This wedding was one we’d been looking forward to, and even with the COVID delay, it was worth the wait. What a party for a pretty fabulous couple. Jackie is our niece, and her wedding was scheduled for last fall, but the pandemic caused them to shift their plans. Her beloved now husband Kevin has family in South Africa and they wanted them in attendance. We had as many as could travel and the rest of the clan showed up to support them both. We were the photographers and our son Finley was the ring-bearer and center of the dance party during the reception. More on that in a bit.
Jackie’s sister Krystin was by her side for the duration, and occasionally ours, helping. God Bless the helpers, and Krystin has stars in her crown. WE LOVE YOU, KRYSTIN! Not only was she ever present and effervescent, her toast during the reception brought the house down. All the disparate parts of each family came together for the day, and it was so tear-jerkingly beautiful.
The couple had a first look prior to the ceremony that was so sweet. Not all couples want to do a first look, but I’m glad that Jackie and Kevin chose to. The Crest Center and Pavilion holds lots of spots for capturing great images and with the weather and views, we took full advantage.
The Fairy Flower girl and her happy companion….
One of the special moments during the wedding ceremony was a planting to connect older generations of family with new beginnings. Jackie’s grandmother’s Christmas cactus was sectioned and given out to her grandchildren. Jackie and Kevin replanted theirs as part of their ceremony.
There were several hilarious and memorable moments for the couple during the reception. One was the cutting of the cake, when Kevin spilled part of a slice down Jackie’s dress. Another was when father and son-in-law danced together. Jackie referred to it as the Daddy-Kevin dance. It was hysterical. Our own son, Finley danced all night until finally a member of our team scooped him up and put his “ride or die” little body down for the night.
The rest of the reception and evening was a PAR-TAY. Guests spilled out from the dance floor to enjoy the sunset and celebrate. As tired as everyone was, Ryan and I were thrilled to be tapped to photograph this wedding.
We love Jackie and Kevin and wish them 10 decades of marital bliss.
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 newborns and families, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License All photos are ©2021 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
This wedding is not only beautiful when you see it in prints, the day itself was magical. Elaine and Ryan are well-traveled movers and shakers who moved to Chicago from California, but wanted a special spot for their wedding day after 11 years together. They chose the Crest Pavilion in Asheville, NC, but also planned some special moments at the famous Biltmore Estate, the location of their rehearsal dinner, first look and private vows. It goes to show that when you visit a place you love, it sticks with you. Destination weddings don’t always take place on beaches in the Caribbean.
What made this day particularly amazing for Ryan and me was our ability to dodge every curve ball thrown at this special day. Two such moments were a sudden downpour while heading to Biltmore for a private portion of the ceremony, and the wedding officiant getting caught in bumper to bumper traffic making him nearly an hour late . Both caused various shuttling and last minute decision making. We thrived and so did this killer couple!
Elaine is a planner, but no one can control everything and this bride trusted us, our readiness and our judgment. I cannot tell you how much that means to us. When it was time to zig instead of zag, we all pivoted as a team and with great results.
While the weather was not ideal for the “first look” and other planned shots at the Biltmore Estate, this couple powered through and decided that they not only wanted to do a first look, but that they wanted to continue their plan to read their vows in private with just their wedding party. The rain that came, thankfully went, and while it was a bit foggy at first, the fog too lifted.
Elaine: “One of my favorite moments was when Ryan turned around to see me for our first look. It had been pouring and during our vows, we both cried.”
One thing that Elaine shared with us is how pleased they were to incorporate their sweet dog in the ceremony and how detailed their personally written private vows were. Over their 11 years together they had revisited their relationship, so over a decade later, their vows were indicative of a long relationship, a deep knowledge of each other and a true and lasting connection.
At the Crest Pavilion, the sun was out and surrounded by their families and friends from all over the country and world, they said I Do.
There is no denying the commitment these two have to each other, their pup Elle, their friends and family. Dolly, Ryan’s mom, wept while Elaine was putting on her wedding gown. They are all such a tight-knit and loving crew.
Elaine and Ryan’s gorgeous reception was the fulfillment of Elaine’s plans and dreams of bohemian chic and it was a PARTY! So many friends who had met through this couple over the years or felt as though they knew each other, would clump together to dance, laugh and swap stories or shared memories. Elaine and Ryan’s faces betrayed just exactly how loved they felt and how much fun they were having. As photographers, this is the best, because smiles and laughter are in every corner.
One hilarious comment from Elaine about their sendoff which included sparklers, a kiss and Ryan popping the top on a bottle of bubbly: “you don’t need to pop a bottle of champagne during the sparklers… just walk through; just kiss and dip!” Spoken like a happily married woman.
Congratulations to this absolutely amazing and BEAUTIFUL couple! We got home from your wedding, fell into bed and felt so completely happy for you both and so grateful that we could be a part of your day. You two nailed it and we loved every second!
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2019 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.
According to the couple, their favorite moment was just after the ceremony, when they realized “we really are married – the dream is real” and could bask in it. A close second and third were being with their families before the ceremony and the reception where everyone could chat, mix, mingle and eat afterwards.
What we loved was how they incorporated so much heritage. Courtney did this for her bridal portraits as well. Generations of family china patterns from both sides were used as the place settings during the reception and the decor used featured orchard and farm elements including homestead doors, ladders, and apple crates.
Both Courtney and Cody were relaxed and excited throughout the entire day and Cody in his normal comedic fashion caused a roar of laughter when he wore a head lamp to remove Courtney’s garter.
Courtney told us how quickly they felt it all went by, but that – if given the chance for a do-over – they wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Here’s a little more about their vendors:
Wedding Gown: Bridal Traditions
Wedding coordinator /planner: Cathy Snipes
Wedding and reception venue: Gambill Estate
Videographer: Our Story Video Creations
DJ or band: Block Party Productions
Caterer: Michelle and Mike Mizelle
Flowers, Cake and Desserts: Family
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, 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.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2018 Pixels On Paper. Do not copy, crop, or remove watermark.