Chapel Hill Wedding Photographers

Images We Love :: 2011

It's the time of year when it seems that everyone is making "Best Of" lists. Best movies, best songs, best books. Lots of photographers make "Best Of" lists, too. I don't do it every year; some years I'm just too over-whelmed by the process of trying to narrow down my favorite images to finish the list once I start. It's a little like trying to pick your favorite child. You can't. This year, after being inspired by a friend and colleague's "Best Of" blog post, I sat down at the computer, determined to do the same. Forty-eight hours later (not all in a row, I do have to eat), I've finally finished. There was simply no way to include them all in one blog post, so a slide show will have to do. (Scroll down to the end of the post to view it.) You'll see a few of my favorites below. I hope you love them as much as I do.

A word about how I compiled our list. To make the cut, only two things had to be true: the image had to be made in 2011 and I had to love it. That's it. What follows are not images from our favorite weddings or shots of our favorite couples. If we were blessed to work with you the past year and one of your images isn't represented here, know for sure that it's not because your wedding wasn't wonderful or you didn't measure up in some way. Nothing could be further from the truth. I gave myself a deadline and resolved to stick to it. The laundry's piling up, the Christmas decorations are still everywhere and the dog needs to be walked. Time to get up from my desk.

Throughout this process, I was reminded time and time again how very fortunate we are to do this work. How very lucky to witness, 20 weekends out of the year, the hope-filled celebration that is a wedding. Know that at each and every wedding, there was a moment where my heart was in my throat and I had to blink back tears. Many nights I left wedding receptions with my face aching from smiling and laughing along with you and your guests. Wedding photography, in my opinion, isn't about creating art to fulfill some sort of need in myself. It's about documenting a rite of passage, a momentous day in the life of two families, a leap of faith made when two people stand up together and make their promises. If we can give that day back to you in images that help you remember, we've done our job. And we consider ourselves lucky.

-- Elizabeth

Sweet Life Photography Best of 2011 wedding images

Jan 03, 2012 | Wedding Photography | 5 Comments »

Duke Chapel and the Siena Hotel: Vanda & Scott

Vanda and Scott were married on a beautiful June day at Duke Chapel in Durham. I adored working with these two -- they are so sweet and devoted to each other. Vanda incorporated many lovely hand-made touches to personalize her wedding -- this is one Etsy-loving girl! She stepped away from the confines of tradition by having her brother and her sister as her only attendants and walked down that long, long aisle by herself, meeting her parents two-thirds of the way to the altar and then walking the rest of the way with them. I loved every moment of their emotion-filled day.

Vanda, you were just stunning -- such a beautiful bride!

Vanda portrait in the arcades at Duke Chapel

Detail of Vanda's veil and gown

Vanda in the arcades

Vanda and her flower girls

Scott, lookin' good, my friend...

Scott's portrait in Duke Chapel

Scott with his grandfather (who was also his best man) in front of a plaque commemorating the contributions of Edwin Eugene Dacus, who quarried the distinctive stone used throughout Duke campus -- and also Scott's great-grandfather.

Scott and his grandfather in front of the Dacus plaque

Flower girls starting down the long aisle in Duke Chapel

Duke Chapel ceremony wide view of the chapel

Minister praying over Vanda and Scott at the conclusion of the ceremony

I love the moments right after the ceremony -- there's always so much happiness to go around!

Vanda and Scott are married!

Heading back into the chapel after the wedding for formals

Vanda and Scott in the arcades

Near the roses with the Chapel in the background

After the ceremony, Vanda and Scott and their guests headed for the Siena Hotel for an elegant reception centered around the fabulous food at the hotel.

We ate realllly well that day. :) (Thanks, you two!)

Detail of the Siena Hotel