The post Julia + Eric | NC Botanical Garden Wedding | Chapel Hill Wedding Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

This was such a fun way to end the 2016 wedding season, as I couldn’t have asked for a more adorable couple who gave me carte blanche to carry out my creative vision.

Often wedding days are packed with one event after another, but Tim and Teague wanted to have ample time for portraits. So we spent a glorious stretch of time wandering from one cool spot to another during “golden hour,” spanning City Market, Historic Oakwood Cemetery, and even Pup’s Day Out to visit their fur-babies.

 

The post Teague + Tim | Caffe Luna Wedding | Raleigh Wedding Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Read the Q&A with this fabulous couple, featured below, to learn more about their wedding inspiration and photography experience! To view all of the photos from their wedding and order prints, please visit their gallery on my online print shop!

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

Michelle – I am so lucky to be blessed with such endless patience, understanding, and unconditional love from Jared. Admittedly, I can get a little crazy due to my perfectionism, especially when planning our wedding, but Jared is very much a constant source of comfort and strength. As cliché as this phrase is, it is so true that Jared is my rock through tough and stressful times – always strong, always dependable, always there to keep me grounded and happy. Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve so much of what he does for me…My happiness is always his top priority, and he always thinks of me first. Leading up to our wedding day, I had been stressed out because of the rainy forecast. Though I was able to let it go on the wedding day itself, I found out later that Jared had been so worried about making everything perfect for me while setting up for our rain plan, that he stressed out even our wedding coordinator!

Jared – Michelle is the person that can always make me laugh. She can always make any situation better. Great times become unforgettable and hard times become not so bad. This was especially important leading up to the wedding. We were both so stressed out with our jobs, family, and wedding responsibilities that it was easy to become overwhelmed. Michelle and Ruxon both have the amazing ability to remind me to live in the moment. They bring me back to Earth and show me how great our life is and how lucky we are to have each other.

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

Planning our wedding, what we wanted first and foremost was to gather our friends and families and have a joyful, celebratory party! We wanted the wedding to not only be a celebration of us, but a celebration of all of our loved ones coming together to share in love and happiness. Having a traditional wedding definitely wasn’t a huge priority for us. What was a priority was having a wedding that we would remember for all the amazing memories made with the people who matter most to us.

3. Your fur-baby, Ruxon, was an integral part of your wedding celebration. What led you to this decision, and what was it like to have your pup there from beginning to end? 

We consider Ruxon our son, and he has done so much to bring us closer together as a couple and as a family – oftentimes he is the brightest light and joy of our daily lives. It was extremely important to us to have Ruxon be an integral part of our wedding, so we purposefully searched for a venue that would allow us to have him participate. The wedding would not have felt whole without him, so it meant so much to us to have him be at the wedding from beginning to end. Though we wish that he could have been more comfortable in all the chaos, we know he had a great time with people he knows and loves – he even danced with everyone at the reception!

4. 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…).  

We are blessed to each have an only brother with whom we shared our lives. They each made a toast at our wedding that we are grateful to have video recordings of, because their toasts were both hilarious and sincere. Later in the night, unexpectedly, we had so many guests bring out their crazy dancing moves! We honestly didn’t think that so many of our guests would dance so enthusiastically, so it was surprising and amazing to have so much fun with our friends and families on the dance floor. And of course, sharing our wedding vows to each other was truly a special moment that had us struggling to hold back tears. It was important to us to write our own wedding vows, and to be able to share them with our families.

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

Unless you truly value traditional aspects of a wedding, don’t be afraid to make your wedding your own! Also, weigh the advantages of hiring professionals for coordination, music, décor, etc – with the both of us having full-time jobs, we may have been a bit ambitious at first about DIYing many elements of the wedding, but the time and costs that we saved by hiring wedding professionals made our lives so much easier. During the planning process, there were so many details that we planned for that seemed so major, but ended up being so minor to the actual wedding. For example, we had gotten a perfect bowtie for Ruxon, but lost it the week before the wedding, but he looked handsome nonetheless. Though it was easy to slip into a stressed out mindset the week of the wedding worrying about the logistics of the wedding, most of it didn’t really matter when the wedding day actually arrived – it’s OK to let certain things go to enjoy what really matters. Everyone is right when they say that the wedding day is a blur…A friend of ours gave us some advice that we are grateful for: during the wedding day, take several moments to pause and take a breath to appreciate everything and everyone involved in the wedding.

6. Why did you decide to hire me? What was it like working with me on your wedding day and in the planning stages leading up to it?

Our wedding photography was one of our top priorities, and we knew that we wanted someone special to capture our wedding day. We wanted a photographer with whom we would be comfortable to be ourselves, and someone who cared more about capturing real moments and emotions over what our centerpieces and decorations would look like. In researching and vetting many photographers in the area, we were very much turned off by several photographers who seemed to be more interested our decoration ideas for magazine submissions! When we first met Courtney, we were truly impressed with her story, cool personality, and beautiful photography. She is extremely down-to-earth and genuine; we truly have nothing but great things to say about Courtney. In the span of about a year of working with Courtney, she has never failed to be swift in her communications, and helpful with recommendations and professional judgment. We truly enjoyed having her be a part of our wedding day to photograph our wedding memories for a lifetime.

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

Our families have been anxiously waiting for the photos, so the first thing we will do is distribute them! We are sure that the images will be printed aplenty, and we definitely have a few frames to fill. In the years to come, we are glad to be able to relive the wonderful memories as we look through the photos.

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

Next up – a new home! We will be purchasing our first new home, hopefully with a large backyard for Ruxon to run and romp around in. Maybe we will even get Ruxon another furry brother or sister to play with!

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Michelle + Jared (and Ruxon!), thank you so much for being such fun, authentic clients! I enjoyed every minute with you and am sad to see our photography journey come to an end. I appreciated your eagerness to collaborate as well as your kind spirits! Also- your pup has gone down in history for me as the most involved dog EVER at a wedding! I hope you love your photos, and I hope to work more with you down the road!

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

Second Photographer: Bri Brough

Coordinator: Elana Walker Events

Hair: Bottega Hair Salon

Makeup: OnLoKtion Makeup

Event Rentals: Deejay’s Event Rentals

Officiant: Michael Kennedy

Bride’s Dress: Designed by Nicole Miller, Purchased at Lana Addison Bridal

Bridesmaid Dresses: Weddington Way

Groomsmen Clothing: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist: Fresh Affairs

Catering: Neomonde

DJ: Bunn DJ Company

Hotel: Hampton Inn Raleigh Downtown

The post Michelle + Jared | Fred Fletcher Park Wedding | Raleigh Wedding Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Whitney + Brian tied the knot on top of a mountain in West Jefferson, NC on September 5, 2015. This outdoorsy couple wanted a scenic wedding in one of their favorite spots, and their day couldn’t have been any more beautiful or fun!

Read the Q&A with this spunky couple, featured below, to learn more about their wedding inspiration and photography experience! To view all of the photos from their wedding and order prints, please visit their gallery on my online print shop!

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

Whitney: He always knows how to make me laugh and calm my spirit. Throughout planning and even the day of the wedding he took time to hug and kiss me and express how excited he was to be my husband. He also shares a love for the outdoors and that is one of the reasons we choose to have the wedding on top of Mount Jefferson. It is a special place for both of us.

Brian: I personally enjoy everything about Whitney. Our wedding was perfect. She was beautiful and I wouldn’t change anything about her, our ceremony, or the reception site. The ease of which she handled all decisions was also refreshing. We had heard horror stories of making decisions, yet the entire process was smooth and rather painless.

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

I’m sure most people say this but we wanted people to have fun and experience the beauty of the town we call home. Almost 90% of our guest traveled to our wedding from the east to west coast, as far as Hawaii, so we tried to allow people to see the joys of a small North Carolina town.

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…).  

Our first communion meant a lot to me, as well as our vows. Things were so crazy leading up to the wedding so we didn’t get to write them until the night before, but they really came from our hearts. All the details of the decorations and the cake were also really special because they were all handmade from Brian’s Mom. OHHH the last thing that was really special to me was my bouquet, because I grew my own sunflowers to add to it, and I arranged it myself. It was so much fun watching the flowers grow and I couldn’t wait to add that subtle touch to my flowers.

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

Breathe and surround yourself with people to tell you it’s going to be great and everything looks amazing! Also, plan to spend time with family the day before and the day after. The actual wedding day goes by so fast and it was really nice to know we didn’t have to see and talk to everyone that day.

5. Your wedding photography package included a bridal session. What was it like to work with me for this session? How did it help shape your expectations for working together throughout your wedding day?

It was great, and it helped me relax and know your style with shooting. It also gave me a lot of confidence and comfort for the day of the wedding.

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

Print a few to hang on the wall, and make a few photo books. Most likely wallpaper the ceiling. Its always fun to lay on bed and see all the pretty pictures. (this is a joke lol…Brian’s stealthy work).

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

Our plan is to settle into life and work. We have had a big year and are ready to get a little bit of a routine going. We are also planning a few running races since all our time will not be consumed with wedding planning.

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Whitney + Brian, thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience the beauty of your home! I was completely charmed by West Jefferson and am excited about returning for an adventure in the  near future. You and your bridal party and families were a blast to work with- thank you for being so adventurous and collaborative! I hope you love your pictures and am excited to share everything with you now!

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

Coordinator: Angel Brewer

Officiant: Scott Day

Bride’s Dress: Mori Lee from Pretty n’ Pearls Boutique

Bridesmaid Dresses: Bill Levkoff

Groomsmen Clothing: Jim’s Formalwear

Florist: Sam’s Club with DIY arrangement

Desert: Christian Ulrich (Groom’s mom)

Catering: Boondocks Brewing Tap Room and Restaurant

The post Whitney + Brian | West Jefferson Mountain Wedding | Western NC Wedding Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

One of my favorite aspects of Heather & Jacob’s day was visiting Heather’s grandparents’ house in the middle of Nelson County.  Heather got ready there, and it was such a fun, meaningful environment to shoot in.  I always love the natural light at hotels, but there’s something special about being in a familial setting.  I loved all of the chicken/rooster decorations, which reminded me of my husband’s decor taste. Heather’ grandmother hung out with the girls while they got their hair done, and that was especially sweet.

Heather & Jacob held a beautiful, intimate outdoor wedding at Oak Ridge Estate, a 200-year-old historic property in Arrington. They exchanged vows underneath a canopy of the Estate’s most beautiful trees.  The weather was absolutely perfect–dramatic clouds filled the skies during our couples’ portraits but allowed for rays of sunshine to peek through.  After shooting many sweltering hot and humid North Carolina weddings this summer, it was refreshing to be almost chilly during this wedding!

The post Heather + Jacob | Oak Ridge Estate Wedding appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Alex and Harrison got hitched at Alex’s grandmother’s house—a fascinating home filled with all
sorts of artwork, trinkets and treasures.  (Can I borrow it?)  Their
outdoor ceremony was beautiful, sacred, and intimate.  They gave me
ample time to frolic on the campus of Mizzou and photograph them in
magic light, which I always love.
And their getaway vehicle, a convertible Ford Mustang, was sweeeeet!
(This lucky photog actually got a chance to drive it down country roads
the next day).  Oh, and the funfetti cake had to be my favorite food
item—such a smart idea!

What made this wedding special for me was I was truly surrounded by family.  I was sick as a dog the weeks leading up to it (African parasites!  Yay!), but it didn’t matter because my childhood friends took care of me all day. I couldn’t
drive because of my medication, so one of the groomsmen kindly drove me
from St. Louis to Columbia and became my personal escort for the wedding
day.  Emily and her sisters bought me all sorts of food (that they
deemed “my special diet”) for the wedding and days after; the mother of
groom (who used to be a nurse) expertly counseled me on my steps towards
recovery; and guests jokingly called me “the parasite girl,” which was
absolutely hilarious to me, and somewhat endearing.  It’s because of this love that I shot so well!

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