This couple needs very little introduction. They have become a staple here on the blog, with their sweet engagement session, and Jackie’s high-fashion bridal session generating quite a few awesome comments. ( thanks for those, by the way..they make my day!) Now on to the wedding…

When Jackie showed me a photo of her dress on the Badgley Mischka website, my jaw practically hit the floor. Over 200 weddings in, and I’ve never shot a bride wearing silver! :) And when she mentioned that she would be carrying BLACK flowers, I was so excited to see it all come together. With an eye for detail like Jackie’s, I knew everything would be gorgeous. But even with the spectacular details and yummy thai food ( my favorite!!), I have to say the greatest part of the day for me was witnessing the strong connection Jackie & Phil share with their families and each other. It was touching to see how much Jackie adores Phil and his daughter Isabella. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cuter family! It was a true pleasure working with them on their stylish, unique and genuinely heartfelt day…Enjoy the pics!
Jackie wore her grandmother’s earrings…Aren’t they cool? These dragonfly cufflinks were a gift from Jackie to her dad… ( this is one of my favorite shots of the day :)Thanks to Leah for this killer silhouette…I love this shot of Jackie & her mom, Tammy. They were laughing to stop the tears… A sweet father/daughter moment…I love the look on Phil’s face when he sees her for the first time…think he’s happy? nahhhh… ;)Aren’t their details gorgeous? There was eye candy everywhere.. :)Don’t let these “sweet” looking dance shots fool you…this was RIGHT before they busted out with an original dance routine including Isabella! It was in true “Jackie & Phil” style…. :)

Congrats guys! Can’t wait to hear about Hawaii!!

The worst piece of advice I got when I first started in this industry was..”Don’t get personal…remember…its just business..” The thing about wedding photojournalism…and photography in general, is that it IS personal. The most memorable images in our lives transport us to exact moments in time. They make us laugh out loud, cry big fat tears..and literally light up inside. These images allow us to relive the beauty of our favorite moments over and over… and more often than not… those moments are personal. So, for me…6 years in..I have to say the business part comes in a distant second to shooting from the soul…

The next wedding I have to share has a wonderful story befitting of this special couple… I met Jenn while shooting her cousin Carmen’s wedding in 2006 ( where I snapped her & Ron’s first photo together :) and was thrilled to have the WHOLE family into the studio earlier this year for family photos. I received emails periodically from Jenn about how excited she was to “get married & have kids” so she could have me photograph them ( how sweet is that?) SO, when I got the call that Ron had proposed and they wanted me to shoot their destination wedding…I was honored ( and ready to hop on a plane!). Jenn even added a little section to their wedding website that serves as a pick-me-up anytime I’m feeling stressed :) She and Ron are a couple I hope to photograph for many years to come..

I have to admit I was nervous about shooting this one alone, so I looked like a walking Canon advertisement with all 3 5Ds hanging ’round my neck! But it was worth looking ridiculous to work with this couple.. ;) Thanks to Jenn & Ron for letting us share in their amazing day!

I love that Ron gave her 2 cards…one brought her to tears…and the other cracked her up. Smart fella… :)The whole fun bunch… :)My hubby working his musical magic…in the dark :)When they brought out the floodlights, it turned into a mini-concert. There were even resort guests cheering from the balconies! Yes, he’s really THAT good.. :)Can you believe Jenn flew tons of starfish to Jamaica with her? She did such a fabulous job on the details… and I heard through the grapevine that Ron even helped glue the menus… ;)Huge hugs to you guys! I know you have a lifetime of love & laughter ahead of you…

I couldn’t be more excited about our Team 2009 roster! We have a year full of hip, fun & crazy-happy couples…I can hardly wait!

So, one of my (MANY) favorite things about my job is when I meet a couple & we just “click” instantly. Such was the case with Meredith & Chad. A short 10 minutes into their session, I knew they were the perfect fit for KKP studios. They are too much fun to be around & the chemistry between them is practically electric! I know we’re going to have a blast working together on their wedding next June.

So while you’re enjoying your turkey left-overs, enjoy a little peek at the super cute Meredith & Chad… :) Chad does a pretty solid John McCain impression, by the way…He had me & Meredith cracking up with his robot moves!These two are so amazing…they even make a ladder look good… :)though it did prove to be a teensy bit harder to get out of than we thought….but it made for a great shot! :)Thanks guys! Can’t wait for next Spring!

This little guy came to see me on a drizzly Thursday morning & completely made my day. His mom Jenny wanted some special shots to document this fun stage of toddler-hood, so I just let Aidan be Aidan, and we captured these sweet moments. Have you ever seen such a cute grin and beautiful green eyes? Happy almost-Turkey day everyone! :) Thanks for a great session, guys!

The past month has been pretty wild here at KKP studios. Looking at the stats, I’m not sure how Leah and I have made it through. 22 portraits, 4 weddings from Raleigh to Jamaica, 2 editorial shoots, and a partridge in a pear tree… :) My head is still spinning just thinking about it! And wedding season isn’t over for us just yet…we have 2 more beautiful couples to work with next month! Big hugs to Leah for putting in the long hours and sticking with me despite the insanity…. We’ll sleep in January, Leah…I promise :)

So, get ready for an image overload! Lauren & Brittain’s Charleston wedding was full of rich details and love, love, LOVE! I have been looking forward to their wedding since Lauren’s mom, Susan called when Brittain proposed last year. Her mom is the most amazing lady…I can’t tell you how many fun conversations we’ve had on the phone. I love that she called to share every sweet surprise she had planned for Lauren & Brittain’s wedding day. From the “red carpet” limo that was waiting for Lauren at the hotel to take her to the club, to the monogram initials she had made for the dance floor…every single detail was planned with a great deal of love…and it all turned out magically…

This wedding was another reunion for me with all of my favorite Eden folks, and I was thrilled to have my brother Ben back for a rare second-shoot appearance. I hope these images give you a glimpse of why I love my job…photographing connections like the ones Lauren & Brittain share with their family & friends is where its at ;) Now on with the pics! I love this shot Ben caught of Lauren’s face during the vows..she looks stunning!

This shot is one of our favorites here at the studio. It really shows the tremendous love these two families share. I love it…

Their reception details were gorgeous…

And the candy bar was a big hit! Ben really knows how to work the low light..I love this shot of their cake topper..Lauren & Katie are the very best of friends..I recall Katie welcoming Brittain “to the family” during her toast.. ;)At the end of the night, Brittain surprised Lauren with a Van Morrison cover courtesy of his quintet from college, the “Clef Hangers.” Keep in mind, I’m married to an amazing singer, so I’m kind of a music snob…but these guys blew me away! I need them to show up to every one of my weddings to serenade the bride.. :) Miss Emory knows how to get the party started… :)Congrats guys! We wish you a lifetime of love…

who was referred to me by my favorite person here at the studios, the lovely Gwendolyn of Skin Like Rissa’s. Katlin’s mom Janell saw some photos I took of Gwendolyn’s gorgeous little gal, Marissa and contacted me for a session. Not only is Katlin a super hip beauty, she has an amazing laugh & can rock the heck out of some cowboy boots!! Check her out & stay tuned for a sneak peek at our Christmas card designs, and Lauren & Brittain’s off-the-hook Charleston wedding! Its going to be a blog-a-licious week! :)

Since Katlin plays piano, we decided to snap a few shots in the event space at the Mill. I love these two…

Jennifer & Ken were married on my brother’s birthday… I adore my brother & hated to miss the birthday bash ( sorry Tom! love you! ;), but when I met Jen I knew I couldn’t pass up a chance to work with her & Ken. She is one of those rare souls who isn’t afraid to be sentimental ( like me!)..and everything about their wedding day was filled with joy. She & Ken said their “i dos” in a church that holds a lot of memories for her family ( her grandparents were some of the founding members)… It was a truly heartfelt day… :) 

This first image is what I will always envision when I think of this couple. I just love the way Jen lights up when he makes her laugh… ( Ken is a riot, by the way… he should seriously consider a career in comedy b/c he had me cracking up during the portraits!) Enjoy the pics! Their cute pup, Jennings had to make an appearance for a few shots… He looks thrilled, doesn’t he? ;)Meet Hayes..ringbearer extraordinaire… :)A sweet moment with dad before the walk…I love this one…Hayes is quite the little ladykiller ;)I have never seen 12 West Main look so good! I love the lanterns Jen added..they made for a cool backdrop… :)They couldn’t have looked happier during their first dance..I loved Hayes’ expression during Jen & Ken’s dance..he looked like someone ran over his puppy! I think he has a kid-crush on Jennifer! ;) Can’t blame him..she looked gorgeous!

And the party’s ON! Congrats guys! We know you have a lifetime of happiness ahead!

is all I could say when I saw Jackie in her dress for the first time. I had seen it on the Badgley Mischka website, and knew it was a total stunner, but it was nothing compared to seeing it ON Jackie. This dress was just made for her..and I love that she strayed from the traditional white to go with something that really fit her personality… :)

Since it rained on the day of her bridal session, we decided to cater the shoot to fit the high fashion feel of her gown. I found these fun spots in the Mill and my girl Shelley with Envi salon ( who most of my brides have used for styling.. :) created her amazingly editorial hair-style. Oh, and Jackie did an incredible job on her make-up ( see below…) I told her she needed to quit her day job and become a model immediately..don’t you agree? ;)

She and Phil were married on Saturday, so I can finally share these images!! I can’t wait for you guys to see the look on Phil’s face when he saw her for the first time in her gown!! Priceless! Happy Monday everyone…
Stay tuned for more gorgeous weddings..coming up soon!

I knew the minute Michelle called last year, that she and Jay were going to be a dream couple to work with. After their engagement session, and her rockin bridal, I’m patting myself on the back for being so, so right :) They have this amazing calm about them, a silent resolve that just lets you know they hold each other in the highest regard. At the risk of sounding like a total cheeseball…its actually quite profound… and makes my job just that much better :)

Their Snowshoe wedding was nothing short of spectacular and although Leah and I froze for the majority of the day ( next time I’ll bring my Uggs! ;), the warmth of this couple is undeniable. Oh, and their reception was one of my favorites to date..check it out below… This is one of my favorite shots of the day..Jay couldn’t wait to see Michelle, so he was literally about to fall over trying to catch a glimpse around the crowd..love it :)Could they possibly look any happier? nahhh… ;)There was a lot of kissing going on during the toasts..first Jay & his brother… ;)and the happy couple.. :)Then the party was ON…and man, do they know how to have a killer reception! This is just a small sampling of the fun we captured… :)

They danced their last dance to David Gray’s “This Year’s Love”..which also happens to be one of my favorite songs..
Congrats guys!! It was an absolute pleasure… :)

of the cuteness that I’ve photographed recently. I am back from Jamaica & can’t wait to blog about it, but I have a few stunning events to showcase on here before I do. With Christmas sessions booked back to back and travel non-stop, this month is shaping up to be one of the busiest of my career! If I were to blog about every session we shoot here at KKP, I would be blogging non-stop and galleries would not go up on time, so I have decided to blog one big preview for all of the families that have been in over the past 2 weeks :) So get ready for a happiness overload!!! First up, we have the famous Milo & Felix and their mom & dad, Kelley & Aaron. Its hard to believe I’ve been documenting the lives of these darling boys for a year..pretty soon we’ll be shooting Milo’s one year session! These guys make my heart smile HUGE every time they come in to see me…Enjoy!I wish these shots had audio b/c Felix was singing “Mi-lo, Mi-lo Man, I-want- to- be a Miii-lo Man” ( sing it to the tune of “Macho Man”..its the cutest thing you’ve ever heard… and man, does Milo ever LOVE it!! :)Next we have the sweetest brother-sister pair..Anna & Will. These two were born to be in front of the lens..seriously, check out the black & whites below…don’t they have the most incredible eyes?Preston, Mary and Tony were sooo..much fun to photograph! And Preston has the best laugh EVER. Check it out…Most of you readers will recognize Riley from the cute-a-licious banner that runs here on the blog ( she’s the one with her arms up in the air, roller coaster style :), so I was thrilled to see the whole family..and meet new addition, baby Jack. Aren’t they just the cutest family? And check out the huge Jack grin below…And last, but defintitely not least, we have the intoxicating fun of Cole & Ryan. This was their second time in the studio & we had such a blast! I adore the shots below…Hugs to all of our amazing KKP families…thanks for bringing the smiles! :)