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 »

All Saints Chapel and Cardinal Club: Cameron and Dannel are married!

We're excited to feature Cameron & Dannel's wedding day slide show on the blog! The couple were married on a beautiful January day at All Saints Chapel here in Raleigh. The ever-wonderful Erin McLean coordinated the wedding and reception that followed at the Cardinal Club downtown. Enjoy these highlights and check back soon for more from Cameron and Dannel's wedding day!

 

 

 

 

Wedding: All Saints Chapel

Reception: The Cardinal Club

Wedding Planning and Coordination: Erin McLean Events

Floral Design: The English Garden

Wedding Cake: Sweet Memories

Entertainment: The Risse Band

 

 

Feb 17, 2011 | 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 »

Becky and John: Engaged!

For Becky and John's engagement session, we traveled to Wendell, the little town on the outskirts of the Triangle where Becky grew up. I love exploring and shooting in these small towns; you never know what you'll find! Becky and John were so fun and easy to photograph. Obviously, our cameras love them almost as much as they love each other. We're looking forward to Becky's bridal portrait session this week and the wedding in July. Here are just of few of the many images that made the "favorites" list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guess what day they're getting married?

 

 

 

 

Becky has the best smile. She just lights up when she's with John.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved the color of Becky's dress. When I saw this teal-ish door, I knew I had to have a shot of them in front of it, loose bricks and all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 24, 2010 | Wedding Photography | 2 Comments »

NC State Engagement session: Kristin and Amin are engaged!

Remember Erin and Tom? The day before their engagement session at UNC, I met Kristin and Amin on the campus of NC State for their engagement session. NC State one day, UNC the next. That was a first for me -- engagement sessions at rival campuses back-to-back. Maybe I angered the ACC gods and that's the cause of the Tarheels' abysmal season? If so, I am very, very sorry...now can the Tarheels please, please start winning again?

 

I met Kristin at the wedding of Jen and Adam back in June (which is soon to be featured here on the blog). She is the talented stylist responsible for helping Jen to achieve maximum glow on her wedding day. I was like a little kid when she asked me to photograph her wedding to Amin this October at Highgrove. (Pecan chicken, here we come!) Amin is a brilliant numbers-guy who graduated from NC State and has a fantastic smile.

Here are just a few of my favorites from their engagement session.

 

Kristin and Amin brought their dogs for a few shots in the beginning of the session.

Those pups were so well-behaved they could have come out of Central Casting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you graduated from NC State, it's kind of a done deal that you've got to have a photograph in front of the bell tower.

 

 

 

 

 

The colors of the leaves on campus were at their peak. Kristin just happened to have on a gorgeous teal sweater.

Blue + orange = complementary colors = beautiful backdrop for photographs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To: Whomever painted the colorful graffiti at the free expression tunnel at NC State

From: Me

Re: THANKS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hands down, favorite.

 

 

Kristin and Amin, we cannot wait for October 2. It's going to be awesome and we're so excited we get to be there!

Feb 13, 2010 | Wedding Photography | 2 Comments »

Canvas Sale!

If you've seen the yummy canvases we love to display in our studio and at the bridal shows, great news:

all canvases are 30% off now through January 31st!

 

 

(Just 'cause we love our clients!)

 

Happy 2010!

Jan 08, 2010 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

The Wedding Show: January 2 and 3, 2010

 

I have a confession to make: I like bridal shows.

 

I know I risk sounding like a total wedding geek, but I love the sights, sounds, color, chaos and -- yum -- all the itty-bitty wedding cake samples. I love seeing all my colleagues in the wedding business; the "Hey!"s and "How are you?"s and "Did you have a great 2009?"s that we call out to each other as we're busy carting in and setting up all the components that make up the booths. Some of the best people you will ever meet are in the business of making wedding dreams come true. And even though we're supposed to be fierce competitors, I love seeing all my photographer friends. There are so many extraordinary photographers in the Triangle area and it's awe-inspiring and humbling to look at some of the work they've produced over the past year. I feel proud to be in their company. Over the years, I've gotten pretty Zen-like in my philosophy about the clients we book from these shows. I truly believe that the clients who commission us to photograph their weddings are the clients we're supposed to have. So it's not hard to wish my fellow photographers good luck and hope that they have a successful show too. 

 

But the best part of bridal shows? YOU. The brides, their moms, mothers-in-law-to-be, sisters, maids-of-honor, even those reluctant grooms showing how much they love their fiancees when they tag along on these orgies of all things wedding-related. The excitement in your faces. Hearing your engagement stories. Finding out what's important to you when it comes to your wedding day photography.

 

Wedding planning can be truly over-whelming. I'm convinced that it's like having a second job. Attending The Wedding Show is one way to make it infinitely easier. Any person, any thing, any service that you could possibly need to plan, execute and pull off the wedding of your dreams will be under one roof. You'll get amazing ideas. I can promise you that if you're one of those lucky newly-engaged couples, you will experience a little shell shock from the sheer number of vendors. You'll start thinking: Oh wow, I never even thought about that. Or that. Or that! Bring comfy shoes, your support team and enjoy the chaos. And definitely plan to stop by our booth! Frank and I will both be there and ready to help in any way we can. So come say hi and tell us your stories. We'll be offering 10% off any of our packages at the show.

 

Here are some of the amazing couples that we've meet through bridal shows over the years.

 

Heather and Jason:

 

 

 

Siobhan and Mario (who are expecting their baby boy any minute now!):

 

 

 

 

 

Michelle and Frank:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate and Randy:

 

 

 

 

 

Ryan and Michelle:

 

 

 

 

 

Lindsey and Clayton:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carey and Daryll:

 

 

 

Jaime and Craig:

 

 

 

Meghan and Preston:

 

 

 

Stephanie and David:

 

 

 

 

 

I'm so excited about 2010. I know it's going to be an amazing year. Some of the couples who'll make it so great we'll meet Saturday and Sunday, January 2 and 3rd amid the wonderful chaos of the Wedding Show. The anticipation is killing me! (Almost as much as my feet will be killing me at the end of the show!) Congratulations on your engagement -- we can't wait to meet you!

 

Dec 30, 2009 | Wedding Photography | Leave A Comment »

Dianna & Todd: Married!

See these flowers? See how elegant, how colorful, how simply exquisite they are? Well, that was Dianna & Todd's wedding. Perfect in every way...

 

 

...except for the rain. :(

 

 

 

Hellooooo, beautiful!

 

 

 

 

Times three. How much do I love how the bridesmaids' bouquets pops off those gorgeous eggplant gowns?? ALOT.

 

 

 

Yep, Dianna, I agree...bald guys are sexy.

 

 

 

Especially when they're sweet to their mothers.

 

 

 

I love it when brides and their moms start laughing during pictures. I like to imagine that they're releasing the tension that can sometimes build up between even the closest moms and daughters during wedding planning. Or maybe my jokes are just that funny.

 

 

 

OK, everybody: remember this photo. There's going to be a test later and it will be important.

 

 

 

 

 

"Daddy, hold my flowers."

 

 

 

Lyn at Fresh Affairs is the creative genius behind all the flowers. Orange, pink, purple & green: so modern for a Fall wedding. Love, love, L-O-V-E.

 

 

 

 

 

I like to stay with the bride right up until the walk down the aisle, so Frank gets to cover all the action leading up to the ceremony. Like grandparents laughing...

 

 

 

and ring bearers being generally adorable...

 

 

 

and teenage greeters being teenagers.

 

 

 

 

Dianna gives her mom a hug before she leaves to be seated. Moments like this are why I like to stay with the bride.

 

 

 

Single-but-not-for-long girl walking.  TO GET MARRIED!

 

 

 

Frank and Margaret, you're adorable.

 

 

 

This was our second wedding of the year at Edenton Street United Methodist Church. Remember Kendall and Jeremy's April wedding? Same rules applied here -- photography inside the sanctuary only from the balcony, so this is the best way to get a shot of the bride and her dad before heading down the aisle...and I love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It never fails that some of my favorite shots are those taken right after the ceremony where everybody's hugging, laughing and congratulating the newly-married couple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you're stuck inside due to rain, Edenton Street is a good place to be stuck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Than it was on to the party bus, headed for Woody's at City Market, one of Dianna & Todd's favorite places. Naturally, the champagne flowed.

 

 

 

Sweet Life does artsy-fartsy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reception was held in the Hanover Ballroom at the Raleigh Sheraton. I have to say how much I appreciate the staff here -- everyone was so nice and took good care of us. Definitely check them out if you're looking for a reception site. I was floored by how beautiful this room looked and what a huge difference the uplighting made. If I could, I would stand on a chair and yell, "If you want an easy way to make your reception stand out, use uplighting!" Love the flowers in the room too.

 

 

 

The cake, by Sweet Julia's, inspired by detail from the invitations and programs. So pretty!

 

 

 

Remember Dianna & Todd's engagement session and the motorcycle? Check out the cake topper!

 

 

 

The party begins with the introduction of the bride and groom -- look at the great color from the uplighting in the ballroom (and yes, I'm going to beat you over the head with it all through this post.)

 

 

 

Dianna and Todd are so wonderful together. Photographing them is such a pleasure.

 

 

 

Ladies, I've said it before and I'll say it again: always marry the one who makes you laugh. Todd makes Dianna laugh.

 

 

 

The wedding party gets into the First Dance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both sets of parents as Frank welcomes everyone to the reception.

 

 

 

Chocolate-covered strawberries...yum.

 

 

 

This ring-bearer thought so, too.

 

 

 

Dianna and her dad surprised us all by starting off their first dance to "Baby Got Back."

"I like big butts and I can not lie..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Todd's turn with his mom, Barb. Todd, you're just awesome.

 

 

 

Dianna's sister Heather and Todd's best man Justin toast the couple.

 

 

 

This was a very special moment. Heather's husband David is serving in Iraq. Heather arranged a special message from him via video link. Here's David:

 

 

 

While he was speaking, he complimented Dianna and someone in the room yelled, "Does she have a sister?" David didn't miss a beat and responded, "Yes, but she's taken!"

 

 

 

Time to cut that gorgeous cake.

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time for the party to really get underway. And what a party! Even the little ones got into the dancing with great enthusiasm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank and Margaret burnin' it up.

 

 

 

Bill and Barb, bringing it in tight. (Notice the room lighting...just sayin'.)

 

 

 

Now this was something I can honestly say I've never seen. One thing that was clear: both families were very close, enjoyed themselves immensely and weren't afraid to show it. Apparently, there's a tradition among Todd's family to do this at every wedding: to the tune of "Rawhide," everyone gets on a chair and "rides" it around the room as if they were on a horse. Bizarre, hilarious and great to shoot. Dianna's first time on a "horse."

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone was having so much fun, thanks in large part to the skills of DJ Jason from Island Sound.

 

 

 

I love this shot of Dianna and Heather.

 

 

 

And Todd with his niece, Miranda.

 

 

 

Hmmm...wondering which song is playing in this shot? Could it be...YMCA?

 

 

 

Time for the bouquet toss.

 

 

 

 

 

The DJ Jason said we would keep repeating the garter toss until a single guy actually made an effort to catch it. If the garter landed on the floor, Todd had to do it over. We went through the process three times before one of the guys manned up and reached for the garter. But first Todd had to get it off.

 

 

 

 

 

Oy...such enthusiasm.

 

 

 

Remember the eighth photo from the top? Well, here's that move again...

 

 

 

And again...plus many other photos featuring "the move" that I didn't have the space to post. Guys, maybe it's time to find a new move?

 

 

 

You know it's been a good night when the ring bearer is so tired he can sleep on three chairs with a raucus party going on all around him!

 

 

 

Last photo of the night (for us anyway...I think the party rocked on long after we made our exit.)

 

 

What a great way to cap off a beautiful wedding. I have to say I've never laughed as hard as I did at this reception. We have the best job in the world!

Dianna and Todd, it was so much fun to be your wedding photographers. We wish you years and years full of love and laughter and we know you'll be doing "the move" at your children's weddings, too!

Nov 03, 2009 | Wedding Photography | 1 Comment »