Katie & Corey’s Wedding
Katie & Corey have been so beautiful to work with. They met at Queens University and I got to know them during their engagement session (here)
Their day started at the Westin Hotel in uptown Charlotte, Ceremony was at Caldwell Presbyterian Church, and Reception at the Pewter Rose.
It was an absolutely perfect October day!
Congrats Katie & Corey! Thank you so much for letting me photograph your day! Y’all have been super special to work with.
And a special thanks to my 2nd shooter Kate Gazaway. 
<3
As soon as Katie’s brother came out to take pictures she burst into tears. Soooo… sweet.
Katie has twin nephews…. omg!
Here comes the tears….
Pewter Rose Bistro. mmm…. gorgeous!
Yeeeeah!! Best Wishes Katie & Corey!
Joe and Stacey Wedding
“April showers bring May flowers….”
I met Stacey over a year ago when she emailed me a random note telling me how much she enjoyed my music. She had a seen a video of my brothers wedding and saw me sing. We have slowly built a facebook friendship since last year and this year she contacted me to shoot her April wedding. Once we all finally met, it felt like we had known each other for quite sometime.
Joe and Stacey’s wedding took place on a lovely, rainy April day in Thomasville, NC. Their venue was 12th West Main right downtown Thomasville, NC. Pink flowers were in bloom and a storm was brewing throughout the whole day outside. We were blessed to get to shoot a little outside before there was a downpour. ;D
The ceremony was simple and beautiful. Joe and Stacey washed each other’s feet and did their 1st dance at the alter. I am so happy I was able to be there and witness their happiness.
Thanks Carrie Davis for shooting along side of me.
Congrats Joe and Stacey!! <3 you guys much!
PS: I’m starting to blog my photos a bit smaller in preparation for my new website and blog coming soon!! 
yeeeeeahhh!!!
Gray & Brittany’s wedding
Here is a lovely September wedding at Castle McCulloch near Greensboro, NC, that Tara Mauldin and I (second shooter) together. Gray and Brittany had their ceremony in the castle, and an afternoon brunch under a tent in the middle of the woods. It was an absolutely perfect late summer day.
Thanks Gray and Brittany for letting me be a part of your day!
Grandma’s with camera’s….. oh dear.
Mr and Mrs!
This photo below may just be my favorite.
Isn’t this just gorgeous?
Gotta’ love Grandparents!
dancing with daddy…
“All the single ladies…” -bouquet catch.
The brides sister caught it!
This was the reaction from the bridesmaid who found out the garter had to go on the leg of the girl who caught the bouquet.
and this too…
Congrats Gray and Brittany!
Kyle & Christy Wedding
I’ve been second shooting with my friend, Tara Mauldin, quite a bit this year, and we still have a few weddings to go. As a learning photographer, I’m taking the time to get a a solid foundation by second shooting about eighteen or more weddings this year. I’ve already shot seven so far, and with each wedding I either feel like I’ve almost got it or I feel like I don’t know a thing. Since I have an intense justice side in me, I want to give people the justice they deserve in hiring me to do their wedding or portraits. I can’t charge people $3000 for a wedding when I haven’t taken the years to learn. And so that’s what this year is for me. Its my “years” of learning.
I’ve been extremely blessed to be mentored and loved by an excellent photographer based out of Minnesota. (Shelley Paulson) She tells me what’s trendy and what’s timeless. She tells me what’s right and what’s wrong. She tells me if my picture is too yellow, blue, red or green. She helps me see “right.” It’s rough and tough at times, but it’s incredible love. I sometimes spend hours after I learn something from her trying to put it into practice and trying to get it right, and then I add my touch of “me” to it. I’m learning to find my style and be consistent in my work. I’ll be talking about Shelley Paulson for probably the rest of my life. haha…
I’ve been getting quite a few emails from old friends and random people asking me photography questions the last few months. When I get asked what “they” should charge to do a wedding or a portrait session, I get extremely frustrated. I’ve been trying to grow in photography for the last three years or more… and even I am feeling like I do not have the “best” to give people for what their money is worth. As for someone who just picked up a point and shoot camera and has created their own photography fan page/business, my advice in the most gentle way is: “learn for a long time, and then you can ask people to give you money for the best work you have to offer.”
With all that being said, here is some of my journey with each wedding I shoot.
Kyle and Kristi are such beautiful people…very photogenic and extremely fun to shoot. Kristi was a bride that I had helped a time or two at the bridal salon I “used” to work at. We recognized each other, and it was a bit random that I would be helping shoot her wedding day.
Their reception took place on the 15th floor at the Bentley’s restaurant in Uptown Charlotte. It was quite a view overlooking the Queen City!
My struggle for this wedding was the dance floor. I’m learning how to use my flash. So with every wedding, I feel like I’m just experimenting with it throughout the dancing. Thank God for low white ceilings where I can bounce the flash!
The thing with second shooting (which can sometimes be frustrating) is that I can only capture so much of the story. So, here is my side of their day….
Enjoy….
Ben & Marie Wedding
On a cloudy March Sunday, my friend Tara Mauldin and I shot Ben and Marie’s lovely wedding at the Morehead Inn. We prayed it wouldn’t rain, and hoped the sun would come out. Well…. it didn’t rain, and the sun did start showing itself by the end of the day.
The ceremony took place under this gorgeous tree with pink flowers falling everywhere. There were about 60 people that attended. It was a small, simple, and elegant wedding.
Tara and I had a great time shooting this day for Ben and Marie. (We may have even busted a move on the dance floor )
I hope you enjoy these…
Mom & Son Dance…
Oh Tara!
We are quite the pair…
I just had to photograph this guy…..
Kevin & Penni Wedding
My photographer friend Tara Mauldin invited me to second shoot a wedding in the mountains of North Carolina over Fall Peak. We drove all over the mountains trying to find where the wedding was. Our GPS took us to the top of a mountain at a dead end. We finally asked someone where we could find “The River House Bed and Breakfast”. We arrived to breathtaking beauty all around us.
The ceremony was about 50 people held underneath a giant elm tree. The view all the way around us was mountains and color. Absolutely incredible. So many details everywhere. The reception was held inside the bed and breakfast… Tara and I had so much fun photographing the day for Kevin and Penni. Beautiful wedding!
This is def one of my very favorite pictures.
Samuel and Jessica
Such an incredible story for me to tell, cause I love how Jesus works. Samuel my brother met the most amazing woman named Jessica Cortez (who was my best friend). She is a Texan/Hippy. They fell in love and after a very brief dating season via Skype (she was living in Redding, CA and he was living in Vass, NC) he surprised her in Israel by showing up on her favorite beach asking her to marry him. Here is the video (Get ready to cry)
Jessica began to plan out the most amazing wedding ever. A barn 15 Bridesmaids in long tie dye maxi dresses, 13 Groomsmen in vests, and different scarves, hats. The ceremony would take place on top of hill in the middle of the woods. And the reception would take place in a big red barn. Mason jars, record players, apples, wild flowers, horses, bon fire, 60′s booths, type writer…
During the time that Jess was looking her her dress she was approached by the bridal store she bought her dress from in Dallas. They asked her if she would be willing to be filmed for a new up coming reality TV show (airing April 25th on Woman’s Entertainment Network WE) called “Girl Meets Gown”
They began to film her finding the dress, interviewing her family, and Sam (via skype) I drove down to Dallas a few times from Kansas City and helped her hand make a MILLION invitation. And I was interviewed and filmed with the show.
Their wedding was absolutely incredible. My friend Shelley Paulson who has been mentoring me and has been an INCREDIBLE friend to my heart. She was hired to come and shoot the wedding. There are 6 parts on Shelley’s blog to Samuel and Jessica’s pictures. PLEASE LOOK at them!!
And here is the 10 min highlight video to Samuel and Jess’ wedding. (get ready to cry again)
The day after the wedding, Shelley and I took Sam and Jess on a day after shoot. I second shot along with Shelley.
Samuel and Jessica are now expecting their 1st baby (I’M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!) in Aug!!! They live a few streets over from my husband and I… and I’m so glad they live sooooo close.
She got her necklace on etsy.com
Jessica’s blog
