Category: Weddings

Alex+David // Blowing Rock, NC Wedding Photographer

When you get a wedding inquiry from a badass lady who likes you and color and Seinfeld and Boone and is also a member of a Durham band called GOWN that’s described as “an all wommmmin punk hardcare metallic band made up of blood sucking druids” you take it immediately. Then you find out that their venue is a summer camp in Blowing Rock and your head kinda explodessss at the adorable lake and cabins and little tiny open air chapel and you are SO EXCITED! And then you find out that both her and her fiance are long hair heroes… true champions of Pantene Pro-V wonderfulness who you’re excited to photograph because they look really awesome and also like they’re in a couple great metal bands which, oh wait, they both actually are ::insert shredding solo here::.

And then you show up in Blowing Rock and meet your long haired heroes in REAL LIFE and they are SO NICE and just adopted a super cute BLACK CAT and Alex has a beautiful bouquet made of DRIED FLOWERS(!!!) and all of their glassware and plates are MISMATCHED and COLORFUL and David’s hair is FLOWING and SOFT and their wedding colors are EVERYTHING FALL and you sigh because these… these are your people. And you take their photos on a pretty lake surrounded by a fire pit and animal cracker appetizers and a toddler in a Cannibal Corpse onesie. And you take their photos while they dance inside the old summer camp dining hall to David Bowie deep cuts. And later they see their preview pictures and pronounce that they’re “so Twin Peaksesque,” which may be the highest praise our work has yet received. So gaze upon them, my friends. Alex and David are like the universe heard whisperings of the perfect clients for us and formed them out of star stuff a la a Carl Sagan documentary and put them in Blowing Rock for us to photograph. Thanks, Carl.


– Date: September 9, 2017
– Ceremony + Reception Venue: Camp Sky Ranch // Blowing Rock, NC
– First Dance Song: “As the World Falls Down” and “Be My Wife” by David Bowie
– How You Met: Outside the music building at UNC Chapel Hill.
– Interesting Fact: We’re both classical musicians (cello and guitar) but also are both currently drummers in bands! (David taught Alex how to play)
– Honeymoon: Seattle, WA
– Vendor Credits: Officiant – Ken Craig (father of the bride). DJ – Our iPod. Florist – The bride’s mom. Bouquet+Boutonniere – Westerwisp. Pies – The Gamekeeper. Caterer – The Gamekeeper. Hair/Makeup – Haircut 101 with Jezabel Lebatard. Coordinator – Meris Gantt of The Whole Shebang. Dress – Cathy Telle. Glassware – Miss Match Rentals.

Jamie+Matt // Backyard Wedding in Ontario, New York

It was good, great, amazing luck that we were able to come to upstate New York and photograph this wedding. Geoff’s cousin was getting married in Rochester the weekend of Labor Day, and it had been on our calendar for a very long time. But we very coincidentally (and luckily!) got an inquiry from Matt and Jamie to photograph their wedding in Jamie’s parents’ backyard in Ontario, New York the weekend before Geoff’s cousin was to be married, and only about 30 minutes away from Geoff’s aunt and uncle’s house! And it’s GORGEOUS in upstate New York this time of year, and the humidity is lowww, and so we graciously accepted and were very excited.

I actually went to high school with our wonderful groom Matt! He was a grade or two below me and I knew him without a beard. When his identical twin showed up at the wedding sans beard, I was like “THAT’S MATT!” but then no, that’s the Germany-based, identical twin, beardless version of today’s Matt. And I believe by our counts that brings our identical twin client total up to 5! Anyway, Matt is kind and caring and fun and has great tattoos and I was so excited to be reunited with him, and to meet his lovely fiancee Jamie in person. We Skyped with them when we first booked them, and Jamie was really gorgeous. And I’ve seen her pictures on Instagram and she was still really gorgeous. But then in real life, it’s like she takes all of the gorgeous video and photos of her and mashes them together and it gets amplified into this REALLY RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS PERSON THAT THERE ARE NO BAD PHOTOGRAPHS OF EVER. Really. I culled through all the photos we took, and there are zero bad pictures of her. I didn’t see her make one expression the entire day that wasn’t 100% lovely and charming in every way. I’m not entirely sure how she does it. My best guess is some sort of Little Mermaid-esque magic where some sort of trade was made with a nefarious Disney character at some point, but I don’t have the proof.

Their wedding was beautiful, warm, and sunny. People threw rainbow sprinkles at them as they walked down the aisle, and Jamie ate them as she walked (again, she’s a girl after my own heart), and then Matt and the bridesmaids had to pick them out of her hair before they melted. There were lots of cats. There was also apple cider, donuts, and cotton candy. We took pictures next to willow trees! And next to Lake Ontario! And then in a freaking apple orchard covered in actual full blown apples and it was like WHAT KIND OF DREAM AM I IN. Apparently we need to photograph weddings in upstate New York more often.


– Date: August 26, 2017
– Ceremony + Reception Venue: Private Home // Ontario, New York
– First Dance Song: “You Are The Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne
– Jamie’s Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer
– Matt’s Occupation: Art Director, Advertising
– How You Met: Art School in Pittsburgh.
– Interesting Fact: We love coffee, we’re depressed that Hogwarts may or may not actually exist, cats should run the world (or do?), Matt’s an identical twin.
– Honeymoon: Backpacking in Europe
– Vendor Credits: Officiant – Jen Mastro (family friend). DJ – Adam Dibble from Encore Events. Florist – Kittleberger. Cake – Katie Beck. Caterer – Root Catering. Hair/Makeup – Rocky Grecco. Videographer – Mike Liu. Coordinator – Jenna with Bella Co.

Katie+Tony // Blacksburg, VA Wedding

We really need to get to perfecting the ability to shrink people down and put them in our pockets to carry around because I would definitely shrink Katie and Tony and bring them out to smile at me every once in a while. They both have infectious, super radiant smiles that are amplified when around each other, around family and friends, and around HokieBird, the Virginia Tech mascot that seems to be a giant turkey (who knew?). Their wedding was held at the expansive and beautiful property of the Beliveau Estate Winery in Blacksburg, Virginia and we were lucky enough to join them (and become very educated in the ways of the Hokies). Katie and Tony booked us a long time ago after a Skype meeting and a much-appreciated referral from our good friend Janice at Big Dog Little Bed Productions, and we were lucky enough to all get to work together as a big happy family on their wedding day, drones and all.

When we arrived at the winery, we already suspected Katie and Tony of being super stellar humans, but this was confirmed to us several times throughout the day by outside source as well as Katie and Tony themselves, who were SO NICE! And I told all wedding guests I met how beautiful Katie looked in her awesome wedding dress (all the sparkly gold wedding dresses, please!) and had two completely separate people tell me, “She’s beautiful inside and out.” So – it was confirmed. In addition, Katie’s Maid of Honor Laura told a fantastic little story about how she used to hang out at Katie’s apartment only to find her favorite foods inexplicably waiting for her, including pre-cut-up fruit, after Laura mentioned that fruit is a pain to prepare. I both identified with this story (fruit is a pain and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks that) and found it wonderful that some people out there are still thoughtful, truly special people who listen and care about others in the way that Katie does. But it’s not even just Katie! Tony’s best man Dave told a story about how Tony once, without being asked, decided to help Dave’s family out by ironing Dave’s little sister’s tutu to help ease the pressure of them running a bit late. Laura also said that Tony helped her ride the subway to her new job in DC to show her the best way to get there. And we saw them do this all day. Smile at everyone, hug everyone, and be the nicest people in the room.

So… I’m sorry, everyone. But both Katie and Tony, two of the most selfless individuals we’ve had the pleasure of meeting, are already taken. And I feel like their relationship will just be one of those where they both show up after a long day and Katie will be like, “Tony, here is a milkshake I brought home for you to surprise you!” and Tony will laugh and be like, “But Katie, here is a milkshake I bought YOU!” and they will giggle and hug because that’s the kind of people they are and they’re proof the world is still a good place.

– Date: July 29, 2017
– Ceremony + Reception Venue: Beliveau Estate Winery // Blacksburg, VA
– First Dance Song: “You Are The Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne
– Katie’s Occupation: Education Finance Researcher at Georgetown University
– Tony’s Occupation: Client Manager at Square One Bank
– How You Met: At a party! Fell in love over our shared admiration of hip hop.
– Interesting Fact: We’ve lived together in studio apartments for two years and still want to get married! We also went to the same college (Go Hokies!) at the same time and didn’t know each other.
– Vendor Credits: Officiant – Pamela Creekmur. DJ – Horizon Entertainment. Florist – DIY arrangements with flowers from Stonecrop Farmers. Desserts – Our Daily Bread. Caterer – Beliveau Estate Winery. Hair/Makeup – Polished by Clair V. Videographer – Big Dog Little Bed Productions.