On the second day of May, I was honored to celebrate TWO new marriages with TWO wonderful couples!  The first celebration was a tiny, family-only wedding at the lovely old Claremont House in Rome, Georgia.  Monica and Ricky met in Rome at Winshape, where Ricky was working at a retreat that Monica attended.  Just a few years later, they came back to this beautiful north Georgia town to join their lives together.

This was the second wedding of the year that I’ve photographed without Dan!  I missed him like crazy, but I had a blast with Monica and Ricky!

I started the morning with Monica, who was getting ready in her room at the bed and breakfast.

Ricky had hand-written the SWEETEST letter to her that morning, on the only piece of paper he could find in the cabin where he was staying with the other men.

He also sent a gorgeous, hand-embroidered hankie…

Monica’s mom watches as she smoothes her dress…

The rings…

Monica and Ricky spent about an hour with me before their ceremony.  Here they are in the circle at Winshape, where they met for the very first time.  It was only fitting that they would see one another in their wedding clothes here for the first time, too!

The Berry College campus (where Winshape is located) is stunningly beautiful, with endless trails and fields and beautiful places to make pictures!

Back at the inn, Monica and Ricky freshened up and prepared to say their vows…

Monica’s dad waits for her at the bottom of the stairs…

The ceremony…

Monica’s parents holding one of her nephews…

Ricky’s mom, grandmother, sisters, and their families watch the ceremony…

This is the entire guest list, in one picture!  It was so special to see a wedding with only immediate family members there to celebrate.  Everyone was so happy to be together!

Monica, Ricky, and the kids…

Ricky with his mother and grandmother (I should look so good when I’m their ages!)…

Monica’s sisters with their families…

Two of Ricky’s sisters with their families…

Another of Ricky’s sisters and her daughter…

The pastor and his family, and Monica’s parents…

Last but not least… the bride and groom…

The innkeepers served a delicious mostly-vegetarian lunch after the ceremony, then Monica and Ricky headed off for a week at the beach!

Monica and Ricky, I am so happy that you chose me to photograph your wedding!  It was incredibly special to be there with you and your families on such a precious day!

When we had coffee with Eleanor and Eric a couple months back, we couldn’t believe how laid-back they were about their upcoming wedding.  They sat at the table with the calmest, most serene expressions, clearly just happy to be together, and anticipating their future together.  We were sure that they would get at least a little bit frenzied by the wedding day, but instead they were just as calm as they’d been eight weeks before — still relaxed and ready to become husband and wife!

Jennifer and Stephanie from Bob Steele Salon did Eleanor’s hair and makeup.  See those eyelashes?  Those are 100% Eleanor’s.  Amazing.

Eleanor sitting in the sun in the corner of her parents’ kitchen…

Dan photographed Eric and his groomsmen getting ready at Midtown’s luxurious W Hotel…

At First Presbyterian Atlanta…  I’ve heard a lot of women say that they first felt like a bride when they put on their veil.  I’m not sure if that’s how Eleanor felt, but she definitely walked around like a princess from the minute the veil went over her hair!

Eleanor’s mom helps wrap her sash…

The groomsmen…

LOVE how this little guy put his hand in his jacket!

Eric…

The bridesmaids…

I’m not sure what these flowers are, but the bouquets designed by Kathy with Parties to Die For were absolutely stunning!

Eleanor…

Waiting for ceremony time…

Eleanor’s mom adjusted her earrings…

Eric’s mom and brother wait for their turn to walk down the aisle…

I love Dan’s overhead shot of Eleanor walking down the aisle with her father…

The newlyweds…

Just a short walk across 16th St. took Eleanor and Eric from the church to the High Museum of Art for their wedding reception!

Their first dance…

Eric and his mom…

Eleanor and her dad…

Hand-rolled sushi and fresh stir-fry from Woodruff Center’s Restaurant Associates filled the guest’s bellies!

CAKE!

My heart melted when I saw this shot of Eleanor that Dan captured, while she and Eric were cutting their wedding cake.  Little moments like this are what make our job so special!

Bubbles to end the night!

Eleanor and Eric, thank you so much for being so INCREDIBLY laid-back and wonderful to photograph!  It was an honor to celebrate with you!

It’s been a MONTH since we last blogged!  How embarrassing!

Well, Lauren and Robert’s wedding is the perfect excuse for me to get back on track.  They got married on Sunday afternoon at Maggiano’s in Buckhead. It was a completely perfect day in every way – a little bit of sunshine, a little bit of rain, and a whole lot of happiness!  This was my first solo wedding in years — shooting without Dan was kinda strange, but I managed with flying colors, if I do say so myself.  :)

Lauren is not only a client; she’s a fantastic photographer, and a sweet, sweet friend. Being part of her wedding day was the hugest of honors!

Here’s Lauren, joyful even as she munches on a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios!  (She’s really one of the happiest people I’ve ever met!)

Lauren’s gown…

Lauren’s dad watches as she has her hair and makeup done…

Robert’s mom pins on his dad’s boutonniere…

Getting dressed…

Robert came to the front door of Lauren’s parents’ house to get her for their wedding…

…which is where he proposed to Lauren last year!

The super-beautiful bouquets were created by Boukates!

Forget limos!  Lauren and Robert and their entire wedding party rode around town on a HUGE, fabulous tour bus, complete with leather seats, satellite TV and radio, and a full bar!

Lauren’s exquisite hair and makeup were styled by the wonderful Cayla Roberts…

The groom…

We stopped for portraits at Atlanta’s botanical gardens…

The wedding party!

Lauren and Robert ducked into a corner to pray together before their ceremony began…

Getting married!

Lauren and Robert and their parents…

YUMMY pink velvet cake by The Queen of Confections…

First dance…

Lauren dances with her dad…

…and Robert spins his mom…

The best man and maid of honor crack up at their own toasts…

The bouquet- and garter-catchers — not a match?

Lauren’s parents share a dance…

Last (impromptu) portrait of the day!

They left on (oh yes) a FIRE TRUCK!

Lauren and Robert, THANK YOU for sharing your day with me!  It was so wonderful to be there, not only celebrating with you, but documenting the beginning of your incredible journey together.  I love you both, and I can’t wait to hear all about your trip when you get back!

{{hugs}}

Since I’ve been blogging so much lately about Atlanta’s own fabulous sustainable wedding gown designer, Morgan Boszilkov, I thought I ought to share one of the images I took of her last year, in her own self-created wedding dress. Her husband is a lucky guy!

To see more of Morgan’s most recent gowns (as photographed by moi), click HERE.

To learn about Morgan’s trunk show this coming Sunday, 2/21, click HERE.

My friend Morgan designs GORGEOUS wedding gowns using only sustainable materials. Did you know a hemp wedding dress could look like this?!?  I got to see her gowns up close when we did a shoot at Historic Stonehurst. Here are a few of my favorite images…

P.S. Come see Morgan’s gowns for yourself (along with yours truly) at a trunk show THIS SUNDAY, the 21st in midtown Atlanta!

This is one of two gowns that I photographed that have a detachable underskirt, so the dress can be long for the ceremony, then short for the party!

The short version of the gown above…

Favorite…

Last but not least, a big THANK YOU to our fabulous model Jona! (You were wonderful!)

What better way to wrap up 2009, and break for the holidays, than to end with a Christmas wedding!

Melissa and Tony started dating 12 years ago, and they were married on 12/12.  We LOVE these two together!  They truly waited for the right time to get married, and you could feel the excitement as their friends and family members gathered to celebrate with them!

We haven’t finished editing all of Melissa and Tony’s photographs, but we couldn’t leave them hanging. So here are our Top 40…

Melissa and Tony, we are SO hanging out with you after the craziness of the holidays has passed!  We are so totally thrilled to have gotten to know you two, and we can’t wait to see you again!

Merry Christmas, Jenn and Billy!

We’re so happy to be posting Jenn and Billy’s wedding in time for the Christmas holiday!  We’ve had an insanely busy fall, but we hated the thought of any more time passing before they got to enjoy all of their wedding photos.  And here they are!

**Click HERE to see Jenn and Billy’s slideshow, and link to their full web gallery!

Here are a few of our favorite moments from their wedding day…

Jenn getting ready:

(Anne’s shot)

Jenn’s mom helps floof her veil.  (No, really: “floof” is a word.)

(Anne’s shot)

Billy getting ready… He wore an 18th century frock coat designed by The Quartermaster General.

(Dan’s shot)

Jenn and her dad:

(Anne’s shot)

Billy prays with his mom:

(Dan’s shot)

Billy writing his vows:

(Dan’s shot)

Jenn and Billy saw each other about 4 hours before their wedding ceremony, so we got to capture SO many wonderful moments between the two of them, not to mention a million portraits!  We felt so lucky to get so much time with them!

(Anne’s/Dan’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shots)

There are some way sexier picture of just Billy, but this series was too funny not to post here!

(Anne’s shots)

Jenn and Billy gave us free reign to go anywhere, do anything during their ceremony.  It really allowed us to capture the most intimate moments, including this photo of Billy worshipping backstage at North Point Community Church.

(Dan’s shot)

Billy went on stage alone before anyone else, and led their guests in worship.

(Dan’s shot)

Jenn and her dad walked down into the sanctuary from the balcony…

(Dan’s shot)

The unity candle:

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

Billy and Jenn washed one another’s feet in front of their friends and family, symbolizing the way they will serve one another in their marriage.

(Dan’s shot)

More worship…

(Dan’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

They’re married!

(Dan’s shot)

In a move that celebrated grace, Jenn and Billy surprised their guests by giving away TWO iPods at the end of their ceremony: one to the person who had travelled the least to get there, and one to a lucky random guest with a golden ticket under their seat!

Jenn and Billy rented the gymnasium at King’s Ridge Christian School to host their reception. But let me tell you, this was no boring old gym! Their creative team transformed the room into a dramatically-lit party space, with brightly-colored lighting design by RSL Theatrical and contemporary decor by their friend Carrie Allen.  Leather sofas were scattered outside and around the dance floor, and an ENORMOUS frame surrounded one of Jenn and Billy’s engagement pictures.  The “ticket” invitation and other paper designs were created by Talie Shove, and the cake was created by “I Do” Cakes.

Deejays from Michael Blair Productions brought a TON of energy to the room as Jenn and Billy entered as a newly-married couple!

(Anne’s shot)

The first dance:

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

Jenn and Billy taught their guests “The Jenn & Billy Shuffle”:

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

One of their friends gave an impromptu performance that totally brought down the house!

(Anne’s shot)

A VERY special person collaborated with us to create our first-ever photobooth! THANK YOU, SARA!

Cake!

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

The bouquet toss… LOVE that Billy’s mom is ducking!  Haha!

(Anne’s shot)

…and the garter catch!

(Anne’s shot)

Jenn danced with her grandfather.  It was so clear that this man had played a huge role in her life, and we both got a little teary-eyed at this point.  :)

(Dan’s shot)

The grand exit:

(Anne’s shot, Dan’s light!)

(Anne’s shot, Dan’s light!)

Jenn and Billy, THANK YOU, thank you, thank you for letting us celebrate with you!  You are SO blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people who clearly love you and have been blessed by you in return.  We are honored to have shared your day with you!

**CLICK HERE to see Brooke and Jonathan’s slideshow!

If we had to describe the perfect day for a wedding, this would have been it.  We drove to Charleston, South Carolina for Brooke and Jonathan’s November wedding, and were rewarded with sunshine and sweet breezes!

Brooke and Jonathan chose Lowndes Grove Plantation to host their celebration.  Everyone hung out all day at the plantation, keeping the mood relaxed and happy.  We really couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful experience with one of the happiest couples we’ve ever had the pleasure to know!

(Dan’s and Anne’s shots)

(Anne’s shots)

Guys only take, hmmm, 5 minutes to get ready?  So they passed the morning on the side lawn playing baseball.

(Dan’s shot)

The only rule: you can’t put down your beer.

(Dan’s shot)

Brooke and her mom:

(Anne’s shot)

Brooke is one of those naturally expressive people who seems to always be making some kind of adorable face.  I love this series as she sees herself in the mirror, in her gown, for the first time.

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

Timeless Designs created all of the floral arrangements.

(Anne’s shots)

(Dan’s shots)

Brooke and Jonathan laid out a book of photographs throughout Charleston’s history, and their guests left messages in the pages.  We love this idea, because you can never have too many coffee table books!

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

Brooke with her dad, waiting to walk down the aisle…

(Dan’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

The sun was just hitting the horizon when we pulled together all 20 bridesmaids and groomsmen for a group photo.  It was so obvious that every single one of these men and women had played an integral role in Brooke and Jonathan’s lives.  There is nothing more special than being surrounded by people who know you so well, and love you still!  :)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

Brooke and Jonathan had expected to have a white tent, but they were THRILLED to get a clear-top tent instead!  Let me tell you, these tents are SO wonderful — especially on a clear night like this one, with the blue sky glowing through the roof of the tent.

(Dan’s shot)

Brooke’s sister sang during her first dance with their dad.  Her voice is phenomenal.  It was as if Edith Piaf herself had come back to serenade us with La Vie En Rose.

(Dan’s shot; Anne’s shot)

We heard through the grapevine that Brooke and Jonathan’s first kiss was under a disco ball.  So it only seemed appropriate to snag this miniature disco ball for a photo with their rings.

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

Caramel Apple anyone?  How how ’bout some buttery popcorn?  Sweet treats were waiting for guests as the evening came to an end.  YUM!

(Dan’s shot)

(Anne’s shots)

Dance party! Two 3 Ways played James Taylor, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Sublime… can you tell everyone had fun?

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

(Anne’s shot)

End of the night… The smiles on Brooke and Jonathan’s faces say it all!

(Anne’s shot)

Brooke and Jonathan, we are SO HAPPY that you chose us to photograph your wedding! We can’t imagine having spent that weekend with anyone else. We absolutely adore you two, and we can’t wait to hang out again!