids’ dress colors inadvertently came straight out of one of the paintings in the getting ready suite.
Read MoreThe beauty of getting legally married first is that you then truly have the opportunity to celebrate your wedding however you want. One white dress for the ceremony and then a black dress for the party? Absolutely. Turning your thank you toast into a birthday surprise for the groom? Celebrate to the sounds of Bob Seger, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, and Metallica? No question. And that’s exactly how these two celebrated their special day: relaxed, full of love, and with their own flair.
Read MoreEver since moving to the Triangle, I’ve dreamed of getting to photograph at Duke Chapel; while I’ll always love the mountains, it’s epic architecture and stunning spotlights that I love using to frame my couples the most. And, after being a part of Aria Event’s vendor showcase last year thanks to the generous introduction of Premier Party Planners, I’m thrilled to have gotten to photograph my first of hopefully many weddings there - the owners and staff truly care about making each event special and stress-free.
Read MoreMy very favorite part of a DIY wedding is getting to watch the couple’s loved ones come together in order to give them the happiest, most enjoyable day possible. When Molly and Thomas’s wedding party and families arrived at the gorgeously sunlit All Saints Chapel in downtown Raleigh, they immediately got to work under the determined guidance of one of my fantastic former brides, Brandelin (Molly’s godmother) to add flowers, family photos, and other personal touches to the historic space. Throughout the evening, I got to witness just how loved these two kind people are by everyone around them, and then just how fun their whole crew is once the dance floor opened up!
Read MoreThough October is usually a bustling and joyful month here in WNC - particularly for the wedding industry - this year has, for obvious reasons, been both quieter and much more uncertain. So, it was with even more excitement than usual (is that possible?) that Anna and Andrew’s family, friends, and wedding vendors came together to create what was one of the most relaxed, seamless, and happy celebrations that I’ve ever been a part of in my 12 years of photographing weddings.
Read MoreMeredith, Jordan, and their family and friends made my team’s work feel effortless; everyone was relaxed, all smiles, and definitely ready to celebrate. And, while we’d spent their rehearsal the day before hiding under awnings and umbrellas, their wedding day dawned bright and sunny, becoming even more stunning as the sun set behind the ridge.
Thank you so much to everyone whose hard work and great energy made this a wonderful celebration of love!
Read MoreI think we and the wedding party collectively spent hours watching last Friday’s radar, optimistically discussing our fair-weather photo plan but realistically planning for the rain. Julie & Cormick’s wedding day dawned gray and rainy, but just as it was time for their first look, the skies cleared and the sun brilliantly shone through.
However, when it really came down to it, these newlyweds were just as giddy to dance together in the rain that came down moments after they said “I do!” Thank you so much for trusting me with documenting your beautiful day, and thank you to everyone who worked their wedding magic! 💙
Read MoreOctober 14, 2023: beautiful day with the very sweetest family. The meticulously hand-stitched wedding gown designed by the bride’s sister, the ceremony officiated by her parents, the pages worth of tear-inducing vows from both partners, the first dance set against the just-changing leaves, the exceptional toasts, and the happy couple even taking the time out of their special day to congratulate all of the recently married and engaged couples. We had the most perfect October day in the mountains possible - first cozy under a blanket of fog and then brilliantly colorful once the festivities began - and it was such an honor to get to document a day full of love like this one.
Read MoreThe absolute best thing I get to hear as a photographer is that a couple - who began our partnership weary of having their photo made - genuinely enjoyed the experience. When I first met Stephanie and Marc in person for their spring engagement photos, Stephanie had just had back surgery. So, not only were they both nervous to have their portrait made, but I was scared I’d somehow pose them in a way that wasn’t doc-approved! . By our fall engagement session (we’d split it into two to allow Stephanie time to recover) they were cautiously dancing together in the garden, preparing for their first dance. By their wedding day? They smiled for the camera as if they’d been doing it for years!
Read MoreIf we gave out superlatives for wedding couples rather than vendors,Laura and Gabe would definitely get “most welcoming.” Certainly from their loved ones - it seemed like everywhere they turned they threw their arms up excited to hug another guest, almost all of whom traveled quite a distance to attend. In every single photo, I caught both Laura and Gabe with huge grins on their faces, making sure each person knew just how much their attendance meant to them.
Read MoreBringing together large groups of people can be daunting, particularly when planning a wedding in the middle of Covid not knowing what everyone’s exact circumstances might be. But when Amanda and Harrison’s families and friends came together for their wedding last month, I was struck by just how amiable every single guest and vendor was. Amanda’s bridal attendants especially were completely devoted to ensuring that the happy couple have the best (and smoothest) day ever. So I have to give a shoutout to that exceptional group of ladies for helping me to round up people for photos, for being conscious of time so that we remained on time to the minute all day long, and for putting together a really sweet getting ready playlist!
Read MoreIn true Jenna and John fashion, their ceremony featured a clinking of their wedding rings. This was one of many personal touches, as they also spent countless hours creating and painting every floral bouquet, designed dice with their wedding date specifically for the occasion, and were serenading by many of their extremely talented musical friends during the cocktail hour and reception. These two also smartly took care of the legalities of their marriage the morning of so that their good friend could preside over the ceremony, which resulted in a ceremony equally full of giggles and happy tears.
Read MoreSeeing their faces light up, eyes shining, as they saw each other for the first time in their wedding finery, it was like no one and nothing else in the world mattered at that moment. I love first looks for that reason, but particularly because even in the middle of a hectic day, the instant they were together they both breathed easier, seemed so much more at peace.
After an engagement session, a bridal portrait shoot and several hours spent planning, I felt like I really knew these two, so watching them exchange vows left me just as teary-eyed. To get to celebrate two people who are unendingly caring and sweet to all they encounter was such an honor!
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