Samantha & Dee’s Wedding

at Comeback Farms in Warsaw, NC

This wedding hits me in my feels so much. Not only was it beautiful in and of itself, but its also my best friends wedding. Now, before you read further I want you to know that I thought about not photographing it— “should I enjoy this wedding as a guest?” A valid question, but the more I thought about it the more I said “oh no, Nikki—if you dont photograph this wedding you are going to be so upset!” And yes, that would have been the truth. I wanted to have a front row seat to Sam & Dee’s wedding. By photographing it, I could actually be with my best friend throughout the entire process. I was honored to be able to do this, and more so honored that I could give my friend and her husband beautiful heirlooms for years to come. That, to me, is what makes this wedding extra special.

Sam and Dee met online, but surprisingly they went to school together many years ago. Sam had been good friends with Dee’s sister, and ironically good acquaintances with Dee’s brother while in college. Both attended NC State (go Wolfpack!), but didnt meet each other until many years later when they matched online.

I remember the first time I met Dee. Sam was so excited to introduce him into our trifecta of friendship (myself, a firecracker of a lady named Jessie, and Sam). If you can imagine it, we are very picky of who each other dates. Who knew?! Ha! Jessie and I met Dee for the first time in a bar/restaurant in downtown Wilmington. We were enthralled with how Dee looked at Sam. Sam had never looked so happy until then. We knew on that night that they would be together for a lifetime. Thinking back on it, it was something really special to witness.

They married one another in front of their closest family and friends on the sweetest little farm located in Warsaw, NC — The Powell Home and Barn at Comeback Farms. The day could not have been more gorgeous. It was the perfect fall weather filled with golden hour ceremony light, pumpkins galore, and the best southern food. The best part about the day was how Dee looked at Sam. Again, truly something special.

Enjoy!

Stephanie and Dan’s River Forest Manor Wedding in Belhaven, NC

“Where do I begin?! Let me start with... I am not photogenic. I hate taking photos. I was not looking forward to any of the photography processes but Fancy This Photography made all our dreams come true! Nikki took our engagement photos, rehearsal dinner, wedding photos, and an additional mini shoot photo. At every shoot, she genuinely listened to our ideas, made us feel comfortable, and creatively came up with unique ways to enhance shots. The photos came out better than we could have ever imagined. I never felt like I was taking photos with Nikki. I felt like we were hanging out with a best friend that kept us laughing the entire time. I was lucky to meet Samantha at our wedding (as the second shooter) and she is wonderful as well! They both are so supportive, make you feel so confident, and are a blast to be around!”— Stephanie, The Bride

It’s not very often that I find blog posts difficult to write. With Stephanie and Dan, I have found it so hard to put my thoughts and experience on paper—as its just overwhelmingly happy. I met Stephanie and Dan at The Carolina Inn bridal show a couple of years ago. I remember Stephanie’s energy, her laugh, and the sweetness she had towards me. At that time, I did not know she would end up being such a great friend.

Leading up to their wedding, we would have dinner and drinks almost every other month. I always enjoyed getting to know she and Dan, and looked forward to hearing all about their wedding. It was because of this that we became close, and that on their wedding day it just seemed like all was well with the world. No nervous jitters on my end (I am typically always nervous right before a wedding), but with theirs I was just so happy to serve my now dear friends.

Their day started out with both sets of their bridal party getting ready in the prettiest of suites. Stephanie and her bridesmaids (and bridesman—looking at you, Alex) got ready in the utterly perfect bridal suite at River Forest Manor. The entire room had windows surrounding it overlooking the water and the pier of the venue. This created such a nice touch and the photos from here are just ah-mazing! Like, thank you River Forest Manor for having a great spot like this! Dan and his groomsmen got ready in the Grooms suite which was separate from the main venue—and right on the water.

Their bridal party was fairly large—it was such a fun site to see when they all lined up to head down the aisle right in front of the venue on the steps. To paint a picture… imagine this gorgeous house of a venue with towering columns right in front with steps leading up to the old wooden and vintage door—all white backdrop, and a gorgeous bride in white walking down the aisle. To say it was magical was an understatement. Stephanie walked down the aisle with her father, and the way Dan looked at Stephanie was so endearing. Their ceremony brought me to tears—from the sheer beauty of it, and the fact that I had a front row seat to it.

Later, at their reception, the newlywed couple did a choreographed dance as their first dance. There was a LIFT, yall! Like, Dan and Stephanie did a LIFT during their first dance song! The first dances with their parents were sweet to witness for everyone there. And, the toasts came from generosity, love, and history. This was such a fun part of their night to photograph (especially the cake cutting and champagne toast!).

The night was filled with so much dancing, laughter, and friends and family from all over the States. At some point during the night, Stephanie and Dan loaded a docked boat at the Marina, and popped champagne for their bridal party. Let me repeat—THEY POPPED CHAMPAGNE OFF OF A BEAUTIFUL YACHT! This was so fun to watch, but also photograph!

They ended their night with a fun farewell exit leading them to the pier with all of their friends and family surrounding them. It was one of the sweetest endings to a wonderful day. The moon was full, and so were hearts. Cheesy, I know—but, it was a downright perfect day!

Stephanie and Dan, it was an honor serving you on your wedding day, and all of the days leading up. Thank you for your kindness, love, and most of all—friendship. Congratulations, and well wishes for a joyful marriage! Love you both!

Special thanks to all of their amazing vendors who made this day possible!

Planning and Coordination by Plume Events (Seriously, Amy was amazing!!)
Wedding Venue at River Forest Manor
Rehearsal Dinner at The Tavern at Jack’s Neck
Catering by Capital City Chefs
Flowers by Plume Events
DJ by Perfect Event Entertainment
Makeup by Bardot Studio
Hair by Bardot Studio
Rentals by CE Rental
Cake by Publix in New Bern
Invitations by The Salted Script
Signage and Calligraphy by Mason Dixon Designs

Jennifer and Tim just recently tied the knot this past March and the wedding was just out of this world gorgeous! It perfectly resembled the two with such an important emphasis on family. I can't wait to show you their wedding once those images are all polished up! Until then, swoon with me over their engagement session that took place in Chapel Hill, NC on UNC's campus.

We timed this session perfectly as the flowers just started to blossom. If you have never been to UNC's campus, spring time is a real treat. We started the day out at the Coker Arboretum. There was a light sprinkle in the air, but I was so happy that it died down for the majority of the session. Later, we went to the well known Old Well for some iconic images. I later found out that Jennifer's dad worked at the Kenan Stadium, and she gifted one of these to her father as a birthday gift. This is the stuff that matters, and more often than none I am still amazed at how far my work goes with clients.

We ended the day strolling through the park located right behind the Old Well. It's a beautiful sight with large oak trees and paved walkways running in between. I loved how easy these two were together, and more so that they included their precious pup for a few of their images!