Category: Weddings

Our Facebook fans (and my mother) have been waiting for us to post Erika and Emmanuel’s wedding since we shot it. They quickly became fan favorites after their engagement session (presumably on their good looks and charm alone) and people ask us about them often with inquiries such as, “Tell us more about that couple who was juggling vegetables in your kitchen,” and “That one couple with the guy who has dreadlocks looks fun and nice.” I’m pretty sure that if they became public figures or perhaps even opened their own Youtube channel that they’d skyrocket to fame and then we’d subsequently reap in the royalties by selling our photographs of them “from back when.”

But we must say that while looks can be deceiving and you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover and all that – you’re all completely accurate in this case, and Erika and Emmanuel are in fact as fun, nice, adorable, and sweet as they appear. As in – people couldn’t stop giving toasts at their wedding. Eventually they had to STOP PEOPLE FROM GIVING THEM TOASTS OR IT WOULD’VE NEVER ENDED. That’s how much everyone loves them. And how nice their friends are (who are kind of exactly like them to the point where I told the best man, “We’re going to force our way into your group of friends now, okay?” to which he replied, “Oh absolutely.”).

Their wedding had a Plants Vs. Zombies cake topper and a Captain (their friend married them and the captain hat was bought to lend him more of an air of authenticity, which it absolutely did). They got married at Babylon, a Moroccan restaurant in downtown Raleigh, and one of the bridesmaids was a guest at the wedding we had shot the day before (her picture can be found directly below the goldfish) which, we think, says something about how our clients are pretty awesome and travel in the same awesome circles being awesome together. There were Dr. Who socks and Dr. Who reception bow ties. There was a spontaneous wedding party dance breakout to “Lean on Me.” And there was Erika and Emmanuel whom we love and cherish and cannot thank enough for being the most amazing people and I could go on and on but someone should probably take the mic away from me too or else the blog post will never end.

Date: July 28, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Babylon Restaurant // Raleigh, NC

First Dance Song: “I’m Yours” – Jason Mraz

Erika’s Occupation: Optometric technician and office minion

Emmanuel’s Occupation: High school English teacher

How You Met: Ice skating at the Ice House in Cary, NC

Interesting Bride Fact: She makes weird faces when she has to take pictures (I tried to warn you), has a hard time reading directions (thanks for including a lot of them in this sheet, jerks) and prefers jumping into things.

Interesting Groom Fact: He is the best chef ever, is extremely adventerous but uncomfortable with heights, can walk on his hands and do flips off of walls.

Honeymoon Destination: St. Lucia

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Chalres “The Captain” Lindsey | DJ – DJ Madcow/Neu Romance | Cake – Jennifer LeGrande (Emmanuel’s cousin) | Caterer – Babylon | Hair – Niko Jones at Salon Jasmine | Makeup – Jackie Verbal

I believe the first time Megan came over to our house for their wedding consult she was derailed by our discussion of Breaking Bad for so long that her roommate probably suspected foul play. Needless to say, we’ve loved Megan from the minute we met her and while we hadn’t met Andrew until the wedding, we knew we’d love him just as much – and we did. :) We loved them both even more when we discovered that one of their favorite television show characters is also our long-standing favorite of all-time: Secret Service Aaron (man, we miss 24). When you meet another couple with as deep of a love for Secret Service Aaron, it’s a bond that cannot easily be broken.

We ran around their wedding discussing 24, hanging out on sidewalks in front of historic Raleigh homes, discussing the Maid of Honor’s orange kitten named Waffles of whose fan club I’ve delightfully declared myself president of based on his Instagram pictures alone, and watching the ring bearer do the most amazing dance I’ve ever seen at any wedding which basically included him shifting his hips from side to side with no expression on his face whatsoever for several hours… hours… in the tiniest pleated pants I’ve ever seen. There was also a dog there in a tiny tuxedo. I don’t know what else to say – clearly this should all convince you that this wedding was awesome and that Megan and Andrew are awesome and that tiny dogs in tuxedos are awesome (and heavily photographed by us at all weddings where they make an appearance).

Date: July 27, 2013

Ceremony Venue: All Saints Chapel // Raleigh, NC

Reception Venue: Capital City Club // Raleigh, NC

First Dance Song: “You Can Never Hold Back Spring” – Tom Waits

Megan’s Occupation: Third Grade Teacher

Andrew’s Occupation: High School Band/Choral Director

How You Met: That depends on who you ask!

Interesting Bride Fact: She is a veritable encyclopedia of World War II facts.

Interesting Groom Fact: He has been dropped in a bonfire.

Honeymoon Destination: Saving up money to go backpacking in Europe (and to go to Alaska!)

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Reverend Barbara Lodge | DJ – Lenny Fritts | Florist – Fresh Affairs | Cake – Simply Cakes | Caterer – Capital City Club | Hair/Makeup – Darrell Johnson | Coordinator – Nicole Barton

It made Brooke happy when she found out that we were cat people even though she doesn’t have a cat (Peter’s allergic), and so it made us happy that it made her happy, and what we wish for them most in their married life is the development of a truly hypoallergenic cat so that they can get one and live happily ever after.

We hadn’t had the opportunity to meet these two until their rehearsal since they live in DC, but we did meet them (obviously) and they were as charming as we expected them to be and then some. Brooke went to school at UNC and actually worked at the Carolina Inn when she was in college, so it was quite fitting for her to get married there. Peter went to George Washington but roots heavily for the University of Maryland terrapins, so there was a lot of taunting and tongues sticking out and a cake shaped like a turtle and I believe a threat was made by the bride when she told someone to start cutting the terrapin cake at the neck (Peter did not). At the end of the night, pom poms were passed out in both UNC blue and white and Maryland red and black. The ultimate betrayal was committed by Peter’s mother who decided to use the UNC pom poms.

We were honored to be a part of Brooke and Peter’s wedding and so thankful to have had the opportunity to meet and work with them! More importantly – it seems that our Carolina Inn rain curse was finally broken and despite a more or less constant threat of an immediate downpour, it never rained. :) Thank you to Brooke and Peter’s family for being so awesome and for hosting an amazing wedding!

Date: July 20, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Carolina Inn // Chapel Hill, NC

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Brian Wingo | DJ – Randy Bennett of the Joe Bunn DJ Company | Florist – Lyn Graves from Fresh Affairs | Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes | Caterer – The Carolina Inn | Hair/Makeup – Margo Williams from Belloviso | Coordinator – Tracy Adams of Adams & Events, Inc.