I have been so tickled with Emily & Ryan's engagement session! Not only is this session all about Durham, it was also featured in Southern Bride & Groom's blog! They love Durham, too. Read further to see why.

Emily, the soon to be bride, grew up in Durham and wanted her engagement session to incorporate that. The wedding took place at the end of March (photos to come soon) in Wilmington at The Atrium, so this was her way to love a bit more on her "small town."

Whenever I work with a couple on their engagement session I always ask about what activities they do together. With Emily and Ryan, we could do every single thing in downtown Durham, which was just amazing in my opinion. These two go biking, which I just found out Emily JUST learned how to ride a bike a few years ago. She did this so they could have a hobby together. Isn't that darling?!

They enjoy brewery hopping, and visiting cute little stores in and around Wilmington. We did the same thing, but in our lovely city of Durham. For this session we went to Clouds Brewing, hopped on one of the new Spin bikes downtown (which you can do via an app--crazy!) and made a pit stop at the ever enticing Parker & Otis--my fav! Love my crazy adventure loving couples!

A few years ago Teresa moved to North Carolina for a career opportunity. While on the flight to North Carolina she sat beside a lady who striked up normal conversation with her, you know, the good southern thing to do. Teresa mentioned she was looking for friends in the area as she would know no one; this stranger on the plane said "I know of someone you should meet, I met him a few weeks back on another flight, he is the absolute sweetest man and I think you two would just hit it off!" Teresa, of course, feeling slightly put off by this stranger telling her this, pays no attention but accepts this ladies offer by writing down how to get in touch with him.  Keith, who is the CEO of the Special Olympics, was not hard to find. After a few weeks of living in North Carolina, Teresa decided to take a chance and email Keith, and if anything, they could both joke about how off the situation was. They met for coffee and the rest was history! Seriously, I know it's unheard of but talk about the odds!

I am over the moon about Teresa and Keith's quaint little wedding day! With it's ties to all things "Carolina," I am sure you will find humbleness and maybe even some pudding pie. Teresa and Keith wanted their wedding to be based more so around family, more humble, and down to their roots. Their bridal party was small, consisting of only 1 family member on both sides, and of course their 2 sweet pooches. Yes, they even had bow ties! The venue was set at Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill, NC, overlooking a crowd favorite of Franklin Street. The details surrounding the venue were delicate, small, but impactful. The best detail off the bat was their family crest on a scroll which served as their ceremony backdrop. Everything from the topiary florals to the hummingbird champagne stationary really set the scene for a romantic night.

Wedding Venue Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill, NC
Gown from New York Bride and Groom in Garner, NC
Calligraphy by Danielle Olcott with Mason Dixon Designs
Flowers from Tre Bella Florist in Durham, NC
Music by Stylus
Hair and Makeup by Perfection by Patricia
Shoes by Badgley Mischka
Gown Designer Maggie Sottero
Transportation by Raleigh Rickshaw
Grooms Suit by Kannon's Clothing
Grooms Tie by Alexander Julian

I had the utmost privilege of photographing last May's Triangle NACE event at the Stockroom in downtown Raleigh. If you are in the events industry, I highly suggest you look into joining with your local NACE chapter. There are so many opportunities to network, mingle, and put your work out there. It is really a joy. 

This month's NACE event was hosted by Dana with C & D Events. She is an utter joy and completely rocked this event out of the ballpark. When guests arrived they were greeted with cocktail hour, then sat for the main course and attraction. Both Southern Bride and Groom and Weddings Magazine were put on the spot while guests asked questions regarding what they look for in submissions for their magazines. It was so much fun! The insight these ladies gave was just tremendous! Super helpful meet and greet, I was so ecstatic that I could photograph them!

After dinner, whose delicious entrees were served by Soignee Events, each table went upstairs to the Glass Box for a surprise competition! Each table was given 10 minutes to style a table in one of 3 categories (Bohemian, High Drama, and Romantic). They had 6 models to choose from and a plethora of linens, florals, and knick knacks to style the table. It was super competitive! The teams were all amazing and definitely showed how good they were under pressure!

Below are a few images from the event!

Special thanks to all vendors involved!
Make Up For Your Day
The University Club
The Cupcake Shoppe
The Freezing Pointe
Artfully Arranged
Themeworks
Spin
Adam Chapin Photography
Red Bridge Photography
Classic Party Rentals
Greenhouse Picker Sisters
Bella Bridesmaids
Kristen Snow Letters
Bernard's Formal Wear


 

This year has been the year of prospects. Being brand spanking "new" to the wedding industry definitely has its ups and downs. The downs meaning, I now know the real meaning of the term "hustle," ha! It's ups?--meeting and collaborating with SO SO SO many talented artists and businesses in and around the Raleigh area. Having worked with them in the past (my previous life [and sometimes current] as a florist), it's completely different as a small business owner now. One of my favorite all time things to do is styled shoots. Everyone involved brings in so much creativity, and I get to bask in that for the day. It's absolutely mesmerizing, and something that makes my heart sing. 

This past April I worked one on one with the talented ladies of Makeup For Your Day to set up this adorable bridal tea party session. The models, the dresses, the flowers, oh my! It all came together so well and I am so stinkin' thrilled that Southern Bride & Groom picked this up and featured it on their blog! As a lifelong fan of the magazine, this is what made this session that much better. I am one happy lady!

We wanted to focus more on the beauty and styling side of things. The hair and makeup trends seen below are what Makeup For Your Day predicts as this next seasons top trends. 

To view the featured blog please visit Southern Bride and Groom's blog. 

Vendors:
PHOTOGRAPHY Fancy This Photography | HAIR, MAKEUP & STYLING Makeup For Your Day | SET STYLING & COORDINATION Kelsi with Makeup for Your Day | VENUE The Glass Box | PAPER GOODS PaperBuzz | BRIDESMAID DRESSES & JEWELRY Tre Bella Bridal | FLORALS Tre Bella Florist | LINENS CE Rental | GLASSWARE & TEA SET Bailey’s Fine Jewelry (Anna Weatherley Collection)