Fort Fisher │ Engagement Session │ Andy & Sean

Andy + Sean Fort Fisher Engagement Session

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When couples approach me for ideas on photo session locations, I love to draw inspiration from their wedding plans. Andy & Sean are planning a beautiful outdoor ceremony in a wooded area, surrounded by trees and nature. Their wedding color palette features a pretty burgundy color and I loved that Andy wore the perfect maxi dress in this Fort Fisher sunset engagement session! The light was absolutely perfect and even though it was certainly a chilly day, the two lovebirds didn't seem bothered by the weather at all and were such good sports as we knocked out a fun photography session to celebrate their upcoming wedding! 

"We hate having our picture taken." 

This is a phrase I hear on just about every photo shoot that I have ever conducted. It's usually uttered about 0.2 seconds into the session and followed by questions about how each couple should pose. Here's what you need to know about a photo session with me (and past couples, feel free to chime in in the comments!): I am not as interested in setting you up in the perfect pose as I am in waiting for your natural reactions to each other once I get you into position! I will certainly help you get into "poses" that show off your best angles, the perfect light, the best backdrop but what I am best at is taking a step back and letting you both ease into enjoying this carved out time together. I love catching you in real moments as you laugh with each other, react to whispering in each other's ears, and as you inevitably start to relax and enjoy the engagement session! 

My Favorite Engagement "Pose"

One of my favorite things to do during an engagement session is to ask my couple to hold each other close, and one at a time I ask both bride & groom to whisper something in the other's ear. Whether it's a sweet question about what they are looking forward to the most about being married to one another, or something like "Whisper something in your partner's ear that you would NOT want me to hear.", the reactions are always priceless and some of my favorites of any engagement shoot! 

Location. Location. Location.

Fort Fisher is the photo shoot location that keeps on giving. Beautiful wind-shaped trees, gorgeous natural light, the ocean, wild and unruly stretches of land that look like something out of a painting, it's definitely easy to see why this location is in high demand. Half of the fun is finding new ways to photograph Fort Fisher because it IS so heavily used by local photographers. I have had my eye on this lone tree for awhile now and am so glad that we were able to use it! 

Congratulations, Andy & Sean, I'm so looking forward to your big day! 

Wilmington │128 South Stylish Bohemian Folk Wedding

Amy, Tim and I met for our beautiful Fort Fisher engagement session and when they showed up with one of their awesome pups, I knew this was going to be one of my favorite weddings to date! The venue was absolutely perfect. 128 South is an amazing wedding venue in downtown Wilmington, NC and fantastic for so many different wedding types. I typically start each wedding way ahead of my second shooter, as I am with the girls and the boys generally take much less time to get ready. Amy was able to use the bridal suite of 128 South, The Cottage on Orange Street, which I highly recommend using. It is the perfect set up, and makes for one gorgeous "Getting Ready" scene backdrop. After Tim & Amy had their special moment, "Uncle Timmy" got a second First Look of the darling flower girl! And let's not forget the sweet puppy kisses from their zoo at the end! 

The Boys

While Amy was getting ready, Tim and the boys were getting ready as well with my second shooter, and hubby, Thor (yes, that is his real name, and yes, it is pretty cool!). Boys take about .05 seconds to throw on their wedding day attire but the in between moments are always some of my faves. 

The First Look

Amy & Tim wanted to do a First Look with each other, which I of course am so for! Not only does it lend itself to some pretty emotional and beautiful images of one of those highlight moments of your wedding day, but you also knock back those nerves before your walk down the aisle! After Tim & Amy had their special moment, "Uncle Timmy" got a second First Look of the darling flower girl! And let's not forget the sweet puppy kisses from their zoo at the end! 

The Wedding Ceremony

The ceremony was beautiful! The couples favorite band, The Mid-Atlantic, played live throughout the entire wedding which was a wonderful tie in for their Bohemian Folk style wedding. The flower girl darted up the aisle and wanted to hold Uncle Timmy's hand during the ceremony, which was adorable. The lighting by High Performance Lighting was incredible. Perfect ceremony! 

The Reception

And the rest, my friends was history! 

The Bride & Groom

And the rest was history! 

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more wedding fun for you!

Wilmington │Bridal Portrait Session

Bridal Portrait sessions are something that not all brides choose to do, but they are SUCH a brilliant way to capture gorgeous images of each bride before their wedding day! Whitney, her mother and I chose Fort Fisher as the perfect bridal portrait location. We also happened to choose the windiest day I have ever experienced which was challenging, but really made for beautiful images with her veil being caught in the wind! Whitney, you are absolutely stunning! We had such a fun time at your engagement session, I am so happy we got additional time to do a bridal portrait session as well. Brides, if you are considering booking a bridal session, allow me to sway you with this image collection! 

Bridal Session = Wedding Day Practice

One of the smartest things you can do for your bridal session, is to also plan your hair & makeup trial on the same day. This will allow you to get a feel for the complete look, and when going through your bridal portrait images, you will see exactly what you love or want to change before your big day! 

Bridal Session Props a Must!

Whitney just so happened to find a chair that she thought would give us some pose options for her bridal session. I love the way the soft, muted colors of the chair gave a certain feel to her images. Great find! I always suggest that my brides bring a flower bouquet with them to their session. You certainly do not have to spend an arm and a leg to do so, you would be surprised how a basic floral bouquet from Whole Foods or Trader Joes can really add the perfect finishing touch to your images!

Golden Hour is Prime Time for Photo Sessions

You cannot go wrong with a golden hour photo session, and this is certainly true for bridal portraits. The hour before sunset is perfect for flattering images because you have nice even light, very little under eye circles from the harsh overhead sunlight, and you get the added benefit of beautiful sunset-filled skies as the session shifts from daylight to night.

Whitney, you were such a beautiful bride! Thank you so much for spending the evening with me at beautiful Fort Fisher! Stay tuned for a blog post of Whitney & Chad's Oak Island wedding! 

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Check out featured Wedding & Engagement blog posts!

Vizcaya Villa Wedding │Domonique & Darryl

I met Domonique & Darryl in Wilmington when they arrived for their engagement shoot at Hugh Macrae Park. They had driven all the way from Fayetteville, not necessarily needing a wedding photographer, but they wanted to capture special images from their engagement stage and I was so happy to do that for them. Check their engagement session out here! I felt a real connection to them right away, and secretly hoped that something would work out and they would need me for their wedding after all. As luck would have it, they did ultimately choose me to photograph their Vizcaya Villa wedding in Fayetteville, North Carolina and what an awesome day it was!

How sweet was that First Look between Domonique and her Dad! I love those wedding moments!!! Not a dry eye in the house. While I was photographing the girls, my second shooter Erica was with Darryl and the boys photographing their wedding prep. This is typically what we do when we work weddings, I will stay with the ladies all morning while they do their hair and makeup, documenting those candid moments in between, while my second shooter hangs out with the men! 

Military weddings have my heart! I grew up an Army brat, with both Navy & Air Force grandparents, married to a man who was an Army medic, so when I get requests for military  weddings, the heartstrings are pulled and I am so on board! 

The ceremony at Vizcaya Villa in Fayetteville, North Carolina was absolute PERFECTION. The ceremony location is stunning, in the middle of garden on their property, overlooking a pond, under a beautiful vine-wrapped wrought iron trellis. 

We spent a few minutes after the vows photographing the couples' family & friends, before setting off to take Bride & Groom portraits in the garden.

Absolutely perfect bouquets from Rainbow Florist in Fayetteville, NC. They could not have complimented the bridesmaids' dresses better in shades of lilac, lavender, magenta and plum. 

Friends, let's talk about this stunning David Tutera gown! A) How gorgeous does Domonique look in this gown that fits her like a glove. B) Domonique had a wedding goal of David seeing just how amazing she looked, and we actually made that dream come true via this Instagram post!

On to the reception. It's a shame this couple had no fun at their wedding, am I right? Dancing, laughing, the best family & friends! One of the most special moments for me was when Domonique was surrounded by her sorority sisters as they sang their traditional song, with tears filling Domonique's eyes. Beautiful! Loved every minute of it and who doesn't love a sparkler exit?? 

Domonique & Darryl,

I wish you nothing but happiness as you begin your life together!  

Thank you to these incredible vendors:

Venue │Vizcaya Villa in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Florist │Rainbow Florist

Limousine │Exclusive Limo and Shuttles

Makeup & Styling │FaceCafe NC

Hair │Aisha "Pinky" Cole

Gown │An Affair to Remember by David Tutera

Fort Fisher │Engagement Tim & Amy

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My wonderful second shooter, Erica, (whose own bridal session can be found right here)has worked with me on several weddings now which I am very thankful for. She also is an amazing teacher who works alongside Amy! When she learned of Tim & Amy's engagement, she sent my info her way and the rest is history! We cannot wait for your summer wedding at the beautiful 128 South in downtown Wilmington!  

I am so looking forward to your wedding, Amy & Tim! And I am going to need a repeat of those dance moves, just so we are all clear ;) Congratulations on your engagement and see you before you know it for your wedding! 

Leland │Clifton & Tavia Wedding

Some brides are very "by the book" when they are planning their wedding day. And then there's Tavia! You have to admire a bride who is somehow both laid back, and at the same time, so on top of a seemingly endless amount of DIY projects! Tavia introduced her hubby, Clifton to one of her loves, "Dr. Who" and it became something they both grew to love, so much so that they incorporated a "Dr. Who" theme to all of their wedding day details! As you scroll through, if you see something that throws that theme your way, Tavia created it and brought it to life. Amazing DIY bridal skills! 

The intimate ceremony was held in Leland, NC at the Grayson Park clubhouse, just the right size for their family and friends to celebrate with them. With the shows famous icon, the Tardis, as their backdrop, and a special love lock ceremony, the room was filled with love for the happy couple.

The love lock ceremony featured a quote from "Dr. Who" based on the relationship of characters Amy & Rory. The bride & groom then locked their love lock together which has no key, symbolizing their unbreakable bond. 

 

“You know when sometimes you meet someone so beautiful, and then you actually talk to them, and five minutes later they're dull as a brick. But then there's other people, and you meet them and you think 'not bad, they're okay', and then you get to know them, and their face sort of becomes them, like their personality's written all over it, and they just they turn into something so beautiful...”

― Amy Pond, "Doctor Who" series

A quick ride through the community in their friends' golf cart (which was probably hilarious to see with two photographers, all of our camera gear, a groom, our driver-friend and a bride in her wedding gown all holding on for dear life, haha) and we were in full force wedding portrait mode. 

After portraits, we made our way back to the reception where the party was just getting started! Clif & Tavia have a great group of friends who are definitely not shy on the dance floor, haha! Love it! The couple ended their night with a sanding sugar toss at sunset, and then the crowd serenaded Tavia with the "Happy Birthday" song. YES, this awesome bride chose to have her wedding on her birthday! Unconventional, and so fun! 

Congratulations, Clif & Tavia! 

128 South Wilmington │MJ & Barnes Wedding

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If ever two people existed who were perfectly suited to each other, Marijayne & Barnes are those people. Their 128 South wedding in downtown Wilmington was absolutely amazing! It is such a gorgeous venue perfectly suited to their romantic, vintage literary decor. MJ was bridal perfection, Barnes has the world's best smile and their guests were F-U-N. Definitely one of my favorite weddings to date! Congratulations to the happy couple! 

• Wedding gown by The Wedding Dress Shoppe
• Hotel accommodations The Hilton Riverside in Wilmington, NC

Groom attire by  and Men's Wearhouse & Express

Boutonniere by Olive Branch Gardens of Wallace, NC

Literary wedding decor by Old Books on Front

Florals by Olive Branch Gardens of Wallace, NC

Jewelry by Kay Jewelers

Cake by Hot Pink Cake Stand

Cake topper by Etsy

I loved the herb toss! The guests really got into it, and the herb colors were beautiful to photograph in the midday sun.

If only the guests had had a little fun. I mean the stoic faces, the yawns, the faraway looks in their eyes (INSERT SARCASM HERE). This wedding was so full of joy, it is really hard not to share every image we captured, but here are just a handful of some of our favorite moments! 

^ Music SO GOOD you grab your plate and dance in the middle of your meal! Ha, love this!

MJ & Barnes, thank you so much for inviting us to photograph what we hope was one of the happiest days of your life. Here's to a lifetime of marital bliss!

Wilmington, NC │ 2016 Weddings & Engagements

Love is in the air, my friends! It's Engagement Season and we are currently booking 2016 weddings and engagements. If you book our Signature Wedding Package between now and February 24th, 2016, you will receive $200 off! I thought it would be fun to look back at a few of my favorite wedding & engagement images from my most recent couples. I love my brides & grooms and feel so lucky to have been able to share these beautiful moments with all of you. xoxo

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Now on to some of my recent wedding & engagement favorites! 

So many happy couples! I love you all and could not be happier for you. Excited to get 2016 underway, contact us today to find out more about our 2016 Wedding Packages & $200 off Signature Package special! 

Wilmington, NC: Jimmy & Rachael's Wedding- Part One

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Jimmy & Rachael's Wilmington, NC wedding a Kenan Chapel in Landfall was simply beautiful! The weather held off long enough for the day to go off without a hitch, the guests were so fun, Rachael was STUNNING and I cannot get over the way Jimmy looks at Rachael as if she's the sun in his world. It's an incredible honor to be chosen to photograph what will likely be one of the most memorable moments of a couple's life. Thank you, Rach & Jimmy for having us along for the ride on your big day! Congratulations! (PS Folks, this wedding post is going to pretty long, stay tuned for tomorrow's Wedding Part Two post featuring downtown Wilmington's Front Street Brewery wedding venue The Beam Room!)

Some of the best moments of the day are those early getting ready scenes: the happy, nervous energy that fills the room, the ear-to-ear smiles, it's so good! 

^ I am so lucky to work with Erica, my second shooter, who always hangs out with the boys as they get ready while I stay with the girls. She can see the magic in a moment and click her camera so fast, that you walk away feeling like you not only relive those moments visually, but can actually hear the laughter of those boys! 

The happy couple held their ceremony at Kenan Chapel in Landfall, such a beautiful little space! 

"I do"s were exchanged, a long smooch followed and then big smiles as they walked out to a sea of bubbles and congratulatory hugs! 

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post as we highlight beautiful bride & groom portraits, and their high energy reception in Downtown, Wilmington!