Fort Fisher │ Engagement Session │ Andy & Sean
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!
Andy + Sean Fort Fisher Engagement Session
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 │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! Brides, if you are considering booking a bridal session, allow me to sway you with this image collection!
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!
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!
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
Elizabethtown Vineyard Elopement │ Thomas & Gillian
When I was contacted to photograph Thomas and Gillian's Cape Fear Vineyard elopement ceremony, I was so excited! I love this location and couldn't wait to see this couple say "I do." It just so happened their wedding day was VERY LUCKY, i.e. it poured down rain for the majority of the day, ha! Luckily, their simple ceremony took place under the cover of the property's lakeside gazebo. The rain held off just long enough to whisk the couple away under umbrellas to the ceremony spot and we were off! In this area, there are only a handful of wedding venues that include a beautiful vineyard, lakeside ceremony gazebo, beautifully landscaped grounds as well as carefully curated lake cottages to accommodate your out of town guests: Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery is easily the one of the best local vineyard wedding venues if you are on the hunt! Thank you so much for including me on your wedding day, Thomas & Gillian!
I have been so fortunate thus far in that this career has set me directly in the path of meeting so many incredible couples. I have been able to witness and photograph moments in their lives that will likely be looked back on as some of their absolute happiest days. When I was contacted to photograph Thomas and Gillian's Cape Fear Vineyard elopement ceremony, I was so excited! I love this location and couldn't wait to see this couple say "I do." It just so happened their wedding day was VERY LUCKY, i.e. it poured down rain for the majority of the day, ha! Luckily, their simple ceremony took place under the cover of the property's lakeside gazebo. The rain held off just long enough to whisk the couple away under umbrellas to the ceremony spot and we were off! In this area, there are only a handful of wedding venues that include a beautiful vineyard, lakeside ceremony gazebo, beautifully landscaped grounds as well as carefully curated lake cottages to accommodate your out of town guests: Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery is easily the one of the best local vineyard wedding venues if you are on the hunt! Thank you so much for including me on your wedding day, Thomas & Gillian!
After a little bit of wedding day good luck torrential downpour rainfall, I joined Thomas & Gillian in the vineyard and around the property of Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery for their official bride & groom portraits. Such a beautiful place and love the ease of this vineyard elopement!
“Congratulations, you two lovebirds! All my best, Tiff”
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 your fee. We are able to shoot in not only Wilmington, NC but love to travel as well! Let's take a look back at a few of my favorite wedding & engagement photos from my most recent couples.
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
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
Jimmy & Rachael's Wilmington, NC wedding a Kenan Chapel in Landfall was simply beautiful! 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! Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow!
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!
Chris & Keally Tie the Knot
With the threat of stormy weather over our heads, I definitely went to bed the night before Chris & Keally's wedding hoping for just a little sunshine at some point on their big day. What followed was one of the prettiest days we had had in weeks (phew).
Gorgeous venue, happy couple, thoughtful wedding details, this wedding was a dream to photograph! Chris & Keally, thank you for letting us be a part of your day. I wish nothing but the very best for you two in the future.
With the threat of stormy weather over our heads, I definitely went to bed the night before Chris & Keally's wedding hoping for just a little sunshine at some point on their big day. What followed was one of the prettiest days we had had in weeks (phew).
Gorgeous venue, happy couple, thoughtful wedding details, this wedding was a dream to photograph! Chris & Keally, thank you for letting us be a part of your day. I wish nothing but the very best for you two in the future.
Congratulations!
*As always, just click on any image to view larger!
Keally, absolute stunner.
You guys are ridiculously cute.
^ This, my friends, is what happens when you ask the maid of honor to whisper something inappropriate in the bride's ear! Look at the "cat that ate the canary" grin on the Maid of Honor's face afterward!
This wedding was such a coworker reunion for us: the officiant, the bride, my second shooter and I all used to work at the same restaurant years ago :) KB, you did a great job officiating, my friend! Love these girls!
Can you tell there was absolutely no fun to be had? What a shame ;)
And they lived...