Posts Tagged: outdoor wedding pictures
Mr. & Mrs. Shumate ~ a wedding of authenticity, beauty, intimacy and family
Authenticity is a word so entirely overused, and poorly I might add, that its meaning and importance have been pretty much hijacked. As with other things of value, authenticity can become diminished and ultimately ignored. In an effort to take it back (“she said, shaking her fist in the air”), we present Amber and Andy Shumate and their August wedding photos.
Rather than put down the many ways we falsely refer to things and people, causes and characteristics as authentic, here’s a quickie review: authentic means true. It means real. It’s not something that needs to be self-important or self-referential, or high end to make a statement or low end to make a statement – it just is undeniable. That’s who Amber and Andy are – they are real and they don’t pretend to be anything other than themselves… happy to be together, solid, and in love.
They said their vows in Rendezvous Mountain State Park in Purlear, NC where the views are amazing and seemingly endless. The chapel in the forest is a naturally secluded backdrop with a large picnic shelter just steps away that accommodates a reception. Honestly, it is one of Wilkes County’s best-kept rustic wedding locations.
Andy is a fireman and works for the NC Forestry Service and he and Amber spend a lot of their time together in the great outdoors. Photographing them in the forest and overlooking the mountains seemed – pardon the pun – only natural.
We photographed their engagement in June and their wedding was quite similar because of their desire to include family and focus on the people, faith and values that ground them.
Andy’s daughter Ashlyn is central to their lives.
While she is Amber’s step-daughter, the two are already incredibly close and because of this, Ashlyn’s role in the wedding was primary… and particularly tender. Together they were all creating a new life, a new thing, a new family.
The details at the wedding were also perfect for the day and the couple: they were hand-made, heart-felt, creative and deeply personal.
Is there anything more powerful than seeing families blend? Than seeing a couple come together after beating life’s odds, and then make a plan not just for themselves, but for the next generation?
Isaiah 43:19: See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Congratulations and nothing but love and joy to you guys!
a mountain top wedding – filled with color, light and perfect outdoor views
Meghann and Josh know how to do it up right. Their August 2015 wedding goes down in our book of faves. Meghann told us several times that she didn’t realize everything that was going on at once or recall all of the details until she saw all of the photos we shot. That, to us, says mission accomplished. Brides and grooms plan for everything, but can’t be a part of Every Single Thing.
That’s why they hire photographers.
We loved the color palette of this wedding, we loved their families and friends and we loved the property – On The Windfall in Lansing, NC. This wedding, sports fans, was literally at the top of a mountain and guests were delivered to the site via designated 4 wheel drive vehicles. There were no other buildings around. The views in every direction were spectacular.
And we loved the million little thoughtful details. (Their wedding coordinator was Sammie Roberts of Something Perfect Wedding & Events and the attention to detail was unerring. Nice job!) When we meet with engaged couples, we advise them to put as many personal and significant details in their wedding ceremony as they can and these two went above and beyond. One example…. Meghann had small portraits of her late grandparents sewn into her bouquet.
Josh’s job centers around being outdoors and he and Meghann spend their free time outside and in the woods as much as possible. So, one of Josh’s personal touches/contributions was that he built the arbor/altar where they said their vows. The mountain-top setting took everyone’s breath away and then, topping it off, was this hand-made gift Josh made for his bride. I mean, C’MON!!!
Meghann countered his personal touch by choosing to walk/dance/strut down the aisle to Bruno Mars’ “Marry You.” Josh LOVED it, and so did everyone else. The mood was already electric and this just goosed it that much more.
Part of their ceremony included a beautiful representation of them joining their lives and they did it in form of something that will live on and grow. The couple planted a tree together using soil that they brought from each family homestead. Like the Unity Candle or the Sand Ceremony, the blending of families in this way was beautiful and touching and incredibly apt in that setting. These two are just so cool!
The reception……. oooooooooh my. The sun started to fade as the toasts were made and food was served and then the karaoke got started. It was a PAR-TAY!! So much joy, so much dancing and storytelling and singing and silliness. Meghann told us that she’d cried several times while planning the ceremony and reception (the Good Cry; the “I love him and can’t wait to be his wife” cry) and was certain she would “be a mess.” But she said afterwards, “I can honestly say that no tears were shed that day…which is surprising. When we look at our pictures, we are laughing in so many of them – and not just with each other – it’s during every phase of the day. Mostly, I remember laughing when we read our vows. Some of it could have been nerves, but for the most part, it was hearing that we had chosen some of the very same things to say to each other without even knowing.”
We want to end this blog with quotes directly from the bride and groom about their day and their feelings about life ahead. We asked them the 3 things they want to remember about their wedding day and here’s what they said:
1 – The biggest thing I want to remember is a lesson: Above all else, we have each other and everything is okay.
2 – Life is easier and you can relax when you put things “in your garden”. Minor details never matter! Smile, breathe, and LAUGH!
3 – Everybody around us worked SO hard to pull this off … doing things behind the scenes that I didn’t even know about. Always remember to love and appreciate everything that everyone has done for you. It may not look like a lot, but for every little bit you see, there is a lot of deep rooted effort.
Summer Rooftop Wedding in Center City Charlotte
Summer is done, at least by the calendar, but we never tire of celebrating a summer event and Sherea Jones and David Johnson’s wedding was absolutely awash in summer light. They were married on the rooftop of the Holiday Inn at Center City, Charlotte on a beautiful day in June. This teacher & head football coach and his gorgeous girl gathered along with their dearest family and friends – most from out of town – to celebrate a union, tell stories and dance.
We shot their engagement photos in March of 2014, so seeing them again and watching them seal the deal surrounded by so much love was immensely satisfying.
We’re always interested in high points from the day, naturally, and the best memories from their point of view. They told us that included in their favorites were seeing each other for the first time, dancing with friends and family (and THEY ALL DID; it was party people!!), how gorgeous the food looked and how yummy it tasted, the weather and the overall sense of happiness everyone shared. Sherea and David also shared that one of their biggest laughs came when they were discussing all the things that COULD have gone wrong, but didn’t.
Their day was amazing and we loved being a part of it! We have more summer wedding stories and events to share, but this continuum from engagement to the day itself was a blast!
outside bridal portraits in blowing rock, nc on a rainy day and #wemadeithappen
We never know what we’re going to be up against when a portrait session is scheduled outside – whether it’s on a location or at our own outdoor studio in Wilkesboro, NC. After Sarah and her fiancé Danny’s engagement photos were rained out and rescheduled TWICE, we moved up the bridal shoot so it ended up happening before their engagement session. Not our usual order, but we will not be defeated by weather! We took the postal service pledge when we got into this business, so it takes a lot to make us say no.
Thank goodness, Sarah is as spunky and nimble as we are.
Sarah had her hair styled near her home in Bessemer City, NC and then made the drive to Blowing Rock, NC for the session. It is a beautiful spot and where the couple got married a month later, but on this day – wait for it – it rained. Again. In between showers, we carried the dress and veil and ran to the cars, waited for it to stop and then jumped out and did it all over again. It was memorable to say the least and honestly more fun than we expected. And Sarah is so beautiful. Her gown, her flowing locks, she was part princess, part mermaid, part woodland fairy and all bride.
One of the other reasons this session was memorable and fun was that her father, a retired military officer of 30+ years, and sister came with her to the property in Blowing Rock. They were a perfect addition to the day. Dad decided to come when he heard that 2 of his 4 daughters were driving that distance for the shoot and he wanted to follow them home to make sure they made it. Don’t you love this guy? Big and mighty, but a tender father of 4 girls who are all “Daddy’s Girl.” He carried the veil, the bouquet and even held our lights against the wind.
It takes a village sometimes to create a bridal shoot, but this one had the right crew and a happy ending. Stay tuned to see the engagement and wedding photos for Sarah and Daniel. We cannot wait to share.
renewal wedding photography ~ it’s about “again” and “more” and “us” ~ photographing the next chapter of a marriage
20 years ago, Kelly and Chris Shumate became a couple. They eventually created a new life as husband and wife: Kelly started a new business – Bridal Traditions – and they lived happily ever after.
And scene.
Actually, there’s more. 20 years more and they did live happily, but as their wedding anniversary approached, Kelly decided that she wanted the photos that they never had when they first tied the knot. She contacted us to take them, since she now wanted the more artistic style that wasn’t an option on their wedding day. We were happy to help them commemorate and really celebrate. And Kelly – who’s in the bridal business – had a very specific vision.
Part of what made this shoot fun for us, other than the fact that they were celebrating a momentous wedding anniversary, was the theme. Kelly loves gothic architecture, the antebellum era (think: Gone With the Wind), bare landscapes and an era gone by. We chose a cemetery near the River Arts District in Asheville, NC, during winter. The results were just what she wanted: sparse, real, gothic and graphic. And we loved the juxtaposition of new and old. A renewal of their marriage and an opportunity to capture them in themed clothes and as a couple who were invested in each other for better, worse and the whole nine yards.
Ok – so some notes. How do you like the dress? This is the gown that Kelly was married in originally. It still fits.
IT. STILL. FITS. In fact it was actually too big and had to be altered smaller. (no jealousy……… well maybe some)
Another fun fact: this gown is the first one she bought for her bridal shop, which is pretty auspicious.
Kelly was also specific about setting, which is why this cemetery worked so well for the shoot. In the bareness of winter in the cemetery, she and Chris stand out like a couple of players from a Civil War play or Ken Burns’ mini series. She – Scarlett O’Hara or Melanie Wilkes – and he Captain Rhett Butler or Ashley Wilkes.
They truly look their parts. He comes home from war (brother against brother, people!!! lest we forget) and there she is, after waiting, praying and keeping the farm afloat despite major setbacks. You can almost see the letters from Corinth, MS:
“My dearest Kelly Emeline,
The war does not go well. I can scarcely remember the curves of your lovely visage….”
Pardon the digression, but seriously – look at them and watch this slideshow of their portraits.
This photo shoot was literally a year in the making. It took a little time to plan, but it mostly took will and faith and perseverance. As all marriages do, the Shumate’s union was ebbing when Kelly contacted us. They were struggling as a couple, wondering about the future, trying to understand what to keep in their relationship and what to jettison and whether or not the “us” in them was still alive. Digging deeply, they moved forward, but 99.9% of the success in their marriage was their faith in God. They knew marriage was hard, but giving up was not something either of them was interested in. So this photo shoot was about WAY more than grabbing pictures of great clothes in a cool setting. It was an actual celebration of making it for 20 years and looking forward, with renewed hearts, to the next 20.
And the 20 after that.
Not only were we thrilled to be a part of capturing this day, Pixels created a wall of photos for Kelly’s shop office. Something she could point to that says, “we did it and we’re still here.”