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Saturday was a good day.  I was so lucky to be a part of Jessica + Jon’s wedding, and be a part of all the love, happiness and laughter that surrounded them – it really was wonderful to be a part of all of that.  While the day started cloudy and rainy, by the time the ceremony ended the sky turned beautiful blue, it couldn’t have been better if we had ordered it ourselves.

This was a note from Jon for Jess…she did manage to get through it without crying – she was very proud of herself!

One last hug from mom…

Jess was really nervous right before the ceremony and I thought this was so striking…

I just love Jon’s face when he first sees Jess…



And a really beautiful casual portrait of the very happy new couple!

I’ve had just amazing first dance and father/daughter dances this year…here’s another absolutely beautiful moment between Jess and her dad…

During the dance, Jon’s grandma came out as well…it was really nice…

Jess + Jon – not the first dance, but a dedicated dance from her dad…

So on to the party – and let’s just say that Jon has a very “unique” way of dancing – they call it “doing the Cagle”

Now we are going old school, to Ice Ice Baby and Vanilla Ice – true rapping and it was AWESOME!

Cute shoes, dancing – I’ll find them

Some really nice details, Jess’ mom made the bouquets and she did a really beautiful job!

So I saved this for last…all year long my cake cuttings have been very good and nice.  No one has done anything really extreme really – a little bit of quirky but no smashing or anything (and really, can you blame them – you don’t want to mess up anyone’s face).  And even Jess + Jon had a very “normal” cake cutting and they did a good job feeding each other and then it all went very awry and Jess got cake & icing all down her arm.  I’ve got a series of probably 15-20 images that I would have loved to have posted, I just love them.  But this one, well it takes the cake

Jess + Jon…thank you…words can not thank you enough.  I wish you so much happiness & love.  I know we’ll see each other again so I know I don’t really need to say goodbye….

On Sunday morning, I woke up early and had a quick breakfast with my fantastic family at Elmo’s (which is ironic as that was where I last met with Heidi & Evan).  Then I finished getting ready and began my drive out to Greenville to the beautiful Yankee Hall Plantation which would be location for Heidi & Evan’s gorgeous wedding.  Yankee Hall is absolutely amazing, it’s this beautiful old home with incredible character with all these amazing nooks & crannies and amazing places for photography.  And the weather was fantastic on Sunday, albeit, a smidge chilly with a pretty brisk wind.  Heidi had gorgeous red shoes, amazing friends & family surrounding her to celebrate her day, it was everything she had hoped for.

Heidi & Evan, I hope you guys have the most amazingly happy future together.  I really want nothing but happiness for you both.  I hope your honeymoon is amazing and if you see this before you get back, please have an extra bowl of chowder for me!

On Saturday evening I had the wonderful pleasure of being a part of Jennifer & Brooks’ amazing wedding.  It started off at a beautiful Baptist church in Cary and then continued to The State Club on NC State’s campus for the reception.  Everything was absolutely gorgeous and Jennifer’s chapel length veil, pink Kate Spade shoes and absolutely wonderful bridesmaids made for a truly beautiful day.

Jennifer & Brooks, thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your amazing day!  I wish you so much happiness as you start this next part of your lives together.  I know you both will be happy as long as you are together.  I hope you are enjoying your amazing honeymoon!!

Last Thursday I met Shannon at Duke Gardens for her bridal session.  Her wedding is this December and I’m really looking forward to it.  I absolutely loved Shannon’s dress, it was absolutely gorgeous and she looked fantastic in it!

Yesterday I met Emily at Duke Gardens for her bridal session.  And while I’m not photographing Emily’s wedding this weekend (I was already booked) – I know she’s going to have an AMAZING wedding and I’m so incredibly happy for her.  I just love it when everything connects…

Probably my absolute favorite shot I’ve taken to date this year…

Emily – I hope you have an amazing wedding this weekend and I wish absolutely nothing but the absolute best for you….I can only hope our paths cross again in the near future!!

On Friday evening, I had the incredible pleasure of being a part of Jessica & Jay’s wedding at the Hinnant Family Vineyard in Pine Level.  I was very excited about this wedding as Jessica’s bridal session was so incredibly beautiful earlier this year.  Unfortunately I drove through a fair amount of rain on the way and the entire time I kept telling myself it would not rain for their wedding as there was no way the rain was going to damper this incredible affair.

Fortunately, by the time I arrived in Pine Level it was very overcast but there was no rain the ground was dry.  It drizzled on and off but the rain stayed away and we had a gorgeous outdoor ceremony overlooking the vineyard.  During the ceremony we even had a decent amount of thunder, I was hoping for lightening in the distance as that would have made for amazing photos, but no luck for me!

We begin with Jessica’s absolutely beautiful dress which truly complimented her beautiful porcelain skin and red hair…

Love this…

The beautiful vineyard…

The first dance…I love the way Jessica is looking at Jay…

And Jessica dancing with her dad…so incredibly sweet…

Into the barrel room for a fun portrait of my very happy couple…

LOVE LOVE LOVE this dance shot! (I’m pretty sure it was during “Shout”)

Glow sticks = FUN!

Jessica & Jay went with a glow stick exit…it rocked!

The details were so incredibly beautiful….

Jessica & Jay…thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of such an incredibly beautiful day, allowing me into your lives – and making me laugh so hard I couldn’t even shoot…I haven’t laughed that hard all year…you guys are the best!  I wish you nothing but the happiest life!

Tomorrow is the very last day for the bridal show promotion I was running from the August show…THANKS!

On Sunday afternoon I had a great time with Whitney and Aaron, one of my 2009 couples.  We spent a bunch of time together at Pullen Park as it’s one of their favorite places and I enjoyed the opportunity to do some new things I haven’t done in a while.  Whitney and I chatted a while before their session and I told her a few ideas I had so it was fun when everything comes together.

We started on the carousel which was fun (but it’s seriously the longest carousel I’ve ever been on in my life)!

Then we walked around the lake…

Whitney has these amazing eyes that just see right through you…

I love this next shot.  And I realize some people may not get it but for me, it was all about trying something new and stepping out of my comfort zone.  For those not familiar with Pullen Park, the carousel has wire mesh wrapped around the entire outside of it (presumably a safety thing) so I was standing on the outside and I was shooting with an 85mm lens which fortunately if I had it _just_ right would fit perfectly without getting any of the mesh in the frame. 

On Saturday night I was so fortunate to be a part of Eliza & Josh’s incredible wedding.  Their wedding was the culmination of a very long relationship and it truly was a gorgeous evening.  The weather was perfect, the lights twinkled, everyone looked absolutely radiant.  One of Eliza’s bridesmaids remarked that Eliza could have shaved her head and she still would have looked amazing and I couldn’t have agreed more.

Of course we start with such very pretty shoes atop a very pretty sofa.

Then we see one stunning Vera Wang gown.

And Eliza…

Love this moment between one of Eliza’s bridesmaids and her little girl…

I don’t normally post my group shots but I just love this next set..the ladies rocked it!

And the guys…

One final moment between Eliza and her dad…a traditional shot of Petron…

The ceremony was so beautiful…

We were in the middle of all the formals when I grabbed this shot, I just love it…

These next two images I’m so in love with.  I actually have an entire series similar to this….

Ahh, the first dance, I absolutely love every single first dance from every wedding I’ve ever shot.  I love the images I get out of first dances…

And Eliza with her dad…

This dance shot is one of my all time favorites…

And last but not least, the details…

Eliza & Josh…thank you so much for allowing me in to your lives and allowing me to be a part of this incredible day.  I wish you so much happiness and love…and hope our paths cross again soon!