At the Lake with Johanna+Brad // A Family Session.

Johanna and Brad don’t know it yet, but we’ve already submitted the paperwork for them to adopt us (no offense, Mom and Dad, but paying adult bills is expensive and we know you already took care of us for half of our lives so we don’t want to ask you to have to do it again). Surprise, Johanna and Brad! You want us, right? Please? We won’t make too much noise living in your basement, and we can provide free babysitting services in exchange for whiskey slushes and bacon tortellini. We don’t know how to work a boat, but we’re sure we could figure it out. If you don’t sign the adoption paperwork, can we at least pretend we’re the cool aunt and uncle to your kids who aren’t really related to anyone in the family but the kids grow up under the misguided assumption that we’re actually blood relatives? Or are Laurel and Sam too old to fall for that at this point? Okay okay, we’ll settle for photographing your family every once in a while and being friends on the side. We love you all. A lot. Thanks for bringing us into your lives, feeding us, driving us around on a boat, showing me the true wonderfulness that is Garden & Gun and Duke’s mayonnaise, and being awesome.

Abby+Rachel // Haw River Ballroom Wedding.

We like to make Abby and Rachel physical uncomfortable by throwing leaves at them or making them sit on logs full of caterpillars and their wedding day was no different. In 90+ degree heat we trekked them into the forest by the river that was full of bugs and mud and water and oddly, teenagers. I think they are used to us taking them into uncomfortable territory by now. When we’re not physically exhausting them, and I’m making sure that Abby can’t get anything done by Facebook messaging her a lot about Prince during work hours. Now that their wedding is done, they’ve been on their honeymoon and we’re knee-deep in wedding season, so we haven’t had the time to bother them quite as much as we’d like, but I’ll find a way sooner or later. In the meantime, there are photos of them at their absolutely lovely wedding in Saxapahaw. Complete with old timey plates. And cardboard cutouts of their dog Clifford.

  • Date: June 26, 2016
  • Ceremony + Reception Venue: Haw River Ballroom // Saxapahaw, NC
  • First Dance Song: “Stars 4-Ever” – Robyn
  • Rachel’s Occupation: Retirement plan consultant in Raleigh.
  • Abby’s Occupation: PhD candidate in English at Duke.
  • How You Met: On the internet! OKCupid. Abby messaged Rachel first because she liked her taste in books, but it quickly turned into a conversation about our shared love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  We then met for a dinner date at Geer Street Garden, went to the Pinhook after, and the rest is history!
  • Interesting Fact: Long before we knew each other, we both used “What Is Love?” by Haddaway as our ringtones circa 2006.  We discovered this on a road trip when that song came on.  We have a nine year old Chowbrador named Clifford who is incredibly anxious and likes to hide under tables.  Rachel was once bitten by a copperhead and lives to tell the tale; Abby did poorly in the 1997 Missouri State geography bee.
  • Honeymoon: We are going to Hawaii’s Big Island shortly after the wedding.  We are going to attempt to learn to surf.  Neither of us think this is going to work very well.
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Daniel Picus. DJ – DJ Playplay. Florist – Brides and Bouquets. Cake – Pies from Weaver Street Market. Caterer – Saxapahaw General Store. Coordinator – Patricia Gallivan from Saxapahaw General Store.