Red K Photo - The Blog » Weddings

Best of 2011 – Weddings – Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:58:40 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

The best clients make the best pictures, and 2011 was living proof of that! I had the most amazing wedding clients in 2011, and I feel blessed to have been a part of their wedding day. As we all look back and reflect on 2011 I thought it would be a great time to dust off some of my favorite wedding photos from 2011 so they could hit the blog one last time before they go on the archive disk. Thanks to my amazing clients in 2011, and here’s to many great memories in 2012!

Valentina & Toby’s Independence Park Wedding, Charlotte, NC

Michelle & Ford’s Manor House Wedding in Waxhaw, NC

Erin & Charlie’s beach wedding, Myrtle Beach, SC
Pilar & Frank’s Uptown Charlotte Wedding, Charlotte NC
Sean & Christina’s Wedding at the Fillmore, Charlotte NC
Kristin & Robert’s Myers Park UMC Wedding, Charlotte NC
Mary Jo & Tim’s Antebellum Wedding in South Carolina
Jay & K’s Hindu Wedding, Charlotte NC

Beautiful Indian Wedding – Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 06:01:27 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

Earlier this year I mentioned that I’d love to shoot a Greek wedding, a beach wedding and an Indian wedding. Within three months of saying that I actually got booked for all three (it’s been a fun year )! Now don’t get me wrong – I love all weddings! The art of capturing the love between two people on their wedding day is universal – the religion and location don’t matter, it’s the magic of the day that’s so engaging. I often get inquires from brides that already have their venue booked and they’ll say “Well have you ever shot here before?” Normally my answer is no because there are so many awesome venues out there the likelihood that I’ll shoot at the same venue more than a couple of times is pretty slim. But I also tell them that’s the great thing about it – a painter doesn’t want to paint the same scene every weekend, and a writer doesn’t want to write the same book. As a photographer I LOVE going to new venues, it gets my creative juices flowing. I also LOVE shooting weddings I’ve never seen before (and maybe those in a language I don’t even understand!) It’s just so exciting to see the day through someone else’s world.

And speaking of someone else’s world, my wish to shoot an Indian wedding was in a different world and a different language! I was contacted by AK Sandhu from California – she was shooting an Indian Wedding in Charlotte and wanted a local photographer to help out with 10 hours on day 3. Let me say that again – 10 hours on day THREE. These folks know how to party! When I arrived at noon on day 3 the Barat was just about to begin. AK said “Don’t be overwhelmed, just do what you do.” The Barat is the part of the ceremony where the groom and his family go to the bride’s house. In the case of a wedding at a hotel, the groom leaves one hotel entrance and travels around the hotel to the other entrance. He does this on a white horse followed by a DJ and about 100 of his closest family and friends dancing and singing around him. Let me break this down for you in my terms – it’s a mobile party for the groom at noon on the asphalt of a hotel parking lot. Hot is an understatement. Overwhelmed is an understatement. But fun? Oh yeeeaaaah!

Here’s where the party started – the groom’s “house” with his Mom & Dad. His Mom was so emotional, you could tell this moment really meant a lot to her and their family.

Now let’s get this party started! The groomsmen were AWESOME! AK said this was easily one of the best Barat’s she’s ever seen, and since it’s my only Barat, I totally agree. The DJ was fantastic and even though it was about 100 degrees on that asphalt the dancing never stopped.
And here we arrived at the bride’s “house”. I love all of the colorful Saris these women are wearing!!
Now this is the part where I totally got lost. They stole the groom’s shoes and made him stand on this raised board. The photo on the left is of the actual shoe theft. There was money waving in the air, and lots of yelling and laughing. I believe the bride’s Mom was supposed to try and steal his nose, and all of the women on the groom’s side of the family had to protect his nose. See what I mean? I was lost. But it was certainly exciting!
After the nose and shoe stealing both parties made their way into the ceremony. Here are a few details – WOW, the gold and floral accents were just to die for. So beautiful.
95% of the ceremony wasn’t in English, so I have no idea what they said, but there were lots of smiles and laughter throughout the entire event so I smiled and laughed too . There were actually a lot of the same customs that we have in American weddings (exchanging of rings, etc.) The ceremony was about 2 hours long, so it was very detailed and rich with history. Here the bride’s Mom is washing the groom’s feet. If you’ve ever had your feet washed you know how special this is. I love the look on the Mom’s face. Total pride and joy in the moment and in the day.
When the bride came in I think my jaw hit the floor. All brides are beautiful, but the dress and jewelry were just amazing. I guess I’m so accustomed to brides wearing all white that seeing the red and gold just blew me away. Her dresses were from India and she said they weighed over 25 pounds. But wow – so fabulous. And I think I could’ve stared at her henna and bangles all day – so intricate and delicate. The effort that went into creating this day was just amazing.
They sat opposite each other for a while, and then they moved to a shared bench. The minister mixed things in these copper plates (I realize I’m not doing this description half the justice it deserves, sorry!) and they would pour them and stir them together. I was totally in awe of the amount of color on the stage – they looked beautiful together and they were clearly enjoying every minute of the ceremony.
Then all of the married women came up on stage and whispered words of wisdom to the bride. That was beautiful to watch – sometimes she laughed, sometimes she cried, it was clearly an awesome moment. I love the look on her face in the photo on the right when the ring is slipping on her finger. That’s a smile of a bride that’s excited to be getting married.
This is one of my favorite shots from the day. The henna is AWESOME!!!
These next two are my favorites from the day. Remember how I said earlier that the religion or location don’t matter, that it’s capturing the magic between the couple that’s so exciting? Well, I feel like these two pictures really show that magic. Unlike American ceremonies, there’s no kissing at the end, and there’s very little kissing/PDA throughout the day. I love how these photos show the love between them during the ceremony.
After the ceremony there was a break before the reception. Now in theory that sounds like a good idea, but it was actually very hard for me! I’m used to shooting 8-12 hours straight for American weddings. You get the adrenaline pumping and you just keep moving. As soon as you sit down the weight of the day hits you and you just collapse. Having a 2 hour break in the middle of the day means you collapse and then you have to convince yourself to do it all over again! I wanted to run laps around the hotel or do jumping jacks. It’s just too hard to rest in the middle of something this huge. But, we did. And then we went in to get some shots of the bride getting ready and some shots of the bride and groom before the ceremony.

Another BEAUTIFUL dress and more colorful bangles. I just can’t get enough of this!
This is literally the only shot of the day that I was willing to convert to black and white. The colors are just so beautiful I hated to give them up, but I love the softness of this shot.
More fabulous decor for the reception – LOVE it!
And then on to the toasts. This was one of the most genuine toasts I’ve ever heard from a groom. Come to think about it, normally grooms don’t toast the bride, but Jay did and it was super sweet. I love her reaction here.
And then their reaction together while someone toasts them.
The cake was FABULOUS! Have I said that too much? Seriously – look at the details. It’s just beautiful!
And these are my 2nd favorite shots from the day. I LOVE the one on the left – not sure if it’s the henna, the bangles, or the firm grip they’ve got on each other, but this image really just sums up the whole day for me. I had such an amazing time shooting this wedding. HUGE thanks again to AK Sandhu for asking me to help out, and congrats to J & K on an amazing day and their new life together!

Pilar & Frank – Charlotte Wedding Photographer – St. Peter’s Catholic Church Charlotte Wedding

Kelli — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:41:13 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

When Dana from Tish Mackay Photography asked me to shoot this wedding with her she said “You will LOVE Pilar & Frank!” And she was spot on – these are two of the happiest, most in love people you’ll ever meet. Now I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand half of what was said on the wedding day because most of the bridal party and family members spoke Spanish, but as they say, love is universal. And “they” are correct. When bridesmaids see the bride in her dress for the first time the screaming that happens is understandable in every language. When groomsmen toast from their flasks before they head to the church the smiles and congratulations are universal. When Mom’s and Grandmas cry and hug the bride so tight the people standing next to her feel it, that feeling is universal. So even though I didn’t understand most of what was said, I understood all of what was felt, and I wouldn’t have missed this day for the world.

As always – all great wedding days start out with a fabulous dress and amazing accessories. Pilar’s dress was from Mecklenburg Bridal and every time someone saw it the reaction was always the same “Oh, it’s so Pilar!”

All of the girls got ready together and it was a blast hanging out in the room with this crowd. Small spaces and mimosas always make for a good time!
The flowers were by Lily Greenthumb’s and they were beautiful! So unique and filled with texture and color! Pilar’s color for the wedding was purple, and her bouquet had the perfect amount of purple in it to add a little pop to her wedding dress.
Rings and shoes and jewelry, oh my! Love her details!
After helping with the details and the getting ready shots I was off to the guy’s room to see what was going on. I feel like I should explain this mask, but I think it makes it a little more interesting to keep you waiting on that. Let’s just say, the guys were well prepared to have a good time. The shot on the right is of Frank showing the groomsmen what he got Pilar as a wedding gift. I’m going to make y’all wait a little longer on that surprise too, but I promise you won’t be disappointed. All of the guy’s Tux’s came from The Tux Lady.
A few last minute touches with the groom and we’re ready to get this party started!
Trolleys are just fun, and riding one to your wedding is the funnest (is that a word?) These guys didn’t disappoint, it was certainly a party in the back of the trolley!
Again, I feel like I should explain this, but I’m going to wait just a little longer….
Frank couldn’t have been more excited waiting for Pilar to come down the aisle, and I have no idea what the best man was saying here, but I love it.
The wedding was a full Catholic mass at St. Peter’s Catholic Church Uptown. Wait a sec, let me clarify – a full Catholic mass in Spanish! I had no idea what was happening but it was a great ceremony!
The first kiss was EPIC! Easily one of the best I’ve ever photographed!
Pilar & Frank chose to do their exit after the ceremony. This is an awesome idea – that way you don’t have to worry about everyone staying for the entire reception to get enough bubble blowers or sparkler holders. It was a bright, sunny day in Uptown Charlotte and I loved the way the light reflected off of all of the bubbles!
After the awesome ceremony we walked over to The Green for all of the formal photos. Hard to pick a prettier location in uptown Charlotte.
After we finished up with the big group we stole Frank & Pilar for a few minutes to get some bride and groom shots. LOVE these two!
And now back to that awesome present I told you about earlier. Frank gave Pilar a BMW convertible! Seriously – how awesome is that???
After we all finished drooling over the BMW I ducked out to head over to the reception site to grab the detail shots. More beautiful flowers and arrangements by Lily Greenthumb’s and a fun candy table!
The cake was by Cloud 9 and I love the cake topper! Looks a little like that first kiss, right?
The first dance was almost as epic as the first kiss. These two are just so in love they can’t help it. I think my favorite part of this picture is all of the bridal party clapping from the sidelines.
BTW – this is all still first dance!
After the dancing it was time for the toasts – plenty of laughs and tears to go around here. These two are very loved by a lot of folks!
So I won’t leave you hanging on what the masks were for - apparently it’s a tradition at hispanic weddings to have “Loco Hour” where everyone wears masks and has a blast on the dance floor. I didn’t stay late enough to capture Loco Hour but after having spent most of the day with these guys I’m sure it was AWESOME! Congratulations Frank & Pilar, I’m sure you’ll have many, many wonderful years together! And HUGE thanks to Dana at Tish Mackay Photography for asking me to help out with this wedding! As usual, you rock and I am blessed to call you a fellow photographer and friend!

Here’s a quick summary on all of the vendors that helped make this day possible….

Wedding Dress: Mecklenburg Bridal
Men’s Tuxedos: The Tux Lady
Flowers: Lily Greenthumb’s
Cake: Cloud 9
Hair & Makeup: NC Stylist, Elizabeth Tolley

Kristin & Robert – Myers Park UMC Wedding – Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 05:43:23 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

Smiles. Big, huge, smiles. Every time I turned around someone was grinning from ear to ear. The bride, the groom, the parents of both, the bridal party, and all of the guests. I could literally feel the joy from the moment I arrived. The wedding was in the Francis Chapel at Myers Park United Methodist Church and it was a beautiful fall day in Charlotte.

The flowers from The Bloom Room were waiting in the chapel when I walked in, and I literally just stood and stared at them. The colors were so vibrant, and the textures were amazing. I see a lot of flowers, and I’m always amazed at the possibilities each season. I love it when a florist comes up with something different and so beautiful that you have to stop and stare at it just to take it all in.

All day long people kept telling Kristin how beautiful the flowers were and asking her what florist she used. If you’re a florist I’m not sure you can ask for more. People were talking about The Bloom Room all day!
Kristin’s dress from Poffie Girls was just perfect. Elegant and timeless. As soon as I saw it I knew immediately how I wanted to photograph it and I couldn’t be happier with how these photos turned out.. This pin on her bow was a personal touch and I think it added just the right amount of sparkle to the dress. Love it!
Her silver shoes were a perfect accessory to a beautiful outfit.
A few last minute touches before the first look…
One last adjustment from Mom…
While Kristin was finishing up I was outside with Robert to get ready for the first look. As we were walking around the church we were just chatting and I said, “She’s absolutely beautiful Robert. Just wait until you see her.” Without missing a beat he said, “She’s always beautiful.” I knew then that I was in for an AWESOME day.
When Kristin came around the corner I got too excited. Robert could see it on my face so he started trying to look for her reflection in the lens of my camera. You can’t cheat on the first look!

This was my favorite photo series of the day – Kristin and Robert will probably have 50 from this moment on their CD.
Remember what I said about the smiles? See, told you so.
This was one of my most favorite bridal parties ever! The kids were super cute and everyone was totally relaxed and ready to have a great time. How cute is this flower girl? This shot with the Maid of Honor on the left is a reenactment from the Maid of Honor’s wedding. There might be a slight height difference between these two friends. And here’s the United Nations bridal party. I’ll let Kristin explain that one to you!

A few more shots of the lovely couple before we walk down the aisle….
The ring bearer was a little camera shy, so we had a hard time getting him in the group shots. Just before he was about to walk down the aisle I snagged this one – I’m about 15 feet away here, and even with just a profile shot you can tell how handsome this little guy is. Look at those eyelashes! He’s going to be a heart breaker in a few years!
Kristin’s Dad is a Lutheran minister so he performed the ceremony and I think he enjoyed it just as much as the bride and groom.
When you have little ones in your wedding you never really know how they’ll act. Since Alex was so camera shy we weren’t even sure he’d walk down the aisle, but he rocked it like champ. About half way through the ceremony he noticed the altar and decided to kneel. When it was time for Kristin and Robert to kneel he stayed right there next to them. So precious – easily one of the cutest ring bearers ever!

These two little girls stepped out into the aisle for a better view once all of the adults stood up. So cute!
I promise Robert didn’t make this face the whole way down the aisle, these are just my 2 favorite shots! After the wedding Kristin was greeted with LOTS of hugs from some pretty special folks. I love the look on her Dad’s face here, and this little girl was one of about 5 that came running right up to her for a group hug.
The reception was at Zen Asian Fusion restaurant in Charlotte, NC and it was amazing. The orchids, the food, the atmosphere, were all a perfect way to complete the day.

This was one of the most personal guest sign-in books I’ve ever seen at a reception. Each page asked questions about how you met Kristin & Robert and your favorite memories. Guests took a page, filled it out and then put it back in the book. What a great keepsake!
Kristin and Robert are regulars at Zen Asian Fusion and they know the owners well. So well, in fact, that they didn’t even select the menu for their wedding reception, they just let the chef make whatever he wanted because they knew it would be awesome. Y’all know I can’t resist photos of the food, so here are some shots to drool over. When Kristin was telling me about Zen Asian Fusion she described this cake like it was the best in Charlotte. And from the looks of the guests faces I think she was right. The Tres Leches cake actually served 2 purposes on Saturday, wedding cake and birthday cake! The son of one of the groomsmen had a birthday so this piece was extra special.
After all of that yummy food we had to get a picture with the owner, Phong.
And then it was time for the toasts. Lots of laughs, a few tears, and some Chinese-American interpretation! With this crowd I knew the toasts would be awesome.
This groomsman gave a toast in Chinese that lasted about 2 minutes. Another groomsman interpreted his toast as “Dear Kristin & Robert, Congratulations!” Possibly one of the best toasts ever, and certainly a crowd favorite!
A little more crowd mingling…

And of course, a shot of the shiny new rings.
Just as things were winding down Kristin grabbed the microphone and serenaded Robert. I’m pretty sure you could here the “Awwww” from about 3 blocks away. It was easily one of my most favorite wedding reception moments ever.

Congratulations Kristin & Robert! I know you’ll have a very long and happy life together!

To see all of the photos from Kristin & Robert’s wedding or to order prints, click here.

Ceremony venue: Myers Park UMC
Reception venue: Zen Asian Fusion
Florist: The Bloom Room
Wedding gown: Poffie Girls
Groom’s suit: Nordstrom
Rings: Diamonds Direct Southpark

Wedding Details You’ll Love – Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 05:50:29 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

I’m sure I don’t need to say this because you all know how obsessed I am with details, but I seriously love the details! Little bits of amazing scattered throughout an event is what makes something great turn into fabulous. This past weekend I got an e-mail from Carla at Style Perfect Weddings and Events asking me if I could swing by a reception site before the party got started to capture the details. She didn’t need to ask me twice, I couldn’t wait! (If a planner thinks the details are awesome enough to be captured they must be out of bounds.) And of course, she was right. The details were FABULOUS! I was like a kid in a candy shop trying to figure out where to start and just soaking up the atmosphere.

The stationery was by Creative Blu and it was gorgeous. From the invitations to the place cards and table numbers, everything just looked so exquisite and worked so well together.

The cake from The WOW Factor Cakes was on a small round table under a spot light, and it was truly the centerpiece of the room.
The flowers from From This Day Forward were AMAZING, each arrangement was unique and loaded with colors and textures.

The place settings were practically regal. With square gold chargers and a gold table cloth you felt like you were about to enjoy a feast fit for a King.
This wedding was just oozing with personal touches. These rhinestone sashes on the chair covers added the perfect pop to the tables, and they were made by Carla specifically for this event. (Note to future brides – this is why you hire a wedding planner! Their attention to detail is beyond measure!)

Thanks again to Carla at Style Perfect Weddings and Events for asking me to swing by – I’m sure the evening was spectacular!

Mary Jo & Tim – South Carolina Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:51:52 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

When Mary Jo e-mailed me about her wedding she said “I’m getting married at a beautiful Antebellum home…” She had me at Antebellum. And WOW, was she ever right about the description. I met Mary Jo at the house for a walk through a few weeks before the wedding, and I immediately fell in love – with the house, with the grounds, and with her Aunt Sylvia who lives there. She’s lived in the house for 25 years, and you can practically feel a big huge southern family oozing out of the walls. And on the day of Mary Jo and Tim’s wedding, with Carolina blue skies and the perfect fall temperature of 72 degrees, you couldn’t pick a better location for an outdoor South Carolina wedding. The location, the food and especially the band – everything was absolutely perfect for Mary Jo & Tim.

As usual, I fell in love with the details, and this amazing house had LOADS of them. This little cherub statue greeted me as I walked up the drive way, and Mary Jo’s dress was beautiful hanging from the french doors in the living room.

There was this little mini red velvet chair sitting next to the piano that I just couldn’t stop taking pictures of. It was just the perfect resting place for shoes and rings.
And I’ll admit, I know I went a little overboard with floral pictures. But these colors were just perfect for a fall wedding (Hunter’s Florist did a fabulous job) and every time I looked through my camera they just popped. The white iron benches made a beautiful background and I had way too much fun with the bouquets.
Under a big white tent there were round tables set up for the guests to enjoy the beautiful grounds and the awesome weather while they listened to an amazing band (more on that later) and ate amazing food (more on that later too). I loved the simplicity of the table decorations – just perfect.
Now on to the fun stuff! Mary Jo was all smiles as she was getting ready. She was surrounded with love by so many wonderful women who just ducked in and out of the room to fix this and adjust that. Everyone was just so happy to see her smiling face in a wedding dress.
This is Mom helping to adjust the vail….
And another adjustment from Aunt Sylvia ….
A quick glance at the rings on my favorite red velvet chair and then off to see how the Groom was doing upstairs…
All smiles up here too with a little help from the best man!
A couple of last-minute reactions just before we walked down the aisle – Mary Jo was all smiles and so excited but the ring bearer was a little less enthused. Mommy tried to convince him to walk down the aisle in his “extra special suit”, but he wasn’t really bought into the plan. Super cute fella though – and he was extra handsome in the little man tux!
After the “I Dos” we stepped out into the beautiful back yard for some family and bridal party pictures. I think I could’ve stayed back there all day with these awesome trees and amazing light!
Another beautiful feature to this house was the upstairs front porch. We snuck out there to get a few shots of just the bride and groom, and these were some of my favorite from the day.
Mary Jo has the most infectious smile I’ve seen in a long time. She’s just one of those people that when she smiles at you, you can’t help but grin right back from ear to ear. After we’d taken several photos I asked them to just look at each other, and as soon as they did, they both broke out in the biggest smiles and started laughing. Just. Perfect. And now that we’re all laughing, it’s time to get this party started!
I mentioned earlier that this band was awesome, and that wasn’t an exaggeration! They covered everything from ZZ Top to Johnny Cash, and everyone couldn’t help but tap their toes while enjoying the awesome weather and amazing house. The Oneppo Brothers Band is a local favorite and they play regularly in both Rock Hill and Fort Mill. If you feel like dancing, check them out and I promise you won’t be disappointed!
The catering was provided by The Front Porch, and I can guarantee that nobody left hungry! BBQ, fried chicken, mac ‘n cheese, potato salad and sweet tea! Now that’s a wedding reception!
I LOVE bubble exits! I had one at my wedding, so I might be a bit biased, but there’s just something about how the light hits the bubbles that I just can’t get enough of in a picture. I don’t normally post 2 exit shots, but I am here just to prove to you how infectious Mary Jo’s smile is!
Congratulations Tim & Mary Jo! I had a wonderful time at your wedding, the day was absolutely perfect! I wish you many, many happy years together! To view all of the photos from Tim & Mary Jo’s wedding or to order prints, click here.

Myrtle Beach Wedding Photographer – Erin & Charlie’s Wedding

Kelli — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:14:54 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

This wedding was one of those events destined for my calendar. Sometimes that happens – I’ll have an entire month booked except one weekend and then 3 weeks before that weekend I’ll get an inquiry for that date. Just meant to be. Earlier this year I blogged a Greek Wedding, and in the blog post I mentioned that shooting a Greek Wedding was on my “top 3″ weddings to shoot list. The other 2 in the top 3 list were a beach wedding and an Indian wedding. Well, within 2 months of writing that post, I had booked an Indian and a beach wedding. I love it when a plan comes together! Jenn with Mirrored Images contacted me earlier this summer about helping her shoot this wedding in Myrtle Beach. I’m always looking for a great opportunity to visit the beach so I jumped on it immediately. And then – without knowing anything about the wedding, my in-laws decided to rent a condo at the beach for a week and invite us down. What week were they renting for? You guessed it – the week of Erin & Charlie’s wedding! So clearly, I was meant to be at Myrtle Beach the week after Labor Day. I had an AMAZING time shooting this with Jenn and meeting Erin & Charlie. And I also had an AMAZING time spending a couple of days at the beach in a free condo! What a great start to September!

Enough about me and destiny , let’s get to the wedding! Y’all know I love the details, so let’s start off with the detail shots. Erin & Charlie rented 2 houses on the beach – the wedding was in the backyard of one, and then we all moved next door to the backyard of the other one for the reception. Great idea! The reception was set up under a big white tent filled with amazing beach details.

Glass vases, branches and sea shells were just a few of the little details used for decorations. It gave the evening a very relaxed, beachy vibe. The candy table was probably one of my favorite details. In addition to the adorable M&M’s they had personalized with their picture, names and date, they had some other great candy sure to bring back childhood memories for all of the attendees.
They also had a “wishes” tree. LOVE this idea! Guests were asked to write a wish on the cards provided and then tie it to the trees on the table. I really enjoyed watching the tree fill up with wishes throughout the night.
Erin’s bouquet was BEAUTIFUL! The colors and textures gave it such a soft and feminine look. Just lovely.
I love the traditions of a wedding – some are family traditions and some are cultural traditions, but they all have meaning and add little personal touches to the day. As we were shooting Erin getting ready I noticed the inside of her shoe laying on the table. A penny for good fortune and a long, happy marriage. :-) Love it!

Once Erin got ready we went back outside for a few more detail shots before the ceremony. I just couldn’t get enough of the beach details – so soft and relaxing.
Let the fun begin!
Charlie’s first glance at Erin coming down the aisle….

These are two of my favorite photos from the day. As soon as Erin reached the end of the aisle, Charlie made the cutest face, she made it back, and then they both grinned from ear to ear. Have I ever mentioned that the reason I love shooting weddings is because I get to shoot love? See what I mean? Who wouldn’t want to be there for this moment? So awesome. This is also a great example of why you need 2 photographers on your wedding day. Jenn was focused on the bride and I was focused on the groom – without 2 photographers this moment would’ve been missed, and it was just too great to let that happen.

The ceremony was just perfect for a beach wedding – quick, filled with love and a big huge first kiss at the end!
A couple of photos of the new Mr. & Mrs. Wise before the party gets started!
The reception started just at sunset and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful evening on the water.
The first dance… I shot these much tighter than I normally do and I’m so glad I did – LOVE these expressions.
A few toasts…

Let’s get this party started! Now you can see that everyone is smiling pretty big in these pictures – it is typical for wedding attendees to smile on the dance floor, but these folks are smiling just a bit bigger than usual. All attendees at the wedding were HUGE Gamecock fans. The groom’s cake was a Gamecock, the corn hole boards were Gamecock, and throughout the night, at least half of the guests were in the house watching the Gamecock/Georgia game. Once the Gamecocks had sealed the victory the smiles got much larger and the dance floor got much more crowded. Go Gamecocks!!
The bouquet toss always provides some great shots – I’m pretty sure the brides maid on the left stole this victory.
Another look at that loaded wishes tree – LOVE it!
What wedding is complete without the Chicken Dance?
Best. Breakdancer. Ever.
What a great evening! I had a fabulous time in Myrtle Beach for this wedding! Congratulations Erin & Charlie and thanks again Jenn for asking me to help! Go Gamecocks!!

Michelle & Ford – Manor House Wedding – Waxhaw Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:44:57 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

Michelle & Ford are off soaking in the Jamaican sun and I just couldn’t wait to share photos from their gorgeous Waxhaw wedding! I was so happy to help out with this wedding since their photographer (Amanda Caldwell Photo) had her 2nd little girl last week – congrats Amanda! I had a blast shooting this with Tish Mackay Photography while Amanda was counting down the minutes to delivery! The day began with everyone getting ready at Central Church of God. Michelle’s dress was beautiful, and I LOVED her ballet flat shoes. Comfortable and super cute!

Her flowers were beautiful big bunches of soft color. Very romantic and classic.
I love it when all of the girls get ready together – Michelle had several folks there to help, and everyone else just couldn’t stop smiling as the details came together.
The junior bride was ADORABLE!
LCD screens on the backs of digital cameras are so huge these days that I love capturing moments like this – a birds eye view into someone else’s camera as they capture the moment.
The reception was at The Manor House in Waxhaw and even though it was about 100 degrees outside this tent kept everyone nice and cool throughout the evening.
The details were perfect – classic black and white with little splashes of soft color.
Michelle designed the cake herself and it came out beautifully!
First dance as the wedding party looks on….
A few more spins as husband & wife and then a super sweet father/daughter dance.
We had plenty of light to work with so after everyone had a bite to eat we went back outside to grab a few more portraits of the bride and groom!
Let’s get this party started!
One last dance and then a bubble exit! I love how the bubbles catch the flashes of light – great exit! Congratulations again Michelle & Ford and best wishes on your new life together. And double congrats on getting the first stamp in that passport Michelle – hope there are many more to come!

Featured on Wedding Row Charlotte – Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Kelli — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 05:41:51 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

I’m super excited that Valentina & Toby’s Independence Park Wedding is featured on Wedding Row Charlotte! This is the 2nd wedding I’ve had featured on Wedding Row Charlotte, and I’m so thankful to share this awesome wedding with more folks in Charlotte.

Check out the original blog posts here: Part 1 & Part 2, and check out the Wedding Row Charlotte feature here!

Greek Wedding at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Kelli — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:17:07 +0000

NOTE: the images in this feed have been downsized or removed for copyright reasons. To see them in their unmodified state, please view the original post by clicking here.

As a wedding photographer there are just certain weddings that you dream of – Indian Weddings (amazing color), weddings on the beach (gorgeous), and Greek Weddings (amazing dancing/receptions) have always made my top 3 list. All weddings are beautiful, because frankly, the love is just addicting to capture, but certain weddings get the “oh, COOL!” reaction. So, when Ashley Gillett contacted me about 2nd shooting this Greek wedding with her I JUMPED at the chance. A Greek Orthodox wedding and a reception at The Fillmore? Um, yes please, sign me up! HUGE thanks to Ashley for letting me shoot with her at this awesome wedding!

As the 2nd shooter, one of my primary duties was to be the groom’s personal paparazzi. Guys always amaze me with their ability to get ready for the most important day of their life in 5 minutes. Literally – they were running about 20 minutes late and managed to get ready and be downstairs for transportation ahead of schedule. That just doesn’t happen with girls!

A few last minute touches on the groom and we’re good to go.

The groom’s men gifts were a big hit – each guy got their own personal pre-stocked mini bar!
Stella was clearly the beverage of choice for the men that day.
One quick call to transportation to let them know we’re on schedule, and a quick adjustment by the Groom’s Dad and we’re off to the church!
In Charlotte there’s one festival each year that tops all other festivals, and that’s the yearly Greek Festival hosted by the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on East Blvd. It lasts for a week and has THE BEST Greek food you’ve ever eaten. I think my favorite feature is the drive-thru, and it’s worth going just for the baklava in my opinion. But here’s the weird part – I’ve been to the Greek festival many times but I’ve never actually been inside the sanctuary of the church until this wedding. WOW – I was blown away! The details inside the church are AMAZING – from the stained glass windows to the painted walls and ceilings, it’s literally bursting with color.
Sean and Christina chose to have a first look before the ceremony, and I love it when couples make that decision! Yes ladies, I promise he will still tear up when he sees you coming down the aisle.
LOVE, love, love Christina’s dress!!!
One of my other duties as the 2nd shooter was to get to the reception asap after the ceremony to get some shots of the details before guests arrived. This reception was like detail overload! The Bride’s Mom owns Economos Flowers and WOW, she knocked it out of the park. The flowers were beautiful, and every single detail of the reception was just perfect. I believe this was the first wedding reception they’ve had at the Fillmore, but I’m sure it won’t be the last, the space was just perfect! Now y’all know how much I love a detail shot, so here are just a few of my favorites.
The dancing did not disappoint! I LOVE Greek dancing! Huge smiles from everyone and all ages participate – awesome!
Soul Function band from Myrtle Beach, SC was awesome! And according to the lead singer, this guy on the right is the best pianist in the Southeast.
Huge thanks again to Ashley for letting me shoot with her, I had a great time! All images photographed for Ashley Gillett Photography.