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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 03, 2012 | Wedding Photography | 5 Comments »

Duke Gardens Wedding :: Allison and Chris

Allison and Chris were married at Duke Gardens on a beautiful sunny day in September. A memorable day in many ways, not the least for its date: 9-10-11. (Try to come up with a good excuse for forgetting your anniversary now, all you 9-10-11 grooms!) There were so many things I loved about this wedding, from Allison's adorable red shoes, the punch of color in the bridesmaids' dresses, Chris and company's super-modern classic khaki suits, calla lillies...but perhaps the best thing about their day was the overwhelming spirit of love, fun and celebration that was in evidence every where you looked. This couple is blessed with an amazing group of family and friends!

 

The day started out in separate suites at the Durham Marriott City Center. I love documenting the getting-ready portion of the day in hotel rooms.  It's hard to beat window light and it can be found in abundance in hotel rooms thanks to those giant windows. Frank met up with Chris and his guys who were all pretty much ready because, let's face it, the guys have much less to do when it comes to "getting ready" than the ladies do! They headed out into the downtown Durham sunshine for some pre-wedding portraits while I photographed all the girly stuff. Then it was off to the gardens for some quick portraits. The couple chose the Angle Amphitheater behind the Doris Duke Center for their ceremony, perhaps my favorite site in the gardens for a wedding because of its relative privacy, something that can be in short supply in a very popular public garden. Chris's uncle performed the sweet and simple ceremony that featured the couple reading personalized vows to each other. Guests moved onto the North Terrace for cocktail hour while we shot some couple portraits and then it was time to celebrate! Be on the lookout soon for a post featuring their Photobooth images -- one of my favorite Photobooths ever!

 

 

 

Enjoy more of our favorites from the wedding day in Chris and Allison's slide show below. Thanks for letting us share such a beautiful day with you.

We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

 

 

 

Oct 06, 2011 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Duke Gardens Engagement Session :: Lauren and Daniel

Meet Lauren and Daniel. This adorable couple will be married in May at Campbell University's nearly-new Butler Chapel. Lauren is a Campbell grad and will finish up her Doctor of Pharmacy degree shortly before she walks down the aisle. Daniel is a second-year law student at the Elon University School of Law. Busy as they are, they found time to roam around Duke Gardens last Wednesday for their engagement session. Lauren and Daniel met in the 5th grade when they both took part in an AG program where students from different schools were "email buddies." It would be too perfect to say they were email buddies -- they weren't -- but they met when the two classes got together at the end of the year. Sometimes during a session, I'll ask couples to tell each other what they remember the most about the first time they met. I had backed off with my 200 mm lens, so I didn't hear what Lauren said, but I did hear what Daniel told his bride-to-be. "I thought you picked out really cool food at the Golden Corral buffet the first time we met." Lauren and I both cracked up! "Do you even remember what I ate?" Lauren asked. "No," said her future husband. "I just remember thinking that you were a really cool girl with good taste in food."

 

 

 

Lauren and Daniel, we're very excited about your wedding in May. See you soon!

 

 

Apr 11, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 3 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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott, lookin' good, my friend...

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!)

 

 

 

 

 

Love this shot of Vanda's mom and Scott's grandfather enjoying a dance together!

 

 

 

 

 

Scott with his mom. If you couldn't tell, the official color of Vanda & Scott's wedding was a certain shade of blue (and it was NOT Carolina blue)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vanda and Scott, thank you so much for allowing us to share your wedding day with you! We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Aug 17, 2010 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Duke Gardens Weddings: Marla and Dan are married!

Congratulations to Marla and Dan who were married at Duke Gardens this May. The sunshine-filled wedding day began with the bride and bridesmaids getting ready together in a suite at the Millennium Hotel in Durham. This is always a fun part of the day for me. I loved the detail on Marla's dress and thought the bridemaids' dresses were some of the prettiest I've seen recently. Those bows were adorable -- thank goodness Marla's mom was on hand to help tie them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the engagement session, I knew I was going to love photographing Marla in all her wedding finery. She was absolutely radiant.

 

 

 

 

 

One of the great things about having two photographers is that while I was at the hotel photographing Marla and her bridesmaids, Frank was at Dan's parents' home, photographing the groom with his family. Then he followed the groomsmen over to the gardens to get ready for the ceremony.

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as we got the word that the groom was on his way to the gardens, Marla and her bridesmaids went to Dan's parents' home too,

to honor a request by his mom for portraits on the stairs.

Beautiful surroundings, beautiful light and beautiful girls. Sometimes I wonder how we get so lucky!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding days always fly by so quickly. Before long, the ceremony was underway at the pergola in the terraced gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After photos at the gardens, we made our way back to the Millennium Hotel for the reception. While Frank was covering cocktail hour,

I was inside the ballroom, grabbing some detail shots, including floral designs by Floral Dimensions and yet another beautiful cake by the always-fabulous

Lorie at Simply Cakes. Have I said yet how much I love this color combination? If not, let me say it now: purple and blue is gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

 

Dan's parents are champion ballroom-dancers, so naturally, the First Dance was going to be special. Marla and Dan worked hard to master the intricate footwork.

If it's possible to rock a waltz, they absolutely did (or was it a tango?). I know Dan's mom and dad are so proud!

 

 

 

 

 

 L-O-V-E.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think I ever really gave much thought to the importance of having a great DJ until I became a wedding photographer. Troy Coghill did a fantastic job keeping everyone dancing all evening.

We love it when people have a great time; it makes our jobs that much more fun.

 

 

 

 

 

Dan and Marla, thanks for allowing us to celebrate your wedding day with you, your family and friends. We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

 

 

 

 

P.S. I'm trying some new blog templates; let me know what you think!

Jun 06, 2010 | Wedding Photography | 2 Comments »