Out of all of the weddings, I have the softest heart for elopements. There is something so special about marrying the one you love, with or without a handful of your closest of friends. When Leia reached out and told me of her and Jeremy's plan, my heart swole emotion. This was totally them, to go away and just get married. 

Leia and Jeremy are bee enthusiasts, keepers, and just a good all around activist for bees. Earlier this year Leia and Jeremy were out with their bees when Jeremy plopped down on one knee and proposed. From what I hear, it was a beautiful site to see. With their history in mind, they wanted to keep their elopement simple, but with key ingredients of details--like their love for bees. One of my favorite details is Leia's bouquet made up of solely lavender--a bee friendly plant which also happens to grow in their backyard.

Leia and Jeremy headed down to Carolina Beach and met up with 3 of their closest friends. Their Officiant, who is also a part time rockstar, came to the rescue to give the quickest little ceremony on the beach at sunrise. If you are thinking "wait, did you mean sunset?"--just know that I stand correct. This couple was not going to go the easy route--they wanted the best light, view, and peacefulness the day could bring, and let me tell you; it was gorgeous, serene,  and one of a kind. 

Once the ceremony was over, all of us headed to the cutest little carnival place right down the road. We basically had our pick of the litter for any rides, and there was something so nice about actually being the only ones inside the park. My favorite image from this pit stop? The one of Leia on the merry-go-round. If you look closely, you will see that she chose the chicken to ride on. How ironic--she also farms chickens. Full circle. 

Kure Beach was right down the road and this place is the only place on the east that hosts those awesome little "squiggly" trees. One of the locals told me the actual name of these things, but for some reason "squiggly trees" just stuck. Go figure. We all had a grand time overlooking the ocean here, and the trees gave a nice shaded spot for some intimate portraits. I love how every single one of these turned out on film. To me, when I look at these images it just takes me to an emotion of intimacy. This was what the bride and groom wanted, and it is just an overwhelming feeling to know that you were chosen to bask in it. 

For more images, please visit Love and Lavender as this wedding was featured on their blog this week!

Vendors

Photo Scans Richard Photo Labs
Ceremony Site Carolina Beach, NC
Boutonniere Cosmic Firefly
Earrings from J Design
Bee Hair Clip Days long Gone
Groom Attire Ticknors Mens Clothiers
Bridal Salon Camille's of Wilmington
Bridal Suite at The Hampton Inn of Carolina Beach Hotel

There are some people that meet that you instantly become smitten with. Megan was that lady for me (and her mom!). Megan had originally wanted to tie the knot on the beach, but instead decided to go with the gorgeous Carolina Inn located right here in Chapel Hill, NC. Both are beautiful landscapes, but I know she made the right choice for what she and Derrick wanted. To have the best of both worlds she decided to get out her beautiful Hayley Paige gown again and twirl in the sand for me, Derrick included.

I love how these images came out and how intimate the entire bridal photo session came out. Megan wanted this to be super low key, but still romantic and classy. The session took place at Carolina Beach located right next to Kure, NC, and we waited for the perfect time to come out from under the pier. Of course, the date we chose would have a chance of thunderstorms, but I am so glad we waited for it die down. The atmosphere was perfect and it was so much fun to see Megan and her mom Lauren again after spending so much time with them this past year--hello Tre Bella!

Wedding Gown from Tre Bella in Durham, NC
Wedding Gown Designer is Hayley Paige
Jewelry by Jenny Packham
Photo Scans by Richard Photo Labs