Jen+Jon // Wakefield Barn Wedding

Remember these three pretty faces from their engagement session earlier this year? I say three because one of those pretty faces is a very shaggy/furry pretty face and that is the face of Sam the Dog. But, she is 100% a member of this family and is always included so I don’t want to leave her out here. Sam was a groomspup and, while she historically does not like very many people, she did cuddle with Geoff on the ride over to the ceremony in the backseat of the car, and she did lick my hand exactly once on the wedding day, so I’d call it a win. This was a huge improvement over literally jumping away from me if I tried to pet her in the past (which I frequently did because I forget she doesn’t like me and she’s so cute). ANYWAY – Sam was there, and adorable as usual, and wearing a little floral collar. Jen and Jon were also there, also being adorable, and wearing a pretty dress and bee socks respectively. Jen let me wear her stole on top of my puffy vest while I took photos of them and I looked very high fashion as they can attest.

These guys are so sweet and nice and smiley and funny and we love them both. They really like Game of Thrones and lifting heavy things and October (me too! except lifting heavy things). Jen is also Celiac, so we enjoy talking about things we can and cannot eat. They like deep frying gluten free stuff, and there was a moment of the wedding night where we cornered Jon and discussed deep fryer options. They had a gluten free cake (!!!) and gluten free pizza (!!!) and three of the world’s cutest flower girls. The best man also created a brilliant speech where he asked the guys getting ready for random words to include, just for kicks, to see if he could seamlessly integrate them. He asked Geoff, who asked him how hard he wanted the word to be (he was told very hard) before suggesting polypropylene, which, I have to say, was seamlessly integrated (I wouldn’t have thought it could be done). We had a great time meeting all their family and friends (who are just as nice as they are, surprise!) and can’t wait to discuss GoT’s series finale with them in the future.

Date: November 17, 2018
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Historic Wakefield Barn // Wake Forest, NC
First Dance Song: “Beautiful Crazy” – Luke Combs
Jon’s Occupation: Financial Analyst for Cisco and Personal Trainer
Jen’s Occupation: Speech Therapist
How You Met: We met on the dating app Bumble
Interesting Fact: We cruise town playing Pokemon way too often.
Honeymoon: The Bahamas!
Officiant: Pastor Jason Butler
Band – Whiskey Rebellion
Florist: Expressions of Love
Cake: Sweet Traditions
Caterer: Il Muliano
Hair/Makeup: Teighla Norris
Coordinator: Daniel Varela of Chad Biggs Planning

Jen+Jon // Wake Forest Engagement

We are so lucky to have connected with Jen and Jon, and not just because Jen is also Celiac so pointed us to a great restaurant called Over the Falls in Wake Forest where we all went after their engagement session to eat gluten free chicken fingers, but because they are genuinely wonderful human beings who care quite a bit about themselves and their sweet dog. Before their engagement session, they warned us not to approach Sam, the adorable black fluffy face of a doggo that you see pictured before you. She isn’t aggressive and doesn’t bite, but she is easily startled and afraid of humans. The problem is that she’s really, really cute and really, really fluffy and anytime there is a fluffy animal in front of me I just want to hug it. So it required a great deal of self-control to not hug or pet Sam, and I spent most of the session clawing at my own face and gritting my teeth in baby voices in order to restrain myself. I did briefly forget and try to pet her, and she jumped really high and then I jumped really high and terrified reactions were had all around. Still think she’s cute.

They also warned me that Jon is the human version of Sam, but I’m pretty sure we gave him a hug at the end of the night and he didn’t jump. Him and Jen are pretty adorable human creatures who enjoy comics and Pokemon and good television shows and walking around with their pup and occasionally dressing said pup as Pikachu. Jon is a lifting instructor and lifted both Sam and Jen during their engagement session with great ease. Jen is an incredibly good sport who allowed herself to be lifted and frightened and tickled all for the sake of photography. We like them both a whole lot and are so excited to photograph their wedding at the new Wakefield Barn in November! It’s a new venue that looks incredible, and we’re sure Jen and Jon will make it look even better (also Sam, who will make it look fluffier).

raleigh wedding photographer: amanda+christopher

this was a seriously adorable wedding. everything about it was intimate and totally chill and i got to photograph at two new (to me) venues that were awesome! we had a seriously great time. amanda and chris are so sweet and down to earth and their wedding was just that.

they were married in the old stone chapel in wake forest which is the coolest little church! tons of stained glass and an old-timey stone look to the front, but seriously great diffused lighting inside which is a photographer’s dream! yay!

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awesome stained glass and a piece of amanda’s veil.

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getting the best man ready for his close-up. :)

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amanda looked wonderful! and wait, do these shoes look familiar?

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i was scoping out my competition. they looked very professional. the little dude on the left took pictures all day. move over, geoff, i think i found myself a new assistant! ;)

raleigh wedding photographer old stone chapel

seriously, if you’re looking for a church to get married in, the old stone chapel is awesome. and balcony shots are near and dear to this photog’s heart, so you’ll get bonus points!

old stone chapel

the reception was held at anderson point park cottage in raleigh. it is also so adorable! inside it’s almost all hardwood and has such a cottage-y feel, hence the name i guess! ;) it’s a little house in the middle of anderson point park and pretty secluded. it’s great for a really intimate space with close family and friends.

anderson point park cottage blue and white wedding cake

their cake was made by ambrosia cake creations, which reminds me that i need to contact the owner to get a vendor interview with them, because this cake was AMAZING! not only was the topper adorable, but the flowers had such crazy incredibly detail. i hear it tasted delicious, but alas i am still plagued by my gluten free/dairy free diet and couldn’t eat it. :( bummer, as a huge photographer perk is wedding cake.

blue and white wedding cake

amanda and chris were so great during this shoot out in the 100+ degree heat and humidity in the middle of a field at high noon. i felt like i was going to die, so i can only imagine wearing a formal dress and a tux felt like!

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by far my favorite of the day… sooo cute.

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i love this picture, too…really dark, but the window cast some pretty cool colors and i was able to get it just how i wanted it. :)

raleigh wedding photographer blue and white wedding cake

congratulations, amanda and chris! we had a great time and wish you the absolute best!