We love when our previous couples refer us to their friends. Eddy was a best man at Alex and Yaqui’s wedding we photographed back in 2015. When it was time for him to take the leap into marriage he remembered us and how great we were with his best friend that he had to quickly find out if we were available. We’re so happy to hear that. We want every one of our couples to feel like we are friends and always have their best interest in mind. Thank you Eddy and Diandra for trusting us. Can’t wait for your wedding in April. In the meantime, enjoy their engagement session taking place at Stone Mountain Park.
Aren’t they just adorable? They loved playing with each other. No complaints here.
They look adorable and felt so comfortable with each other.
A lovely end to a beautiful fall afternoon at Stone Mountain.
Chelsea and Wesley are so adorable together. They met back in 2012 on Chelsea’s first day working at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. The two have been inseparable since. Take a look at their engagement session that took place at the historic Old Fourth Ward district of Atlanta over the summer.A local cat came by to check up on things during the session. How adorable and so very friendly.
Ryan met Tara when she was a sophomore in college and he was a freshman. Tara let a Bible study for freshman at a campus ministry and Ryan came. He was quiet and seemingly stanoffish, but everyone was a little fascinated by his intelligence and quiet nature. At first Tara was annoyed that he didn’t talk more, but thought he was interesting and wanted to be his friend. Over the next three years, they became friends and spent time together in groups since they were both dating other people at the time. After they started dating and soon realized and admitted that they would’ve been interested in each other had they known the other was interested in them.
Ryan proposed after 10 months of dating. It happened one weekend in August when Tara went to visit him in his hometown. He told her his parents had planned to take her out to dinner. They arrived early and stopped at the town square. He walked her to the gazebo, and there was a note with her name on it. By the time she finished reading it, he was on one knee. He surprised her by inviting her parents to dinner that night and they all celebrated together.
Next stop on our amazing Italian holiday/work trip we see ourselves visiting a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. Known as the Town of Fine Towers, San Gimignano is famous for its medieval architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form “an unforgettable skyline”. Within the walls, the well-preserved buildings include notable examples of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture. But, before we arrived within their walls, we decided to enjoy the beautiful Spring-time weather and take a Vespa tour along the outskirts of the town. The best decision ever. The picturesque landscape goes on for days. Since we have friends in the area, we took the self-guided tour and had our friends show us around the most scenic and less traveled roads and stop whenever we wanted to to take it all in. So far, the highlight of our trip.
No trip to the Tuscan countryside is complete without taking in a wine tasting or two. Here we are preparing to enter our private cellar prepared with a light lunch with cheese and meats and our wine stems. We learned a lot while visiting Tenuta Torciano Winery in San Gimignano and meeting the farmer/winemaker Pierluigi. What a treat! P.S. we took home several cases of wine to enjoy and reminisce the amazing time with la famiglia.
We can just move here, right?
Above you see us approaching San Gimignano and below within the walls. Amazing stone town. Oh and the best gelato thus far on this trip at the world famous Gelateria Dondoli winner of multiple awards. They did not disappoint.
The following day, we woke up to a beautiful final day in Castillioncello and amazing breakfast had our photoshoot along the beach then headed towards Florence. But before, we decided to take a quick little detour and our private driver obliged us with our request. Off to Pisa we went. Because of the city regulations, parking nearby was a challenge so our driver dropped us off for us to view the tower and surrounding property for a few minutes.
Onward to Florence. We’ve been to Florence before and it’s still a magnificent town full of art and history and all around amazingness. So after dropping off our bags at the hotel, we quickly started walking around town viewing the different nooks and crannies. We only had one day here so we made the most of it. Would have been nice to have a little more time to explore outside the city center but we had dinner plans with our local friends and they were on their way to pick us up at the hotel and take us to their home for a home cooked meal (the best, if you ask me). For our surprise another couple we know from another town about 3-4 hours away, came to see us in Florence. We had an amazing evening visiting and laughing!
Ah, Italy, what’s not to love? It’s a country so vast in diversity that no two trips will be identical. Or in our case, third or fourth… but who’s counting. Looking forward to going back again and again. Our first stop after landing in Venice was to take the train down to Livorno to meet up with some friends. I definitely wanted to see different towns for this trip along some of our true favorites and show the couples we were here to photograph an awe-inspiring country that is Italia.
So, while doing some research of unique areas along the way, we stopped at Livorno, sight of the famous Terrazza Mascagni at which no trip to this area is complete without taking a stroll along its dazzling stone balustrades and dramatic black and white checkerboard stone floor that sweeps gracefully along the seafront. In order to take in the complete view of the Ligurian Sea, we went up to the roof garden bar of the Grand Hotel Palazzo to take in some aperitivo and celebrate our first evening in Italy. Below are but a few images from our first evening.
Here we are just giddy with excitement for arriving and enjoying the few of the Tuscan coastline at Terrazza Mascagni.
Below are a few of the images from our couple’s session with Miguel and Eli celebrating their anniversary while strolling along the beach in Castiglioncello, a quaint beach town in the province of Livorno.
According to Urban Dictionary, steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, usually set in an anachronistic Victorian or quasi-Victorian alternate history setting. It could be described by the slogan “What the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.” The term denotes works set in an era or world where STEAM POWER is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.
Kerri and Zach’s steampunk inspired wedding was nothing short of fantastic, capturing the essence of Victorian world through wheels, watches, leather, buckles, and shades of copper, all of them combined following no other criteria than imagination without boundaries, shaping a different kind of aestheticism, focused on the beauty of the mechanics. From the bride’s bouquet to the groom’s boutonniere and from the centerpieces characterized with props of masks, goggles and cogwheels to the custom made three-wheeler with sidecar fit for the bride as their get-away transportation. All this with the north Georgia mountains as their backdrop. This entire DIY wedding was only made possible with the help of friends and family.
A little help from her four-legged friend. As Kerri decided to write down her vows, her trusted companion provided the support she needed. She is so adorable.
Kerri’s bridal attire didn’t disappoint either. Her bridal gown by Anya Bridal was Victorian inspired with off shoulder drape sleeves that made her look ethereal.
Zach wore a custom-made, maroon plaid Victorian suit with along with ascot, vest and tails fromTrio Custom Clothiers in Atlanta that showcased a pocket watch which is a family heirloom.
Pre-wedding fun with the boys.
Ceremony Location
The Hiawassee River Retreat is set on 16 acres along side the rushing Hiawassee River and centrally located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
For more images, take a look at the video slideshow highlighting more from this Victorian Steampunk wedding.
Sabrina and Mark met with a “hello, nice to meet you” introduction through a work colleague in Chicago in August 2014. The second time they went out with their mutual colleague and friends. Well, that night they hit it off and talked the whole night. He asked her out again but she declined because she was looking for something serious and he didn’t meet her family’s criteria (different background and beliefs). But Mark persisted paid off. He continued to pursue Sabrina after much rejection. One thing led to another and although Sabrina didn’t even know how it happened, everything just fell into place.
Why Camping theme?
Sabrina wanted a camping theme for her engagement session since they both love the outdoors. And after a downpour that hot, humid June day in Atlanta, the skies parted and we all enjoyed an amazing time having fun pretending there was a little crispness in the air.
Click here for more from Mark + Sabrina’s engagement session.
Love is when you come across one person in your life whom you just can’t let go. Your life just can’t continue without them. That’s how Nicole felt when meeting John through a mutual friend four and a half years ago. And what a coincidence, she happens to be their wedding planner. Do I see you adding matchmaker as a career for you Linnie?
The Dress
Nicole always thought she wanted a laced dress. It was on her mind from the beginning as she went dress shopping. But at the door of New Natalie’s Bridal stood an Essence of Australia dress she thought was beautiful but dismissed it given the fact it wasn’t lace. She tried on numerous dresses but nothing was “the one”. Her eyes kept rolling back to the dress on the mannequin and asked about that one. She decided to put it on. To her surprise, it fit like a glove. The bridal consultant and associates dolled her up with a veil and accessories and she started to cry. She finally found her dress!
How he popped the question.
It’s about time, according to some. How John popped the question was actually a funny story as Nicole recalls. It was during the holidays. The ring was actually at the top of the Christmas tree branch for about three weeks and she never noticed. She was only looking underneath the dress. She noticed none of the gifts had her name on it. Come Christmas morning, John handed her a card. At that point she was thinking they must have won the lottery. She read it and nothing. He made her read it again slowly. As she finished reading it slowly, she looked up and he was on one knee!
John and his boys were dressed in tuxedos from Men’s Warehouse.
Nicole was such a beautiful bride. She was enjoying every minute of this day. She deserved it. She has such a sweet soul. Definitely beautiful inside and out.
Look at Nicole’s mom. A lovely, lovely lady. I see where Nicole gets her beauty from.
The happy couple dances to I found love by Bebe Winans.
We are so very fortunate to work with amazing couples and Alex and Mattie are definitely one of the most easy-going, fun-loving couples around. We decided to mix things up a bit for our blog and interview them to help future couples as they plan their wedding day. To garner a different perspective, our groom Alex offered a lot of insight for this blog post.
In the beginning…
How did you two meet?
As Jehovah’s Witness’s, we are very involved in our ministry. I had started visiting a sign language congregation to start learning sign language. I officially joined after visiting for 7 months. At that point, Madeline [Mattie] had been serving in Nicaragua where the need for sign language speakers was greater. She returned and shortly after attended the 2016 International Convention In Zimbabwe. It was after she came back that we went out in the ministry for the first time, and we ended up sitting together at Chipotle come lunch time. We didn’t really talk much, I think she was having a rough day, and I had just joined sign language, so I was trying to make friends, but it seemed as though she and I probably weren’t going to be friends at all. Anyways, later in the day she had gotten her car stuck on a curb. She called one of her friends for help, and it turns out I happened to be with a group of people that showed up to help. I helped her dad get the car off the curb, and I guess I’m really fortunate that I happened to be there, otherwise we probably wouldn’t have become such great friends. How did he pop the question?
I had invited Mattie to a “movie party”. I left most of the details out, but I told her we needed to dress up fancy as it was meant to be a party from the 60’s where you dressed up fancy to go watch a “broadway show”. I had rented out a room in the local community center. I called her last minute and told her my parents had car trouble and if she could please meet us there. My brother led her into the room and we played the proposal video I had made for her. After the video finished, I entered the room and told her some private romantic words that I don’t fully remember, and then I walked her out to a fountain where a group of our closest friends were waiting with roses. It was there that I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me in Spanish, English, and Sign Language. Afterwards, we went back to the room to have dinner that had been prepared.
The Wedding
What was your favorite moment(s) from the wedding? Bride: Saying “I DO” to my best friend and dancing my first song.
Groom: Dancing with my wife, and carrying her out to the limo.
How long have you been together? We knew each other for 7 months, we dated for 7 months, engaged for 7 months and were married on April 17, 2016.
How would you describe your overall wedding experience? It was unforgettable! We wanted time to stand still so we could enjoy it longer. For the most part, everyone was fantastic, and it was definitely our night, it was like we were the Prince & Princess for the night!
Any Advice?
What advice would you offer to other couples planning a wedding? Start planning immediately after he pops the question! And ultimately, don’t stress, have fun with it! Most people stress about everything being perfect, but it’s when things don’t go exactly as planned that some of the best moments happen.
What photography-related advice would you offer to a couple? Research a few poses and try to learn where they placed their hands and how they positioned their bodies. That will help posed and unposed pictures have better composition. Also pick only a small handful of pictures you really, really want. If you try and cram too many, you wont get them all. It’s better to have a few amazing pictures, than a ton of okay shots.
The Dress, where did you get it?
Tell me about your dress. Where did you find it, how did you choose it, how did you know it was the one? It was from Adore Bridal Boutique, a fitted style with lace flowers that were hand sewn in. There was no real science behind picking it, instinct just led me to it, and just like I knew my husband was the one, I knew that dress was “the one” the moment I laid eyes on it.
How was your experience taking photos/working with me on your wedding day? You both were very easy to work with. You managed to keep a good eye on the schedule, and managed to get all, the photos that we requested. Most importantly of all, you oriented us into making the pictures amazing. That was the best part of the photo experience, you were very interactive and that helped us get everything else that we wanted done at the wedding.
First Look?
Did you see each other before the wedding? If not, did you like waiting or would you have rather done it differently? Tell me why or why not! Nope. Alex wanted to be surprised, because it adds anticipation, and it did, when Alex saw his future wife Mattie walk down the aisle, he almost nearly fell over.
Mattie wasn’t to concerned about being seen or not, but she preferred to follow tradition. It made it harder to take pictures, but it also made both of us really want to see each other.
How About Wedding Photography?
Any tips on how to prepare for the wedding photos? Start early, prepare the family and all those involved so that they know what pictures will be taken, and when. Make sure they know this before the wedding and not minutes before it’s about to start. Also, make sure they have the props they are going to need! That’s really important. If the photographers give you tips on how to stand and the words they will use to pose you, make sure the bridal party and family know them. It will make things so much smoother.
Any tips that you have about preparing your wedding party for the photos? What did you tell them, how did you get them to cooperate, what did you do or what would you have done differently?
Make sure they know how they will be paired in the bridal party photos. That seemed to be the hardest part, getting the crowds to get in the correct groups. As for what we did to prepare them was simply giving them a typed up timeline of how everything would take place. We didn’t tell them what pictures would be taken, but our photographer did a fantastic job putting the couples together! Its vital that they know which pictures they are needed in, otherwise they will wander off, making the pictures take longer.
Any tips on what to bring? For the girls, back up hair supplies is essential. Also, bring snacks! The bridal party should eat right before the wedding because they will not be eating for a while! A little alcohol doesn’t hurt either, just make sure not to over do it.
Vendor Love
We love to hear about vendors you love. List any vendors here and feel free to share your experience. Be sure to include the name of the vendor, their profession, city/state, site or Facebook page and how your experience was!
Everything was all inclusive, we really everything that Bullock Springs Manor did for us. They practically catered to every single one of our desires. Bullock Springs catered the event, provided all the decorations and cleanup, as well as the alcohol. They were really easy to work with, and they allowed us to include other things we wanted without charging more, making it an amazing experience. Bulloch Springs has a beautiful Bridal Suite ready for the bride and her lovely ladies. It’s time for Alex to get ready to marry his bride. The groomsmen were so much fun, especially the one on the right. You can tell right? Three generation of country. Here we have grandpa, bride and dad strutting their cowboy boots for the wedding. The bouquets were so beautiful. Renee Saar did an amazing job with the “country girl” theme Mattie wanted for her wedding. We’re so glad Alex and Mattie had a few extra minutes before running off to create the shot below. This was actually the first shot and we nailed it.
Check out the video slideshow to see more from Alex and Mattie’s wedding.
A mutual friend set Jeff and Annette up to meet. This person must know them well to think they would hit it off. And did they ever! We first introduced you to them a few months back highlighting their Centennial Olympic Park engagement session. They are such a cute couple and their kids, amazing. Annette has two dapper boys while Jeff has a beautiful and slightly bashful little girl.
These two were so nervous before their wedding ceremony but as soon as they saw each other while Annette was walking down the aisle with her two boys giving her away, the nerves appeared to have drowned away. One deep breath and they were fine as long as they have each other. Once the ceremony concluded we went off to take their portraits on the grounds of theCountry Club of the South and the weather couldn’t have cooperated more for a late afternoon in February.
A local cat came by to check up on things during the session. How adorable and so very friendly.
Bulloch Springs has a beautiful Bridal Suite ready for the bride and her lovely ladies.
It’s time for Alex to get ready to marry his bride.
The groomsmen were so much fun, especially the one on the right. You can tell right?
Three generation of country. Here we have grandpa, bride and dad strutting their cowboy boots for the wedding.
The bouquets were so beautiful. Renee Saar did an amazing job with the “country girl” theme Mattie wanted for her wedding.
We’re so glad Alex and Mattie had a few extra minutes before running off to create the shot below. This was actually the first shot and we nailed it.
