Brittany & Richard - Elizabeth Manor Country Club Wedding

What a lovely wedding day! Brittany & Richard chose July 15, the 5th anniversary of their first date for their wedding day at the Elizabeth Manor Country Club in Portsmouth.

Brittany’s dream was to have the ceremony outdoors with their sweet cocker spaniel Daisy. It rained for over an hour that afternoon, but everyone was on standby and as soon as the rain cleared, they jumped in to make sure everything was perfect for their ceremony.

Brittany & Richard, you two are so loved! Your day was so full of joy and laughter. All your hard work planning each and every detail made your day so personal and special. Having Daisy be part of your wedding was the sweetest. We were so honored to be part of your beautiful wedding day.

We have so many beautiful photos from this wedding! Here are my favorites. I loved the sea glass and sage color palette! And keep an eye out for the cutest bridesmaid jumpsuit!

How cute is Brittany’s Daisy perfume and her sweet little dog of honor, Daisy? I loved the touch of her engraved collar!

I am so glad we had a cloudy evening. The light was just beautiful for their portraits on the golf course!

This sea glass memorial tray was such a sweet touch to the reception space.

The Creative Team:
Venue: Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club
Venue Coordination: Bobbi Schoonover

Bride’s Gown: Madison James from Here & Now Bridal | Bride’s Shoes: Kate Whitcomb | Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Morilee from All the Rage | Beauty: Kristen Bacon with Unveiled On Site Beauty | Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes | Catering: Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club | DJ: DJ Flick | Florals: Portsmouth Floral Co | Groom’s Attire: Michael Kors | Stationery: Fresh & Yummy Paperie

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

Shelley & Ethan - Destination Beach Engagement Session

This might be my favorite engagement session I’ve ever posted, because this is my brother and my soon-to-be sister! If you had asked me 8 years ago if I’d be photographing my brother’s engagement session, I would not have believed you. He never used to let me take his picture! We have so many family photos with a grumpy Ethan and even some where he’s holding something up in front of his face!

Ethan brought Shelley home to meet us last Christmas, when they’d only been dating a few months. But they both already knew their relationship was something special. And as soon as we met her, we could see it too. We couldn’t have chosen someone more wonderful to be part of our family. We love you, Shelley, and we can’t wait for the wedding!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my brother in a tree! We had some fun with this shoot!

Shelley & Ethan were only in town for 24 hours, so I was a little worried when it looked like rain when we left for our session, but we ended up with great weather. The sun even broke through the clouds! A little sunshine on the beach makes such a big difference!

Shelley’s ring is so beautiful! Ethan had it custom made with 3 miner’s cut diamonds that have been in our family for years. They were originally set together in a crescent shaped brooch which was passed down to our mom. She had the diamonds reset into other jewelry and later offered them to Ryan and Ethan for engagement rings since she hadn’t worn them in a while. So Shelley and I both have pieces of the same family heirloom!

Just a few more weeks to go until the big day in South Carolina! I can’t wait!

Megan & Andy - Ocean View Anniversary Session

Megan & Andy are so much fun to be around. We were laughing the whole session! They never had professional engagement photos taken, so what better way to celebrate their 3rd anniversary this fall than with an anniversary session?

How sweet is their dog, Willow? She’s still just a puppy but she’s already so well trained!

We had such a beautiful evening for this Ocean View anniversary session! It was one of the first fall nights this year and perfect for the casual outfits Megan had picked out!

Brittany & Richard - Romantic Live Oak Engagement Session in Norfolk

A hot summer day. Tables loaded with hotdogs, hamburgers, and slices of watermelon. Flags waving in the breeze. The night sky filled with fireworks and sparklers. Fourth of July is always a memorable part of the summer, but it’s a special day for Brittany & Richard because it’s the day they first met.

They had an instant connection. And like puzzle pieces that have finally found their match, they realized why it never worked with anyone else before.

If you can’t have your engagement session in Charleston or Savannah, these live oak trees in Norfolk, VA are the next best thing! And how cute is little Miss Daisy, Brittany & Richard’s cocker spaniel! She is the cutest Dog of Honor!

How beautiful is Brittany’s ring? Richard had it custom made with her mama’s diamond!

We had the most beautiful cotton candy sunset to finish out this romantic engagement session! I cannot wait until their beautiful waterfront wedding next summer!

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