Posts Tagged: asheville wedding photography
Summer 2016 ~ or some of it
This summer, Ryan and I are working, of course. But we’re also “having a summer” and so far it has been filled with some travel, 2 birthdays, a storm that sent tree limbs through the roof of our 100+ year old house and watching our small but mighty (MIGHTY, I SAY) garden yield glorious veggies. Here are some highlights (and lowlights). We love you guys. Hope your summers are safe and fun and plentiful, as well.
lovely enough to be fake, but they’re not. … squash. LOVE IT.
late spring, when we started to get excited
for spaghetti sauce, BLTs, caprese salads or just with a dusting of pepper…
sauce for spaghetti squash supper
Late July and the garden keeps giving.
Our summer has also included a usual southern visitor – storms. North Carolina (both the piedmont and mountains) have seen daily thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings for days on end and often with the fanfare of thunder and lightening as well. I love what rain does to our garden, but the more harsh storms in Wilkes County have been doozies. One in particular, in early July hit the Pixels homestead. Our neighbors were without power and sustained lots of damage. I thank God for a sturdy husband, no loss of power, crews ready to come in and no personal injuries. It could have been worse, but it wasn’t.
Ryan on the roof checking for damage and creating quick fixes
Food, storms, repair, recovery and …… birthdays. We both have summer birthdays and celebrated with great food and time together away from deadlines.
Of course, we’ve been wandering and spending time with friends as well.
Our lovebug – Chelsea, a Southern girl hanging out on the porch during my birthday and while we were shooting an engagement portrait session in Charleston.
We love to travel all over the states, but southern summers are pretty wonderful. We’re grateful for each other, for our family, friends and clients, for getting to do what we love and for 4 seasons and all they bring with them. Autumn is still “a ways off,” so we’re going to stay in the good company of summer for now.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
Wedding redux #3 ~ straight up advice!
Sherae Jones married David Johnson under a glassed-in rooftop in Charlotte in 2014. It was glorious. We got to know this couple when we photographed their engagement session and that’s when we discovered how cool and real they are. So, when we asked Sherae to look back to provide some perspective – this is what she told us …. no holds barred!
Name some things you would do differently, if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (with the same person of course).
I would have had a few more important pictures taken and by important I mean family, and a couple more with us and our Officiant.
The arrangements for my hair. I trusted a friend to do my hair and she didn’t even do a trial for me. She also ended up bailing on me two days before. Luckily someone else stepped in, but it was something I should have hired a professional to do.
Name things you would NOT change.
My decorations… I had two pillars with flowers at the altar. I also had rose petals down the aisle. For the tables I had glass vases with floating candles and marbles. Given the venue, I didn’t need a whole lot. What I had was just enough. I probably would have had more artificial flowers. Looking back it wasn’t important to have real flowers.
The Cake & Candy Bar – for my cake I had two tiers and then a cupcake tower. I also had a few cake pops- which were a big hit! For favors, we did a candy bar. That was also a big hit and very popular for the adults. LOL!
Food– Instead of doing a buffet or traditional sit-down dinner, I did heavy hors d’oeuvres. That was something that the venue coordinator suggested. I got a lot of backlash about that from family, leading up to the wedding. However, on the actual day they loved it! It doesn’t seem like a lot, but having a good variety of food to choose from works and guests had the chance to get SECONDS!
What if anything do you regret?
I regret that Dave and I didn’t get around to each table to say thanks TOGETHER. I have gotten some negative feedback from guests about that. However, there was a lot going on, I was busy dancing, it rained and everything was moved inside.
I also regret that I cut the top tier of my cake. I had two tiers and a cupcake tower. Because I cut the very top tier and not the bottom, the venue assumed it was ok to cut all the cake. As a result, all of it was eaten and we do not have any for our first anniversary.
Positive and negative advice on any or all of the following:
Attire. Who cares what anyone thinks. It is YOUR day. A lot of people will give advice, but you do not have to take it. Wear whatever you and your spouse-to-be are comfortable with. I wore Chuck Taylor’s under my dress… probably one of my favorite parts. I also did not wear a veil and I was fine with that. Instead, a good friend of mine made a head piece for me that was truly one of a kind.
Food. Make sure it is good. Most people remember the food, the bride’s dress, and the music.
Gifts. Always appreciative of gifts. If you do a registry, pick things you want.
Location. If you are worried about the weather, pick a venue where you can have a backup space if weather gets bad. Also, another suggestion is to have everything in one place. So much easier for guests and vendors.
Decorations & decor. Budget for linens, as they tend to be a little expensive. Some chairs are beautiful, but are not comfortable. And decorations can be subtle; they don’t have to be extravagant. Small vases and floating candles are very affordable and the vases can be bought at the dollar store if you want to save money for other items on your list.
Number in the wedding party. I suggest no more than 5. Five is the perfect number to keep up with. If you have a bridal party that is larger than 5, not only is it more expensive for bridal party gifts and for those standing up for you, but also the procession of the bridal party takes some time and makes your ceremony longer.
Number of guests. Whatever you can afford. A good average number is about 150. Some will decline and you may get some no-shows on the actual day. I suggest keeping the number reasonable for your pockets because food is very expensive and so is alcohol if you plan to serve it.
Time of year. Time of day.
Everyone loves summer/early fall weddings, but those tend to be the most popular times to get married. Try a winter wedding. Those are just as beautiful and rain will not be an issue since everything is indoors. Spring weddings are not bad, but everyone knows it rains a lot and that could be an issue if your wedding is outdoors. I suggest early afternoon (2 p.m.) and evening weddings.
DJ vs. a band.
I like both. DJ’s are probably more pocket friendly, but bands bring a classier vibe to the whole shebang.
Wedding planner or friends and family approach.
I would say definitely go with a wedding planner. They are professional, organized and will help your day run smoothly. They can be expensive, but if you go with a venue where the fee is included, go for it. If your venue does not include the coordinating, and you have to hire outside, hire someone of quality. Someone who has great reviews. Remember you get what you pay for. I had 4 wedding planners working the day of my wedding, and I had no worries. They took care of everything! The family and friends approach is not bad, but you have to know who you are dealing with. I’ve personally been to weddings where there were family and friends in those roles or no coordinators at all. Honestly, those weddings were not organized at all.
Vows. Writing your own is obviously more special and intimate. However, there is nothing wrong with the traditional ones. I mean, after all, traditional vows sum up everything so perfectly.
Pixels will continue to share feedback from our brides and grooms in the hope that you’ll be able to balance both the stuff you dream about with the practicalities of planning and the day!
In case you missed them, click here to read Redux part 1 and Redux part 2.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
Wedding Redux…. What would YOU do if you could do the day again?
This was the wedding of Meghan and Josh in August of 2015. The groom made the arbor they stood beneath (a gift to his bride) and she walked down the aisle to Bruno Mars’ “Marry You.” There were amazing details in every direction – from the mountains behind them as they pledged to be together for life, to the bouquets, color choices, and reception where everyone danced and partied late into the evening and stayed for the weekend.
BUT. What if they could do it again….? Do it all over again.
If you’re planning your wedding – listen up.
We asked Meghan and Josh what they would change and here is what they said. [insert the high-pitched rewind sound here and clip of everything moving at top speed in reverse]
Name 3 things you would do differently, if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (with the same person of course)?
I wouldn’t worry about a shuttle service to get people to and from town. I wouldn’t book vendors based solely on price and I wouldn’t try to do things I wasn’t completely happy with just to save money.
Name 3 things you would do again, if you could?
I would definitely do a small destination like we did where we all stayed in cabins together for the weekend so it was an extended celebration. I would still have my personal and humorous wedding. I would use my florist, caterer, and my photographers a million times over.
Tell us about vows. Any changes?
I LOVED our vows! We wrote our own and they were completely original and US. They were humorous, but still sweet.
How about the number of guests?
DO NOT invite everyone you have ever known and don’t worry about people getting their feelings hurt. Throughout this process, I started to notice that for every person we added to the guest list, we were adding approximately $75/head. This is where I should have cut my budget instead of scrimping on other things or trying to put too much work on myself.
Did you use a wedding planner or the “family-and-friends-all-hands-on-deck” approach to planning?
I had a planner and don’t know how we would have done it without her. I wish we had utilized her even more instead of me trying to do it myself to save money! I tried to do a lot of things on my own or use people who were “cheaper” to try to cut costs. I would have paid the extra amount and had everything taken care of and not worried about it! Do you notice a trend here?!
Time of year? Time of day?
I never wanted an August wedding, but then I never planned a wedding until I had to. August was perfect! Late summer was perfect for my colors and the time of day and location (on top of a mountain) made the weather absolutely unbelievable!
Location?
My fiancé and I wanted something that was natural and gorgeous, which is exactly what we got. We had to go way out in the county to find this, and didn’t want people to worry about driving. We wound up spending more money for a shuttle service to and from town and up and down the mountain than if we had just paid extra somewhere else. We had to rent two sets of chairs because of two separate locations, get generators, and lug things up and down the mountain just to try to get everything we needed into this “natural” space.
What about the elements of the ceremony?
Make it ALL about you! Traditional or not, putting your personal touches on these makes all the difference in the world and it is what your guests will remember.
Decorations & decor?
Make sure they fit your venue. I wanted glitz and glamour mixed with the natural space and additional vintage elements. Sometimes your venue is decoration enough!
Number in the wedding party?
I would suggest going with the smallest number of people possible. My 6 were perfect, but the smaller the better.
Positive and negative advice on any or all of the following:
Attire?
Dress in things that will look good, but also fit your location.
Food?
EAT! I said, “oh we are GOING to eat!”…then we didn’t. We loved the food we selected and then we didn’t even get our to-go boxes.
Gifts?
Don’t register for things you have no intention of using, regardless of what people think you need!
Flowers?
My flowers were one of the TOP things that made my wedding! The colors were gorgeous and tied together my color scheme perfectly! In an attempt to save money, I tried to use potted plants at the altar, but I should have let my florist do those as well.
What, if anything, do you regret?
I don’t regret anything, however, there are a few family members that I wish I would have taken pictures with before they left. I wanted the majority of the pictures done before the ceremony so that we could use the full time for the reception. I had some older family members I assumed were going to stay through part of the reception, but they left right after the ceremony, so they aren’t in any of my photos.
What do you wish you’d done, but were afraid to do?
There are a few moments of my wedding that I wish had been slightly more serious, but that is just not my personality. I was scared to have anything even slightly sentimental because I knew I would cry, so I did everything in my power to make sure that I didn’t break down.
What would you do more of?
If I could do it over, I think I would have enjoyed things more. I don’t say that to mean I didn’t enjoy it, but it was a very stressful time, and I went through different phases and a boat load of emotions. I had days where everything mattered and I didn’t care about the cost; other days, I wasn’t spending a dime, and nothing was a big deal because it was just a “celebration.” Looking back, I see that these were things I will only get to do one time and I would have cherished every moment even more if I had truly had a concept of this.
Stay tuned for more in this series — Wedding Redux, especially if you’re a bride-to-be, maid of honor, mother-of-the-bride or newly engaged. Hearing from those who’ve stood where you are about to stand can make all the difference in the world.
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
a perfect ending to a perfect romance ~ and a wedding
This is where it began. Two book lovers. Two romantics. Elizabeth and Kyle met working at a game store in college, realized they were both nuts for Dr. Who, books and each other. These two feel like family already to us and in fact their extended families do as well. We photographed their engagement portraits (a BLAST) and Elizabeth’s bridal portraits (gorgeous and romantic) and now, finally, the big day – just one month ago. It’s one for the books, for sure.
Everyone was emotional, naturally, but what we noticed most was how much unbridled love they all have for each other. Seeing Elizabeth with her parents was priceless.
Expectant groom Kyle was nervous and serene, fun with his groomsmen as was Elizabeth with her bridesmaids and bridesman. If you haven’t revisited their engagement session or her bridal portraits, there is a very cool detail in the bouquets and boutonnieres. They were all HAND-MADE with pages from each person’s favorite book. The color in the bouquets, groomsmen’s vests and elsewhere? Dr. Who “blue.”
Elizabeth and Kyle’s wedding took place at the First Baptist Church in Boone, NC and the reception was held at The Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock, NC. Family members played major roles. Sometimes this is the case, but not always. Elizabeth and Kyle included many friends from childhood and college as well.
Some memorable moments for us: Kyle saved a voice message from his recently deceased grandfather congratulating Kyle on his engagement to Elizabeth and it was played during the unity portion of their ceremony. Everyone wept, including us. A recording of Elizabeth’s deceased Godfather singing was also played. We loved their thought and attention to detail.
Another fave….. Kyle and Elizabeth’s four grandmothers were the flower girls! It was seriously one of the best ideas that I’ve seen at a wedding and the Grandmothers loved it.
When we asked about most memorable moments Kyle and Elizabeth were in lock step.
Kyle: “I cried when I first saw Elizabeth walking down the aisle. She had the biggest smile you could imagine on her face while silently mouthing to me ‘do you like it?’ in reference to the dress. It’s an image that is burned into my memory.“
Elizabeth: “My favorite moment of the ceremony was seeing Kyle waiting at the end of the aisle and watching him watching me. He never stopped looking at me and I could tell in that moment that he was sure of every decision that led us to that moment.”
Like the wedding, with tears and laughter – the pastor kept things light in all the right places – the reception was filled with levity, tears, toasts, passion, family, crazy friends and DANCING. The speeches in particular were heart-felt, fun and meant so much to the bride and groom. Elizabeth told us that she snagged one given to save in their memory book.
Kyle: “The cherry on top was having over forty people form a circle during the last song and all sing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. It summed up the immense energy that surrounded the entirety of the event. I’m still trying to track down a video of everyone singing at the top of their lungs.”
Elizabeth: “I think my favorite moment of the reception was our first dance. We were in front of everyone, but we were really only there for each other in those few minutes. I also really enjoyed our last dance. Out of nowhere, everyone still there got in a huge circle with arms all around each other and we sang Bohemian Rhapsody together while people danced in the middle, laughed, and cried a little!!”
Elizabeth: “SNOW! Kyle had been telling everyone that he wanted it to snow, but I was keeping pretty quiet about that. I wanted it, but I was afraid to say it out loud and then be disappointed. God decided to give us our wish and I was so happy to see it in our home-away-from-home in those gorgeous mountains. So many people traveled so far to be with us! We had family that has known us all our lives, friends we just made in the past year, former teachers, friends of our parents … so many people celebrating with us … and our friend, Oscar, made it back from his year in China less than a week before. It was a wonderful surprise.”
Notice the TARDIS on her garter strap.
Dr. Who used a tardis (time machine) to get where he needed to go. Elizabeth and Kyle are well on their way, with or without one. Best wishes! We love you guys!
Kyle: “I can’t believe that we actually pulled off what we consider to be our dream wedding.”
We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kids, engagements and weddings, brides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.
wedding expos ~ get ready, ya’ll!!
[with the oh-so-familiar backup music] “It’s the MOST won-der-ful tiiiiiiiiime of the yeeeeeeeeear!”
Ok, actually that was Christmas and it’s over, people. Valentine’s Day is also over and we hope it went well for ya. Spring is around the corner and that means – for those of us in the business and those out there who are engaged – Wedding Season. It’s a time when brides, friends of the bride, mothers of brides, coworkers of the bride and All God’s Children are making haste to get to a bridal show or wedding expo.
Expos are where you get ideas and find the people you want to work with as you plan your wedding. At Pixels, it’s where we can show who we are and what we will do to make your day exactly what you want it to be. We love meeting brides, couples and families while visiting with favorite and new vendors. And it’s where we meet YOU. Some of our favorite clients were met at bridal and wedding expos.
We believe in cross pollination when it comes to ideas. Good ideas come from everywhere, and if you’re a photographer it could be an ad, something overheard or read. It could be a headline we saw in the airport on the cover of Outside Magazine. Seriously. You never know where your next idea will come from, so part of going to wedding expos is to get inspiration.
Pixels will be participating in the following upcoming wedding expos, displaying photos, meeting couples, and accepting clients for 2015 & 2016 wedding dates.
March 13th Wilkes Wedding Expo, Wilkesboro NC
1:00-4:00 at The John A Walker Center
$5.00 when bride registers online, $8 at the door
March 20th High South Wedding Expo, Boone NC
1:00-4:00 at Boone Shopping Mall
$8 at the door
Below is our booth at the High Country Wedding Expo in 2015. Keep an eye out for us. We’d love to meet you.
