...well, you know.
Don't worry, you're in the right place: Pixel Dust, the Sweet Life Photo blog. I just felt like changing things up a bit. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
And since a post without a photo is just plain wrong, here's a sneak peek from Kristina and Wesley's December wedding. Kristina's mom Pam was helping her with her jewelry and leaned in to kiss her shoulder. I just about lost it. Don't you just love weddings?
First off, I have a new blog management strategy. In order to get control of my back-log of blog posts (or should I say back-blog?) and to keep things current, I've decided to blog the most recent weddings and fill in with 2008 weddings when I can. I've got a little break here until high season begins again in April and I'm really going to work hard to catch up.
Alysia and Luther were married on a beautiful November day, the kind of temperate winter day we're so lucky to enjoy in NC. They were married at Millbrook United Methodist Church here in Raleigh. The church is right on the corner of two busy streets and it can be tough to get a good shot of it -- you practically have to step into oncoming traffic! I love this shot Frank got with that gorgeous winter sun peeking around the corner.
Alysia, her mom and bridesmaids started out the day at Primp Salon Bar on West Street in Raleigh. Primp will forever be one of my favorite salon locations to shoot for the simple reason that they have cupcakes from The Cupcake Shoppe that they pass around to their clients (and the occasional wedding photographer.) Strawberry is my favorite flavor...no wait -- make that lemon.
Alysia's make-up was done by the talented Rodney Robledo. Rodney's recent move to Raleigh is Miami's loss and Raleigh's gain. I'm such an advocate of having your make-up done by a professional make-up artist for your wedding day. It's a lot of fun, but more importantly, can make a big difference in how you look in your wedding day photographs. Why spend all that money on a dress, veil, shoes, jewelry, hair, etc. and have your face look exactly the way it does every day? A professional make-up artist knows that brows, eyes and lips need special attention to really pop in photograph and photograph. OK, sermon over. Just give Rodney a call. Moving on...
Alysia's mom Ada, her sister and bridesmaids help place her mantilla-style veil in the perfect position.
Beautiful window light.
At the church, Luther gets a little help with his tie from a groomsmen. As you'll see, Luther has a 1000-watt smile that just electrifies the frame when he lets it rip.
See that little black book Luther's holding? That's his wedding gift from his bride-to-be -- photos from a boudoir session we did back in the early Fall at the Matthews House in Cary. Having seen the photos, I can tell you -- Luther is one lucky man. Ladies, if you're looking for a wedding gift that he'll never forget, give me a call to schedule a boudoir session! (Love the socks, too.)
Alysia is pretty lucky, herself.
Preparations complete, Alysia waits upstairs for the ceremony to begin.
The church was super-strict about photography. Luckily, after we promised to be good girls and boys, we were allowed to shoot if we stayed in the back and didn't go crazy.
Extreme temperatures in June meant we had to reschedule Alysia's bridal portrait session not once but twice, so Alysia and Luther decided to swap out that session with a Fearless Bridal session this Spring. I'm so excited about this session, especially since a tight schedule and a wedding beginning at 5:00 pm meant no outdoor couple portraits. Here's a shot of the two of them before heading off to the reception and a close-up of Alysia's stunning bouquet by Stephanie at Wild Bloom Flowers.
The reception was held at the beautiful Capital City Club in downtown Raleigh. I love to shoot here -- it's a lovely location and the staff is terrific. Here's a street-side shot of Alysia and Luther arriving in a Rolls at the reception with the bridal party waiting for them.
A romantic first dance with a great finish:
Sometimes we get lucky. I'd like to say that I planned this sequence of Alysia's dad giving his toast with a shot of the couple, her dad's arm lifted in a toast in the reflection and the bride trying to keep her emotions in check...but I didn't. I'm just glad it happened!
I'm sometimes asked if a room full of windows will pose a lighting problem during the reception. My answer is always a qualified "NO" -- especially when you can get cool reflections and capture the lights of the city at the same time. The only time windows are a problem is when Uncle Bob stands behind me and fires his flash straight into the window! Here's a shot of Alysia & Luther's delicious cake, by the always amazing Lorie at Simply Cakes.
The part of the night that never fails to get me all misty-eyed...
Luther got the party started by surprising Alysia's mom Ada with a special request: dancing to"Low" by Flo-Rida. It was a great moment and set the tone for a very fun party! (Isn't Ada's emerald-green dress to-die-for??)
Do I have the greatest job or what?? Getting to photograph gorgeous people in a swanky setting having a great time?
I love this shot of Luther surprising Alysia with an impromptu lap dance before undertaking the traditional garter-removal expedition. My thanks to the guest responsible for that well-timed flash.
Mission accomplished!
All too soon, it was time for the final dance and one last toast.
Alysia and Luther, it was such an honor to be share this celebration with you. We wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!
Alysia and Luther were married on November 8. Everything about their wedding was so elegant and fun and they are such a great couple. I love this shot of two of them right after their cake cutting -- that spontaneous kiss was so sweet! I'll be blogging about them soon (hopefully), so stay tuned. In the meantime, congratulations you two!
I'll let you in on a little secret: blogging is hard for me. I know there are plenty of photographers out there who have no problem summarizing a wedding or coming up with pithy little captions for their photos, but I'm not one of them. I agonize over what I'm going to write: I'd hate to bore anyone. It's one of the reasons I only post about once a week. I love that there are folks out there who read Pixel Dust and nothing trips my trigger like getting comments (hint, hint), but it's a lot of pressure! Don't get me wrong -- I love the concept of the blog and it's cool that I can quickly get new stuff online. Somehow it always happens that blogging gets pushed to the bottom of the To-Do list. I promise to try to do better in 2009! Being a better blogger is the only New Year's resolution I'm going to make and I'm making it here, so I'll trust my loyal readers to hold me to my promise.
Since there's nothing like New Year's to bring out the list-maker in all of us, I thought I'd make a list of some of my favorite images from the year from weddings, bridals and engagement sessions that haven't made it on to the blog yet. These are images that resonate with me personally -- ones that I'm proud to say are Sweet Life photos. With any luck and some time, you'll see more where these came from in the coming weeks! So here, starting with some engagement photos and progressing through the wedding day are some of my favorite images of 2008.
It usually (but not always) starts with a ring.
Emily and Jonathan, if you only knew how long I've seen this shot in my head. Thanks for going into that cornfield for me!
Two shots from Erica and Allen's e:session made it onto the list. How awesome is the color of that wall they're standing in front of?
This may be one of my favorite engagement session images ever. E-V-E-R.
I adore this shot of Siobhan's stylish wedges and Mario's Vans. It sums up their personalities...and how crazy they are about each other!
Ya'll know how I feel about the shoes. There's some gorgeous bridal footwear out there and I'll admit, each time I slip on my clunky black go-shoot-a-wedding-on-my-feet-for-10-hours shoes, I'm jealous.
From simple to holey-moley gorgeous, the flowers this year were amazing. There've been a few times that I've tried to come up with a quick bouquet for a bridal portrait and the results were pretty sad -- so my hat is off to all those florists out there who, every weekend, come up with amazing, gorgeous floral creations like this one.
And this one:
All that getting ready stuff is worth it when you get results like this:
It started pouring rain about 30 minutes into Lindsey's bridal portrait session, so we made sure to get some fun shots on the wedding day. Here's one of my favorites.
Just imagine me singing: "Looooovvvvve IT!"
Gotta give up a little space for the guys:
I must admit: I'm so over the whole "don't see the bride before the wedding" thing. But I love this image and yep, you guessed it, it's the moment Jeremy caught sight of his bride Melissa for the first time on their wedding day. Curse you, Jeremy...there goes my plan to convince all my 2009 couples to see each other before the ceremony so that we have more time for photography!
Just a few of the wonderful couples we've been blessed to work with:
Large bridal parties are always a challenge to shoot creatively...here's one of my "scores" for the year.
I really like the angle of this first dance shot -- it lets you see those adorable white lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Plus, awesome light!
Andrea and her dad. Love, love, LOVE it. This is Frank's shot and I'm so jealous he got it and not me!
Yum...my favorite job perk: cake. Cupcakes were big this year. I love this shot of the cupcakes from Andrea and Nate's wedding. Isn't the color of that orchid amazing?
We got to go to some great parties this year. How lucky am I? I love the colors and motion in this shot from Patricia and Jeff's wedding in July. That's Patricia's dad dancing with her with that great smile on his face.
Sometimes it's the little things; here are a few of my favorite detail shots.
A few dance shots I love:
And then, before you know it, it's over...or just beginning, depending on your point of view.
I think I'm definitely going to have to do a "Favorite un-blogged images: 2008 Part TWO." If you didn't make it into this post, rest assured your day in the Pixel Dust spotlight is coming!
I'll wrap it up by saying how humbled we are to have worked with each and every one of the amazing, wonderful, crazy-in-love couples we've met over the past year, not to mention their families and friends. Not to get too mushy, but I'm so grateful I have the opportunity to witness so many happy celebrations of family, life and love. You have our thanks, love and best wishes. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Alison and Brent were married way back in May in a beautiful ceremony at Duke Gardens. The day started out heavily overcast and threatening to rain. By the time Alison emerged from the Washington Duke Inn to get into the limo, all traces of gray had vanished from the sky. The rest of the day was just as wonderful. Alison was so calm -- I'll remember her as the Zen Bride. To me, this shot epitomizes how calm she was all day.
"Getting Ready" is one of my favorite parts of the wedding day to document. Shots like this one, with all the bridesmaids gathered around, each one working on some aspect of the process, make me think of all the brides throughout history who've had their close female family and friends around to help them prepare for this day. Back in the days of "Ladies' maids" I guess it wasn't such a big deal -- the simple act of getting dressed in the morning was a pretty elaborate process that required the help of at least one other person. Now that we can just throw on jeans and a T-shirt -- well, it makes the act of getting into what is most likely the single most elaborate dress we'll ever wear even more monumental. Couldn't this same shot (with minor allowances for fashion) have been taken 50, 100 or 200 years ago? I love, love, LOVE that beautiful window light!
The end result. Isn't she simply stunning?
The guys have it easier...although Frank reports that the button covers flummox at least one of them every time. Here's Brent, working on the tie. Granted, I've never had to tie a tie in my life...so who am I to pass judgement?
A shot of Brent and then one of all the guys...pretty darn spiffy, if you ask me.
One quick note about all the black and white images in this post: Alison and Brent's wedding was so classic and elegant. All day I kept thinking that it could have taken place in any era -- the gown, the tuxes, the details, the setting -- it was just timeless. There was something about so many of their images that just screamed "Convert me to B&W!!!" I don't have a fixed plan or set rules about which images to convert to black and white. There's no percentage of total images delivered that have to be in black and white. It's true that I prefer the documentary images to be in black and white (many wedding photographers call this photo-journalism. I call it documentary because that's what I'm doing -- documenting the details, sights and emotions of the wedding day.) Most of the time it's just a feeling I get about a particular image...maybe it's the composition, maybe it's the ratio of highlight areas to shadow areas, maybe there's just a weird color cast that I don't like in the original (that happens with digital images sometimes). Whatever it is, it's one of the things I like best about shooting digital: having the choice to convert an image to Black and White when I feel like it!
Alison and the ladies, waiting for the word to head down to the lower gardens for the ceremony to begin.
Oh my gosh, how I love a long veil. Such drama!
Alison doesn't know this (at least I think she doesn't) but right before she and her dad began the walk down the steps to the fish pond, a mother mouse and several mouse babies ran right across the pathway. I'm pretty sure her dad spotted them, too -- we exchanged a quick look of surprise (or was it horror?) followed by a shared understanding that we shouldn't react at all. I guess we shouldn't have been surprised -- it was Spring after all and we were in a garden. Still...not something you expect to see right before the bride begins her walk down the aisle!
The energy from their combined smiles as they met at the altar could have powered a small village for the day.
A detail shot of the sand ceremony. In case you've been hiding out under a rock (or crash weddings nearly every weekend), the sand ceremony is quickly gaining ground on the unity candle as the perfect way to symbolize the act of hitching your life to someone else's for all eternity. (Although I do wonder what happens the first time you move house -- how do you keep the sand from getting jostled all around and losing that pretty pattern?) Still, I love it and it makes a lot of sense for an outdoor ceremony -- no worries about the wind snuffing out the candles.
Tah Dah! Alison and Brent are MARRIED!!!
With every wedding, I try to have at least one shot of the bride and groom that is completely classic...if someone found the image 300 years from today, they wouldn't know when it had been taken. They'd just see two people in fancy clothes and in LOVE.
Some details from the reception at the Washington Duke.
First dance as husband and wife!
I think of this shot as Part II of the first image. :)
Jason, the best man, was a riot. Here he is giving the toast. I think this was right before he told Brent to take Alison's hand and cover it with his own. He then solemnly pronounced: "This is the last time in your married life that you will ever have the upper hand."
Action...
...reaction.
I have a 20x30 canvas of this in my office -- it's one of my all-time favorites.
Ken Holmes with Joe Bunn DJ Company did a great job with the tunes. Can't you tell?
A white tent under the mid-day sun...perfect light for portraits!
Last shot of a perfectly wonderful day. Thanks to Alison (for always being happy and relaxed) and Brent (for putting up with all the pictures.) We wish you both a long, long life full of love and happiness!
I'm doing things a bit backwards here -- I'll be blogging about Alison and Brent's gorgeous Duke Gardens wedding later this week, but I just couldn't wait to get a few shots from their Fearless Bridal session up. When we scheduled the session on November 3, we were all really hoping for gorgeous Fall colors to take advantage of, forgetting that here in the South, sometimes those colors don't come out in full force until later in November. We found two little trees in Fred Fletcher park, one orange and one red. Everything else was stubbornly green. Here are a few of my favorites taken in the park:
Because there was a wedding scheduled for the park that afternoon, we headed for the Warehouse district downtown. This is the area around Hargett and West Martin streets and I love it -- there's lots of industrial-style doors, lots of bricks and grunge. I think it's the juxtaposition of the bridal gown with the rough-around-the-edges feel of the downtown location. Plus, it's just unexpected, which makes the pictures all the more interesting. I love urban shoots!
I love this one of Alison and Brent cuddling up in front of these cool doors.
We found this spot behind a limo company (how appropriate) right off the railroad tracks. There was this great green vine growing all over the bricks. When I looked at the images later, I realized there was our Fall color -- the great rusty red of the bricks, the muted yellow-green of the vine and the yellow of the sunflowers. Score!
But black and white is always classic.
I couldn't resist working the railroad tracks in to the shoot.
I love the texture in a brick wall -- not to mention all the color variation from brick to brick.
The last shots of the day as the light was fading. Yep -- I got down in the middle of the road for these next few shots. Brent loves having his picture taken so much that I joked that he wasn't going to tell me if a car was coming. Somehow, I survived...
Maybe my favorite. So romantic.
I have really enjoyed working with Alison and Brent over the past year. They are definitely one of my all-time favorite couples. Alison's emails always crack me up -- I love hearing from her. And even though Brent hates having his picture taken and he likes to grumble about it, I think he secretly enjoys our sessions. Plus, all he has to do is to look at his bride and he gets what I call the "Look." I think he looks pretty darn awesome. Thanks, you two, for a really fun Fearless Bridal session! I'm gonna miss ya (sniff)!
How I love, love, love the images from Michelle's bridal portrait session. Here's my favorite. I have a giant canvas of it in my new office.
I have to tell you the story behind this bridal session. To say Michelle is a Duke fan is to make an enormous understatement. She not only holds her undergraduate degree from Duke University, but just this Spring she also graduated from Duke's law school. She is crazy about Duke basketball, evidence of which you'll see later in this post. The term "Cameron Crazies" was invented just for Michelle.
(Ok, I made that part up, but they could have invented it just for her.)
Just thinking about how much work it must have been to finish law school, study for the bar exam and plan a wedding all at the same time makes my head explode. Michelle did have a secret weapon...her mom, Karen. Since Michelle was obviously busy this Spring I had more contact with Karen than I usually have with your typical mother-of-the-bride when it came to planning the engagement and bridal sessions. I soon learned that there is nothing "typical" about Karen. I'm pretty much convinced that she could arrange just about anything necessary to give her daughter the wedding of her dreams. This included having Michelle's bridal portrait made not just at Duke Gardens, but also on the Duke Chapel grounds and INSIDE Cameron Indoor Stadium. When Karen first told me that Michelle wanted to have her picture made in front of the chapel, I whipped out my handy-dandy copy of the Duke Chapel Rules and Regulations for Photographers to let her know that on page 670, paragraph three, subsection A, only brides getting married in the chapel may use the grounds for their bridal portraits. Appointments must be made, sometimes months in advance. I was pretty sure that if we showed up unannounced to shoot the session at the Chapel, we would quickly be surrounded by a Duke Swat Team and escorted off the premises. I would have my Duke Gardens permit revoked and Sweet Life Photography would go to the top of the list of photographers NOT allowed to work inside the chapel EVER again.
Of course, that's not what I said. It came out more like, "Umm, I don't think we can do that." (And I'm just kidding about the guidebook. It's only a few pages long and is actually very helpful.) Karen was quiet for a minute, then said, "Let me get back to you."
Karen, if you're reading this (and I know you are), I thought to myself, "Good luck, lady."
Naturally, she called me back a few hours later and said, "We're all set!"
I'm telling you, don't mess with Karen. I'm convinced she can do anything and frankly, I'm just a little bit scared of her.
Anyway...that's how I ended up being able to get this shot (Michelle's pick):
I love the detail on these doors. Michelle's radiant smile is pretty killer too.
Of course, we had to shoot at least a few in the gardens.
Once the light was gone, it was time for the craziest, coolest part of the session...shooting inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Turns out not only does someone at Duke owe Karen some favors (just kidding, Mom -- can I call you Mom?), but she knows Coach K. He gave the OK himself. Having never done many bridal portraits inside a gymnasium (and frankly, who has?), I was a little nervous about how it would go. My worries were pointless since it turns out that my camera has declared its undying love for Michelle and refused to take a less-than-gorgeous picture of her.
First stop, Krzyzewskiville...or however you say it. According to Michelle, she spent many a night camped out waiting to get her season basketball tickets.
Michelle wanted to try to get an image up in the stands. I loved the idea, so up we went. One thing you should know about the upper deck in Cameron Indoor: it's really not a good place to be with a wedding dress on. I'm convinced there was at least two inches of gunk on the floor. Ewww. But I love this shot!
A blue Cameron Crazies wig in her wedding gown? Seriously, I just love her.
One of the very best things about my job is that it is never, ever boring. Thanks Michelle (and Karen and Coach K) for one of the most original and fun bridal sessions ever.
Stay tuned for images from Michelle and Ryan's beautiful August wedding. At the rate I'm blogging it should be up in 2009.
(Just kidding, Karen!)
Someday soon, I won't begin a wedding post with the words: "I'm soooo behind on blogging."
Until that far-off day...
Erin and Matt were married on a beautiful Saturday in May (yes, I said May) at Duke Chapel. We're so lucky to have such a beautiful location for weddings and worship in the Triangle area. I've been in few places that I can describe as awe-inspiring, but this place truly fits that description. I was drooling all over myself to be able to shoot here!
Erin started out the day with her bridesmaids getting ready in her suite at the Millennium Hotel in Durham. I always enjoy photographing the getting-ready process. It's just so girly and full of anticipation.
Erin warned me that her dad might be emotional, but I think he kept it together very well! I love this shot of him watching his little girl prepare for her wedding.
The end result. Erin, you looked absolutely stunning!
The process is much simpler for Matt. Tux, shoes, cuff-links, tie...but more on the tie later.
Erin's gorgeous bouquet came from Ninth Street Flowers.
Erin's cutie-patootie niece was the junior bridesmaid. Doesn't she have the most gorgeous hair? We were good buddies before the night was over.
Matt's dad Bruce was obsessed with his tie. He was worried that it was crooked and was determined his son was going to be spit-shined on his wedding day. Erin's dad Ralph got in on the action too.
Still not quite right. I think I saw that same expression on Daniel's face the last time I tried to fix his hair.
Hhmm. Looks fine to me! (But I will be the first to admit I could not tie Frank's tie if my life depended on it.)
Ladies...
And gentlemen...
Erin and Matt are...
MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After some quick formals, it was back over to the Millennium for a very elegant reception, complete with an amazing string quartet. The cake was from the always fabulous Lorie at Simply Cakes. I always get a major case of the happies when I find out the cake is one of Lorie's creations. They're always gorgeous and more importantly, they taste great! Don't you just love that bow? One of these days I'm going to call her and see if I can come hang out in her pastry kitchen. And maybe taste a little frosting, you know, just to be sure that it's up to the usual standards.
Ah, cake...every wedding photographer's reward for a long day on your feet! I'm always so sad if I'm working too hard to sneak just a little piece.
A heart-felt toast:
A bubbly finale to a beautiful day.
Congratulations, Erin and Matt...it was so awesome getting to know you and being a part of your wedding day. Stay warm up there in Michigan!
To see more from Erin and Matt's wedding, click here.
Everybody, meet Makayla.
Makayla, meet everybody.
Some flower girls are made; others are born. Makayla was born to be a flower girl. It's in her girly DNA. And really, what's not to like?
You get to wear a little make-up and new jewelry:
Super-cute shoes -- with heels.
And the perfect bag to tie it all together.
Plus, the most popular girl in the room is your BFF.
Your new BFF is really a beautiful princess (in a sparkly dress):
There's a handsome prince:
And lots of pretty things (what girl doesn't love flowers?):
There is a down-side to being a flower girl. You have to take pictures with boys.
And sometimes you have to give up your basket of flower petals in order to persuade one of the little stinkers to walk down the aisle. But what he doesn't know is you really wanted to carry the rings anyway. (It's best to let him think it was his idea.)
Boys. They just don't take this whole wedding thing seriously.
You have to be able to stand still a lot.
And another thing: there's quite a bit of kissing. Ick.
But they don't seem to mind too much.
Did I mention the kissing?
The best thing about a wedding...the cake!
It does make people do funny things though.
After it was all over, we got to throw fluffy pink confetti at them!
Yep, being a flower girl rocks. And the best part: the beautiful princess and the handsome prince get to live happily ever after.
(View Kristen & Austin's slide show here.)
I'm about to blow my whole "gonna keep these posts short in order to catch up" promise right out of the water. I'm so excited about these pictures and just couldn't narrow down the ones I wanted to share on the blog. Lauren and Andrew are just too gorgeous and too in love, not to mention one of my favorite couples ever, to cut it short. You may remember a few posts back my offer of a free "Fearless Bridal" session to the first three brides who responded. (The Fearless Bridal concept is less extreme than "trashing the dress.") Lauren was one of the first brides to call, much to my delight -- she is so much fun and so easy to photograph! On the day of the session, we met first in downtown Apex, just wandering around looking for great places to shoot. I found this wall in a back alley, really liked the blue and thought it would make a great background. Typically I try to stay out of back alleys, but sometimes it's worth it! :)
Lauren and Andrew had already done some location scouting for me, so next we headed to the Historic Society building to use the cool red caboose that sits next to the railroad tracks. Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers and I love to use them in sessions. I really like how they pop off the red of the caboose.
There was no way I could be so close to the railroad tracks and not make use of them, so we ventured out for some shots. After a bit, we heard the train whistle way off in the distance. The whistle kept getting closer and closer, but a by-passer assured us the train was still a way off, so I kept shooting. Soon we noticed people pulling up to the railroad crossing and getting out of their cars. Apparently, watching the train go by is a big night out in Apex! I fired off one last shot:
And then we saw this:
Did I mention I call this "Fearless Bridal"? Well, there's why.
Next to the railroad tracks, we found some great locations behind the businesses lining Main Street.
You can tell a lot about how comfortable someone is by what they're doing with their hands. And I love the hot pink nails!
Recipe for a cool image: Take a brick building with teal trim and burgundy railings (nicely run-down), lots of cool lines, add in great light bouncing up off the pavement and a couple of gorgeous newlyweds. Don't forget the sunflowers. Love it!
Now for my favorite part of the shoot. Andrew found this awesome open field of green grass that was the perfect height. The field was slated to be plowed over in a few weeks to make way for a subdivision (if you live in Wake County, this will come as no surprise to you.) The light was perfect, soft and golden:
Check it out. I can never remember if this baby is an H1 or an H2. Somebody help me out. And yes, I caught a ride. Quite a different experience from my little Forrester.
The image below is one of my all-time favorites. Definitely in my top ten. Thank you, Lauren and Andrew!
Just a little sun-flare...
One of the sunflowers bit the dust, so we used it to show off the rings:
I use Doug Boutwell's Totally Rad Photoshop actions quite a bit when I'm processing and love the look they give to my images. Some of my favorites are "Antique Tone", "Technicolor Dream World" and "Warm It Up Kris." I used "Prettyizer" on the following image. Doug must have fun coming up with names for his actions.
The light was fading very quickly, but we were able to grab a few more shots before it was completely gone. I processed the great majority of the images in the field in color just because of all the variations in green, yellow and brown in the grass, but I also really like the monochromatic feel of the next one and the black and white below it.
Lauren was so patient with me while I worked on these images in between all the weddings, engagement sessions and bridal portraits I've done this Spring. Here's what she wrote when I sent her the link to the slide show:
"You HAVE to know I woke up, was 1/2 asleep, checked my email and literally bounced up and down when I got your email and made Andrew wake up an HOUR early (trust me, that's hard to do) to view the images with me! I am so excited!! I love them ALL! Awesome job!" Happily, she reports that her dress wasn't too dirty -- definitely not trashed. Mission accomplished.
To have the luxury of time -- which is what it takes to get images like this -- on the wedding day is rare. It's a good day if I get 10 minutes of 'couple time' between the ceremony and reception. Lauren, Andrew and I spent over two hours on this session. That's why I'm hoping more couples will consider a Fearless Bridal session after the wedding. Lauren said, "I was able to feel the excitement of wearing my wedding dress again but in a less paranoid sense. It was actually fun getting it a little dirty! The pictures capture our delight in being carefree and the love that we have for one another. It was so relaxed...I feel like it shows in our pictures. We were just us."
To see more images from Lauren and Andrew's Fearless Bridal session, click here.
Here's a little gorgeousness to start off your week. Holley and Justin met me at Duke Gardens for their e-session several weeks ago and I found myself thinking every time I looked through the camera: how lucky am I?? They made it so easy. I mean, how adorable can one couple be? Note: Typepad is having an issue with the way images are displayed, so these may look pixel-y (is that even a word?). Hopefully, they'll have it worked out soon...
The ring's the thing...
Duke continues to add to and improve the gardens. It seems every time I'm there, something new presents itself as a great spot for photos. I love this bench and the way it's surrounded by the larger plants and tree...it's like their own private garden. There's a quietness to this shot that I love. Holley's smile says it all.
This shot features details of one of the new bridges installed in the gardens recently. It's so pretty...and steep. You almost have to haul yourself over it by hanging onto the handrail. But it makes a pretty backdrop for a sweet kiss.
During my first meeting with the couple, as I was filling out their contract, Justin made sure that I spelled Holley's name right, not leaving out the "e". Such a simple thing, but full of love. Holley-with-an-e, he's a keeper! I can't wait for the wedding later this month!
To view their slide show, click here.
Lauren and Andrew were married on March 8, 2008 in Jones Chapel at Meredith College. There are a ton of images to share, so I'll jump right in.
I knew I would love working with Lauren from the moment I met her at the engagement session last summer. She's been so relaxed, fun, enthusiastic, easy to work with and up for anything! Of course, she's a Meredith girl like me. Here are a few of my favorites from her bridal portrait session.
I love the way you can see her engagement ring -- which is gorgeous -- in this one at the piano.
This image makes me think of all the girls who've been married at the Chapel and posed for their portrait on the front steps.
Here's the winning shot, the one that was chosen to be displayed at the reception. I love the bare toes and that smile is pure Lauren!
After our session at the chapel, we walked across the drive to the big field by the lake. I like this shot a lot -- Lauren is such a natural in front of the camera. I tinted this one because the grass was totally brown at this time of year!
Now back to Lauren on her wedding day with a few of her bridesmaids looking on.
Andrew, the handsome groom...
I love the sense of anticipation in this image. Frank did a really great job on this shoot. He was not feeling great that day, but he powered through and got some amazing images. I'm so proud...
Lauren chose pinks and greens for her wedding colors. Julie at The Blossom Shop provided all the flowers, including Lauren's gorgeous bouquet.
Check out Andrew's ring on the maid-of-honor's thumb. Those flowers were just amazing and I love the little green berries.
At one point when we were waiting in the bride's room for the wedding to start, I said to Lauren, "I just love your wedding! It's so..." and we both said "emotional!" at the same time. For a while there Lauren and her mom Cindy couldn't look at each other without tears. As Cindy helped Lauren into her gown, the tears were flowing.
They pulled it together for some very sweet portraits. Out of all of them, this is my favorite.
Lauren's Dad and his wife Gail arrived soon after. The look on their faces as they see her for the first time in her dress and veil is priceless.
Lauren and her dad. Moments like this are why I love being a wedding photographer.
Katherine, Lauren's cousin and the maid-of-honor, helps out with the garter. I really enjoyed shooting in this room in the chapel -- I love those windows. What great light!
One of Lauren's favorite getting-ready shots. "Who knew feet could be so pretty?"
I guess I should give Andrew a little more space in this blog entry! Here he is with the getaway car, a very cool red Hummer.
Reading a letter from his soon-to-be wife before the ceremony.
Jones Chapel is such a gorgeous place to get married. The chapel has large arched windows that let in wonderful light. One of the most striking features of the chapel is the pipe organ, which you can see in this image of Andrew's mom being escorted to her seat before the ceremony started.
A few images from the ceremony.
After the wedding it was off to the Raleigh Sheraton for the reception. As the bride and groom were waiting to be announced, I grabbed this shot of the rings.
The couple being introduced. Lauren's dress was so gorgeous -- I just love photographing a pick-up skirt. The way the folds of fabric catches the light is very satisfying for a photographer!
With friends and family looking on, Lauren and Andrew share their first dance as husband and wife.
There's a moment at every wedding where I get a little lump in my throat. Usually, it's during the father/daughter and mother/son dances.
The dances and a slide show of the couple growing up cranked up the emotion in the room all over again.
My favorite detail to shoot...the cake! It's the best wedding photog perk. Of course, cake every weekend is doing nothing for my figure. Lauren and Andrew's cake was made by Lorie at Simply Cakes in Apex.
Check out the painted-on details. A great wedding cake baker is a true artist. It was really good too!
This post is taking on mammoth proportions, so I'll wrap it up with a few more of my favorite shots. Patrick Cooke of PC Productions did a great job with the music at the reception. Kids can always be counted on for some fun dancing shots!
Andrew goes after the garter...
...mission accomplished!
One last dance and they're off to St. John.
Lauren and Andrew, it was an amazing day and so great to be a part of it. We loved working with you and can't wait for the Fearless Bridal shoot later this month! And just FYI, I still want a ride in that red Hummer.
View the wedding slide show here.
Jen and Carl were married Saturday, April 12 at the Dail Center at NC State's Carter-Finley Stadium. I thought their departure was so cool I wanted to get this image up quickly in case anyone out there is looking for a unique idea: fun sticks! In keeping with the athletic setting and using the colors in their wedding, Jen and Carl provided their guests with the noisemakers to see them off into the world as husband and wife. What a fun way to end a great day. Stay tuned for more images from this wedding soon!
Jaime and Brad met when they were both working at The Blue Martini in downtown Raleigh. After Brad proposed, they walked together down Fayetteville Street, so when we began planning their e-session, the couple knew they wanted to incorporate an urban setting. One of the most awesome things I did last October at Corey McNabb's Rockstar Wedding Photography Workshop was a night-time engagement shoot in downtown Asheville (on Halloween no less -- believe me, the freaks were out). I would have never considered doing an e-session at night before the workshop, but I loved the results. It's truly amazing how much light you can find in an urban area at night. I mentioned it to Jaime and Brad and was excited when they loved the idea. We started at City Market at dusk and made use of some great purples and greens in a nearby mural.
More great art in City Market...the pig looks positively scandalized. I love a little glow on an image!
Brad has the whole heel-click move down. Wish I could do that.
I love this shot...they are sitting on the sidewalk leaning up against the door of a bar. There was this beautiful light bouncing up on their faces from nothing more than a simple white concrete sidewalk. The light was really starting to fade, but somehow, it worked!
Re-creating the post-engagement stroll down Fayetteville Street...
A cool spotlight under an awning. I really like the expression on Jaime's face in this one and all the red and yellow light!
Probably my favorite of the night in front of Blue Flame Tattoo on Hillsborough Street. How cool is it that the bike just happened to be parked right where I needed it?
Jaime and Brad, thanks for being so adventurous and up for anything. This was one of my favorite engagement sessions ever. It was a lot of fun to step outside the norm and do something different. I'm really looking forward to the wedding in October!
View the slide show here.
Meghan and Preston were married on March 1 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary, NC. Meghan and I have something in common: we both love photography and bald guys! (OK, Frank, nearly bald. Plus, Preston surprised me by showing up at our pre-wedding meeting with hair on his head.) I shot Meghan and Preston's engagement session back in the Fall and never got around to blogging about it, so here's the link to view their slide show.
I loved Meghan's dress. I don't know how to describe the color but it was gorgeous and suited her perfectly.
I just love a pick-up skirt! It photographs so nicely. Here's another view of the dress that shows the embroidery on the bodice:
Meghan's mom and dad once owned a florist shop. Naturally, they created the beautiful flowers for the wedding. The flowers themselves came from the Flower Cupboard, then the bride's mom worked her magic.
St. Michael's has recently been renovated and the interior is lovely. It was refreshing to shoot in a church with yellow walls and blue carpet! Plus, it was obvious that someone had put a lot of thought into the lighting inside the church. It was perfect. I love how the light is on Meghan's face as she listens to the words of the priest. He was one cool dude.
Mission accomplished! I love the feel of forward motion in this image.
We didn't have long inside the church, so after a few quick formals, the wedding party and immediate family headed over to Duke Gardens for photographs before the reception. Here's a shot of the groom, his new wedding ring shining.
Preston with his mom. Moments like these are why I feel so lucky to have the job that I have.
One of my favorite things about Duke Gardens is the stone used throughout. Here's a shot of Meghan by one of the two little stone houses on either side of the main terraces. The gold and blue tones in the stone are so unusual, but so lovely and warm. Frank will tell you that I drive him crazy at home insisting on symmetry in the way I hang pictures on the wall and arrange items on the mantel, but when it comes to photographs, I really love asymmetry, for things to be off-center. I use the rule of thirds a lot, visually dividing an image into thirds using two horizontal lines and two vertical lines then placing the subject of the image at or near the intersection of any of the four resulting points. I really like having the bride's face off-center in this image. Not only does it allow the beauty of the stone to shine, but her lovely features seem to pop right out of the image. I think Meghan made an absolutely stunning bride. By the way, her make-up was done by MAC in Nordstrom's at Southpoint.
A sweet moment between the newlyweds under the most perfect trees...
After pictures, we all headed over to Maggiano's in Durham for the reception. What a fun place for a reception and a great place to photograph!
There was some incredibly enthusiastic dancing at Meghan and Preston's reception and I found myself grinning from ear-to-ear while I was working. How many people can say that they come home from their job and their face hurts from smiling so much? We are so lucky. Here's a shot of Preston getting in to the great music provided by Tracy Telenko fromBowtie Mobile DJ and Sound.
Guess which song is playing in this shot. "YMCA", maybe?
There were so many great moments from Meghan and Preston's reception that I could go on and on. Here's the slide show so you can check them out for yourself. Look for the shot of the guys standing around looking at the garter on the floor. They must think it's infected with smallpox...nobody is picking that thing up!
Meghan and Preston, we had such a blast photographing your wedding. We wish you great love and happiness in future!
Valerie and Lionel actually married some years ago in Las Vegas. Lucky for us, we got to be there when they renewed their vows. Couples like Valerie and Lionel, their friends and family (including their three handsome sons) and celebrations like the one they threw in Durham on February 23rd are the reasons why I love my job! We had so much fun and there were lots of great moments to capture.
Valerie's wedding shoes were amazing! If you read this blog often, you know how I love to photograph wedding shoes. I know it's partly because I don't ever get to wear really awesome shoes anymore (there's no way I could work in heels). Yes, I'm living vicariously through my clients...sad but true! Talk about some fierce high heels...
Her dress was equally gorgeous. I loved all the embroidery and special details like the brooch at the waist. When I photograph a dress, I like to try to make it look almost other-worldly...after all, it's no ordinary dress. Hanging the dress in a window so that the light passes through it is one of my favorite ways to showcase it.
The amazing Theresa Edwards of A More Beautiful You (email: amorebeautifulu@yahoo.com) did Valerie's hair and make-up. (More on Theresa in a soon-to-follow post). I'm a huge proponent of having your make-up done by a professional on your wedding day. A good make-up artist knows how to highlight your features so that they really pop in photographs. I thought Valerie was absolutely stunning.
Lionel is a dentist with a thriving practice in Durham. A long-time resident, Lionel's a champion of the Bull City. Lionel and his sons got dressed for the wedding at the Durham Marriott which is near a plaza featuring a huge bull sculpture, so Frank grabbed this shot of him before the limo arrived.
Before the ceremony, we all headed over to Duke Gardens for photographs. I love shooting at Duke Gardens and typically, anytime of the year you can find something blooming, but strict water restrictions because of the drought we're experiencing in North Carolina are really affecting the plant life. Luckily, the redbuds (at least, I think that's what they were) were blooming, so we were able to use those to add some color to the images. Before leaving the house, I'd asked Valerie if she thought Lionel was going to get her a new wedding ring. She responded, "You never know with Lionel -- he's always planning something!" Sure enough, he pulled me aside when she wasn't looking to show me a gorgeous new diamond. Here's a shot of her reaction when her husband got down on one knee to present it to her.
I was able to get a closer shot of all three rings at the church.
Valerie and Lionel have three sons who each played an important part in the ceremony. The youngest served as the ring bearer, while the middle son carried a special family bible. The oldest son had the privilege of escorting his mom. I love this shot of Lionel as Valerie made her way down the aisle towards him...
...and the Nelson sons outside the church after the ceremony.
Back at the Durham Marriott, the guests were greeted by this cool ice sculpture featuring the iconic Love Story logo:
The first dance obviously involved some rehearsing and the couple pulled it off beautifully. Here's the bride, mid-twirl:
After dinner, many heart-felt toasts and the cutting of a delicious sweet-potato wedding cake, the party truly got underway. The reception is one of my favorite parts of the day to photograph. DJ Jeff Simpson with Simpsound Productions did a great job as Master of Ceremonies and spin-master. Lionel picked out over 14 hours of music for the reception and it was all phenomenal. Frank loved it -- I caught him more than once out on the dance floor, camera in hand, dancing while shooting! You know you've got a good job when you can dance at work and no one says anything about it!
Another service Jeff provides is room lighting, which is such a nice touch. Since lavender was the color the couple chose for the wedding, he placed lavender up lights around the periphery of the room. I love how the light influenced the look and feel of the reception photos. Little touches like this can go a long way in making a wedding unique. I'm a big believer in the value of using a wedding planner as Valerie and Lionel did, choosing planner Tracy Adams of Adams and Events to take care of all the big items and small details that have to be crossed off the master list of wedding-related tasks. I wish more couples would budget for planners. I think there's a mistaken impression that planners are an extravagance or that only high-budget weddings need a planner. In fact, most planners have packages structured much like other wedding vendors so that you can tailor how much involvement they have in the planning of your wedding. Plus, they can be a great resource for money-saving ideas. Even just having someone around on the Day Of to make sure everything runs smoothly takes the weight off the bride and groom and any family members they may have "recruited" as the unofficial wedding planner. You and your family should be able to relax and enjoy every moment of the day. Hiring a wedding planner is such a smart use of a portion of your wedding-day budget and can be more affordable than you might think. (This ends the Wedding Planner endorsement portion of the blog post and Tracy, I expect my kick-back in the mail this week.)
OK, off my soap-box and back to Lionel and Valerie. Remember those fierce shoes with the killer stilettos earlier in the blog? Well, eventually, they had to go. Check out the comfy pair Valerie donned at the end of the night!
What a great way to begin a very busy wedding season. For more images, check out the slide show here. Valerie and Lionel, we wish you many, many more years of happiness!
This is going to be a marathon post, so sit back, grab a cocktail (or hot chocolate) and relax. This was one of my favorite weddings of 2007 and I've got lots to share...
Whitney and TJ were married on December 22, 2007 at 111 Place in Cary, NC. I met Whitney and her mom Jan (my first VIP: Jan's the mayor of Morrisville) at the Bridal Show back in August. Whitney is so adorable and has such a great personality, I knew I was going to just love working with her. Whitney was working on finishing her degree in Math at NC State and planning a wedding, all while being apart from TJ, who was stationed in the Air Force in California. He wasn't able to make it back to NC over Thanksgiving, which was when we hoped to do their engagement shoot, so I didn't get to meet him until the rehearsal dinner. I have a soft spot for servicemen and it ain't just the uniform...I think it's cause my nephew served in Iraq last year. Here's TJ at the rehearsal.
On the morning of her wedding, I met Whitney, her sister and maid-of-honor Wynter and mom Jan at Salon Kroma in Cary for her hair and make-up time. It's so worthwhile to have a professional do your make-up for your wedding -- the pros know you need more make-up than you would usually wear to look great in photos and know how to apply it so you still look naturally beautiful.
After the salon and lunch, the ladies headed to 111 Place to get ready for the wedding. Whitney loves Chik-fil-A, so of course, there was a big ol' nugget tray in the room where she dressed. I should have gotten a shot of that, but I didn't, so Whitney's bridal shoes will have to do...one day I am going to do an album of just brides' shoes! Love the reflection of the shoes in the granite.
Even though it was late December and not much was in bloom, we were still able to get some beautiful images of Whitney in her dress out on the terrace of 111 Place. Give me some green trees in the background and I can make it work! Whitney's the third bride I've had in a row who chose red roses for her bouquet. I never get tired of photographing roses. Whitney looked amazing!
Funny thing about the roses...Whitney and her mom ordered them from an on-line wholesaler. The week before the wedding, they still had not received confirmation of their order even after calling, emailing, faxing...you name it, anything to find out if the roses were actually being shipped in time. Panicking a little, they began scouring the area with the help of her amazing wedding coordinator and aunt, Diane Cowan, for substitutes in case the others never materialized. The same day (Thursday before the wedding) they found a florist who could get the roses they needed for the wedding and reception decorating, guess what arrived...the roses from the Internet. So the whole place was just filled with red roses and absolutely gorgeous! Here's another shot of Whitney and her roses.
Whitney and TJ were great about giving me a list of specific photos they wanted. Here's one of their ceremony program.
I really love shooting in non-traditional venues. The freedom to move around and not be relegated to the back is so gratifying. It also helps when the couple is so enthusiastic about their pictures that they say you can be "this close" (imagine Whitney miming holding a camera right beside her cheek). I try really hard not to be a distraction when I'm working. I find most guests are pretty familiar with the role of the photographer and quickly forget about me. I wish more churches realized that. Now I will get off my soapbox and continue on with the post. To illustrate, here's a shot of the kiss from the back of the venue:
and the same shot from the front. Which do you like better?
That's TJ's dad Steve beaming in the background. That's another cool thing about being up front: reaction shots of family and friends! Whitney told Wynter, Jan and Diane that she thought it would be so cool if the couple's first kiss could be under mistletoe, but couldn't figure out how to make it work. So, unbeknownst to the bride, the three put their heads together and came up with a plan to suspend a kissing ball of mistletoe on a rod and have Wynter bring it out at the last minute once the minister pronounced them husband and wife. How awesome is that?
The reception was held at 111 Place too, so we had a little more time to shoot couple photos since the bride and groom wouldn't have to travel to get to their party. Here are two of my favorites.
One of my favorite area DJs, Ron K. Smith , did a great job with music for the reception. Here, Whitney and TJ kick off the festivities with their first dance.
The father/daughter dance was sweet and emotional. The day after Christmas, Whitney would be heading cross-country to make a home with TJ in California. She's really close to her mom and sister, so needless to say, the tears were flowing. Although Jan does look a little happy...and she's looking at Wynter like, "You're next, kid and then I'm free -- free I tell you!" (Maybe that's just what I might be thinking after raising two daughters -- one might get the best of me yet.)
After a very spirited cake-cutting, the party really got started. And boy, what a party. When I got home that night, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much!
Whitney's dad did a great James "Kiss Myself - Huh!" Brown impression on the dance floor. Or maybe he just got caterer Greg Lewis's bill! (It was worth it -- the food was fantastic.)
I love meeting the families of my clients. There were three sets of grandparents in attendance and all of them were so fun. Here's one grandmother, burning up the dance floor to "Come On (Ride the Train)!
TJ and friends in a less rowdy moment...
This post is getting really long, so I'll wrap it up with a few more shots. If you read this blog regularly, you know how I feel about the sparklers...oy vey, the sparklers! (I'll admit it is hard to beat them for drama.)
After the send-off, I followed the couple over to the The Umstead , this area's newest chi-chi hotel. I love this last shot made right before I called it a night...a very fun night!
Whitney and TJ, we enjoyed every minute of your wedding day. Thanks so much for letting us be a part of it!
View the slide show here.
Laura and Nick were married on December 8, 2007 at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC. Christmastime weddings are always beautiful, especially when the church is full of poinsettias. I love the way red and green pops in the images. Interesting fact about poinsettias, though: they spit. That's right. Spit. As in white stuff on the back of the bride's dress. Laura was so relaxed, though (my favorite quality in a bride, right after organized). She was the picture of cool while her bridesmaids rushed to clean off her gown. Here's one of my favorite shots of her:
Laura's white halter gown was gorgeous and involved...it took her mom about 20 minutes to completely lace her up. I love shots of the getting-ready process, especially ones of the bridesmaids helping the bride to dress. There's something about it that sums up visually the way women rely on each other through-out our lives.
I've always thought the guys have it so easy: all they have to do is put on a tux, which is just a slightly-more complicated suit. However, Frank reports that the button covers always present a challenge. Here's a shot of Nick and all his groomsmen, post button-cover trauma.
I had a good time photographing Nick's little brother Walt. One of the few kids at the wedding, he really burned up the dance floor at the reception and won first prize, in my book anyway, for cutest mini-adult. It's obvious Walt approves of his big brother's choice in a bride. Here's a shot of Walt and Laura. (Laura's gorgeous red rose bouquet came from Fallon's Flowers.)
When I first met with Laura and Nick, she told me that she loved the steps of the church and wanted to make sure we got some photos there. One of the best things about getting married at Christmastime is that a lot of the decorating is already done for you. The church was beautiful inside and out. Here's the happy couple on their way to the reception...
...and showing off their shiny new rings!
The reception took place at the North Raleigh Hilton. Laura and Nick's first dance was to one of my all-time favorites, Etta James singing "At Last." So romantic...
The cake by Wedding Cakes By Jessica continued the poinsettia theme. If these flowers could spit, it would have been sugar-spit. It was really, really good.
Laura and Nick were headed to Germany for their honeymoon, so the reception did not go until the wee hours of the morning. And instead of a frenzied sparkler exit, the couple chose a more relaxed send-off with bubbles, for which they will have my eternal gratitude. Will the sparkler craze please just fade away??
A great couple, a fun day...Laura and Nick, thanks for letting us share it with you! We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness (and German beer).
You can view Laura and Nick's slide show here.
Mariah and Robert were married November 10, 2007 at St. Mark's United Methodist Church here in Raleigh. Working with this couple has been such a blast, not only because they are great people, but they really love photography. We had so much fun during their engagement session back in the Fall that I couldn't wait for the wedding day. Mariah incorporated so many special touches to make their wedding really personal. Her grandmother is from Puerto Rico and Mariah chose to wear her lovely lace mantilla as a veil. Mariah's hair was spectacular! I love these shots of her with the red rose tucked into all those curls.
Mariah brought her christening gown with her on the wedding day to be photographed with her wedding gown. I loved the sweet little details on the dress and grabbed an opportunity to photograph it with her grandmother's lace mantilla.
Another grandmother's New Testament and Robert's ring, plus a shot of the dress:
Mariah's bridesmaids were so fun! Here's a shot of all the ladies:
And the guys were a hoot:
Mariah had always dreamed of a candlelight ceremony. The church had recently installed new light fixtures but not dimmers, so when the overhead lights went out, they went OUT. I panicked a little, but luckily, our Canon cameras came through. Canon cameras are the best for low-light situations and one of the main reasons I prefer them over Nikon for weddings. (This ends the product placement portion of the blog post!) I always ask my couples to pause at the end of the aisle for a quick kiss, like this:
(Mariah's gorgeous bouquet came from Kelly Odom.)
After formals, it was off to the reception at Sister's Garden, a Raleigh tradition that is a great place for receptions. Typically, I stay after the formal photos to work with the bride and groom a bit while Frank takes off for the reception site to start photographing details and get room shots. I always stick my car keys in the back pocket of my camera bag. Frank grabbed the bag and took off for Sister's, not knowing he also had my car keys. Fortunately, I was able to grab a ride in the limo with the newlyweds, the best man and maid of honor and caught one of my favorite shots of 2007:
DJ Kent Bloms with Joe Bunn DJ Company did a fantastic job keeping people on their feet for what was a really fun night. The couple's first dance kicked everything off:
I just love it when I catch the groom in a sweet moment! I have to say Robert is one of the nicest people I've ever met. It wasn't long before Michael Jackson's perennial favorite "Thriller" got everyone out of their seats:
Mariah is a dance instructor (hip-hop is her specialty -- go, Mariah), so the dancing at the reception was, at the risk of sounding really uncool, "off the hook." Here's K., showing some flare:
A shot of the yummy wedding cake from Edible Art. The bow on the cake was a copy of the bow on Mariah's dress:
The sparkler departure craze continues, which keeps us on our toes! It's a tough shot to get, but when you do, it's golden:
Check out the flip-flops -- a bride's most useful accessory on her wedding day! Congratulations, Mariah and Robert...we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!
Christine and Brad's e-session took place on a beautiful, if chilly, morning out at Duke Gardens. Usually I start my e-sessions at 8:00 a.m. in the hope of catching the last of the pretty morning light. The forecast called for temps in the 30's which is just not conducive to great outdoor images. Call me crazy. We pushed the time back to 10:00 a.m. I was a little concerned about dealing with strong sunlight, but lucky for me, I'd just returned from Corey McNabb's Rockstar Wedding Photography Workshop (or the McWorkshop as it's affectionately known) where the emphasis was on "extreme shooting" (more about the McWorkshop in a soon-to-appear post). I felt really good about utilizing the bright morning sun to get some cool shots. Turns out I shouldn't have worried at all, because these two are lit from within. I'm convinced I could have put them in a tool shed and gotten some great images! Two and a half hours later, we wrapped up what was one of my favorite e-sessions ever. After making use of many of the great locations in the gardens, we headed over to Christine's parents' place, a beautiful historic home near Duke's main campus. I'm looking forward to shooting Christine's bridal portrait there in the Spring and what I'm sure will be an amazing wedding in June. Check out a few of my favorite images below and view their slide show here.
I love this image. Yes, it's artsy-fartsy. But I'm allowed.
Cute pink shoes! Christine has found her Prince Charming -- raise your hand if you think Brad looks like Britain's Prince Harry.
Loved how natural they were having their every move photographed for over two hours...
Maybe my favorite.
Thanks, guys, for an awesome shoot. Can't wait until June!
I have been fortunate to get to work with some really great wedding vendors. When I come across someone who does an exceptional job, I like to let others know about them. So in that spirit, here are two people who recently really impressed me with their talent, energy and a great attitude on the big day.
Ron at Ron K. Smith Productions did an amazing job at Whitney and TJ's wedding on December 22 (watch for them on the blog soon). The music was incredible and he seamlessly guided the couple through all their reception events, from the first dance to the cake cutting, the bouquet and garter toss to the last dance. There's a reason he's one of the most highly-recommended wedding DJs in the area -- he's really great at what he does. Check out his website -- it's full of really useful info and planning tips. When I find myself dancing around as I'm photographing all the fun at the reception, I know that's one amazing DJ behind the mike! Ron's company also provides videography too.
Bonnie Boender is the talented floral designer behind the images below. She did all the flowers for Kristen and Matthew's October wedding. Bonnie is one of those people that you just automatically feel comfortable with from the moment you meet her. She does it all -- from gorgeous bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres to table arrangements for the reception. She's dedicated to her brides and will go above and beyond to make them happy, whether it's looking for a hard-to-find flower or searching out the perfect ribbon. Bonnie takes on a limited number of weddings per year to give her clients top-notch service, so if you're looking for a florist, send her an email today: bjboender@earthlink.net.
If you're a bride-to-be, please plan to stop by Sweet Life Photography's booth at The Wedding Show on Saturday, January 5th and Sunday, January 6th in the Jim Graham Building at the N.C. State Fairgrounds. The show is a great way to preview over 150 Triangle bridal professionals in one afternoon! Show hours are Saturday 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. Come enjoy an afternoon of fashion shows, cake test-tasting (!) and the chance to win some great door prizes, all while possibly knocking-out a huge chunk of your wedding planning. Imagine hiring all your wedding vendors in one day!
We'll have some beautiful albums and books to look through, plus plenty of other images from recent weddings and engagement shoots on display. Drop by and say hello! Plus, we'll be giving away a free ZOOM tooth-whitening procedure from Dr. Jodi Foy, DDS. Dr. Foy is a fabulous Raleigh dentist who is also a client -- I've had the pleasure of photographing her son several times. We'll select one winner at random shortly before the show closes on Sunday, around 3:50 pm. As Dr. Foy says, "Even if you're not wearing white, your teeth should be!"
Hope to see you there!
Ashley and Matt's wedding was wide-open, flat-out amazing! These two ECU grads began dating in high school when Matt's mom invited Ashley along on a family outing...she must have had a second-sense about Ashley, because these two were obviously made for each other! And they certainly know how to have a good time. Even their rehearsal was fun! The dinner afterwards at Venero's Pizzeria's Monti Hall was fabulous. There were lots of great moments during the dinner -- singing Happy Birthday to Matt's Grandad, watching the couple's parents open gifts from the bride and groom, listening to several very heartfelt toasts. I think everyone, me included, got a little choked up when Matt announced he'd been offered a job with Caterpillar in Illinois. You could tell everyone was really happy for them, but so sad they'd be moving away. It's obvious that this couple is well-loved by all their friends and family.
The wedding day was a celebration from start to finish. The weather was beautiful and Ashley looked amazing in her gown. I'm not sure I can describe it adequately in words, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. The rest of the wedding party was elegant in black. Ashley let her bridesmaids choose their own dresses and each lady carried a different colored bouquet of roses from Jody at Annie V's in Clayton that popped beautifully off the black. Matt and Ashley agreed to see each other before the wedding (but Ashley strictly specified, "No kissing pictures!") so that they could get to the reception as quickly as possible...with good reason! The couple chose the elegant Hinnant Family Vineyards for their reception site. What a fun party! Matt's fraternity brothers from ECU were there contributing to the general mayhem and merriment. Colin from Island Sound kept everybody on their feet dancing right up until the stroke of midnight. I'm convinced that they would have stayed until the wee hours of the morning if they could have! The image below was the last dance of the evening. The couple had already changed into their street clothes in prep for leaving for the hotel but they were still grinning from ear-to-ear. Matt and Ashley, it was a blast -- thanks for letting Sweet Life Photography be a part of your wedding day! To check out their slideshow, click here.
Katrina and Kelvin met through an online dating service. They began getting to know each other exclusively on-line and then moved to talking on the phone
for 2 to 3 weeks before finally meeting at Outback Steakhouse for their first date. Katrina says she still remembers every moment of that first date! Katrina has quickly become one of my favorite brides-to-be. She is such a genuinely sweet person and so well-suited to her job as a nurse at UNC Hospital. I originally met with Katrina and her sister (who I'm going to hire as my PR person -- she is my favorite cheerleader), so I hadn't had a chance to meet Kelvin until the morning of our engagement session. I'm pretty adamant about shooting in the morning -- I really like morning light and since I'm usually shooting in public locations, I don't like having to shoot "around" other people. You can have a perfect moment in amazing light, then have someone walk into the shot and it's so frustrating. Kelvin works nights and had worked the night before our shoot. He was pretty groggy when he and Katrina showed up at 8:30 a.m. for their shoot at JC Raulston Arboretum. I was a little concerned that I wasn't going to get any smiles from him, but he rallied quickly! Katrina and Kelvin are getting married on May 3, 2008, which is where I got the idea for the last image. To view their slideshow, click here.
Jackie and Brett were married on October 7 at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. I don't know what it is about the Carolina Inn, but whenever I am lucky enough to shoot there, inevitably, the images are some of my favorites. Maybe it's the gorgeous surroundings, from the elegant suites where the brides and grooms get ready, to the pretty outdoor courtyards where the ceremonies take place, to the elegant Old Well Room with its graphic black-and-white tiled floor. Maybe it's because that's where Frank and I got married over 17 years ago. Whatever magic happens there, I hope it keeps happening. I love Carolina Inn weddings!
When I photographed Jackie and Brett for their e-session, I remember looking at the images and thinking Jackie looked like she stepped out of a Kennedy family portrait. She has such lovely, classic features -- what they would call "patrician" up North. The dress she chose was actually called the Jackie Onassis! It was absolutely stunning on her, so obviously my Kennedy comparison was right on target. And of course, my blog readers will remember Brett as my Ashton Kutcher look-alike, so really, how could their wedding images be anything but gorgeous?!?
Looking at their ceremony pictures makes me wish I had that same freedom to move around during church ceremonies. I think it is so sad that most churches require wedding photographers to stay in the very back of the church. Now, I know there are some obnoxious wedding photographers out there who get way too close, but there's a way to capture the ceremony from different vantage points without being distracting and in-your-face. I love that Jackie and Brett's outdoor ceremony (and the couple themselves) gave me the freedom to get some angles that I don't usually get inside a church -- like shots of the couple's parents' faces as their grown-up children said their vows and formed a new family. To see what I mean, click here to view Jackie and Brett's slideshow. Now, I'll climb down off my soap-box...
We had to race to finish photography ahead of the quickly fading Fall light, then it was off to the reception in the Old Well Room. Frank got some amazing shots of the couple during their first dance and I love the images from the individual dances the couple had with their parents. There's always a moment in every wedding when I find myself getting all emotional and it's usually when the bride dances with her father and the groom with his mother. I don't know how that tradition began (I'm gonna Google it) but it never fails to make me go all mushy!
Kristen and Matthew were married at Apex Baptist Church on October 6. I loved the colors Kristen chose for their wedding. The bridesmaids wore chocolate brown and the flowers were a gorgeous combination of deep coral, peach and ivory -- perfect for a Fall wedding. Kristen told me when we got together for their engagement session that she'd always imagined herself in a princess-style dress -- big ball gown, big veil, etc -- but when she found this elegant beaded ivory sheath, she surprised herself by falling in love with it. It suited her perfectly. I'm so glad I can finally show off her bridal portraits! We were so fortunate to be able to shoot at the Matthews House, a gorgeous bed-and-breakfast in Cary. Click here to see the slideshow from Kristen's bridal portrait session.
Matthew is the Youth Intern at Apex Baptist and you can tell that he is such a valued member of the ministry team and the church -- everyone loves him! It was awesome to capture a shot of his expression when he saw his beautiful bride heading down the aisle toward him. After the wedding, the couple raced outside beneath a shower of rose petals to the limo that would take them to the Crabtree Marriott for the reception. What a fun party! It's been a while since I've seen such enthusiastic dancing at an afternoon reception! Check out Kristen and Matthew's wedding slideshow here. Working with this couple has been so great -- from their awesome chemistry during our engagement session right through all the smiles of their wedding day (Kristen even held it together when her hairdresser was over an hour late)!
I've done nine -- count 'em --- nine engagement sessions in the past eight weeks (not to mention five weddings, two bridal portrait sessions and two family portrait sessions...aaack!!). That's enough to sap anybody's creativity, but what keeps me going are the great couples I get to work with. Sometimes when I'm afraid I can't come up with anything new to shoot, just watching the interaction between a couple can spark new ideas and rev up my energy. That's the way it was shooting Brent and Alison. What a super couple -- fun, easy-going and so into each other! Brent and Alison are planning a May wedding and I am confident it's going to be awesome! Click here to view their slideshow.
I really had a great time with Mariah and Robert during their engagement session. Mariah loves photography and is so enthusiastic. Because I've done so many engagement sessions lately, I've been looking for ways to make them unique for each couple. I went out to the gardens on Friday before our shoot on Saturday and walked the whole place, looking for new spots to use for photos. Then I drove around Durham -- not an easy thing for me when I know so little of this part of the Triangle and gave up the Honda with the navigation system to Frank. I did manage to find some urban locations that I thought would work well in pictures. We spent half of the shoot at Duke Gardens. I'm been amazed lately that there are any green plants left in Duke Gardens because everything's been so dry. After finishing up there, we drove over to the Durham Food Co-Op and Grocery to use the awesome mural painted on the outside of the building as a cool backdrop. There was an abandoned restaurant across the street with a wild paint job, so of course, we had to use that too. Mariah and Robert were such fun to work with. I'm really looking forward to their wedding on November 10, so check back soon for their wedding slideshow! Click here to see their engagement show.
I'm so excited to post Molly Anne and John's wedding to the blog, yet I struggle to find the words to describe what a joyful celebration their wedding was and what an awesome group of people I got to work with. Molly Anne found me through my friend, photographer Regina Holder. We hit it off during a long phone call back in July when we discovered lots in common thanks to our families' history in the ministry. I was thrilled when Molly Anne and John chose Sweet Life Photography to do their wedding. The couple, both ministers, got married in Candler, NC in the Blue Ridge
mountains on a
lovely Fall evening in September.
Molly Anne and John agreed to see each other before the wedding for couple photos so that they could get to their reception faster. Plus, the beautiful natural surroundings at the Biltmore Lake Club provided an opportunity for outdoor shots that was just too good to pass up. Molly Anne looked so beautiful in her gown and her vintage headpiece and veil, worn by her mother at her own wedding. The wedding colors were a gorgeous combination of ecru, navy and purple. I loved the purple orchids in the bride's bouquet.
I have so many favorite moments from this wedding: the rehearsal dinner in a gorgeous home on the side of a mountain; the morning spent hanging out with Molly Anne and her bridesmaids in the spa-like atmosphere of Asheville Cottages (the bride hired a masseuse and a nail tech to pamper her bridesmaids); listening to the beautiful music performed by the choir during the ceremony; seeing the cutie-patootie ring-bearer do his job well and perform a little celebration dance afterward; experimenting with low-light photography techniques at the outdoor evening reception and capturing the couple's exuberant departure. Molly Anne and John, thanks for letting me be a part of such a fantastic celebration! It was an experience for which I will always be grateful.
Click here to see the slideshow.
Kristen and Austin dated briefly in high school, but it wasn't until a few years later that they re-connected and began dating again. Kristen says Austin was a "bad boy" in high school -- either she has reformed him or time has, because he was such a good sport about being dragged all over Washington, NC for the couple's engagement session. I drove down to the eastern North Carolina town for an early-morning engagement shoot on September 29. Washington is a beautiful little town on the Pamlico River. Austin proposed to Kristen in a boat out on the river, so it was a natural place to do their engagement session. We planned to meet at 8:00 a.m. at the city's riverfront, but when I checked out the light the day before, it was really bright -- the sun was really blasting the area, making it likely that the couple wouldn't be able to look at my camera without serious squinting. Even moving our start time to 7:30 didn't help much, so we found ourselves forced to use several locations away from the river, but I thought their photos turned out great. I especially love the shots of the couple against the old blue and white flower shop advertisement painted on the building and I love the shot of the two of them checking out wedding cakes in the window of the bakery! We used the beautiful red doors of the local Episcopal church as a backdrop too before heading over to Chocowinity to my sister-in-law's place on the river for a few final shots. I love working with this couple because they are so enthusiastic. I'm really looking forward to Kristen's bridal portrait and their wedding in April! Click here to see their slide show.
I met up with Ashley and Matt on a cool Sunday morning at Duke Gardens for their engagement session. The couple enjoy going on picnics together, so we decided to work that into our shoot. They brought a blanket and wine from Hinnant Family Vineyards, a local winery in Pine Level, NC where they will hold their reception; I supplied the sunflowers and strawberries. (You may notice Matt's holding a bottle of Tar Heel Red in the slideshow, yet it's obvious they're not drinking red wine. We decided to substitute apple juice due to the garden's strict policy against open alcohol containers on the grounds. Plus, tipsy couples are hard to photograph and tend to wander off!)
Ashley's engagement ring is so gorgeous, I really wanted to try to capture it in a unique way. A lot of love and care (not to mention that whole "two months' salary" thing) goes into selecting just the right ring and I think it deserves to be shown off in a cool way. The bowl of strawberries and the single sunflower became natural props for highlighting the ring Matt gave to Ashley.
A little web surfing led me to this factoid about the history of engagement rings in America: in Colonial times, any kind of jewelery was prohibited because of its apparent moral worthlessness. Instead, a more practical thimble was given as a token of love and devotion. Most women, however, after they were married, removed the bottom of their "engagement thimble" to form a type of ring. Even when it's outlawed, we ladies do love our bling. (An engagement thimble...can you imagine showing that off to your girlfriends??)
Here's what Ashley's mom wrote in a sweet email about the photographs:
"The engagement photos are ABSOLUTELY AWESOME - I can hardly wait to see the photos from the wedding and that is still 3 weeks away!! You really were able to capture their love for each other and to show their emotions instead of just having a picture. You created a situation where they were having fun instead of just doing a stiff photo shoot. We are blessed to have you doing her wedding. It means a lot to me to see her "absolutely beaming" during such an important event such as her engagement and wedding. Thank you."
Matt and Ashley are getting married on October 27th, so check back in
November for their wedding slide show. In the meantime, they've
graciously allowed me to post their engagement slide show here.
I was lucky to be a second shooter for my favorite photographer Regina Holder at the wedding of Elizabeth and Paul, who were married September 22 at The Yellow House, a gorgeous bed and breakfast in Waynesville, NC. Regina sent me to photograph Paul, his brother Chris and close friend and neighbor Todd as they got ready for the wedding. Let me say there's just nothing like walking into a room full of guys you've never met before and photographing them as they're getting dressed. I did ask that they tell me to step outside whenever pants had to come off and thankfully, they obliged. Shooting the guys is not something I do all that often because I usually have Frank with me to take care of recording that part of the wedding day. I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but sometimes that's just where you need to be as a photographer. I guess the highlight of the day for me came when I climbed up on a low garden table to get a better angle on Paul, who happens to be quite tall even when sitting, and went right through the table. Like a cat, I landed on my feet, saving my camera and what little was left of my dignity.
It was an absolutely beautiful wedding. Since Elizabeth is Greek, the ceremony incorporated many elements of a traditional Greek wedding. Elizabeth and Paul were "crowned" with matching white circlets connected by a ribbon to symbolize their unity as husband and wife. Paul placed Elizabeth's ring on her right hand in the European tradition. I hadn't realized that the US is in the minority when it comes to what finger we wear our wedding rings on.
I grabbed this shot of Elizabeth and Paul at the conclusion of their first dance. I really love the joy and excitement on their faces. Click here to see more images from the wedding.
Agnieszka and Andrew were married on August 4, 2007 at Reedy Creek Baptist Church in Cary. I loved the unique look of their wedding -- it's not often I see shades of orange done so well in a wedding! It was truly refreshing. The bridesmaids' dresses were a lovely burnt orange and they carried hand-tied bouquets of orange gerbera daisies. Agnieszka designed and constructed her gorgeous bouquet herself -- I believe she could have a second career as a floral designer if she wished! I always enjoy meeting the bride and groom's family members. Andrew's mom was a big part of the planning since Agnieszka's parents, sister and brother-in-law live in Poland. I tried to learn some Polish in honor of Agnieszka's family, but only remembered how to say "hello" when I actually met them. I love the picture of Agnieszka with her mother shortly after the ceremony -- a lovely moment in the midst of all the activity.
Following the ceremony, the couple and I went to the J.C. Raulston Arboretum for a dedicated photo session, something that is a rare treat for me. I love that they set aside specific time after the ceremony for photos of the two of them. Of course, this was in the midst of our August heat wave. I think it was still at least 100 degrees at 6:30 p.m.! I was so worried the couple would pass out from heat exhaustion and I would have to explain to their waiting families and friends that they would be spending their wedding night in the hospital! Somehow, though, we survived and together created a lovely, intimate series of photographs.
The couple's reception at Raleigh's Capital City Club was a blast. It was especially fun to watch Agnieszka and her father dancing to one of his favorite Polish songs. I'm embarrassed to admit I always tear up a little bit when the bride and groom have their respective dances with their parents -- the bride with her dad and the groom with his mom. There's something a little sad about it and I guess I'm thinking forward to the time when I'll dance with Daniel and watch Kat dance with her Dad at their own receptions! Andrew and his mom danced to Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and watching them, I really had to blink back the tears.
The groomsmen at this wedding were a hoot -- I think they were enjoying escorting what had to be the loveliest group of bridesmaids we've ever photographed! Enjoy the photos at right and click here to view Agnieszka and Andrew's slide show.
We had a blast Sunday at the Southern Bridal Show and Expo! Although it is always stressful preparing for a bridal show, it's worth it when we get to meet so many fantastic couples and their families. This was our first August show and I was excited to see how busy it was! Several vendors mentioned that it was really packed for August. Maybe everyone's just trying to escape the heat! Either way, I really loved getting to meet so many people and hear about their wedding plans. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth. If you are interested in hiring Sweet Life, please let me know...I've heard back from several brides and things are already filling up for 2008, which is very exciting!
The winner of the ZOOM! teeth-whitening from Dr. Jodi Foy, DDS is Lauren Parrish, who's getting married on June 7, 2008. Congratulations, Lauren!
UPDATE: Sweet Life Photography won "Outstanding New Exhibitor" at the August Show!
Agnieszka and Andrew were married Saturday, August 4 at Reedy Creek Baptist Church in Cary, NC. Agnieszka came to the U.S. from Poland to be an au pair several years ago. She was absolutely stunning in her gown and I am thrilled I got to photograph her. Andrew told me during their couple photo time after the wedding that Agnieszka used to be a model and it shows in their pictures -- she is so comfortable with the camera. Both bride and groom were fantastic to work with and so happy. Check back soon for their slideshow!
I've said it before, but I really love engagement sessions. It's one of my favorite parts of the whole process. It's such a great time for the couple to see how I work and hopefully get comfortable behind the camera. Lauren and Andrew were such fun and so gorgeous! They are set to marry on March 8, 2008 but wanted to go ahead and do their engagement photos this summer, a really great idea, especially if you're planning to do "save the date" cards. They met Frank and me on a hot Sunday afternoon at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham. Lauren's mom came along and Andrew's parents did, too. They were all such good sports about being dragged all around the gardens in the 96 degree heat! I'm really happy with their images and am looking forward to Lauren's bridal portrait later in the Fall, then the wedding in March. Click here to see their slideshow.
I can't say I "jumped
for joy" when Elizabeth and I decided to focus our photography business
on weddings. As a long-time freelance sports photographer my male
prejudice was that weddings would not be as challenging or fun to shoot
as a ball going into or through a net or flying over a wall.
Well,
I was wrong. While they require a different approach, weddings have
plenty of action and can be very challenging given the venues, tricky
lighting situations and various activities involved. I am still
required to get certain moments, like the kiss, that only happen once. 
The
photo in this entry is one of my favorites from a recent wedding and
reflects one of those once and only once moments, sort of like the
winning goal!
I had the privilege of photographing Kristen and Shane Friday night at the Rose Garden in Raleigh. I did their wedding in November, just a few days before Shane was scheduled to deploy to Iraq. I remember marveling at what a happy wedding it was, considering that the groom would be departing for a war zone in a few short days. Yet another example of the awe-inspiring dedication of our service men and women and their families. We owe them all our thanks and respect.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when Kristen contacted me to tell me that Shane was on his way home for an extended leave and asked if I would do some pictures of them. There hadn't been time to do an engagement shoot before the wedding, so we decided to use this opportunity to take some post-wedding "engagement" shots! Even after fighting the Friday-afternoon I-40 traffic on the drive in and having to work around a late-afternoon thunderstorm, they were still good-natured and ready for me to order them around (kiss her, soldier!) as we sped around the Rose Garden ahead of the fading light. Kristen and Shane, it was fun and I wish you all the best, now and always.
I have had the great good fortune of assisting several awesome North Carolina photographers at weddings recently. We call it "second shooting" in the wedding photography business. I just call it "fun" because that's what it is...no stress, just photographing what I want to and generally having a ball with the couples getting married and their families. Just last week I helped out my good friend Rick Ward (www.rickwardphotography.com ) at Amber and Nathan's wedding. I enjoy working with Rick because he basically gives me "just the facts" then turns me loose to shoot whatever I want to. I love being with the bride and her bridesmaids as they're dressing for the wedding. It's like girlhood on steroids in those dressing rooms -- hair's fixed, make-up applied, shoes exclaimed over, jewelry admired, flowers everywhere -- and always that great moment when the bride puts on her gown. Amber looked absolutely breath-taking in her wedding gown. Brides look so much more elegant these days -- no huge pouffy sleeves or enormous, butt-spanning bows (like I wore). I love the beauty and drama of the gown and the entire day and feel so privileged to be a part of it all. I should mention that these beautiful stained-glass windows can be found throughout their wedding site, the Long View Center in downtown Raleigh, NC (www.longviewcenter.com). If you're looking for a wedding venue in Raleigh, this is a great place to check out. 
I love my job. One of the best parts of this job is all the great couples that I am lucky enough to get to work with. I especially love engagement sessions and include them with every package I offer. It's a great time for the three of us to get comfortable with each other behind and in front of the camera before the wedding. It also gives me a chance to get to know the groom, since I often consult first with the bride and her family. Most of the time, it doesn't even feel like work, just fun! This was definitely the case for Matthew and Kristen's engagement session. We met out at the farm of friends of the bride's family, a gorgeous swath of country in the middle of the craziness that is Wake County in 2007. You turn off a busy, busy road and soon find yourself surrounded by beautiful, peaceful countryside. Kristen and Matthew visited the farm not long after they started dating and had a picture taken on the dock by the lake. They wanted to re-visit the site for their engagement pictures. We spent a lovely morning just having fun and taking lots of photos! Kristen and Matthew were great to work with, completely natural in front of the camera and up for anything I suggested. What better clients can you ask for? I'm so excited about their wedding in October and will be sure to post lots of images from what I know will be an amazing day. Click here to see additional photos from Kristen & Matthew's session.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
