Maggie+Humberto // Durham Engagement.

When Maggie and Humberto sent us an e-mail, they told us that they wanted to have their engagement pictures taken inside Food World. I think I text messaged Geoff first, before responding to the e-mail, with something along the lines of, “WE GOT AN INQUIRY TO TAKE PICTURES INSIDE OF FOOD WORLDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” to which Geoff responded, “YESSSSS, FOOD WORLDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!” We felt it might be inappropriate to respond to Maggie and Humberto in all caps with that many exclamation marks, so I curbed it as much as I could, but I think there still be might be some caps in there. Food World, for those of you who are unfamiliar, is an international grocery store in Durham. We actually stumbled across it while we were eating snow-cones at Pelican’s one evening; you can see Food World shining on down the hill. We needed cheese, and we figured Food World sounded like a grocery store, so cheese must be in there.

Cheese was indeed in there, but so were pinatas. And bags of rice. And fruit and vegetables that I couldn’t identify. And bags of Japanese candies and cookies and fish that still had their eyeballs. Every flavor of Jarritos imaginable! Bags and bags of dried peppers that I also couldn’t identify! Basically, we walked around Food World in stunned, international silence. It was incredible. Since then, we’ve obtained the knowledge of how to use some of those dried peppers to make General Tso’s, and regularly take out of town visitors on pilgrimages to Food World because it’s amazing. We still don’t know what most of the fruit and vegetables are, and we have yet to purchase a pinata, but small steps, people, small steps.

So the true pinnacle of our photography career was achieved Maggie and Humberto asked us to have photos taken in there. We were so happy someone else appreciated Food World as much as we do. And we were so glad when Food World graciously granted us permission to shoot some engagement pictures inside (always ask permission!). Maggie and Humberto also introduced us to their pastry counter and their taqueria inside! This was something we previously overlooked in our sheer joy to just be inside Food World. Later we also took Maggie and Humberto into downtown Durham and we had fun there, too (because they are awesome people!). But not quiteeeee as much fun as we had in Food World (because Food World).

Chelsea+Austin // Chapel Hill Carriage House Wedding

Any wedding that has goats and/or paper cranes automatically gets an A+, but when you add in some stuffed animal versions of the stomach-bursting and face-eating aliens from Alien, you reach a whole new wedding level. Then there was hula hooping and one very charming ring bearer and also an entirely gluten free food truck (thanks, Deli-icious!) and a wedding party who looked damn good all in different “costumes” that Chelsea had picked out. Austin shaved his head. The wedding guests sat down in their seats for the ceremony but then got rained out, left their seats, only to come back like 10 minutes later when the rain stopped. There was a bagpiper and an alpaca. And the DJ played “Space Oddity” and “Birdhouse in Your Soul.” There were gummy bears too. The wedding exit involved whipping the bride and groom with Jiu Jitsu belts. And there was not just a regular goat but a baby goat.

Yet, even if the above things hadn’t happened and Chelsea and Austin would’ve just gotten married in a little patch of grass somewhere, it would’ve been just as charming and lovely because Chelsea and Austin are two amazing people. They love each other a lot, and it shows. They’re fun. And happy. But you know what? The goats and everything were seriously awesome so I’m blogging it all.

  • Date: September 3, 2016
  • Ceremony + Reception Venue: Chapel Hill Carriage House // Chapel Hill, NC
  • First Dance Song: “The Book of Love” – Magnetic Fields
  • Chelsea’s Occupation: Whole Foods grocery stocker
  • Austin’s Occupation: Physical Therapist
  • How You Met: College. I asked Austin if he could fix my computer. He couldn’t. I let that slide.
  • Interesting Fact: We both do Jiu Jitsu. We have been together 11 years. Austin is a ninja. Chelsea knows American Sign Language and is a freelance costume designer.
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant –Rabbi Marc Kline. DJ – Kate Steiman. Cake – The Cupcake Bar. Food Trucks – Porchetta, Chirba Chirba Chinese Dumplings, and Deli-icious. Videographer – Alex Maness. Coordinator – Lynn Scott of Happily Ever After. Chapel Hill Carriage House Owner – Brenda Leeper.