Meagan+Jonathan’s Wedding at Barclay Villa

Meagan and Jonathan had their wedding at Barclay Villa in Angier, NC. We had been hearing a lot about this venue for a few years but hadn’t had the opportunity to shoot there until now. But basically it’s a giant castle-house that the owners built to have weddings and is very Game of Thrones… without all the bad stuff. The DJ told me that he once had a Renaissance Fair wedding there where the bride and groom asked him to wear a Jester hat. Amazing.

I knew Meagan from a long series of e-mails over a long period of time and from her bridal portraits, but Geoff and I didn’t meet Jonathan until the wedding weekend. Knowing how sweet and lovely Meagan is, we knew that Jonathan would probably be nice, and he certainly was SUPER nice, as were all of his really nice but semi-rowdy with photobombing-tendencies groomsmen (I say that with love, gentlemen). Meagan and Jonathan were married by Meagan’s aunt which was really cool (we’ve been seeing a lot of family members marrying our couples lately!) and Meagan wore the first ring given to her grandmother by her late grandfather down the aisle.

The bridesmaids spent the morning/afternoon getting their hair and makeup done while the groomsmen spent the morning/afternoon playing pool and offering cigarettes to the lion statues out front in their Adidas sneakers. This is pretty typical (without the sneakers). In the evening they partied down and we were sat at a table of their very nice friends and had a lot of fun. Meagan and Jonathan were promptly sent on their honeymoon on a early flight the next day and are still there, so we’ll wish them congratulations and love from the States until they come back home!

Date: June 1, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Barclay Villa // Angier, NC

First Dance Song: “These Arms of Mine” – Otis Redding

Meagan’s Occupation: Recently graduated – still job hunting

Jonathan’s Occupation: Student/server

How You Met: Our freshman year in high school

Interesting Bride Fact: Meagan refuses to use any type of wooden utensil (knife, spoon, cutting board, popsicle stick) or to touch or stand on wooden objects if they’re wet. She can’t stand the feel of it.

Interesting Groom Fact: Jonathan is the only left handed person on either side of his family.

Honeymoon Destination: St. Maarten

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Janie Taylor | DJ – Island Sound and Video | Florist – Jeffrey’s Florist | Cake – Simply Cakes | Caterer – Barclay Villa | Hair and Makeup – Britt Murphy, Radiance Salon and Day Spa | Vidoegrapher – DJ Island Sound and Video | Coordinator – Cathy Honeycutt of Barclay Villa

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

Kai+Josh Engaged at Home

Kai and Josh contacted us way back in January about their wedding while they were looking for venues and trying to decide between some awesome ones in the mountains. Kai was a bridesmaid in a previously stellar wedding where we loved all the people involved and we spoke for a long time regarding wedding venues and preparing for their engagement session. Unfortunately fate was not with us as the only date their awesome venue had open (Hawkesdene House, we love you, and will return someday!) we were already booked for, and then their engagement session was cancelled once for no leaves on the trees back in early April and then again for rain in later April. :) But we didn’t let it deter us – and we soldiered on to finnnnally shoot their engagement session at their home and meet these wonderful people! There was a lot of poison ivy and I discovered the next day that I was bit by a tick, so he’s remaining in a Ziplock bag in our refrigerator for 30 days just in case I have any symptoms… since that’s how our luck has been going with their session.

Despite said luck, we think their pictures are adorable. And they’re adorable! And we talked about tv and books and music and had fun with their ridiculously cute and friendly dog Kora, whom they rescued together when they were still friends. They then made excuses to go see their joint-adopted dog which basically translated to them watching the whole series of Lost together and, let’s face it, what couple hasn’t been brought closer by watching Lost, right? All the time travel and the polar bears and the button pushing every 108 minutes is bound to turn any meaningful friendship into a lifelong marriage. We wish Kai and Josh the absolute best and just may invite ourselves over again to eat their bean dip and S’mores.