Dana + Matt tied the knot on September 10, 2016 in a rustic wedding at Merry Hill Farm in Mebane, NC. This outdoorsy couple loves the great outdoors, so they picked a bucolic venue as the backdrop for their celebration.

Dana + Matt answered some questions about their wedding inspiration and photography experience below.

—

1. What are some of your favorite things about your partner? How were these attributes expressed during or leading up to your wedding?

Get ready for the cheese : ) We both love the outdoors which was encapsulated by the scenery at the ceremony. For Matt, he thought Dana’s wit was displayed during her vows and her passion for having fun was demonstrated during the dancing at the reception. For Dana, she thought Matt’s intellectual nature and progressive values were evident in the discussion of the history of marriage in the ceremony. Matt is also humorous and fun which was woven into part of his vows and evident through his moves on the dance floor.

2. What was most important to you in planning your wedding?

For Dana, the most important thing was the outdoor setting and the photography. For Matt, it was the music. We wanted to create an atmosphere where our family and friends could relax and have fun.

3. Are there any details or moments from your wedding that are particularly special to you? (E.g. you wore your momma’s dress, your partner unexpectedly serenaded you, there was a double rainbow all across the sky…)

Special moments for us were: the incredible sunset during our ceremony, our vows that we wrote for each other, honoring Dana’s father, and our first dance. The Hora was also a lot of fun! Dana borrowed and wore her mother’s wedding ring for the ceremony (which was very special since her dad has passed away).

4. Now that you’ve tied the knot (and survived!) what advice would you give to other folks planning their wedding?

Don’t sweat the small stuff! You’ll have fun no matter what and the wedding day goes by so fast that the details do not matter.

5. What drew you to my photography style? Why did you ultimately decide to hire me? Was it worth it? 🙂

We were really drawn to Courtney’s unconventional and documentary photography style. We wanted someone who could capture candid moments with our family and friends. We had a blast working with Courtney and she made us feel very comfortable and relaxed. We are very happy with our choice to hire Courtney!

6. What is the first thing you want to do to the images? Wallpaper the hallway? Internet fame?

Share them with family and friends. In particular, we will be sending the photos to those who could not make the journey.

7. What’s next for your as a couple? Any big plans?

We plan on taking a trip to New Zealand in January. We will also probably start looking to buy a house and settle into married life in Durham 🙂

—

Dana + Matt, thank you for being such a fun, laid-back couple (and picking such a beautiful venue…that field…swoon). 🙂 I enjoyed every minute with you and hope that you love these photos as much as I do!