Haywood Hall Wedding :: Carly and Bill

Kiss me with rain on your eyelashes,
come on, let us sway together,
under the trees...”
-- Edwin Morgan

 

It's what every bride and groom who want to get married outside dread: rain. When you're choosing a garden venue or the beautiful grounds of an old historic house like Haywood Hall in Raleigh, you only imagine how glorious it will be on your wedding day, with the sunlight dappled through the trees. So you plan for the possibility of rain, but you don't think about it much and then only with a whispered prayer that it will stay away on your day. And then the wedding week arrives and the forecast is...well, not good. Rain is likely. So what do you do? You pull out the rain plan and if you're like the lovely Carly, you buy really adorable umbrellas that seem to have been made just for your wedding day, so perfect is the design and color. (When I saw those umbrellas, they were so right I knew we were going to be using them in photos, even if it didn't rain one single drop.)

 

Maybe more nerve-wracking than a steady rain is a rain that starts and stops. Will we get married outside this beautiful old house or under a dark tent? What if we call it now and and the rain stops ten minutes before the ceremony? It made me nervous, the teasing quality of the start-and-stop rain. Carly and Bill had elected to do a First Look and Frank and I had found the perfect (and perhaps only private) place on the grounds, but it was entirely dependent upon the rain holding off. Luck was with us and we had the time we needed. I love Carly and Bill's First Look, so you'll see a boat-load (ark-load?) of pictures from their time together.

 

Thankfully, the heavy rain held off and everyone, from the wedding party to the guests, were good-natured about braving a steady misting of the wet stuff to allow the couple the wedding they wanted on the front lawn with the Rev. Barbara Lodge officiating. Thank goodness we'd done the bulk of the photographs before the ceremony. We had just enough time to get the combined family portraits done before the rain started in earnest. Protected under a series of tents in the back yard, family and friends enthusiastically celebrated until late into the evening. Before heading downtown to continue the party, Bill and Carly slipped away with us for a few final shots. Enjoy some of our favorites from this lovely wedding day.

 

 

 

 

 

Time for the First Look. I don't know which I love more: Bill's sweet expressions or Carly's emotional reaction to seeing her groom for the first time on their wedding day. Carly and Bill, we felt lucky to be there with you!

 

 

How perfect is it when even the greenery on the porch coordinates with the teal in your bridesmaids' dresses...and those two colors just happen to be your wedding colors? Carly is a graphic designer, so I'm betting none of that was an accident. :)

(Loved working with this wedding party! What a fun-loving group.)

 

 

Catering Works provided the floral design and catering, with special touches provided by the bride.

 

 

 

Carly and Bill, we thoroughly loved every minute of your wedding day. We wish you thousands of sunny days together...with enough rain thrown in to make the flowers bloom!

 

 

Oct 15, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 6 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 »

Raulston Arboretum and Downtown Raleigh Engagement Session :: Kelsey and Cory

Kelsey and Cory met at NC State in the Fall of 2008. Kelsey was a sophomore; Cory was a senior. Cory literally caught Kelsey's eye by riding his bike up and down the hallway of the dorm where she was trying to study, having been chased out of her room by an amorous roommate and her boyfriend. Kelsey and some friends noticed something or someone periodically zooming by the open door and, intrigued, she poked her head out to see what was what. What she saw was Cory, burning off energy (he's got plenty). He stopped, removed his motorcycle helmet and introduced himself. The two spent the rest of the night talking until 3 a.m. in the hallway. The rest, Kelsey says, is history. (Wonder if that's the subject she was supposed to be studying that fateful night?) :)

 

Fast-forward to 2011 and wedding plans are under full swing. When we started planning the engagement session, little did Frank and I know how much thought and time this couple would put into choosing just the right props to represent themselves as a couple. Of course, the match-making red bike would have to be a part of the session. (I knew I wanted to capture Kelsey still, with Cory whizzing by on his bike.) The couple are also huge photography fanatics, so they brought their DSLRs. We put aside our brand loyalties for a few shots and I'm happy to report that photographing a Nikon did not cause my Canon to burst into flames. I love the series of the two of them photographing each other. Cory must have jumped at least half-a-dozen times. Did I mention he's got a lot of energy?

 

On our way to the arboretum, Frank and I spotted this amazingly-detailed and brightly-colored graffiti wall. I was ready to get down on my knees and beg them to stop there quickly for a few shots, but they were up for anything. I LOVE the shots in front of this wall. I think I must have a repressed graffiti artist in my soul somewhere, just itching to be set free! The resulting shots are some of my favorites. I'm just crazy about all that color. And in case you haven't noticed -- how gorgeous is the bride-to-be? That close-up of her is one of my all-time faves.

 

 

 

 

After a quick outfit change, we were off to downtown Raleigh for the second half of our session. We found this purple and rusty-red wall that I couldn't resist, given the gorgeous colors in Kelsey's skirt. Kelsey and Cory love to cook. Baking and decorating cakes are specialties of Kelsey's and Cory reports that her Red Velvet cake is hands-down the best anywhere. They love cupcakes too and brought along a few from Gigi's near Cameron Village. I thought it would be fun to ask them to try to eat the cupcake together and see who could come away with the least amount of frosting on their hands and faces (no smashing allowed!). They enthusiastically embraced their mission and we only needed a few napkins afterward.

 

 

By the way, Kelsey? I love your shoes!!

 

Enjoy more of my favorites from the session in this slide show. Kelsey and Cory, we can't wait for your wedding next June!

 

 

Oct 03, 2011 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Bay 7 Wedding :: Emily and Doug

Congratulations to Emily and Doug, who were married August 6 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Durham. The couple met while students at Duke and spent many happy hours in Duke Gardens, so when thinking about locations for their First Look, the gardens were a natural choice. Mother Nature played coy with us though; heavy rains during the morning were filling my head with alarming visions of muddy wedding gowns, but the rains tapered off as we got closer to the appointed hour. After a few phone calls, the couple decided they wanted to meet in the gardens, muddy paths or no. I'm so glad they did!

 

 

One of the benefits of doing a First Look is the chance to get all your formal shots done before the wedding. This was important to Emily and Doug and their parents because they wanted to have a receiving line. Usually, I freak out a little when a receiving line is mentioned for the simple reason that our time between the wedding and reception is often very brief and receiving lines can eat up a chunk of time. I tell all our couples that the Big Clock in my head starts ticking as soon as they kiss and head up the aisle! But the couple made sure we had plenty of time for the receiving line and a few family shots that couldn't be made prior to the ceremony. And I have to admit, I do like the emotion that comes with all those congratulatory hugs and hand-shakes.

 

 

Emily wore Doug's mother's veil. I love it.

 

 

Bay 7 in the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham is a fantastic venue. Great light, exposed beams and brick and check that metal wall by the stairs. Such a great space! Beautiful floral design by Tre Bella and a classic wedding cake by Cinda's Creative Cakes provided elegant touches.

 

 

My favorite shot of the night.

 

 

I just have to brag on Frank for a moment. He is THE MAN when it comes to capturing the bouquet toss. Check it out!

 

 

You know the mighty Joe Bunn kept the crowd happy and on their feet all evening long.

 

 

Enjoy a few more favorites from the wedding day in the couple's slide show. Emily and Doug, we had such a great time photographing your wedding.

Thanks for letting us be a part of your day!

 

 

 

Church: St. Paul's Lutheran Church

Reception: Bay 7

Floral Design: Tre Bella

Cake: Cinda's Creative Cakes

DJ/Entertainment: Joe Bunn, Bunn DJ Company

 

Aug 24, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 3 Comments »

Prestonwood Country Club :: LaToya and Bryon: Part II

And now, as promised, Part II of LaToya and Byron's gorgeous July wedding!

 

For those of you just starting to plan your weddings, here's a tidbit of info to digest: it takes about 200 hours to plan a wedding. That's right: 200 hundred hours. That's five full-time work weeks. If you don't have five full-time work weeks to spare, how on earth are you going to plan a wedding without losing your mind? Easy. Hire a professional wedding planner. With incredibly busy schedules as professional basketball players who spend a good part of the year out of the country, LaToya and Byron knew they would need help to pull off the wedding of their dreams. So they turned to wedding planner extraordinaire Tracy Adams of Adams and Events in Cary. You've heard of some weddings compared to a runaway train? Well, Tracy was the engine that held all the separate "cars" of this wedding together so that it stayed on track.

 

 

Floral Design: Greg Warren Flowers

Lighting: Rick Bryda, Total Production Services

Entertainment: Greg Ramsey, Joe Bunn DJ Company

Venue and Catering: Prestonwood Country Club

Cakes and Candy Bar: Cinda's Creative Cakes

Hair and Make-Up: Theresa Williams

 

 

 

 

LaToya and Byron make a stylish grand entrance into their reception.

 

 

Crazy cool cake: check.

I've never see such a reaction to a cake before and it earned every single "ooh" and "aah". There was a parade of guests up the grand staircase to take pictures of it prior to the cake cutting. This was one instance where I think everyone hated for it to be cut! (Compare the two bottom images. The one on the right was shot before Rick with Total Production Services worked his magic with some dramatic red up-lighting. Perfectly fine, but what a difference the lighting makes!)

 

 

The surprise groom's cake, a replica of his Carolina-blue Buick.

 

 

LaToya and Byron are blessed to be surrounded by so much love and support from family and friends. There was a lot of love in the room!

I especially like these shots from the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances.

 

 

Tar Heels on hand! Byron with friends and teammates, past and present. Many of LaToya's teammates from the LA Sparks traveled to celebrate with her as well. And how priceless is the look on the flower girl's face? She looks ready for bed, but look out: she got her groove on shortly after this picture was taken. Maybe she was just tired of having a camera in her face!

 

 

LaToya's maid of honor Christina gave the sweetest toast. The two have been friends for a long time...long enough for Christina to have seen quite a few of LaToya's boyfriends come and go. She was describing how she knew Byron was the right one for her best friend when she said something about how many guys LaToya had knocking on her door in high school. Byron turned to LaToya and did a mock-serious "I've got my eyes on you" move while her mom and dad were in stitches.

 

 

One bouquet and garter toss later, it was time to dance!

 

 

To close out this blog post, I leave you with a shot of LaToya and Byron posing with their cardboard twins (a 7-foot cut-out specially made from one of their engagement session pics). If you'd like to see more Photobooth mayhem, check out their album on the Sweet Life Photo Facebook page (just "Like" to be able to view the images and leave comments). We had such a great time photographing this wedding! LaToya and Bryon, we wish you a future of "nothing but net". Thanks for everything!

 

 

 

 

Aug 18, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 3 Comments »

Prestonwood Country Club Wedding :: LaToya and Byron: Part I

There is so much fabulousness (is that even a word?) to LaToya and Byron's July wedding at Prestonwood Country Club that I have to break this blog post up into two parts. There's just so much to show you! And it was so magnificent it's best to take it slowly and spread it out. (Kinda like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows or Twilight, Parts I and II...if one movie is good, two must be better, right? And that's the last pop culture reference you'll get today, promise.) The wedding was planned and coordinated by one of my favorite wedding professionals, Tracy Adams of Adams and Events.

 

LaToya and Byron met while they were both students at UNC-Chapel Hill. To say basketball is a shared passion is to put it mildly. Born and raised in Mississippi, Byron was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year before playing for the Tarheels. Carolina fans will recognize him as a member of the 2005 National Championship team. Byron is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. He currently plays for the Lugano Tigers in Switzerland, the Swiss league champions in 2011. LaToya was born in Germany while her parents served in the US military.  She also played four years at UNC from 2004-2008 and was the 13th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft, going to the Phoenix Mercury. She is currently playing for the LA Sparks in the WNBA and in the Turkish Professional Leagues. That's right: Byron plays for Switzerland. LaToya plays for Turkey. When we met for their engagement session, we talked a little bit about what it was like to be apart for a good chunk of the year. Needless to say, it's tough. It's also a challenge for LaToya to live in a country so unlike her own. But she said that going to visit Byron in Switzerland helped to make up for it, especially since she would fly into the Milan airport and spend at least part of each trip shopping in the fashion capital of the world! Byron and LaToya are the kind of people you'd love to hang out with. Imagine the stories they could tell.  We didn't get to spend nearly enough time with them!

 

On to the photographs! I'm just going to get the hyperbole out of the way now: Magnificent. Opulent. Warm. Emotional. Funny. Real. That pretty much sums it up!

 

 

 

 

Byron and his groomsmen. Have you seen a sharper-looking bunch of guys? Oh, to be a red rose boutonniere. :)

 

 

I could have photographed LaToya all day. Side-view, profile, up-close, far away, looking up, looking down: beautiful from every angle! Her hair and make-up was expertly done by Theresa Williams, who is, no question about it, one of my favorite make-up artists working in the Triangle. If you'd like her contact info, leave a comment or send me an email. Theresa, you are a true pro!

 

 

 

 

The three cymbidium orchids in LaToya's bouquet by Greg Warren Flowers were in memory of much-loved family members not in attendance, but close by in memory. Tears weren't far from the surface, especially when LaToya's father saw her in her gown for the first time. But there was plenty of happiness and laughter, especially when Byron's on-the-spot groomsman helped him out with a little breath pick-me-up before the big kiss!

 

 

Stay tuned...Part II is coming up tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

Aug 17, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 1 Comment »

Pinehurst Engagement Session :: Kristin and Zack

Meet Kristin and Zack. Among their many talents, looking cool in 100+ weather is right up at the top. How did they do it? I was a sweaty mess. The only glow off these two was, well, the glow of LOVE. Say it with me now...awwww!

 

Kristin and Zack met while students at NC Sate. After graduating this Spring, the couple moved to New York where Kristin works as the Assistant Manager at the American Eagle Outfitters flagship store in Times Square and Zack as a Sales Manager at C.H. Robinson. Kristin grew up in Pinehurst, NC and Zack loves golf. If you know anything about Pinehurst, you know it's close to heaven for golf enthusiasts. So naturally, the golf course just seemed like the perfect location for their engagement session. We started out at the Carolina Hotel where she'll be getting ready on the day of the wedding, then took a short trip down the road to end up at the Pinehurst Resort for some photos on the veranda and the course. It was so hot that prior to the session I thought there was no way we'd be shooting for more than an hour. But this adorable couple was so fun, I was surprised to find 2 1/2 hours had passed since the first click of the shutter. Hopefully, this heat dome will have dissipated by the time the wedding rolls around on August 27th, but if not, I know these two will weather the temperatures well.

 

 

 

To see more images from Kristin and Zack's engagement session, take a few moments and enjoy the slide show!

 

 

Aug 03, 2011 | Wedding Photography | 5 Comments »

Downtown Raleigh Engagement Session :: Lizzy and Jeff

The most challenging thing about photographing Jeff and Lizzy? Finding a day that wasn't blisteringly, cook-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot. (The weather this summer has caused me to reschedule so many sessions I'm finally getting serious about finding the perfect studio space.) Luckily for me, Lizzy had the foresight to check the forecast and noticed a brief break in the weather three days before our scheduled session. Thanks to the couple's flexibility, we were able to move the session and caught such a lucky break -- it was ONLY in the 80's on the day we met downtown for one of my favorite engagement sessions ever. How adorable is Lizzy's hot pink one-shoulder dress? And Jeff made me laugh talking about the search for the perfect blue short-sleeve shirt. I love it when couples put lots of thought into what they're going to wear -- it makes such a difference!

 

We're really looking forward to January, when we'll meet Jeff and Lizzy again for their wedding at Sacred Heart Cathedral and reception at the Marriott City Center. Any guess which day they'll tie the knot?

 

 

 

Enjoy more images from this fun session here:

 

 

Jul 27, 2011 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Preston Woodall House :: Susan and Taylor are married!

Susan and Taylor were married on May 14 at Preston Woodall House in Benson, NC. Before jumping into the story of their day, here are some of the details of this lovely wedding, featuring shades of apple-green and coral-pink. You can see the couple's fresh and modern touch in everything, from the table markers to the hand-made wooden bird favors. Everywhere we looked there were fantastic details to capture.

 

 

How gorgeous was Susan's dress??? And it suited her perfectly. One of my favorites! The vintage pins in her hair and on the back of her gown were a beautiful touch.

 

 

Taylor and the groomsmen looked smashing in bespoke charcoal suits with sophisticated pin-stripes.

 

 

The weather was iffy all through the early afternoon. At the rehearsal, both Susan and Taylor talked about how much they wanted to get married outside. Even with a great rain plan in place, I could tell they were both really hoping that the rain would hold off just long enough for the ceremony to take place. At about 4:30, the clouds opened up in great torrents, but slowed to a light drizzle eventually. Diane, the coordinator at Preston Woodall House, held the ceremony for about 15 minutes, long enough to get the seats dried off and the guests seated so that Susan and Taylor could have the ceremony they wanted. The sun even came out briefly during the ceremony. It was lovely.

 

 

What a fun reception! It was obvious everyone had a great time, but none more than the bride and groom. I love their dancing photos!

 

 

At 10:30, the couple had a sparkler departure, but the surprise was on the guests -- after "departing", the bride and groom lead the guests in a conga line back into the house for more dancing and Photobooth fun.

 

 

See more of Susan and Taylor's big day in the slide show:

 

 

 

 

 

Susan and Taylor, thank you so much for allowing us to share in your wedding day happiness! Here are the vendors who helped make the day such a success.

 

Venue, Catering and Accommodations: Preston Woodall House, Benson NC

 

Coordinator: Diane Seymoure

 

Flowers: The English Garden

 

Cake: Cake Dreams by Sally

 

DJ: John Carter, Perfect Day DJ

 

Check out all the fun from Susan and Taylor's Photobooth on Facebook!

 

 

Jun 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 »

Shady Wagon Farm Wedding: Leah and Chris are married!

What a great day to kick off the 2010 Fall wedding season. Blue skies abounded and buckets of sunshine poured down for Leah and Chris's rustic, vintage-themed wedding at one of our favorite wedding venues, Shady Wagon Farm, in New Hill, NC. All the elements of a one-of-a-kind celebration were in place, from the location, to the flowers and food, the music, exuberant friends, happy family, and one over-the-moon couple in love. I wanted to share so many images from this wedding that this blog post has turned into a doozy, so sit back and enjoy some of my favorite shots! 

 

 

 

 

Leah's lace-covered gown had a great vintage feel and suited her perfectly! 

 

 

 

My favorite accessory: cowboy boots!

 

 

 

 

 

Leah's dad's smile says it all when he gets his first glimpse of her in all her wedding finery. 

 

 

 

Seeing to the final touches.

 

 

 

Leah, you are stunning!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful flowers and the coolest bouttoniere I've ever seen courtesy of Donna at Flowers on Broad Street!

 

 

 

 

 

I promise there's a groom in this story! Here's Chris, pink tie and a big grin. 

 

 

 

Chis gives his mom a little love before the ceremony starts. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leah and Chris, thank you for allowing us to share your wedding day with you! We wish you a lifetime full of happiness, love and plenty of laughter!

 

 

Venue (Ceremony and Reception): Shady Wagon Farm, New Hill, NC

 

Flowers: Donna Pierce, Flowers on Broad Street, Fuquay Varina, NC

 

Officiant: Carolyn Craft

 

Catering: Xu Catering

 

Cupcakes: Piece-A-Cake, Fuquay Varina, NC

 

Music: Mel Manning, DJ

Oct 17, 2010 | Wedding Photography | 1 Comment »

Sarah and Nick are engaged :: Raleigh Wedding Photography

Meet Sarah and NIck. They traveled down from Richmond for their engagement session in Raleigh and it was great to finally meet them in person. When discussing locations for the session with Sarah, she mentioned that she grew up in Raleigh and loved spending time at both Pullen Park and the Rose Garden at Raleigh Little Theater. Turns out, Sarah grew up in a house one street over from the garden, and since the renovations at Pullen are still ongoing, the garden was the natural choice. I cautioned Sarah that the roses probably wouldn't be in bloom since it was October, but when we got there, I was amazed that the roses were not only blooming away, but were gorgeous. Shows how much I know about horticulture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a quick change for Sarah, we headed downtown to catch the last of light and grab some night-time shots.

Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE shooting downtown?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite!

 

 

Sarah and Nick, thanks for such a great session. We are so excited about photographing your wedding in December! See you soon!

 

 

Oct 09, 2010 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Highgrove Wedding Sneak Peek: Kristin and Amin

Congrats to Kristin and Amin, who were married on Saturday at the beautiful Highgrove Estate in Fuquay-Varina. I can't wait to share more images from this picture-perfect day, but in the meantime, enjoy this Sneak Peek!

 

 

Oct 07, 2010 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Dancing ’til they drop :: from the sweet life archives

Here's a shot from Brandy and Chris's 2008 Nigerian wedding. As long as they danced, guests showered them with money. I remember being exhausted just watching them; even after a long day that included a traditional western-style wedding, they kept it up for at least 20 minutes. And smiled the whole time!

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 15, 2010 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

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 »