We’re going to New York to photograph Sarah and Dan’s wedding!  (That is Dan below, WAY excited to be holding their wedding invitation.  YAY!)

We’ll be out of the office from Wednesday, September 24th, until Thursday, October 2nd.

See you soon!

Nicole and Ryan’s wedding day was BEAUTIFUL — beautiful weather, beautiful people, a beautiful relaxed atmosphere… we really loved hanging out with them!  We’re headed to New York tomorrow, and in the meantime we wanted to post a few shots that jumped out at us as we did our first edit of their wedding.  (We hope you love them, guys!)  

First, the rings.  I found this acorn in the driveway and knew I wanted to photograph it.

Second, the newlyweds.  I love that they started laughing in this shot.

The same archway, but after dark.

YAY bouquet!  Tossing the bouquet is a really funny thing… everyone is jumping around like little kids, petals and leaves are flying through the air, the bride is praying her dress doesn’t fall off…  (Nicole’s stayed firmly put, by the way!)  Dan caught Nicole’s toss at the perfect moment!

More to come!  Have fun in Aruba, friends!

**Click HERE to see Angie and Justin’s slideshow!

It was SO incredibly hard to narrow down the images for this blog post!  There was so much wonderful emotion and expression throughout the day, along with incredible scenery and gorgeous details.  The photos would go on forever if we included all of our favorites!

So here are just a few of the shots we really loved…

Angie cracks up laughing with two of her bridesmaids. These girls were so much fun to be around!

Justin watches football with a ringbearer snuggled in his lap. While the girls were watching the game at one house, the guys were entranced by the same game at another house. It was cute to see this tie between Angie and Justin.

Angie’s mom stops by the bathroom to check out Angie’s hairdo, and of course silliness ensues.

Angie and Justin decided to see one another before the ceremony (photos in the slideshow!) so we got to traipse around the Serenbe property and take some pretty cool portraits.  It was SO hot in the sun right here!

Ahhhh… shade!  Amazing how the temperature drops when you just move under a tree!

Hello, Mrs. Horse!  

Angie’s bridesmaids and pastor pray over her before the ceremony.

Justin reads a private letter from Angie.  He was all alone in a cool, quiet room upstairs, completely involved in the words of his bride-to-be.

Angie chokes up reading a private letter from Justin.

The ceremony starts…

The ringbearers were SUCH troopers!  They wore their cute little suits for HOURS with not a single complaint that we heard.  So precious!

Angie catches site of Justin at the other end of the aisle.

And Justin catches site of Angie…

Justin’s dad and stepmom look on as Angie and Justin say their vows.  We love the flexibility of outdoor ceremonies!  It’s so rare that we are able to photograph the parents and guests during the ceremony, so this was such a treat for us!

These two laughed and cried throughout their entire ceremony!  It was so beautiful to see their joy!  Proof positive that seeing each other before the ceremony does NOT ruin the incredible emotion of the ceremony itself.

I like that you can *just* see Angie’s tissue crumpled in her fist…

Married!

The light was just so gorgeous.  Everywhere we turned this beautiful sunlight was filtering through the trees.

Angie and Justin enter their reception.  They looked so excited to be greeted by their friends!

The first dance…

The newlyweds are toasted by Angie’s dad…

…then by Justin’s brother.

Justin’s mom laughs during a funny moment in the toast.

Cutting the cake!

If you look closely you can see a huge fan in the background.  It was SO hot outside, but that didn’t stop everyone from dancing!

A little Vanilla Ice action…

Angie’s brother swings his son around in a silly dance.

The last dance…

Bubbles!

We had such an amazing experience with Angie and Justin!  THANK YOU, friends, for sharing your celebration with us!

We’re bustin’ through Angie and Justin’s photographs from their 9/13 wedding like there’s no tomorrow. Seriously, we’re leaving town next week, and my brain will explode if too many things are left undone when we leave for the airport. So instead of posting any “First Picks”, we’re jumping right into the wedding images themselves! Today we’re going to share a selection of the gorgeous details and scenery from Angie and Justin’s Serenbe wedding in Palmetto, Georgia. We hope you feel as inspired as we were!

Huge thanks goes out to Gloriosa and Gooseberry Events, who made Angie and Justin’s vision come to life.  More to come!

Oh, loveliness! I am so happy when our clients choose an album to show off their photographs!

This was my very first boudoir book — a 7×7 Coffee Table Book with a sleek black case. Not TOO much to see here, for privacy’s sake, but I did want to share a few photos of the book before it was whisked away to its new home.

In the 4 years that Dan and I have been shooting weddings together, we’ve found it surprisingly common for important friends and family members to be absent from the most important moments of the day. And of course, if they’re not around for the moment, they’re not around for the photo of that moment, either!

Our favorite weddings are the ones in which the couple is literally surrounded by their loved ones at all times during the day — not just bridesmaids or groomsmen, but all the different people who have played roles in their lives.

Obviously not everyone can be there at all times (and nor should they be!), but there ARE ways to plan your wedding celebration to make sure you’re including your friends and family as much as possible. 

For those of you not quite sure how to incorporate all of these key players, we’ve put together some of our favorite examples from real weddings we’ve photographed.

If you have any other great ideas for including the people you love, feel free to share in the comments!

One. Chill.

The guys are the worst when it comes to getting great natural photographs.  They tend to all put on their suits then sit around stiffly until they can hit the bar at the reception.  Dan loves it when he can get photographs of the guys doing their “guy stuff”.

Bill’s dad and groomsmen play pool at a local pub before it’s time to suit up.

Mike and his groomsmen play croquet outside the inn where they all stayed the night before.

Two. Prepare and share.

Sure, your coordinator CAN help you bustle your dress, but wouldn’t you rather see people you know and love in your photos?  Make sure you share your preparations with people who will be just as excited as you are to be getting ready for your wedding!

Laura’s family looks admiringly on as she has her makeup done.

Jessica’s mom helps her adjust her necklace.

Three. Have some family time.

Some of the greatest natural moments happen when everyone is just relaxing, mingling, and enjoying one another’s company.  We love it when the family gathers a half-hour or so before the ceremony in a private room.  Lots of love is shared, and the excitement builds while everyone waits for the big moment.  This is an especially good time for photographs of the grandparents, who often leave the reception earlier than the other guests, and may not take to the dance floor.

Sarah’s grandmothers share a laugh in the bride’s room.

Grandmother and mother wait excitedly backstage for Joni and Chip’s ceremony to begin.

Four. Ceremony a la EVERYONE!

Even if you’re a pretty traditional person, there are so many ways to include your family in your ceremony.  The whole POINT of the wedding day is the ceremony itself, so we love it when couples integrate the people who love them most into this wonderful ritual.

Caroline walks down the aisle with BOTH of her parents.  (Just minutes before, her groom Stowe was escorted in by both of his parents as well!)

Cicely’s Dad shares a blessing over the newlyweds-to-be during their ceremony.

Alissa and Ben’s closest friends gather around them to pray before they say their I Do’s.

Five. Do a little dance.

The first dance between the bride and groom is usually a given, and a father/daughter dance is pretty common, too.  But what about some special dances dedicated to other important people in your life?

Megan dances with her grandfather.

Kevin dances with his bride Whitney’s mom.  His own mom lost her life to breast cancer, and was honored throughout the evening in various ways, including a donation made to cure research.

Six. A toast!

Invite people who know you well to share a toast — and let them know that it’s okay not to be traditional!  A toast can be ANYTHING that shows support of you as you embark on your new journey as a married person.

Caroline reaches for a hug after her brothers toasted the newlyweds with a stunning rendition of Ben Harper’s “Not Fire, Not Ice.”

Anna is surrounded by her sorority sisters for a traditional song.

Seven. Entertain.

If you have a large wedding and cannot give one-on-one attention to all of your guests all evening, it’s good to give them a reason to stay!  We get GREAT photographs when guests stick around and party!

Guests at Sara and Jacob’s guests get stirred up by their incredible live wedding band, Papa Sol!

Jana and John commissioned a painter to create a one-of-a-kind painting of their wedding reception.  Guests are enthralled watching the artist at work.

As you put together the timeline for your wedding day, just don’t forget about all the folks who helped make you into the person you are today!  Photographs of them celebrating with you will be such a treasure as the years pass.  Include the people you love!

Cheers!

I met Elizabeth in my pilates class at Crunch, and I was excited when she asked me to take some portraits of her! She needed a mixed-bag of portraits that could be used for her law firm’s website, on a new site showcasing her event planning work, and for personal use. We didn’t have much daylight, so we got creative with a softbox and a flash-on-a-stick… (thanks, Dan!)

Here are a few of my favorites:

**Click HERE to see the slideshow!

Stephanie and Scott got married on a cool, overcast day at Carl House in Auburn, Georgia. It was our first time shooting at this GORGEOUS southern wedding venue, and we LOVED the grounds! Incredibly beautiful and absolutely perfect for Stephanie and Scott’s outdoor ceremony. Dreadful Atlanta traffic and thunderstorms threatened, but everything came together perfectly!

The day began at the Ritz-Carlton, where Stephanie was getting ready…

Stephanie’s long curls were created by Amber with Vis-A-Vis Salon.

Her makeup was perfected by Tori with MAC Cosmetics

Back at Carl House, Scott opens a beautiful brand-new Bible that Stephanie gave him as a wedding day gift…

Scott had purchased a stunning, simple diamond necklace for Stephanie, which she wore with her wedding dress…

Stephanie shares a quiet, emotional moment with her dad before the ceremony…

Aren’t these two munchkins the cutest?  This ring-bearer and flower-girl were total pros! Poulenc String Quartet provided the ceremony music.

The emotion was incredible as Stephanie was escorted down the aisle with her dad…

…and Scott got a little choked up upon seeing her…

An overall of the ceremony… look at the colors!

Kiss! All of the amazing bouquets and floral designs were created by Diane Holbrook.

Because of the heavy traffic earlier in the day, we had had to delay some of the portraits, but we were excited to still get some gorgeous shots of the newlyweds.  This beautiful old barn was in the Carl House’s side-lot, and Stephanie bravely clomped through the dirt for this shot…

A huge willow tree sat at the back of the property and was too romantic to resist…

Nu Soul got the party going!

Stephanie’s friend Edward Galaviz designed the lighting for the ballroom, and created this gorgeous monogram on the dance floor:

First dance…

Stephanie dances with her dad…

…and Scott dances with his mom…

Carl House at night… the colors are STILL gorgeous!

We snagged Stephanie and Scott for a couple of quick portraits in the upstairs hallway…

Then Scott wanted to take advantage of the ceremony terrace, which was still lit with candles…

The grand exit!

CONGRATULATIONS, you gorgeous newlyweds!  We had so much fun getting to know you both.  Thank you for sharing your celebration with us!