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.

When I first met with Kendall, she told me that when the sales lady at the gown boutique brought out this dress, she was completely unimpressed...

until she put it on.

I think she made the right choice!

Reading a letter from her soon-to-be husband, Jeremy.

Jeremy is the brother of a former Sweet Life Bride, Mariah (who remains to this day one of my favorite people on the planet.)

Rick Ward covered this wedding with me since Frank was still recovering from surgery on his patellar tendon (happy to say that he's completely better now!). Since I didn't take this shot of Jeremy and his best man, Jay, I can't say for sure, but I'm guessing there's a story there and that maybe it has to do with football??

The groomsmen...too cool for school.

Edenton Street is a lovely old church in downtown Raleigh. Wedding photogs around here classify it as "hard-core" -- meaning, very strict rules about photography during the ceremony and don't even THINK about breaking a single one of them. The church coordinator was lovely to work with and we were sure to let her know we were not there to be a distraction, but to cover the wedding in a way that would make our clients happy. Once Kendall and her dad started down the aisle, those doors closed and I retreated to the balcony where Rick had things well under control. Since there was no way to get a shot of Kendall from the front as she made her way down the aisle, I had the two of them turn around and give me a grin before setting off.

Love this shot of Rick's. He waited until just the right moment when Kendall and her dad stepped into a pool of blue-tinged light from one of the stained glass windows.

Kendall and Jeremy: married!!!

Beautiful flowers by Kelly Odom.

The light was just right when we went outside for shots of the wedding party after finishing up the family formals inside.

What a fun group! I love informal group shots. I knew we had the classic stuff taken care of, so we just relaxed and had fun outside.

Love that sweet light!

Soon it was time to make the short and sweet trip to the North Carolina Museum of History for the reception. Best man Jay arranged some first-class transportation from Raleigh Rickshaw.  One of the greatest things about having two dedicated photographers to cover your wedding is how it increases your coverage: Rick walked on ahead as I was finishing up with Kendall and Jeremy to just the right spot while I followed behind. Rick's shot is on the left; mine is on the right.

Loved the beautiful white cascading flowers on the cake and the candles on the grand staircase.

Kendall and Jeremy are fortunate to have a close circle of family and friends, including two of my favorite people, Mariah and Robert. Frank and I shot their wedding in November 2007. They are just so adorable! One of the things I love best about my job is getting to know the couples we work with and adding them to our circle of friends.

Time to cut the cake!

Thanks to DJ Steve Stowe with Bunn DJ Company for providing the tunes to raise the roof off the History Museum. Jeremy's grandmother lead the charge to the dance floor.

I love this sequence of Jeremy removing Kendall's garter!

Success!

All too soon, it was time for the last dance.

A quiet moment on the staircase before their grand departure, sparkler-style.

Kendall and Jeremy, thanks so much for allowing Sweet Life to share your wedding day! We wish you a future full of happiness and adventure!

Alysia and Luther were married on a beautiful November day, the kind of temperate winter day we're so lucky to enjoy in NC. They were married at Millbrook United Methodist Church here in Raleigh. The church is right on the corner of two busy streets and it can be tough to get a good shot of it -- you practically have to step into oncoming traffic! I love this shot Frank got with that gorgeous winter sun peeking around the corner.

Alysia, her mom and bridesmaids started out the day at Primp Salon Bar on West Street in Raleigh. Primp will forever be one of my favorite salon locations to shoot for the simple reason that they have cupcakes from The Cupcake Shoppe that they pass around to their clients (and the occasional wedding photographer.) Strawberry is my favorite flavor...no wait -- make that lemon.

Alysia's make-up was done by the talented Rodney Robledo. Rodney's recent move to Raleigh is Miami's loss and Raleigh's gain. I'm such an advocate of having your make-up done by a professional make-up artist for your wedding day. It's a lot of fun, but more importantly, can make a big difference in how you look in your wedding day photographs. Why spend all that money on a dress, veil, shoes, jewelry, hair, etc. and have your face look exactly the way it does every day? A professional make-up artist knows that brows, eyes and lips need special attention to really pop in photograph and photograph. OK, sermon over. Just give Rodney a call. Moving on...

 

Alysia's mom Ada, her sister and bridesmaids help place her mantilla-style veil in the perfect position.

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful window light.

 

 

 

At the church, Luther gets a little help with his tie from a groomsmen. As you'll see, Luther has a 1000-watt smile that just electrifies the frame when he lets it rip.

 

 

 

 

 

See that little black book Luther's holding? That's his wedding gift from his bride-to-be -- photos from a boudoir session we did back in the early Fall at the Matthews House in Cary. Having seen the photos, I can tell you -- Luther is one lucky man. Ladies, if you're looking for a wedding gift that he'll never forget, give me a call to schedule a boudoir session! (Love the socks, too.)

 

 

 

 

Alysia is pretty lucky, herself.

 

 

 

 

Preparations complete, Alysia waits upstairs for the ceremony to begin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The church was super-strict about photography. Luckily, after we promised to be good girls and boys, we were allowed to shoot if we stayed in the back and didn't go crazy.

 

 

 

 

 

Extreme temperatures in June meant we had to reschedule Alysia's bridal portrait session not once but twice, so Alysia and Luther decided to swap out that session with a Fearless Bridal session this Spring. I'm so excited about this session, especially since a tight schedule and a wedding beginning at 5:00 pm meant no outdoor couple portraits. Here's a shot of the two of them before heading off to the reception and a close-up of Alysia's stunning bouquet by Stephanie at Wild Bloom Flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

The reception was held at the beautiful Capital City Club in downtown Raleigh. I love to shoot here -- it's a lovely location and the staff is terrific. Here's a street-side shot of Alysia and Luther arriving in a Rolls at the reception with the bridal party waiting for them.

 

 

 

 

A romantic first dance with a great finish:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes we get lucky. I'd like to say that I planned this sequence of Alysia's dad giving his toast with a shot of the couple, her dad's arm lifted in a toast in the reflection and the bride trying to keep her emotions in check...but I didn't. I'm just glad it happened!

 

 

 

 

I'm sometimes asked if a room full of windows will pose a lighting problem during the reception. My answer is always a qualified "NO" -- especially when you can get cool reflections and capture the lights of the city at the same time. The only time windows are a problem is when Uncle Bob stands behind me and fires his flash straight into the window! Here's a shot of Alysia & Luther's delicious cake, by the always amazing Lorie at Simply Cakes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The part of the night that never fails to get me all misty-eyed...

 

 

 

 

Luther got the party started by surprising Alysia's mom Ada with a special request: dancing to"Low" by Flo-Rida. It was a great moment and set the tone for a very fun party! (Isn't Ada's emerald-green dress to-die-for??)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do I have the greatest job or what?? Getting to photograph gorgeous people in a swanky setting having a great time?

 

 

I love this shot of Luther surprising Alysia with an impromptu lap dance before undertaking the traditional garter-removal expedition. My thanks to the guest responsible for that well-timed flash.

 

 

 

Mission accomplished!

 

 

 

 

 

 

All too soon, it was time for the final dance and one last toast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alysia and Luther, it was such an honor to be share this celebration with you. We wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!

I knew I would love working with Lauren from the moment I met her at the engagement session last summer.  She's been so relaxed, fun, enthusiastic, easy to work with and up for anything! Of course, she's a Meredith girl like me. Here are a few of my favorites from her bridal portrait session.

I love the way you can see her engagement ring -- which is gorgeous --  in this one at the piano.

This image makes me think of all the girls who've been married at the Chapel and posed for their portrait on the front steps.

Here's the winning shot, the one that was chosen to be displayed at the reception. I love the bare toes and that smile is pure Lauren!

After our session at the chapel, we walked across the drive to the big field by the lake. I like this shot a lot -- Lauren is such a natural in front of the camera. I tinted this one because the grass was totally brown at this time of year!

Now back to Lauren on her wedding day with a few of her bridesmaids looking on.

Andrew, the handsome groom...

I love the sense of anticipation in this image. Frank did a really great job on this shoot. He was not feeling great that day, but he powered through and got some amazing images. I'm so proud...

Lauren chose pinks and greens for her wedding colors. Julie at  The Blossom Shop provided all the flowers, including Lauren's gorgeous bouquet. 

Check out Andrew's ring on the maid-of-honor's thumb. Those flowers were just amazing and I love the little green berries.

At one point when we were waiting in the bride's room for the wedding to start, I said to Lauren, "I just love your wedding! It's so..." and we both said "emotional!" at the same time. For a while there Lauren and her mom Cindy couldn't look at each other without tears.  As Cindy helped Lauren into her gown, the tears were flowing.

They pulled it together for some very sweet portraits. Out of all of them, this is my favorite.

Lauren's Dad and his wife Gail arrived soon after.  The look on their faces as they see her for the first time in her dress and veil is priceless.

Lauren and her dad.  Moments like this are why I love being a wedding photographer.

Katherine, Lauren's cousin and the maid-of-honor, helps out with the garter. I really enjoyed shooting in this room in the chapel -- I love those windows. What great light!

One of Lauren's favorite getting-ready shots. "Who knew feet could be so pretty?"

I guess I should give Andrew a little more space in this blog entry! Here he is with the getaway car, a very cool red Hummer.

Reading a letter from his soon-to-be wife before the ceremony.

Jones Chapel is such a gorgeous place to get married. The chapel has large arched windows that let in wonderful light. One of the most striking features of the chapel is the pipe organ, which you can see in this image of Andrew's mom being escorted to her seat before the ceremony started.

A few images from the ceremony.

After the wedding it was off to the Raleigh Sheraton for the reception. As the bride and groom were waiting to be announced, I grabbed this shot of the rings.

The couple being introduced.  Lauren's dress was so gorgeous -- I just love photographing a pick-up skirt. The way the folds of fabric catches the light is very satisfying for a photographer!

With friends and family looking on, Lauren and Andrew share their first dance as husband and wife.

There's a moment at every wedding where I get a little lump in my throat. Usually, it's during the father/daughter and mother/son dances.

The dances and a slide show of the couple growing up cranked up the emotion in the room all over again.

My favorite detail to shoot...the cake! It's the best wedding photog perk. Of course, cake every weekend is doing nothing for my figure. Lauren and Andrew's cake was made by Lorie at Simply Cakes in Apex.

Check out the painted-on details. A great wedding cake baker is a true artist. It was really good too!

This post is taking on mammoth proportions, so I'll wrap it up  with a few more of my favorite shots. Patrick Cooke of  PC Productions did a great job with the music at the reception. Kids can always be counted on for some fun dancing shots!

Andrew goes after the garter...

...mission accomplished!

One last dance and they're off to St. John.

Lauren and Andrew, it was an amazing day and so great to be a part of it. We loved working with you and can't wait for the Fearless Bridal shoot later this month! And just FYI, I still want a ride in that red Hummer.

View the wedding slide show here.

Laura's white halter gown was gorgeous and involved...it took her mom about 20 minutes to completely lace her up.  I love shots of the getting-ready process, especially ones of the bridesmaids helping the bride to dress.  There's something about it that sums up visually the way women rely on each other through-out our lives.

I've always thought the guys have it so easy: all they have to do is put on a tux, which is just a slightly-more complicated suit.  However, Frank reports that the button covers always present a challenge. Here's a shot of Nick and all his groomsmen, post button-cover trauma.

I had a good time photographing Nick's little brother Walt.  One of the few kids at the wedding, he really burned up the dance floor at the reception and won first prize, in my book anyway, for cutest mini-adult.  It's obvious Walt approves of his big brother's choice in a bride. Here's a shot of Walt and Laura.  (Laura's gorgeous red rose bouquet came from Fallon's Flowers.) 

When I first met with Laura and Nick, she told me that she loved the steps of the church and wanted to make sure we got some photos there. One of the best things about getting married at Christmastime is that a lot of the decorating is already done for you. The church was beautiful inside and out. Here's the happy couple on their way to the reception...

...and showing off their shiny new rings!

The reception took place at the North Raleigh Hilton. Laura and Nick's first dance was to one of my all-time favorites, Etta James singing "At Last." So romantic...

The cake by Wedding Cakes By Jessica continued the poinsettia theme. If these flowers could spit, it would have been sugar-spit.  It was really, really good.

Laura and Nick were headed to Germany for their honeymoon, so the reception did not go until the wee hours of the morning. And instead of a frenzied sparkler exit, the couple chose a more relaxed send-off with bubbles, for which they will have my eternal gratitude.  Will the sparkler craze please just fade away??

A great couple, a fun day...Laura and Nick, thanks for letting us share it with you! We wish you a lifetime of love and happiness (and German beer).

You can view Laura and Nick's  slide show here.

Mariah brought her christening gown with her on the wedding day to be photographed with her wedding gown. I loved the sweet little details on the dress and grabbed an opportunity to photograph it with her grandmother's lace mantilla.

Another grandmother's New Testament and Robert's ring, plus a shot of the dress:

Mariah's bridesmaids were so fun!  Here's a shot of all the ladies:

And the guys were a hoot:

Mariah had always dreamed of a candlelight ceremony. The church had recently installed new light fixtures but not dimmers, so when the overhead lights went out, they went OUT. I panicked a little, but luckily, our Canon cameras came through. Canon cameras are the best for low-light situations and one of the main reasons I prefer them over Nikon for weddings. (This ends the product placement portion of the blog post!) I always ask my couples to pause at the end of the aisle for a quick kiss, like this:

(Mariah's gorgeous bouquet came from Kelly Odom.)

After formals, it was off to the reception at Sister's Garden, a Raleigh tradition that is a great place for receptions. Typically, I stay after the formal photos to work with the bride and groom a bit while Frank takes off for the reception site to start photographing details and get room shots. I always stick my car keys in the back pocket of my camera bag. Frank grabbed the bag and took off for Sister's, not knowing he also had my car keys. Fortunately, I was able to grab a ride in the limo with the newlyweds, the best man and maid of honor and caught one of my favorite shots of 2007:

DJ Kent Bloms with Joe Bunn DJ Company did a fantastic job keeping people on their feet for what was a really fun night. The couple's first dance kicked everything off:

I just love it when I catch the groom in a sweet moment! I have to say Robert is one of the nicest people I've ever met. It wasn't long before Michael Jackson's perennial favorite "Thriller" got everyone out of their seats:

Mariah is a dance instructor (hip-hop is her specialty -- go, Mariah), so the dancing at the reception was, at the risk of sounding really uncool, "off the hook." Here's K., showing some flare:

A shot of the yummy wedding cake from Edible Art. The bow on the cake was a copy of the bow on Mariah's dress:

The sparkler departure craze continues, which keeps us on our toes! It's a tough shot to get, but when you do, it's golden:

Check out the flip-flops -- a bride's most useful accessory on her wedding day! Congratulations, Mariah and Robert...we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!