Nicolette+Tom // Candlelight Farms Inn, Connecticut

The last time we saw Nicolette and Tom was back in June 2015 for the engagement session that resulted in one of my favorite pictures of all time. I stated then that I was pretty sure you could put Nicolette and Tom in front of the most horrific backdrop ever and they’d still make it look good, and I stand by that statement despite continuing to only see them in front of really beautiful scenery. Maybe we’ll meet them in a random road-side Waffle House at some point to test my theory. Anyway, this time they brought us up to their home turf of Connecticut (her family’s from Danbury and his is from New York) to photograph their serious stunner of a wedding. This is our second time photographing a wedding in CT, and it is a tremendously beautiful state. Lots of trees, big rocks, water, adorable houses. So then you put these two really good looking people in front of the really good looking scenery and everything’s just really Zoolander-level good looking. Also – this wedding, which was incredible in terms of solid planning, decor, and fun family+friends, was Tom’s first ever wedding he’s been to. He set the bar pretty high for himself, eh?! Congratulations to some of our favorite people ever. Thank you for being so sweet and wonderful. We cannot wait until you join the ranks of North Carolinians!

  • Date: July 10, 2016
  • Ceremony + Reception Venue: Candlelight Farms Inn // New Milford, Connecticut
  • First Dance Song: “Mean to Me” – Brett Eldredge
  • Nicolette’s Occupation: Musician/Songwriter
  • Tom’s Occupation: Marine Corps
  • How You Met: We met when we were 12, at our youth group. He was the new kid, but he came up to me and introduced himself first.
  • Interesting Fact: Our favorite hobby is laughing, and we secretly want our first pet to be a raccoon or a fox.
  • Honeymoon: We’re honeymoonin’ when he’s out of the Marine Corps. Woohoo!
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant –Pastor Paul Allen. DJ – DJ Nelson. Florist – Jerome Florist. Cake – Sue DiPalma. Caterer – Carriage House Events and Catering. Makeup – Neidyn Regalado assisted by Demi Carrero. Hair – The Beauty Bar. Videographer – Frame and Anchor. Coordinator – Carriage House Events and Catering.

Jasmine+Joel // Duke Gardens+The Rickhouse.

We first met Jasmine and Joel when they were looking into photographers for their wedding. Then we realized that they were also friends with Katie and Phil, another client couple, who were also friends with Becky and Steve, another client couple, and it seemed like our relationship was just meant to be. Much like Jasmine and Joel’s relationship – who met while Joel was on a blind date with someone else, saw Jasmine at the bar, and then spent the rest of the evening talking to her. Some things just fall into the right place while other stuff is happening. Take, for instance, the fact that we now have a good relationship with someone in charge of large scale health emergency preparedness that I can e-mail my WebMD symptoms to and ask if there’s a current outbreak of anything I should be concerned about. You’re welcome, Jasmine!

This was a truly fabulous wedding. Joel has roots in New Orleans, and they wanted to bring that bit of flair with them up to Durham and mix their love of the two cities together. So they had bright colors! And gold vases! And greenery and hand fans and fancy umbrellas! And if that’s not good enough for you, they had a SECOND LINE BAND come lead the reception out of The Rickhouse at the end of the night! That’s right, a freaking second line band. Did you even know that one exists in Durham? They do (The Boom Unit Brass Band), and they are awesome. It was, dare I say, one of the most southern-feeling weddings we’ve had and succesfully captured the spirit of both New Orleans and Durham rolled into one big, happy wedding. :)

  • Date: July 3, 2016
  • Ceremony Venue: Duke Gardens // Durham, NC
  • Reception Venue: The Rickhouse // Durham, NC
  • First Dance Song: “Trust in Me”
  • Jasmine’s Occupation: Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
  • Joel: Elementary School Teacher
  • How You Met: A chance meeting when Joel was on a blind date with someone else.
  • Interesting Fact: Joel has extremely accurate aim when throwing things with his toes, even at long distances. Jasmine has searched the world over and has yet to find a beat she can’t dance to.
  • Honeymoon: Phuket, Thailand
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant –Daniel Stringer (brother of the bride). DJ – Ryan Pflumm of SPIN DJ. Florist – Eclectic Sage. Cake – Once in a Blue Moon Bakery. Caterer – Donovan’s Dish. Hair – Qi Essentials Salon. Makeup – Tiwa Lawrence. Coordinator – Amanda Scott of A Swanky Affair. Second Line Bane – Boom Unit Brass Band. Lighting – Get Lit Special Event Lighting.