Posts Tagged: wedding
A Destination Wedding | Asheville, NC
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.
Outdoor Rock-A-Billy Wedding Photos in Wilkesboro NC
When you decide to get married and important members of your family cannot travel, what do you do? You bring your wedding to wherever they are. That is exactly what New Yorkers Elisabeth DeMaio and David Gross did when they married at the Doc and Merle Watson Stage at Wilkes Community College on July 13th. Elisabeth lost her own parents not long ago and David’s folks moved to Wilkesboro, NC a few years ago. Since the elderly Gross’s are not able to travel, Elisabeth and David made the decision to come south for their ceremony and share the day with their family. We were honored to be their photographers.
David, a tattoo artist, and Elisabeth have been together for more than a decade. With their son and daughter by their sides, they planned and pulled off a completely cool and off-beat wedding: a Jewish ceremony with a Rock-a-Billy theme. While the weather was some of the worst we’ve ever shot through for a wedding ceremony – sheets of rain and lots of severe lightning – it still managed to be joyous and fun. The Rabbi who performed the ceremony shared that lighting during vows was a sign of good luck and that this couple was being blessed with more luck than they would know what to do with.
The groom’s mother surprised the bride by having a family friend bring their classic Mercury for photos. It was one of many times Elisabeth shed tears of joy since it went perfectly with their Rock a Billy theme.
This event was all hands on deck. The venue and food were provided by Wilkes Community College. The decorations, wedding planning and desserts for the reception were handled by family and friends. These newlyweds are loved! Some of the sweetest moments included the bride and groom’s first dance, followed by dancing with their children. Most touching was a dance between David and his Mom who only a few weeks prior had suffered a heart attack. When she wasn’t able to dance on her feet any longer, she sat and David laid his head on her lap for the duration of the song. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere, including ours.
We sometimes forget that weddings aren’t just about the couple who are joining their lives; they really are about bonding closer to our own families while broadening our family to include new members. The Gross’s are perfect examples of the love and how it’s manifested. Good luck David and Elisabeth. Come back to Wilkesboro soon!
Happy Anniversary … to a couple we know
It has been a year. A whole, big, replete, exhausting, fun, “where are my keys”, “doesn’t she look amazing?”, “I can’t believe we survived”, “oh holy moly, that was the best!!” year since our 10th anniversary in business as Pixels on Paper.
The calendar tells us that there is a beginning of every new year and it’s January 1. But the thing is…. your birthday, your anniversary is the beginning of YOUR new year and Pixels On Paper was birthed in June of 2005. It’s our birthday. It’s Pixels On Paper’s 11th anniversary. We did it – AGAIN!
Minick Outdoor Maternity Portrait Photography
During the last 12 months, we’ve photographed siblings holding onto each other. We focused our lenses on businesses we love, vendors we collaborate with and admire, taken post-wedding photos with mountains in the distance….. families gathered and smiling… orchards in bloom, brides lit with joy, new husbands unable to stop grinning, kids racing around and babies, babies, babies. We have loved every single minute.
Prom girl in bloom thanks to Bridal Traditions and beYOUtiful Proms
Boondocks Brewery – the installation of new tanks for yummy brews
Bridal bouquet by Edenhouse Floral
Private home ready for sale (and it sold… quickly)
Hoben family reunion on family property (and that’s just 16 of them)
Quinceanera photos for a gorgeous young woman
a Southern Belle to end all Southern Belles
Charleston SC engagement portraits
We also got to send some love to locations where we shoot weddings and events. The Holiday Inn City Center in Charlotte, Leatherwood Resort and Winding Creek Wedding Barn are merely 3.
the rooftop at the Holiday Inn City Center Charlotte
Leatherwood Mountain Resort is scenic, elegant and rustic
from a photoshoot at Winding Creek Wedding Barn
It was our second year as official photographers for Merlefest. We were completely rested about a month later.
WE LOVE THAT GIG.
And we captured loads of babies…. some were reaching out for “kid-dom” but they’re still babies.
Here’s to the next 12 months, the coming autumn (2 weeks away) and holidays and thanks to you all for an amazing year.
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.
pixels’ vendor spotlight: edenhouse floral & events
Deanna Reid, owner of Edenhouse Floral & Events, has been a collaborator and co-conspirator of ours since 2013. In a word: talented.
Creative.
Inspiring. That’s 3 and we’re stopping there, but suffice it to say, she and her team do amazing work.
She’s created floral arrangements for weddings and events we’ve photographed, flower crowns for our portrait clients, and arrangements for our own personal needs. Ryan is wearing one of her flower crowns right now.
Kidding. But the truth is, Deanna brings the juice. Check out the below.
I think, on some level, we all believe that we can sort of “do our best” and get similar results to those of the professionals. Occasionally, this is true, but it’s rare. Deanna uses uses a huge array of flowers, and combines textures and objects in all of her designs. And she has a feel for clients and adds that spark that completes a vision.
We’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from our clients who’ve worked with Deanna, be it on price, service, communication or finished products. She is our go-to recommendation for floral needs. Deanna and her team also now offer wedding planning and coordination, applying their same organization, creative efforts and visions to an entire event.
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.
vendor spotlight: winding creek wedding barn
Misty spent an amazing day at Winding Creek Wedding Barn – a destination wedding location in Yadkin County, NC, doing a photo shoot complete with models, catering, clothing, makeup and hair. Winding Creek touts its scenery, laid-back feel, on site bridal salon, rolling farmland and rustic elegance.
The place is beautiful.
We love outdoor photo shoots and a scan of our wedding and engagement sessions (in fact our family portraits as well) italicizes this. Winding Creek is a PERFECT outdoor wedding venue.
Helping to create the mood for the day at Winding Creek were several other fabulous vendors. Clothing and accessories were provided by Bridal Traditions; hair and makeup styles were created by Cali Stott; the cake was made by Sweet Thing Bakery & Café and the catering was from Third Branch Café. All of these vendors are definitely worth a look if you’re planning your wedding.
Winding Creek Wedding Barn is a find for those who are interested in a place that caters to what wedding parties need and want, with a relaxed yet stunning vibe.
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.