Category: Weddings

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.

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.

Jessica+Chris // Raleigh Courthouse Wedding

We have had so many small and lovely courthouse weddings this year and we love it. This time it was Jessica and Chris, who got married in downtown Raleigh with close family members and one very cute stuffed tiger. They then ran around the city with us taking pictures in weird doorways and dodging the 90+ degree heat and sun while talking about their love for heavy metal and punk rock. We discussed cats! We shopped for records! We had a good time. A big congratulations to Jessica and Chris on their wedding and new house without an HOA to tell them what to garden, dangit.