SEE US AT THE BRIDAL SHOW

Come visit our booth at the Southern Bridal Show & Expo on Sunday, April 18th! We would love to see you there and chat more about your wedding.

This is where you can grab your tickets to "The After Party," at Midtown Place. The event is scheduled three days after the bridal show on April 21st from 5-8 p.m. We will have champagne, wine and hors d'oeuvres here for you enjoy along with great converstion.



P.S.
Guess who shot the cover for the poster.

ERICA & STEVEN ENGAGEMENT SESSION

Erica wanted her portrait session to be at the same location which Steven proposed to her. So, we traveled over to Yates Mill Pond Park to create some dynamic images. It was a cloudy day and with a slight chill in the air.

We walked from one side of the park to the other while talking. Steven explained to me how nervous he was before he proposed and that his quiet spot was not so quiet anymore. A festival at the park threw a wrench in his plans. "I was going to propose to her at the water falls but there were too many people," said Steven, "I had to find another spot."

Erica added that she knew he was acting differently but didn't know why until he proposed. Obviously she said yes.

Congratulations Erica and Steven. We look forward to documenting your wedding at the Hudson Manor.















If you would like to view more images from the engagement session please visit our online gallery.

CAROLINA INN BRIDAL FAIR

We are proud to announce that we will be at the The Carolina Inn Bridal Fair in Chapel Hill. Select members of the wedding industry are invited to this annual event to help brides plan their big day. This is the region's most exclusive bridal showcase and we are honored to be a part of it.

The date for the show is on February 7, 2010 and doors will open at 1 p.m. and close at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 or you can visit our studio to pick up a pair. We will be located in the Hill Ballroom in between Alexia's Bridal Boutique and wedding planner Tracey Adams.

We look forward to seeing you there!

MORE AWARDS.....WOW!

I recently joined the International Society of Professional Wedding Photographers and entered their quarterly contest. I entered three images and can you believe it, they all placed. I really like it when that happens.

The image below is of Sarah getting ready on the big day at the The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. I opted to focus on the dress in the background instead of the bride. I am always looking for an image which places you in the space.

2nd | The Wedding Dress



Below is Sarah, once again, four weeks prior to her wedding at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. She was looking for something unique and traditional while inside the hotel. I found this spot in one of the ballrooms which made for a dramatic image. Thank you Sarah!

4th | Bridal Portrait



I love the chaos in this next image. All hands are on the bride which makes you feel the energy of the moment. This was one of my favorite images of the year.

13th | The Wedding Dress

VICTORIA & STEVE

I love to travel, so when Victoria and Steve asked me to document their wedding, I was thrilled. Their Myrtle Beach wedding gave me an opportunity to take a short drive to South Carolina.

I arrived a day early (just in case) and woke up relaxed and ready for a wedding. I met Victoria in her busy room, while the finishing touches were being placed on a frowning flower girl. Victoria's dress was beautiful and fit perfectly.

After a short time with Victoria, I headed over to hang out with Steve, the groom. While driving, I caught the guys walking from their hotel rooms to the reception area. They were en route to have their boutonnieres pinned on by Joy with A Joyful Occasion.

Next we headed to St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, which was filled with beautiful murals and had huge windows all around, which spread white light throughout the sanctuary. Steve was nervous, but he had his groomsmen with him to put him at ease.

The ceremony began with priests walking down the aisle chanting as Victoria and Steve followed. I have never experienced a ceremony quite like this one and it made for remarkable images.

Post-ceremony, we headed back to Premier Resorts at Barefoot Resort for the reception. The bride and groom were the first to see the table arrangements and displays created by Kelly Odom and the custom decorated cake by Judy Boddie. After viewing the room, the bridal party enjoyed a secluded cocktail hour.

Lots of dancing and full glasses kept the party going. Kevin Majoros with KMJ DJ Company, kept the night alive until the very end.

Thank you Victoria and Steve for allowing me to document your wedding. Congratulations!














































If you would like to see more images from Victoria & Steve's wedding please visit our online gallery.

ANN MARIE & MARK

I arrived at the Marriott downtown to document Ann Marie and Mark getting ready for their big day. Mark was sitting on the bed, nervously waiting with his groomsmen for the limo to arrive. While Ann Marie's room was in party mode, complete with music, food, toasting and plenty of dancing.

After getting ready, the ladies hopped in the limo and headed over to Sacred Heart Cathedral. Upon their arrival, they found their bouquets sitting in a row waiting for them outside the church. Lyn, with Fresh Affairs, created the beautiful arrangements.

There were wonderful moments during the ceremony when Mark would look over at Ann Marie just to make her laugh. I grinned every time I saw this and I captured a few nice frames of it as well.

Rain forced us to think of a new location to shoot portraits....a parking garage. Now, Ann Marie is the type of girl who believes in destiny. A person who believes that everything happens for a reason, good or bad. Her original wedding date was changed to book her photographer, her dream location did not meet the construction deadline, a festival caused parking issues, and not to mention the rain. Normally this would drive brides crazy, but not Ann Marie. "I can't believe everything and how it is working out. I think the theme of my wedding is, if it's meant to happen, then it will." she said. How did Mark handle it? Just like any other guy would, by embracing it.

After our amazing portrait shoot, we headed over to the reception site at Sitti in downtown Raleigh. This was my first time documenting a reception here and their first as a reception location. Sitti is a Lebanese restaurant with delicious food and a great staff.

Ann Marie and Mark arrived to a packed restaurant filled with flowers and glasses of wine. Cheers echoed through the room as they walked into the space to start the night with their first dance. The evening rolled quickly and time flew by due to the fun we were having.

Now, I must give Cara with A Southern Soiree a lot of love. Coordination of a wedding is a lot of work and Cara's team made the night perfect for Ann Marie and Mark.

The other vendors who made the day pass smoothly were ,Classic Party Rentals, Blue Moon Bakery and the band, The Entertainers. It was a blast and the zombies were pretty cool too (that's another story).

Congratulations guys!





























































If you would like to see more images from Ann Marie & Mark's wedding please visit our online gallery.