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You may remember that I recently got the heart-jolting news that Mona and John’s wedding was {published} in {Weddings Unveiled Magazine}. I was lucky enough to be acting as {Abigail Seymour’s} second on that beautiful September day and today would be perfect to share a few of my personal favorites. For more images, be sure to head over to {Abigail’s post}.

This wedding was all about family. Mona’s dress was made by her mother. John’s children begged that the celebration not stop at the originally planned departure time. There were so many little touches that embraced this feeling of family. One of the more original (and my personal favorites) was the music for the event. There was such a wide variety playing that I questioned Mona about their very broad taste. She told me a little tidbit I’m going to encourage every bride to do from now on. They asked family and friend to submit their 5 favorite songs – all of those personal favs became the playlist for a perfect evening of dining, dancing, and just a little bit of cavorting.

A special word of thanks to all the amazing vendors – they are a perfect storm of awesomeness…

All photographs taken by {Traci Arney} and used with the courtesy of {©Abigail Seymour}.

Thatcher is 1 Year Old!!!

I’ll never be sure how the past year has passed so quickly.  That Baby, once only a 9 lb, 11 oz. little sweetling, has now blossomed to a 22 lb mass of energy, laughter, and bull-headed sweetness.  He is the absolute light of The Boy’s eye and when The and That are in a room together, it is a cacophony of giggles, belly laughs and squeals of delight.  (This is far-and-away my favorite sound…)  Adam and I, though still sleep sleep deprived, are so happy in our unexpectedly blossomed life.

So far, here are a few lovely little details of life with That Baby:

  • He wakes up at 7:15 sharp every morning.
  • He has been officially declared “stubborn” by his doctor.
  • When he has bed head, he looks like a little dandelion puff.
  • His favorite thing in the world is his big brother.
  • He LOVES yogurt, okra, peaches, and beets and bananas but could care less about potatoes.
  • He still hasn’t said a word yet but has the imperial wave and regal point down pat.
  • He adores the grocery store and hates the car.
  • He fake coughs for attention.
  • He like it best when I sing Sam Cooke to him.

We had a small birthday party for Thatch at my Momma and Daddy’s house with just close family.  Momma and my sis, Jennifer, made the cake.  Thatch (and Jobe) had a great time destroying it.  While it was messy work, it was perfect photographic fodder followed by a long bath (several changes of water were required…)

I was going to write my own post about the {Graylyn} Event hosted and designed by {Rebecca Rose Events} but after I read Becca’s post, I knew there was absolutely no need.  Perfection…  Many thanks to Becca and Amy for putting together such a beautiful event.  I was honored to photograph all the lovely details and meet so many wonderful brides.

Please enjoy!

Jeff and Katie

24 Jan 2012

witten by 

Last weekend’s event at {Graylyn} was a wonderful success.  It was an honor to style several different rooms to provide design inspirations and deliver a speech on event design to newly engaged brides.  {Amy Lynne Originals’} floral design work was impeccable (as always!) and {Abigail Seymour} and {Traci Arney} joined us as well.  There were champagne cocktails and delectable treats.

 

I had the pleasure of speaking to brides, mothers, grooms and friends about the start of the planning and design process.  it was a bast!

One of my key points in the presentation:  Be flexible and trust your vendors!  As evidence I pointed to this wrought-iton grate fixture in the presentation room.  This lovely, simple design came together all of 10minutes before we got started.  Thanks Amy for being such a genius and knowing exactly what to do with a bucket of leftover flowers and a few spare minutes.  Add some fabric and candlelight and we had ourselves quite a little focal point for me to stay in front of while speaking!

Thank you {Traci Arney Photography} (all the images featured above are hers!)  {Abigail Seymour Photography}, {Amy Lynne Originals} and the team at the {Graylyn} Estate for making this wonderful evening possible!

It is always such a heart-palpitating experience to find out your work has been published and this weekend I got just such a thrill!  Weddings Unveiled featured John and Mona’s charming, romantic wedding at Claxton Farm.   The wedding was elegantly styled by Weddings with Tara, with all the beautiful touched provided by The Darling Bee.  Photography by Abigail Seymour (and me!!!).

Jeff and Katie at the strike of midnight ringing in 2012.

“What you do at New Year’s, you will do all year.” If that’s true, then I’ll be awash in love, laughing a ridiculous amount, witnessing serious silliness, and flatfoot dancing – not a bad way to spend a year.

This New Year’s Eve truly was a night of new beginnings. Jeff and Katie began their married life in Katie’s childhood church in Spencer, VA, followed by their rockin’ reception at Martinsville’s Chatmoss Country Club. At every turn, I was struck with the ease and simple joy that this couple, their family and friends just oozed. Many thanks to my second photographer, {Jamie Lynn}, for capturing so many beautiful images and keeping me company on the drive. And a big thanks to all my fellow vendors for putting together such a beautiful party.

Enjoy! (We certainly did!) Congrats to the new Mr. and Mrs. Spaugh!

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Don

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

I

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Super sexy and very beautiful.

It took four tries for the guys to actually go for the garter but when they finally committed, Jamie Lynn got this great shot!

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Shot by Jamie Lynn

Love this guy.

Shot by Jamie Lynn

{Wanna see the rest of this yummy wedding??? Check it out here.}

Welcome to day two of Jen and Jeff’s oh-so-beautiful wedding.  If you missed yesterday’s coverage of the ceremony at Old Salem, be sure to {take a look} - it is not to be missed!  When we walked into the Millennium Center, my heart skipped a beat.  This is lighting done right and I knew it was going to photograph beautifully and it did.  Then as we began photographing the special details, we realized that the heart and personality from the ceremony was going to be just as much a force here.  Everything about this event screams, “Welcome! Enjoy! Party hard!  We love you all!”

The Millennium Center was so beautifully decorated and lit. Shot by Traci

Putting off the wedding party formals until the reception worked out remarkably well! Shot by Traci

I love these pumpkin centerpieces - so creative and beautiful. Shot by Traci

Crystals decorated all of the pumpkin centerpieces. Shot by Marissa.

Loving the inviting warmth of these tabletops with pumpkins, tea lights, and chalk boards. Shot by Traci

Can we just talk about this cake for a minute?  As a wedding photographer, I see A LOT of cakes.  I have a fascination with them actually because the cake, more than almost anything else, tells so much about the couple.  But THIS cake took that to a new level.  From top to bottom, this cake has the story of Jeff and Jenny literally written all over it.  It was elegant, beautiful, funny, and charming all rolled up in fondant and icing.  Dear {Ketchie Creek Bakery}, you guys did an phenomenal job!!!

This is one of the best cakes I've ever seen. Period. Shot by Traci

A detail shot of this charming storybook cake. Shot by Traci

The wedding party's entrances were hilarious! Shot by Traci and Marissa

A lovely shot by Marissa of Jeff and Jenny's grand entrance.

Love, love, love everything about this - the colors, the light, the weighting, and especially the expression on Jenny's face. Shot by Traci

Jen's dad just about broke my heart... Shot by Traci

Momma looking on. Shot by Traci

Jeff and his sweet mom. Shot by Traci

Jen's mom and dad holding hands. A very sweet moment that, to me, clearly demonstrates the actions of long-lasting love. Shot by Traci

Jeff and Jen brought in Chapel Hill’s a cappella group, {The Clef Hangers}, for the cocktail hour and entertainment during dinner.   Marissa and I wanted to tie these guys to the roof of our car and have them sing us home.  They opened with {Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”}.  They. Were. AMAZING.  And now I must go and buy their CD…

Shot by Traci

Shot by Marissa

Like everything that night, there was nothing standard about the cake cutting…

There's a first for everything and this one just made me smile. Licking the knife, indeed. Shot by Marissa

Shot by Traci

Yet another example of how loving and playful this couple really is. Shot by Marissa

Dramatic lighting for a dramatic moment. Shot by Traci

After the cake, Jenny made a mad dash for a costume change. Shot by Traci

Jeff and Jen had a surprise for their wedding party – an icing.  Now this was a new experience for me.  You present someone (or in this case everyone you know and love) a bottle of Smirnoff Ice, they have to take a knee and down the whole thing.  The loved ones took it pretty well!

Shot by Traci

I did say "pretty well". Shot by Marissa

No standard first dance here - it was a Salsa. Halfway through, the handkerchiefs rained down. Shot by Traci

Shot by Traci

The dance floor had a rocking club atmosphere with incredible lighting. Friendly Neighborhood DJ provided all the music and kept everyone on their feet. Shot by Marissa

Jen enjoying her night club dance floor. Shot by Marissa

Shot by Traci

Jolly may have headed home after the ceremony but he was there in spirit. Shot by Traci

Late in the planning, Jeff and Jenny decided to add on the Limelight and I am so pleased they did.  Their friends knew exactly how to play it up for the camera and the results are hilarious!

Shot by Traci

Shot by Traci

Note to self - ALWAYS bring silly string for Limelight from now on... ALWAYS! Shot by Traci

CrazySexyFun. Shot by Traci

Jeff and Jen got into the act. The magnifying glass is always one of my favorite props! Shot by Traci

To Jeff and Jenny, may your marriage be as blissful and filled with laughter as it was on the first night. XOXOXO, Traci

I want to send my kudos once again to my fellow vendors.  Seriously, if you are planning your wedding, there wasn’t a single one of these guys I wouldn’t use myself.  They were outstanding!  And a special thanks to my dear friend and über-talented second shooter, {Marissa Kaplan}.

There is far too much to post here so if you want to see everything, sign up to see their {Online Gallery}.  And please like us on {Facebook} so you can keep up with all the updates!

The backdrop for Jenny and Jeff’s beautiful fall wedding was a photographer’s dream!  Think fall leaves, orange hues, pumpkin centerpieces and extravagant, historic locations.  The ceremony took place at {Old Salem}, a beautiful Moravian living history village in {Winston-Salem, NC}.  Communal buildings, shops, churches and houses showcase what the Moravian settlement was like during the 18th and 19th centuries.  I’ve been to Old Salem on several occasions for school trips, afternoon wanderings, and for dinner at the {Old Salem Tavern} (go eat there now – its amazing!) but I have never had the honor of shooting a wedding there.   We had fall leaves, cobbled streets, perfect light, and a crazy-in-love couple to work with.  The results are simply magical.

There was so much about this wedding to love.  Jeff and Jen, along with wedding coordinator, Ashley, we able to create an event that was as much about family and friends as it was about the couple.  It was a thoughtful, heartfelt, passionate celebration that turned into a raucous nightclub style party by the end.  With too many beautiful images from the wedding, I’m doing this post as a two-parter.  Enjoy and come back for Part II!

I also want to extend a huge thanks to all of my fellow vendors. You guys made a beautiful day perfect!

I was lucky enough to have {Marissa} as my second and she and the guys began the day at the Tavern Woodshed and Tavern Green.  She got some fantastic shots of the guys that really exemplified the playfulness of this group.

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By Old Salem's Tavern Woodshed. Shot by Marissa

A little game of ball on the Tavern Green prior to the ceremony to ease the nerves. Shot by Marissa

Orange socks! Such a great touch. Shot by Marissa

Hahahahahaha! The groomsmen's message flashed to Jeff as they each walked down the aisle. "WE. HOPE. TONIGHT. YOU. GET. SOME. SLEEP." Shot by Marissa

Detail of the guys' suits.

 The girls got ready at The Millennium Center in downtown Winston-Salem.  It is a stunning venue complete with a beauty shop for the girls!  And just wait until you see how its decorated for the reception!!!

Dress Shot by Traci. Bouquet Shot by Marissa.

Marissa got this great shot of Jen's shoes on a shelf in The Millennium Center.

Shot by Traci

The girls in the beauty parlor getting Jen in her dress. Shot by Traci

Shot by Traci

I adore this very elegant little shot taken while Jen was fixing her hair. Shot by Traci

This is one of those little details that brought tears to my eyes. Jenny stitched “ILYD” on her dad, Mike’s tie. I love my daddy too – wish I had thought of such a charming and thoughtful touch…

Shot by Traci

Here are just a few of the yum details from Old Salem and the ceremony on Tavern Green.

Both shots by Marissa

Old Salem is a living history museum so there were people working in costume. The young girl on the left was checking out Jeff's video camera. Both shots by Traci

Detail on the right shows the beautiful flower arrangements for the ceremony. Both shots by Traci

We found a spot of beautiful fall light for the girl's portrait on the green. Shot by Traci

My favorite portrait of Jen in that beautiful light. Shot by Traci

A few more of Jen in that gorgeous light. Shot by Traci

A yummy shot of the maid of honor, Taylor, looking back towards the bride on the way to the ceremony. Shot by Traci

A quiet moment of prayer. Shot by Traci

There were two very special forms of transport at Jeff and Jenny’s wedding – school bus and horse and carriage.  I love the personal and charming connection between school bus and Jenny’s career as a teacher.

The Limo for the Day! Shot By Traci

Horse and carriage was one of the modes of transport for the day. Shot by Traci

Shot by Traci

I love the juxtaposition the two forms of transport in this image. Shot by Traci

Jen being delivered to her Beloved. Shot by Traci

Shot by Traci

Jeff's look of joy at his first sight of Jenny. Shot by Marissa

Putting your pet in the ceremony?  Yes, please!  I love the way it looks, how it tells me that the couple is playful and doesn’t take themselves too seriously.  Plus, look, Jolly’s wearing a bow tie!!!!

Jolly on the left, by Traci. Jolly on the right, by Marissa.

Shot by Traci

A personal favorite. Shot by Traci

A very sweet moment between the new husband and wife. Shot by Traci

Instead of doing a unity candle, Jeff and Jen opted for a unity plant.  This type of individual and unique touch really exemplifies this couple.

Shot by Marissa

Shot by Traci

Informal Formal. Shot by Traci

We decided to forgo the majority of the formals until the reception and spend some time doing the romance session while we still had the light.  I am so glad we did!  We got loads of sweet images…

Adore everything about this shot! The location, the fall colors, the sweet tilt-shift softness... Shot by Traci

A lovely moment where Jeff is helping his new bride with her gown. Shot by Marissa

Marissa and I shot basically the same shot at the same time with two very different lenses.  I love them both.

Shot by Marissa

Shot by Traci

I wanted to do a portrait of Jeff and Jen in keeping with their ceremony location.  Thus the deep sepia and the heavy grain that was so indicative of many images from the late 1800′s.

Shot by Traci

A fab shot by Marissa after the sun went down. I love how Jeff is carrying Jen's ribbons. They stayed connected like that the whole night. Their love is palpable.

Don’t forget to head back here for part two.  Like us on Facebook so you can keep track of all the goings-on as well as upcoming sneak peaks!

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