I've said it many times before and I'll keep saying it: I love First Looks! Anyone who believes that you'll miss out on "that special moment" when he sees you in the your dress: call me, please! You get to have that moment -- you just get to have it in private, away from the eyes of your nosy aunt and your future husband's boss. (I'm kidding, I'm kidding. No, I'm not. First Looks are awesome!) I love how Joe looks a tad bit nervous in the first photo, but when he turns around to see his bride, he's all smiles afterward!

"You don't marry one person; you marry three:
the person you think they are,
the person they are, and
the person they are going to become
as a result of being married to you."
Richard Needham

Welcome to the party! Wow, do Lauren and Joe's friends and family know how to have a good time! Jason with Island Sound kept everyone on their feet all night. It was everything a wedding celebration should be. Lauren and Joe, thanks for letting us be a part of it!

"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...that's AMORE!"

Enjoy more of our favorite images from Lauren and Joe's wedding in their slide show:

The following fabulous vendors helped make Lauren and Joe's day one to remember:

Venue/Wedding: The Newman Catholic Center and Parish in Chapel Hill, NC

Venue/Reception: The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill, NC

Floral Design: Tre Bella

DJ: Jason Huggins with Island Sound

Wedding Cake: Simply Cakes

In true Carolina Girl fashion, Stephanie choose the perfect shade of blue for her eight bridesmaids' dresses.

What would a wedding be without giggly flower girls...

...and a reluctant ring bearer?

Love these two shots of the couple with their grandmothers.

Quite the color-coordinated (and good-looking) wedding party, right?

Rachel Hamm and her team at Bliss by Sam did a great job of coordinating the ceremony. Here's the wedding party lined up, ready to go.

I think we were all holding our breath, hoping that the rain that was threatening to pour would hold off.

It did.  :)

Best. Recessional. Ever.  I couldn't pick a favorite.

We had just enough time for a few couple portraits and the wedding party shots before the rain poured down.

A sampling of all the Carolina Blue and orange-accented details, featuring another edible work of art by the always-amazing Lorie at Simply Cakes.

Jason at Island Sound did a great job keeping everyone on their feet all night.

Stephanie and Scott welcomed quite a few kids to the reception. I think they had as much fun as the adults did. Who doesn't love the Casper Slide (Part 2)?

Ah...so inspiring to see the older generation passing along dance tips to the whipper-snappers.

I think he's got it.

So does the flower girl...

until a nap calls.

Last dance.

Whether it's walking down an aisle or making their grand exit from the reception, Stephanie and Scott are one couple who really know how to make an exit!

Stephanie and Scott, thanks for letting us share your amazing wedding day!

As promised, more photos from Gaby & Andrew's beautiful wedding day on August 15! Their fabulous reception took place at one of the most elegant venues in the Triangle area and my personal favorite, the Carolina Inn. I always try to step outside for a few exterior shots once the sun has set, but it's not fully dark yet -- that's when you get that beautiful deep blue in the sky.

Some details from the reception, helmed by the always-wonderful Tracy Adams of Adams and Events. (Seriously, call her -- she makes wedding-related stress disappear.)

The couple's grand entrance into the Old Well Ballroom -- there were so many flashes going off, this must be what it's like to be Brangelina.

The first dance. Gaby's just the right height so that when she looks up at Andrew, her face is at the perfect angle. Just one of those things photographers notice -- and love.

The exquisitely-detailed, scrumptious cake from Cinda's Creative Cakes. The inspiration: champagne bubbles!

Andrew's brother Jeffrey kicks off the toasts, while Andrew's mom and dad proudly look on.

Rather than toss her bouqet, Gaby presented it to her cousin and maid-of-honor, Emily. Gaby gave a wonderfully warm speech about how much Emily means to her. There's always a moment at every wedding where I get a little misty-eyed -- this was it.

I love this shot of Gaby's dance with her dad. I've been asked before how I make decisions about which photographs to leave as captured (in color) and which ones to convert to black and white. The answer is both technical and mysterious -- sometimes the color in a photo is perfect and enhances the subject matter, as in the photo below. I love how the colors in the background seem to surround Gaby and her dad.

But in this shot, up close -- I love how deleting the color and going with classic black and white helps to focus on their expressions.

Andrew takes a turn with his mom.

And then Gaby takes the floor for a spin with her stepfather, Arnold.

Later, Gaby danced with her mom, Marianne. Love it!

Everyone was having fun. This fine gentleman looks like he can't believe his luck!

Oh how I love to photograph guests having fun at a wedding. Nothing's worse than framing up the perfect shot of a guest having a ball --

then they notice me and turn their back! FAIL!

The talented DJ responsible for keeping everyone on their feet having fun? Mel Manning from Joe Bunn DJ Company.

But best of all were Andrew and Gaby, thoroughly enjoying themselves. It's too bad Gaby's so unexpressive. ;)

Gaby and Andrew met at one of Chapel Hill's most famous nightspots (I won't call it a bar) He's Not Here -- so naturally, the couple gave out cups with the distinctive logo.

Mayhem ensued. Just what was in those cups?

Weddings are also family reunions of a sort, so I'm always happy to take time out from the festivities to capture relaxed group shots like this one

of grandparents and grandchildren. These pictures are so important to get when everyone's together.

All too soon, it was time to call it a night. Last dance.

Off to Paris!

Gaby and Andrew -- words fail me. Thank you for being so wonderful to work with and giving us so much loveliness to photograph! We wish you everthing wonderful and a long life, with plenty of time for rocking on the porch together!

Amusez-vous a Paris!

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!