Category: Weddings

Annie and Kunal finally broke our rain-streak for weddings at The Cotton Room, so we’re guessing that choosing Friday, May 15th as the date for their wedding due to its auspiciousness worked out. :) It was also, adorably, Kunal’s parents’ 33rd wedding anniversary (they got them their own anniversary cake to cut!). Annie looked stunning, Kunal looked handsome, and they decorated their venue with beautiful purple and yellow details, gorgeous floral arrangements, little wedding cakes and sequined table cloths. Then we added in a dash of graffiti and some skateboarders just to balance things out a bit and they were totally cool with it because Annie and Kunal are super nice and wonderful people. Super smiley, super happy, super polite, and super chill. We were so happy to be there with them on their wedding day and also to be given the chance to eat their fantastic Indian food too! We love these guys a lot and wish them the best in their new journey to live and work in New Mexico!

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  • Date: May 15, 2015
  • Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Cotton Room // Durham, NC
  • First Dance: “All of Me” – John Legend
  • Annie’s Occupation: Physician
  • Kunal’s Occupation: Clinical Statistician
  • How You Met: Match.com
  • Interesting Fact: We have a blind dog who rules our house.
  • Honeymoon: India for wedding #2 follows by some well deserved rest!
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Jessie Larkins | DJ – Gabby Sasore | Florist – Tre Bella | Cake – Daisy Cakes | Caterer – Triangle Catering and Sitar | Hair/Makeup – Bella Trio | Coordinator – Shelley Clayton w/ the Cotton Room

We’ve been longstanding supporters of LGBT equality and marriage, and in our careers we’ve photographed engagement sessions and commitment ceremonies of couples who couldn’t legally get married in our state. A couple could have a commitment ceremony here, but they’d need to get legally hitched elsewhere and had to come back to live in a state that didn’t legally acknowledge their union. When we met Matt and Scott, we were all aware that it would be a commitment ceremony like the others we have done. And while we were thrilled to work with these two amazing guys, we were even more thrilled when same-sex marriage became legal in North Carolina in October, turning Matt and Scott’s previous commitment ceremony into a legal marriage recognized by the state, and the first one that we’ve photographed on our home turf. :)

Usually I don’t get very sappy on the blog as I prefer to remain somewhat aloof and sarcastic (sappy doesn’t really mix with the bats, does it). But! I’ll do it just this once since we really were happy to have this be our first legal same-sex wedding in NC. And we were even happier to see Matt and Scott surrounded by a huge group of very proud and loving family and friends. There were some tears and lots of hugs and a cake topper that looked like Matt and Scott with their two cats at the bottom. And who could ask for more than that? We’re so happy to show you these pictures, and we’re so happy for Matt and Scott. :)

Cotton Room Groom Suite Groom putting on bow tie Pink wedding bouquet Groom getting ready for wedding Groom talking to bridesmaid Groom talking to flower girl Grooms getting ready Same sex wedding party Couple wedding portrait Same sex wedding Durham North Carolina Grooms kissing same sex wedding LGBT wedding portrait Groom portrait LGBT wedding north carolina Gay wedding Durham NC Two grooms portrait NC Cotton Room Wedding Durham, NC Groom with tux and bow tie Grooms holding hands Urban wedding portraits Black and white groom portrait Grooms holding hands Same sex friendly wedding photographers Groom portrait green wall Groom straightening tie Wedding cocktail hour Wedding cocktail hour Cotton Room Same sex wedding cake toppers Cocktail hour at the Cotton Room Durham Wedding guests talking Wedding ceremony setup white curtains Wedding ceremony at The Cotton Room Durham NC Wedding ceremony speaker Wedding ceremony at the Cotton Room Durham, NC Groom's dad at ceremony Wine box wedding ceremony Same sex marriage in North Carolina Same sex wedding Durham NC LGBT wedding Durham North Carolina Gay wedding North Carolina Wedding rings on a mustache Groom hugging wedding guests Wedding reception setup at the Cotton Room First dance at LGBT wedding Wedding photographers in Durham, NC Couple reacting to speeches and toasts at wedding Same sex marriage Wedding Photo Booth Wedding reception at The Cotton Room NC Wedding reception at the Cotton Room Guests dancing Wedding guests talking to groom Grooms dancing at wedding Father of the groom dancing Wedding reception dancing The Cotton Room wedding reception venue Girls laughing People singing People laughing Parents of the groom Last dance Sparkler exit
  • Date: April 25, 2015
  • Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Cotton Room // Durham, NC
  • First Dance: “Here Comes the Sun” – Glee
  • Scott’s Occupation: Emergency room physician
  • Matt’s Occupation: Postdoctoral scholar in cognitive psychology/psycholinguistics
  • How You Met: Online (or as Scott says, he ordered Matt off the internet).
  • Interesting Fact: When we first met, Matt was obsessed with the Food Network but never cooked, whereas Scott was obsessed with cooking but never watched the Food Network.  7 years later, those roles have completely reversed.
  • Honeymoon: Hawaii
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Reverend Barbara Lodge | DJ – All Around Raleigh DJ | Florist – Amrose Flowers | Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes | Caterer – Triangle Catering | Hair – Blo | Videographer – Dean Garris of DEANO Pictures | Coordinator – Emily Nunn of Whiskey and White Events | Design Consultation – Melinda Knowles of Host Raleigh

We met Caroline and Brian when we photographed their engagement session in Raleigh last summer, and afterward they decided that we were pretty okay and asked us to come to Wilmington with them to photograph their wedding. We responded with, “Yes, please!” and our enthusiasm was met with, “Good, because there is a place down the street where you can go after the reception to get really good pulled pork nachos.” It’s like they know the real us.

But it turns out that they had really great pulled pork at their wedding, so afterward when we went to the bar they told us about, we had their pub fries instead of the nachos. And the pub fries were basically unbelievable (chili, cheese, scallions, ranch dressing) and I’ve been thinking about them ever since (here’s a shout out to the Front Street Brewery’s pub fries and a public vote of enthusiasm). So seeing their wedding pictures done and up on the blog fills me with warm and happy feelings both for Caroline and Brian, who are amazingly sweet, adorable, nice, fabulous people who made us feel incredibly welcome and at home, and also for the pub fries… which make me hungry. Wilmington, by the way, has a pretty fantastic downtown that we somehow never knew about. We were happy to explore the city and couldn’t have asked for a better couple to spend time with down there. :)

Wedding greeter Kenan Chapel at Landfall Sister looking at bride Groomsmen entering church Bride putting on earrings Groomsman celebrating Bride reading letter from groom Wedding guests arriving Bride hugging maid of honor Bride and dad first look Groom's reaction to bride walking down aisle Bride and dad walking down aisle Wedding at Kenan Chapel at Landfall First kiss in church Bride and groom recessing Bride and bridesmaids talking Groom and groomsmen talking Wedding couple Wedding party laughing The Balcony on Dock Street Wilmington Dog in sunglasses Couple portrait and Cheerwine bottles Downtown Wilmington wedding Wedding photographs downtown Wilmington NC Wedding portraits Bride and groom walking Bride and groom walking in Wilmington Bride and groom standing by ivy wall Wedding couple downtown Wilmington Bride and groom walking Couple walking Wilmington NC Wedding couple Wilmington NC Downtown Wilmington wedding Riverwalk downtown Wilmington Couple walking on Riverwalk Wedding couple portrait downtown Wilmington Wedding photographers in Wilmington Riverwalk couple portrait Couple walking down Riverwalk Bride smiling on wedding day Groom portrait Bridal portrait Bride portrait Groom portrait NC themed wedding decor First dance First dance as husband and wife Vintage Cheerwine bottle Cake cutting Little kid at wedding The Balcony on Dock Street wedding reception Wilmington Guests dancing at wedding Couple dancing at wedding reception Wedding reception venues in downtown Wilmington Wedding reception Wilmington Pom pom wedding exit Wedding exit
  • Date: April 18, 2015
  • Ceremony Venue: Kenan Chapel at Landfall // Wilmington, NC
  • Reception Venue: The Balcony on Dock Street // Wilmington, NC
  • First Dance: “Your Smiling Face” – James Taylor
  • Caroline’s Occupation: – HR
  • Brian’s Occupation: Banking
  • Interesting Fact: We’re both pretty bummed our dog, Caddy, can’t be with us on our wedding day… but she makes a terribly behaved guest. We’ve watched every single episode of West Wing together.
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Jimmy Marsh and Rev. Bob Roach | DJ – Jason Tatum of Active DJ Entertainment | Cake – Whole Foods | Donuts – Krispy Kreme | Videographer – Divine Treasures Cinematography | Day Of Director – Edie Callahan