Ohhh, Liz and Chris! Remember their adorable engagement session on Liz’s mom’s horse farm? I knew their wedding would be as great as they are, and it was. :) Not only are they beautiful inside and out, they are perfect together and have a wonderful and supportive system of family and friends. We had a great time. It was a perfect outdoor ceremony and reception on a gorgeous day and had that subtle but sweet touch of southern charm. :) I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful wedding to photograph on their day!

Date: June 4, 2011

Venue: Weymouth Center, James Boyd House // Southern Pines, NC

Flowers: Aldena Frye Custom Floral Design

Caterer: Sweet Feed

Cake: The Bakehouse

Officiant: Reverend Stephen Huber

Reception Band: Christabel & The Jons

Ceremony Musicians: Jan Johannson (violinist), Julie Elkins (guitarist)

This is one of most gorgeous floral arrangements I’ve seen. Aldena Frye did a magnificent job on the bouquets and boutonnieres.

Liz and Chris didn’t do a first look as they spent the morning preparing for the wedding themselves. They met in the James Boyd library along with the rest of their family for toasts before the ceremony.

Absolutely adore the multiple cake table in every single way. The Bakehouse did an awesome job and yes, that is a sword in the front. They used it to cut their cake (awesome!!!). It belonged to Liz’s grandfather and has been used to cut several wedding cakes in their family.

That pine tree to your left is over 400 years old! Imagine all the weddings it’s seen. :)

I love this cute candid to the right that Geoff caught as they were walking to their receiving line.

I was beyond words excited for Christabel & The Jons. Not only were they our first live band to photograph during a wedding (it’s way overdue!), but they didn’t play covers, but rather their own music, which was beautiful. They are from Tennessee and play a beautiful mixture of swing, blues, and jazz. SO highly recommend it’s not even funny. Check out their link in the above vendor section if you’re looking for a band or just want to hear some sweet music. They tour all over as well, so you might be able to catch them some night locally.

This is one of my favorite photographs I’ve ever taken. Liz, you’re beautiful! Weymouth Center, you’re beautiful!

CAKE CUTTING WITH A SWORD! Aaaaamazing. Watch out there, Chris.

Seriously, what a beautiful beautiful wedding. The following conversation took place between Liz and I about a wedding before the wedding:

C: Is there a tent?

L: No, I don’t like tents.

C: Is there a rain back-up plan?

L: No, we’re just hoping it doesn’t rain.

Hahaha I though that Liz’s faith in the weather was utterly amazing and it definitely worked. And I definitely have to agree with her on the fact that I think a tent would’ve ruined the mood of this particular wedding. It just had too much of a gardeny summer night feel and a tent would’ve taken it away. We shot the reception slightly different because of it, alternating methods between the two of us, but I love how it turned out (and it was infinitely less stressful, so we may be switching over soon).

Congratulations, Liz and Chris! We wish you and your family the very best moving forward into married life! We had an amazing day with you!

Amy and Dan are a lovely couple who did not let a few tornadoes spoil their outdoor wedding. :) How great is that? Yes, Amy and Dan were to be married in an outdoor ceremony at the Arrowhead Inn in Durham, NC at high noon when the weather channel was predicting, I kid you not, a “100% chance of severe storms.” That’s not a very good percent. :D But we got there and took pictures of Amy getting ready and, miraculously, despite them repeatedly announcing tornado warnings on the radio, it was merely overcast and their wedding was held outside at high noon against all odds. :) We were even able to take family and friend photographs AND the newlywed pictures afterward! It didn’t rain until the reception luncheon (when the lights went out briefly), but that was really all that happened. They were so lucky!

Their venue and their vendors couldn’t have been more wonderful, and neither could Amy and Dan’s fantastic family and friends. Amy’s family traveled in from Japan and they were married by Dan’s brother, a high school principal. It was all very sweet and low-key, just like the beautiful couple themselves. :)

Date: April 16, 2011

Venue: The Arrowhead Inn, Durham NC

Flowers: Special Event Florals, Nancy Dawson

Guitarist: Randy Reed

Officiant: Walter Finnigan

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Amy is the definition of a blushing bride… not only because she is getting married, but because she is pregnant. :) Amy and Dan are expecting a baby girl in August!

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This family is a family of cameras. I think everyone there had a camera, large or small, video or still. Below and to the right is our handsome groom, taking photographs of his lovely soon-to-be wife getting her hair done. :) Amy is a high school music teacher trained in classical singing, but she is hoping to one day become a photographer as well! And we will most certainly welcome her into the ranks because she is a wonderful person. :)

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Amy looked gorgeous! Very beautiful, natural, and happy. :)

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Proof that, even as tornadoes ran rampant through parts of Raleigh, the sun did come out that day (during their first kiss!) for perhaps a few seconds:

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I can’t resist me a willow tree. ;)

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Amy and Dan held a beautiful indoor luncheon for their wedding reception inside the Arrowhead Inn (the innkeepers are lovely and make EXCELLENT food!).

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In conclusion, I had a wonderful day with you, Amy and Dan, and wish you the best of luck in your life and marriage! I do hope that I get to meet that baby girl soon and of course see you again. :) Thank you and congratulations! I’ll leave you all with these wise words of wisdom…

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