Category: couples

Ying-Ju and Ming-Feng tied the knot on March 26, 2017 in a beautiful outdoor ceremony at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. I loved everything about documenting this Asian-fusion wedding: from the beautiful dual traditions to the butterfly release in the conservatory after the ceremony.

This sweet, well-traveled couple met in 2004 at their college harmonica club and got engaged in 2016. Ming-Feng proposed with purple tulips in Amsterdam, and Ying-Ju obviously said yes!

After moving from Taiwan to Durham, North Carolina, this couple wanted to honor their roots during their Durham celebration. They incorporated many beautiful traditional Taiwanese details into their day, like Ying-Ju’s Chinese reception dress, gold jewelry, and hand-made guest favors.

Are you planning an Asian-fusion wedding this spring and looking for a photographer who is excited about your ideas?

Or maybe you’re blending two different faith traditions and are not sure where to even start? I love helping you clarify + celebrate your true values on your wedding day. Check out my wedding photography packages and let’s work together!

A shout-out to all our fab vendors for making this day possible!

Second Photographer: Shaena Mallett

Coordinator: Friends Cheo-Ying & Lydia

Officiant: Friend Brian Head

Bride’s American Dress: Pronovia Ornani, from Tre Bella Bridal

Bride’s Chinese Dress: Made in Taiwan

Florist: Tre Bella Florist for bride’s bouquet and main table centerpiece; DIY guest table centerpieces and aisle markers

Dessert: Guglhupf

Catering: Southern Harvest Catering

Hiring vendors for your wedding is hard work, so I’ve compiled a guide to making hiring your wedding photographer easy as pie.

Chances are, you’ve never planned an event larger than your grandma’s birthday party, and you feel lost. Whether you end up hitting it off with me or choosing another photographer, I want you to find the perfect fit… and stay sane doing so!

I’ve listened to my couples’ struggles over the years, and I’ve come up with 5 no-fail tips for hiring your wedding photographer.

Married couples: what do you think? Is there any other advice you’d add to this? Sound off in the comments!

1. Find the Right Style

Be clear on what style of photos you’d like. Do you like trendy VSCO filters? Or do you prefer the dreamy grain of film photography? Would you rather have candid moments of your wedding guests boogieing down on the dance floor and nix the cheesy portraits?

Make sure your photographer’s work is what she/he says it is—a newspaper photojournalist skilled in capturing unexpected moments probably won’t be too jazzed to photograph mason jars. And a fine art photographer who specializes in stunning portraiture might not be excited to let things happen candidly.

Get clear on your preferences and have your photographer do the same. Then look at their work to make sure they practice what they preach.

Katherine + Caley loved my natural light portraits, so we budgeted enough time to snag a few dreamy sunset shots at magic hour. Check out their full wedding gallery to see more of what they wanted in their photography!

 

2. Find the Right Connection

Do you feel a connection to your photographer? They’ll be with you for the entire day, so if you hate the perfume she wears or can’t stand those terrible Dad Jokes, then you may want rethink your choice. Picking a vendor is a bit like picking your partner—you want there to be a connection.

Here’s a behind the-scenes moment from a fall wedding of my intern Ali and I making sure we got the perfect shot. Photo cred to my fab associate Lis Tyroler for capturing this cute moment.

3. Review Their Work

Look through their work—lots of it! (This is the fun part… especially if you’re having a boring afternoon at work). Already know your venue? Chances are your photographer has shot there before. Ask to see a wedding album from your venue! Even if you’re getting married in a backyard bungalow, they probably have something to show you that will help you visualize the space.

Adrienne + Matt planned a backyard wedding at their family’s home in Aberdeen, NC. While planning for their wedding photography, we looked at plenty of my samples from similar backyard shindigs to help visualize their space.

“Courtney was such a competent, warm presence during our day! We talked to other photographers before we found you that had expectations about our wedding and our needs before they even met us. But you totally heard our desires, and respected our wishes (like our short list of posed shots!) while making us feel comfortable and content. We’re so grateful!” –Adrienne + Matt, married April 2016

4. Communication is Key

Hiring a photographer isn’t that different than online dating. 🙂 Does your photographer really listen to your wants and needs? or does she have preconceived notions of what your wedding should be? Is she excited to hear your ideas? It’s your photographer’s job to guide you, help you feel at ease, and clearly communicate with you.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at a unique Rock Quarry wedding! Associate photographer Bri Brough and I LOVED Jenn + Kennedy’s idea of having a “first jump” into the quarry instead of a traditional first dance. We all put our heads together to figure out how to capture that unique moment in an unconventional way…and decided to rent underwater gear + flotation devices and get in the water. Here are some of the shots captured of that special moment! What do you think? (To view all the photos from this wedding and learn more about how we got these shots, visit the full blog gallery from Jennifer + Kennedy’s wedding!)

5. Pick a package with prints

I can’t emphasize this one enough: print your photos. Invest in wedding albums and large canvas prints for your home. There’s something magical about holding a tangible photograph in your hand. You notice details that, when left on a cell phone LCD screen, are obscured by smudges and dust. You step inside the scene and feel the ambience in a way digital images can’t offer. Photos are meant to be printed because YOUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER is too valuable not to be seen. Beheld. Remembered. You worked hard to build a relationship that will last. Commemorate that.

Planning a wedding and feel like we’re a good fit? Let’s grab a drink and get to know each other! Give me a shout, and let’s connect!

Sara + Daniel tied the knot on May 2, 2015 at Snipes Farm Retreat in Chapel Hill, NC. This creative couple planned an unconventional wedding stripped of imposed wedding traditions–proving that your wedding can be infused with imagination.

From a self-officiated ceremony to an anarcho-feminist puppet show, their unconventional wedding reflected this couple’s authenticity.

Sara and Daniel wanted their day to be a celebration of a world that is more free, just, joyful, loving, and beautiful. And their wedding certainly did not miss the mark.

Read the Q&A below to learn more about Sara + Daniel’s inspiration for their unconventional wedding celebration.

Are you planning your own unconventional wedding? Come check out the Raleigh LGBTQ Wedding Expo on February 25.

This event is an amazing resource—not only if you’re LGBTQ—but also if you’re a hetero couple looking for LGBTQ-friendly vendors who share your values.

Everyone is welcome at this event—gay, hetero, single, curious—and there’ll be all types of vendors, from photographers like myself, to catering, music, and everything in between. Admission is free, click here for more info and to RSVP. I hope to see you there!

1. How did you meet and fall in love? I’d love to hear a little bit more of your story. 🙂

We met at Connecticut College when I was a freshman and Daniel was a sophomore.

We first interacted at a film showing against the war in Iraq that Daniel presented with the campus leftist group he started. I had seen Daniel around campus (who could miss his ridiculous mohawk?), but Daniel apparently got smitten with me after I made “a biting criticism of US foreign policy” (His words, not mine. I think he just thought I was cute).

After a couple of goofy missteps we connected, exchanged mix tapes, and started a fun, passionate relationship. We got a chance to spend a summer together in Mexico during different internships, and we bonded over delicious food and revolutionary politics.

Over the last eleven years we have lived together in Mexico, DC, and North Carolina, and we spent years apart while I worked/studied in Guatemala, Ecuador, and Philadelphia. Neither of us can pinpoint the moment when we realized that we are going to be life partners. In some ways I think we both always knew

2. You incorporated some really unique elements into your unconventional wedding day (Before you, I had never photographed a puppet show at a wedding!) Tell me about some of these personal touches and the inspiration behind it.

It was very important for us that each element of our unconventional wedding day felt authentic to our relationship, heritage, and values. We are two folks that like to question authority and the status quo, so it makes sense that we tried to spin wedding traditions into something that felt representative of us.

We chose to officiate our own wedding because both of us are atheists, but we wanted to make sure that some of our closest friends and family members could contribute to the ceremony.

Our close friends are in a puppet troupe, the Mysterious Rabbit Puppet Army, and they offered to write and perform a puppet show for us our wedding. The puppeteers knew that I am obsessed with my cats, so they made them the narrators of this sweet anarcho-feminist puppet show. It was amazing!

3. What was your favorite part of your unconventional wedding day?

Both of us agreed that our favorite part of the wedding day was dancing the final dance while a huge group of our friends encircled us. Our DJ, Alex DB, played “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which was on the first mixed CD I gave to Daniel. Daniel and I both cried our eyes out while our friends hugged us. It was really moving.

4. What factors other than photos went into your decision on a unconventional wedding photographer? Why did you pick me?

We wanted someone who would seem comfortable with some of our nontraditional choices. You were more than game and were very validating of our choices. You also seemed relaxed and confident.

5. Your photography package included an engagement session. What was it like to work with me during this? Did it make the wedding day easier in terms of nerves about photography or what to expect from our collaboration?

I was really not looking forward to the engagement shoot. I was very nervous because I don’t really enjoy getting my picture taken, but you made me feel at ease. Your directions helped me focus on Daniel and our relationship, rather than whether I looked good enough.

6. What is the first thing you want to do with the images from your unconventional wedding? 

We want to re-experience our unconventional wedding through your amazing photos!

7. What is next for you as a couple? Any big plans?

It’s been almost difficult going back to our normal routine considering we had such a wonderful unconventional wedding day! This fall we’re traveling to Vietnam and Laos. We’re excited to go on an adventure together.

8. Now that you are seasoned wedding planners, what advice do you have for other couples planning an unconventional wedding? 🙂

Be playful! Many traditional wedding elements conflict with our radical feminist sensibilities. We kept the traditions we liked, and we re-imagined or tossed the traditions we did not like.

Sara and Daniel, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your day. There are times when photographing events feels like heavy labor, but this felt like child’s play- and I owe that to the environment of playfulness and imagination that you created. It was truly one of the most enjoyable celebrations I have ever witnessed. Thank you!

A shout-out to all our fab vendors for making this day possible:

Wedding Planner: RedBird Events

Photography Assistant: Katy Folk

Puppet Show: Mysterious Rabbit Puppet Army

Bride’s Dress: BHLDN

Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens

Groom’s Clothing: Ted Baker

Florist: Teacup Floral

Ice Cream: The Parlour

Cake: Wants and Kneads

Catering: Kokyu

Invites: Daniel Meltzer, printed by CatPrint

DJ: Alex DB

Stuffy engagement photos be gone!

Shelley + Michael are a super chill couple, and they wanted their Chapel hill engagement photographer to honor their love of drinking beer on the couch, listening to vinyl records, and chillin’ at their fave local Carrboro and Chapel Hill spots.

This shoot felt like a “day in the life” starring Shelley + Michael in their own skin (or fuzzy leopard-print robes) instead of an arbitrary, tropey photo sesh in a field/on a mountain/clad in fancy matchy Pinterest-looking clothes. The stripped-down feel of this session gave this rad couple a chance to relax in their own space, pop open a cold one, and truly be themselves in front of the camera.

Looking for unstuffy engagement & wedding photos? Head on over to my wedding photography page to learn about my packages and drool over the eye candy I have for you!

A lot of my clients tell me they cringe when looking for engagement photo inspo on Pinterest or IG. “Do I have to do that?” is a question I field all the time.

At-home engagement sessions give you the chance to relax, be yourself, and not have to pretend to be someone you’re not just because the wedding industry tells you you should kiss passionately in a field if you’re engaged.

(Incidentally, Michael + Shelley did take me to a field at Coker Arboretum on their alma mater’s campus, but it was only for impromptu piggy-back rides and a chance to show off their Tarheel pride!)

Looking for cozy snuggle sesh of your own, with engagement pictures to boot? I’m a Chapel Hill engagement photographer passionate about eliminating the stuffiness in your pictures and showcasing your authentic selves. Drop me a line!