Category: Weddings

Margaret/Betsy+Jeff Have a Chapel Hill Wedding

The biggest moment of sheer panic I’ve had involving a wedding for a while involved Geoff and I meeting with a couple named Margaret and Jeff, booking Margaret and Jeff, labeling everything Margaret and Jeff (folders, client information, postcards, other things that they’d both see), and then receiving the timeline a week before from Sally Oakley, their coordinator, that was labeled, “Betsy and Jeff’s Timeline.”

Woah woah now! Who is this Betsy and Jeff? Surely Sally accidentally sent me someone else’s timeline by mistake. Open it up: no, it’s definitely our wedding. WAIT A MINUTE YOU GUYS HAVE I BEEN CALLING HER MARGARET FOR LIKE A YEAR NOW AND HER NAME IS ACTUALLY BETSY?!!! I am pretty sure that in the e-mails I subsequently sent to Sally and Margaret/Betsy that there were that many question marks and exclamation marks.

After apologizing for calling her the wrong  name for about a year I found out that her real name is actually, indeed Margaret. But everyone calls her Betsy. Her mother explained to me at the wedding that she just didn’t look like a Margaret when she was born, so Betsy it was. So to me she is both. She’s a Margaret in my folders and in my head, but a Betsy when I speak. Although to be honest, I felt like I had gained a client when I started referring to her as Betsy. I’m not entirely sure where Margaret went, but we have a Betsy now!

Anyway – Betsy and Jeff are terribly awesome. When we booked them, Jeff signed the contract by drawing in Trogdor. I wasn’t sure if that was legally binding, but I figured hey – we shouldn’t have any legal troubles with anyone signing a contract with a little cartoon Trogdor. They’re big book nerds (I use the word nerds with love) and centered them around their wedding accordingly. They unfortunately used us as their photographers despite knowing that we come with a rain curse when shooting at the Carolina Inn (we have literally never had a wedding ceremony/reception combo at that venue where it hasn’t poured). The curse did indeed follow us to their wedding, but held off for long enough where we could get photos outside despite it. We hope we were worth the rain curse. ;)

Date: May 18, 2013

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

First Dance Song: “I Could Write A Book” – performed by The John Winntet

Betsy’s Occupation: Recent Library Science graduate

Jeff’s Occupation: Best Buy Mobile Lead

How You Met: Working at Barnes and Noble

Interesting Bride Fact: Has never lost a game of Risk.

Interesting Groom Fact: Keeps his bowling balls and shoes in the trunk of his car at all times, because you just never know. Last time he bowled: about six months ago.

Honeymoon Destination: Negril, Jamaica

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Barbara Lodge | Band – The John Winntet | Ceremony Music – Arioso Strings | Florist – Tre Bella | Cake – Lynn’s Traditions | Caterer – Carolina Inn | Hair/Makeup – Elaine Harrison | Coordinator – Sally Oakley

Michelle and Jimi’s Wedding at Preston Woodall House

Michelle and Jimi are two pretty fabulous people who had their wedding at the Preston Woodall House in Benson, NC, with two adorable flower girls (their nieces), a ruffly dress, gorgeous weather, and a lot of funky indoor wallpaper. We liked photographing them (hello, attractive friends!) and we liked photographing their venue (hello, previously mentioned cool wallpaper!) but you know what struck me as the best part when I actually started photographing? Michelle’s hair. Michelle, I know what you are thinking (probably something along the lines of, “What?”), but we don’t get brides with dark dark hair and her fantastic coloring that often (let alone brides who wear their hair down), and I found it to be a refreshing break from normal (no offense to the rest of you with normal hair – don’t start dying it strange colors for us now). It was a day full of little quirky differences and we liked it a lot.

They’ve been some of our nicest, most welcoming clients to date – treating us like family and friends rather than vendors. They may look in our part of the neighborhood when they eventually go looking for a house and we hope they do (especially if they land themselves on Property Brothers, as is Michelle’s dream). They told us that they hoped that we’d go home and have a drink after their wedding, but in a good, celebratory way instead of a, “Wow, I need a drink” sort of way. And we totally did (White Russians!) and it was absolutely positively in a celebratory, “We love Michelle and Jimi” kind of way.

Date: May 11, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Preston Woodall House // Benson, NC

First Dance Song: “You Are The Best Thing” – Ray LaMontagne

Michelle’s Occupation: Nurse

Jimi’s Occupation: Waiter/Bartender

How You Met: Bride’s good friend was dating groom’s good friend

Interesting Bride Fact: Completed a sprint triathalon

Interesting Groom Fact: Classified as genius on IQ test

Honeymoon Destination: Sandals Jamaica

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Carl Johnson | DJ – Perrin Smith at Blue Box Weddings | Florist – Kelley Kennedy at Teacup Floral | Cake – Katherine Boyce | Caterer – Preston Woodall House | Hair and Makeup – Kellie Matthews | Coordinator – Kristen Cox at Blue Box Weddings

Andrea+Mark Have a Raleigh Wedding

Our favorite getting ready spot is always the couple’s own house. We really like seeing other peoples’ houses, for one thing, as it tells you a lot about them. This is always substantially more relaxed, for another thing, especially if they get ready in the same house at the same time. But the third and most important reason why our favorite getting ready spot is the couple’s own house is that we’re typically surrounded by cats or dogs who make everything better for cute, furry, obvious reasons.

There were 3 cats in this house, but only one visible, unhidden cat who had taken a fond liking to Andrea’s wedding dress. The dog’s name is Sweet Penny Scoot Scoots, age 4. She’s possibly won the award for the most nervous flower girl ever, and we’ve seen a lot of nervous flower girls. She was won over eventually with treats and a bow and walked bravely down the aisle for her very doting parents, Andrea and Mark.

Andrea and Mark were married at Mark’s uncle’s house and had their ceremony officiated by Mark’s other uncle. The ceremony was the first we’ve attended to mention Tupac and a vow to “seek help before quitting the marriage,” and was clearly the best ceremony ever. Family threw Hersey Kisses at them afterward (no dresses were harmed) and the DJ actually still spun real records with a set list that was epic and reminiscent of every 90s roller skating party I’ve ever attended (in a good way). They drove off at the end of the night to Mojo’s where their pictures are up on the wall 3 times for eating hamburgers. :)

Date: May 4, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Private Residence // Raleigh, NC

Andrea’s Occupation: Massage Therapist

Mark’s Occupation: Superintendent

How You Met: Through a friend at the Pour House

Honeymoon Destination: Costa Rica

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Dr. Bobby Wineburg | DJ – Aharon Segal of DJ Gonzo | Caterer – Food Simply Fresh with Kelly Delaire | Hair/Makeup – Amanda Daniels