Shelley & Ethan - School House Wedding in Greenville, SC

My little brother is married! What a beautiful wedding day! The ceremony was so touching, and Shelley chose such beautiful pieces of music to include.

This was a destination wedding for both sides of the family, and it was sweet to see just how loved Ethan and Shelley are by all their friends in South Carolina. From their musicians and their pastor to their wedding party, they are surrounded by the most loyal and caring people who would move heaven and earth to give them their dream wedding day.

This is the first wedding I’ve shot while also being an honorary bridesmaid, and it was a whole weekend whirlwind of fun! Bachelorette party on Friday night, welcome dinner and bridesmaid sleepover on Saturday, and the wedding on Sunday. And to make everything even sweeter, our boys were the ring bearers.

Shelley & Ethan, we are so excited for you and were so honored that you trusted us to photograph your beautiful wedding day! We love you both so much! Ethan, we are so proud of the man you’ve become. I’ve loved seeing your softer side with the boys and Shelley brings out a whole new side of you, and it’s wonderful! You could not have picked a more perfect person to join our family. Shelley, I am so happy to have you as my sister and the boys are so excited to keep you forever. We will try not to smother you with our love and affection.

And now… all their beautiful photos. Some favorite things to keep an eye out for as you scroll through:
-The first look with the bridesmaids was so sweet!
-The groom's floral pocket square boutonniere. I loved this! We played peekaboo with it a bit throughout the day, because it was right in Shelley's face a few times, but it couldn't have been easier to take out and put back in for photos.
-The ringbearers saying 'hi Mom' to me from outside the ceremony space. My littest guy also tripped halfway down the aisle, but I'll save that photo to share on his own wedding day!
-All the fathers and daughters joining in for a special Father's Day Father/Daughter Dance.
-My parents giving us a hard time during the anniversary dance for not leaving the floor when the DJ called 10 years, because they didn't realize we'd hit 10 already! (Drew and our 2 cameras joined us for this special dance too.)
-The bride's grandparents have been married over 60 years and they won the anniversary dance by a landslide! Their reaction to winning was just the cutest!

I just have to say, these are some of my favorite detail shots I have EVER shot! The eucalyptus is just too perfect! One little cup of extra floral bits can make such a huge difference!

First look with the girls, with Dad, and then with Ethan. Such sweet wedding day moments!

Proof of sister! I am so surprised at how well my dress blends in with the bridesmaids dresses! Crop in a smidge and you can’t even see my Keds!

Playing double duty on this wedding day was a lot of work, but it was so worth it! I would be nervously staring at the photographers all day making sure they’re getting all the good stuff! Haha!

A big thank you to Nichole from Nichole Lauren Photography in Greenville for second shooting with us, so we could be in some of the photos too! And also, thanks to my mother-in-law for taking care of the boys during the ceremony and reception and keeping them entertained watching Paw Patrol under the table!

I just love the way these two make each other laugh! They are so full of joy when they are together!

And now prepare yourself for ring bearer cuteness overload!

I don’t normally share family portraits on the blog, but I do when it’s my family!

Their first dance song was a favorite of mine: The Way You Look Tonight.

Sunset photos at the School House Venue are an absolute must! The light was so harsh earlier in the day. I wish we could have done all our photos with this light!

The Creative Team:
Venue: The Schoolhouse
Venue Coordination: Sarah Gray

Bridal Gown: Serenity Bridal from Madison Carolina Bridal | Bridesmaids: Birdy Grey | Cake: Deliteful Bitefuls | Catering: Southern Way | Florals: Austin Phillips | Groom’s Attire: JC Penney | Hair: Gabi Rogol at Calla Salon | Makeup: Sarah Estelle | Music: Brian Leopard | Officiants: Will Galkin and Ben Lamphere | Rentals: The Borrowed Branch

Ashley & Brendon - Destination Wedding in Sea Isle City, New Jersey

Ashley and Brendon were drawn to each other like magnets. The moment they met, their worlds collided and never separated again. Each found in the other a stabilizing force, a light in difficult times, a best friend, and a life-long love.

 There could not have been more joy on this wedding day. Ashley & Brendon know how to throw a party and their destination wedding in Sea Isle City, New Jersey was no exception. It was colorful boho perfection from start to finish.

Ashley’s family beach house in Sea Isle City was the perfect location for a backyard wedding. We’ve never stayed within walking distance of the entire wedding day! It was fantastic! And since it was a destination wedding for almost everyone, the entire bridal party and a lot of the family could stay right on site! How convenient!

I was so thankful that we ended up with good cloud cover for the ceremony! Beach ceremonies in the bright afternoon sun equals lots of squinting, extra watery eyes, and sunglasses hiding your guests’ eyes!

Ashley & Brendon asked their friend to officiate the ceremony and he did such a beautiful job! His speech combined with their personal vows had us all in tears!

Ashley did an amazing job planning all the little details for her backyard reception. The twinkle lights were so beautiful and made a lovely backdrop for many of their reception photos! Food trucks in the driveway served dinner to the guests and the best man had everyone in stitches during his toast! And of course, we had to end the day with a Wilkins family photo with their sweet little furbabies who came along for the destination wedding!

The Creative Team:
Coordinating Gurus: Meredith Zadd and Olivia Harding
Venue: Sea Isle City Beach

Bridal Gown: Ava Clara Bridal
Beauty: Alas Looks
Catering: Shake Shack, Marie’s Seafood, & Isgros Bakery
Florals: Blooms Florist
Groom’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Stationery: Minted

Amber & Andrew - CNU and Chrysler Museum Wedding

It was a Cinderella story from the very beginning: a chance encounter, love (just about) at first sight, a beautiful gown, and a magical ballroom. Except in this Cinderella story.… Instead of an immediate proposal, they dated for 2,025 days. There were no ugly step-sisters, just a wonderful step-brother who officiated the ceremony. And ironically, the shoes didn’t fit, and the bride happily went barefoot for part of the day.

Amber’s step-brother Trevor officiated the ceremony, which took place at Three Oaks Estate, the home of Christopher Newport University’s president. Amber & Andrew met their first week of freshman year at CNU, so much of their love story took place on campus. Their first photo together was taken on the steps of this beautiful house, making it the perfect place for their wedding.

After the beautiful outdoor ceremony, guests drove to the Chrysler Museum of Art, where Amber works, for the wedding reception in Huber Court.

We arrived at the Chrysler just 30 minutes before sunset and we had the most beautiful light for some final portraits! I am obsessed with the architecture here! The elegance of the arched doorways, the way the sunset is reflected in the glass, the beautiful gardens… we could have done portraits here for hours!

Amber thought of every detail for her wedding, from the cute notes on her programs and menu cards to the rose petal toss at the ceremony. But my favorite details were at her reception. Amber & Andrew LOVE breakfast food and had many late night dates at IHOP, so they had breakfast stations at their wedding: chicken & waffles, quiche, shrimp & grits, and bacon twists. Yum! Amber also created four signature drinks around the something old, new, borrowed, and blue tradition: something old –  Maple Old Fashioned, something new – Caramel Apple Sangria, something borrowed – Pineapple Sunset (the signature drink from her mom’s wedding two years ago), and something brewed – Smartmouth The Princess Oktoberfest. How cute is that?

The amazing ACE team! Amber worked for Antonia Christianson Events for many years, so of course, they were by her side on her wedding day.

Amber & Andrew ended the night with a private last dance. It’s such a beautiful way to hold onto your wedding day for one more moment together.

The Creative Team:
Coordination: Antonia Christianson Events
Ceremony Venue: Three Oaks Estate at Christopher Newport University
Reception Venue: Chrysler Museum of Art

Bridal Gown: Milk & Honey | Bride’s Shoes: Betsey Johnson | Bridesmaids: Adrianna Papell and Kennedy Blue | Cake: Family Friend, Whitney Galmard | Catering: Cuisine & Company | Floral Design: Isha Foss Events | Groom’s Attire: Generation Tux | Groom’s Ring: Rustic and Main | Hair: Amberly at Flawless on Site | Makeup: Elizabeth and MeLissa at Dhalia Edwards | Lighting: Stage Right Lighting | Linens: Waterford Event Rentals | Photo Booth and DJ: Boardwalk Entertainment | Rentals: Cathedral Windows by Big Top Entertainment | Stationery: Minted | Transportation: Truffle Shuttle | Videography: Picture & Sound | Favors: Duck Donuts

Ashley & Tim - Fall Norfolk Botanical Garden Wedding

Ashley & Tim are proof that sometimes dating your best friend is a good idea.

It was obvious to everyone. They had found true, lasting love. Built on the foundation of a three-year friendship. They wanted to get married, but they were in the middle of medical school and the last thing they had time to do was plan a wedding. So on July 16, 2015, a random Thursday that they both had off from the hospital, they got married at the Portsmouth Courthouse. A year later almost to the day, their son Henry was born.

But they still had dreams of a big wedding so they could truly celebrate their marriage with friends and family. And 1,177 days after they first said ‘I do’ in a simple courthouse on a random Thursday, they said ‘I do’ again, this time in a garden surrounded by everyone they loved most.

I hope you’re not on floral-perfection overload! Just wait until you see the gorgeous way Palette of Petals and Stage Right Lighting transformed the Rose Garden Hall! I loved how much the twinkle lights and uplighting added to the ambience, especially as the night went on! And how yummy does that pie bar from Chef by Design look?

What a night! Ashley & Tim, congratulations on 1177 days! Thank you for choosing us to be your wedding photographers! We LOVED working with you and can’t wait for our sweet babies to meet!

The Creative Team:
Coordination: Ashley, Soirees by Lauren
Venue: Norfolk Botanical Garden
Venue Coordination: Ashley Nardiello

Beauty: Eye Do Make-up & Hair | Catering: Chef by Design | DJ: Danny at Astro Entertainment | Florals: Palette of Petals | Lighting: Stage Right Lighting