The first call I made was to brilliant designer & friend Elissa Keno, who I’ve worked with on two other shoots like this. Our vision & design aesthetic are so in tune and we always have a blast working together. She has a great eye for all things design, so when I sent her the copper inspired board she dove right in. My first find was the copper vases from Anthropologie, and almost simultaneously Elissa found the gorgeous copper silk for the table runner. Then life & crazy schedules took over, and our woodsy shoot got pushed to the back burner ( off the stove entirely, actually ) Until last Monday, when we made the decision to go for it. It was our last collective weekend off for 2 months, so it was now or never.

In one week we pulled together a lineup of spectacular vendors who were inspired to help us bring this woodsy wedding concept to life. I can’t tell you what an honor it was to have them donate their time & talents to translate our vision into reality. These are artists, like us, who truly LOVE what they do & were as excited as we were to see it all come together. I know, for Elissa & myself, there’s no greater compliment & we continue to be inspired by their artistry. If you’re looking for vendors in the Triad area, there are none better than the ones listed below.

There’s so much I want to share from this shoot that I’ve had to split it into 2 posts. Check back soon for the story behind our stunning model, Anne-Marie and one of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever photographed. Trust me, you won’t want to miss Part 2!

**Thanks to my sweet grandmother for letting us borrow her first set of silverware from the 1930s. It was a perfect addition to the tablescape :)

Concept- Kellie Kano & Elissa Keno
Tablescape Design- Elissa Keno Events
Model- Anne-Marie Rhodes with Marilyn’s
Dress- Anne Frances
Cake, cake stands & Chairs- MaxieB’s
Florals- Just Priceless
Menus/Place Cards- Paperwhites Press
Hair- Salon Baileys
Jewelry & hairpiece- J.Crew
Power Rental- A1 Rentals

Thanks to Jennings, Brennen & their families for sharing this spectacular day with us. You guys know how to throw a party…this was, without a doubt, reception of the year :)

**A special thanks goes out to the altar guild at St. Francis by the Sea for allowing us to snap a few shots during the ceremony. They typically do not allow photographs in the church, but made an exception so we could capture the sweet moments below. We are grateful..thank-you!

Dress- Romona Keveza
Shoes- Kate Spade
Flowers- Roger Carter
Groomsmen Ties- R. Hanauer, Inc.
Reception Venue- Coral Bay Club
Band- Simply Irresistible

Katie’s shot:

Katie’s shot:

This sweet pair stole my heart in the span of an hour. Meet Zoe & Zadyn. Zadyn is spunky, has a mini-Janis Joplin voice, is surprisingly skilled at applying lipstick ( she’s 5 ) and just lost her first tooth. Zoe is soulful, has a heart of gold & is without a doubt the best big sister on earth. After spending the afternoon with these two, I’m convinced there’s nothing quite like sister love…

Welcome to the world, Fisher. You are very loved :)

Anyway, I’m back with 7 blog posts in the queue. Lots of prettiness coming up, so get ready for a barrage of blogging this week. Starting with the original post I wrote for Bea & Dwayne. I adored this wedding…. so here we go:

Life is a game of chance. I often wonder if seemingly random connections..are actually, in fact…random. How I found that telling stories with a simple snap of the shutter meant more to me than words on a page? How my career in photography has connected me with people I will never lose touch with. People who inspire me, support me and truly appreciate the value of a moment. Truth is…I don’t believe in random. I believe every decision we make takes us to a new place in life. And as long as we take the time to connect with one another…the moments will just keep getting richer.

So, am I surprised that a couple living half way across the globe chose me to photograph their wedding in a gorgeous hotel 10 minutes from my studio?

*Nope.

Is it a coincidence that Dwayne’s mother shares MY mom’s name ( the only 2 women I’ve ever known named Wilma )

*I think not.

Did my heart skip a beat when I got my first inquiry from a bride named Bea…who happens to share my grandmothers name?

*You betcha :)

And when I showed up to the Proximity’s beautiful light-filled room, it all just felt right. Bea is one of the warmest people I’ve ever met. We’ve signed our emails with x’s and o’s from the very beginning & I feel blessed to have been there to watch her marry Dwayne. They have such a tremendous love for one another. During the ceremony, Bea’s mom read a poem she had written for her in Spanish & even without knowing exactly what she was saying…I just knew. It was one of the most moving moments of the day & there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I loved all of the light, airy details Bea chose & the streams of sunlight pouring in through the windows during their first dance capped off a truly magical day. Thanks to Bea, Dwayne & their families for letting us share in their joy. Here are a few highlights:

Venue- The Proximity Hotel
Dress- Nicollette by Christos
Flowers- Botanica
Cake- the amazing Robin of Maxie B’s
Cake Topper- Tops the Cake
Day of Coordination: Cara with a Southern Soiree

Katie’s shot:

Katie’s shot:

Katie’s shot:

Now this list wasn’t just a “get furniture, make studio pretty” list. It was serious business. It was reaching into the big dream pocket & pulling out the BIG ones. Like “shoot out of the country” ( check! ), “win first place in a photo competition” ( check! ) and “get featured on Style Me Pretty”… ( as of Tuesday…check! ) From the minute Style Me Pretty hit the web, it was the place to be for brides looking for inspiration & the place all wedding pros wanted to see their work featured. So thanks to Abby, Shawna, Erin & the rest of the crew at Style Me Pretty, my goal list is complete. And thanks to my sweet couple Beatriz & Dwayne for creating such an airy, chic wedding day that perfectly suited them. Their full blog post is coming up next, but in the meantime, head over to Style Me Pretty to get a little taste of what’s to come.

I’m off to make a new goal list :)

And while I’m in a news-sharing mood…I’m thrilled to announce you can find me in SMP’s Little Black Book of preferred vendors here:

After photographing Lucie for 2 years, she’s practically a pro in front of the lens, but I have a feeling even she was thinking we were NUTS during this session. I know I said Ariel & Steve’s shoot was the hottest ever, but this one was a pretty close second. Its hard to believe a 2 year old & 6 month old handled 90 degree heat ( yes, its still 90 degrees at sunset in the south! ) & smiled the entire time. They blew me away with their cuteness & I hope these images give you a little glimpse into the magic of Lucie & Nina :)

Cutest. Pout. Ever…

Thanks for braving the heat guys…can’t wait to see you again this Fall!

We had to throw their pups Sasha & Ralph into a few shots… Apparently Sasha was pretty excited ;) Love her expression…

So when she emailed about setting up a One on One session to give her budding photography business a jump start, I was excited to see her again & give her a few tools to do just that. Starting your own business is scary. There’s an accountability that comes along with taking that leap of faith & believing you can make it happen. I have no doubt that Ashley has an exciting career ahead. As I flipped through her portfolio during our session, I was struck by how authentic her work is. How every image has such truth to it…no fussy post-processing, no contrived poses….just a simple, powerful beauty. A lot can be said for great images that can stand alone. Images that can move you… not by the toning, or the props used, but by the honesty of the moment captured. Ashley is in the process of creating her new website now & hoping to launch it sometime this month, so you can bet I’ll be adding the link to this post as soon as it goes live. I have a feeling she’s going to take the Northwest by storm ( no pressure Ash ;)

Here are a few pics that I think capture the true spirit of Ashley…

Congrats again to Carol & Wilson…you guys are famous ;)