It’s hard to believe I started working with Mark & Jennifer about a year ago. We had a fantastic engagement shoot in Wake Forest, NC. I met back up with Jennifer and her mom a couple of weeks before the wedding to go over the plan of the day’s events. It was well worth it, as we were able to get everything we wanted (except for, perhaps, the super sunny day we had hoped for, but, looking through the photos, I think the umbrellas add a special touch).

I chose this first photo of Mark & Jennifer with the Rolls because, well, it just works nicely to set the pace of the day. There were several frames with this shot, but this was the one, as the wind caught the veil perfectly, and Mark & Jennifer are sharing a great moment. The angle of the photo adds some motion, following the lines of the Rolls, the ribbon on the Rolls and the personalized license plate and the veil.

The girls got ready at Botegga Salon in downtown Raleigh. A very hip salon with lots of “stuff” I was able to use to frame photos of the girls. You can see in the first two photos, there is strong use of angled lines to define space, as well as a good amount of light and shadow. In the 4th photo, the 3rd of the salon series, in color, you can see I shot through something to get a soft effect on Jennifer. I wish I could remember what it was lol. But, the shelving along the bright window is key to keeping this photo bright and allowing it to work.

From Botegga to the Marriott to catch a few of just the guys before heading up to see the girls again. The guys were awesome and we did quite a bit in the lobby of the hotel. Thanks to the bartender for allowing us to take over her space for a bit so Mark could serve up the cocktails.

The hotel room turned out to be surprisingly great for photos of the girls getting ready. Jennifer had a fantastic dress, and we were able to parallel the lines with the curtains in the room. The yellow wall and contemporary lamp and painting were a perfect location for the shoes, and the highly polished table allowed for a very nice reflective shot of the bouquet. In addition, the diffused light coming through the curtain with the yellow wall really brought out the flowers nicely.

The B&W photo of Jennifer getting ready was shot through her veil. If you look back at the dress photo you can see where I would have been standing. The lines again accentuate the movement and the the veil does a great job of softly filtering Jennifer’s mom and bridesmaids, and naturally allowing the viewers eye to focus on Jennifer.

The color photo of Jennifer makes more use of the highly reflective surfaces found in the room. I like the soft nature of it, as well as the curtains in the background, which along with the overexposed white light, help define spaces.

I want to draw attention now to 4 moments I don’t think anyone was aware of. The first is Mark’s parents, sharing a kiss before the ceremony began. This is in the foyer of the church, and looking past everyone coming in, I noticed them against the wall in the back,  expressing what must have been a very peaceful happiness for the day.

The second is Mark & his brother against the back wall of the church. One of my new favorite groom photos, it is just a great moment between brothers. The lighting is perfect and the shadows add so much depth.

The 3rd and 4th are with Jennifer and her dad. The first one was just after he kissed her on the cheek while they’re waiting to enter. I slightly prefer this one because we can see Jennifer’s smile, which says so much. Plus the fact that her hand is on his shoulder and he is holding the bouquet makes for a great moment. The door on the left being part of the frame was intentional, to help draw our eye into this private moment.

The next one, with Jennifer holding her dad’s arm as they’re about to enter, is interesting for several reasons. Primarily, I can’t tell if she is looking at me, or through me. The lighting is fantastic, and her expression is great. By cropping the photo to press into her on the left, we’re pushing her, and adding intensity to the moment. There is a lot going on here, and I still keep going back to it.

After the ceremony, we went with the bridal party and parents to the JC Raulston Arboretum for some group and family photos. Although not a super sunny day, with a bit of misty rain, I think it worked out perfectly. I call on Jennifer and her mom to remember our talk about using the interesting shape of the trees as a backdrop and it turned out to be fantastic. By offsetting the bridal party, we’re able to really bring out the location and still have a great looking group of friends.

Rather than focus on the bridal party and Mark and Jennifer, I think the next two photos really show off how great things happen with not so perfect weather. You always have to remember that interesting things are happening around you, and it’s not always the Bride and Groom. In both of these cases, I looked behind me. The first one, of the parents, was when I was taking photos of Jennifer and her bridesmaids. The parents looking on, holding the umbrella, smiling, it’s perfect! The second one, with everyone, was almost taken as is. Everyone was watching me shoot Mark & Jennifer. Looking back, I saw this great group, set up perfectly. I told them to freeze, brought Mark & Jennifer in, moved a few people in the back slightly so I could see their faces and here is what we have. One of the top 5 photos of the wedding, and possibly will work it’s way into the website.

We work out way into the reception with some great first dance and reception dancing photos. It was a fantastic night at the Cardinal Club. Thanks so much to Jennifer & Mark, and their parents and family for having me part of the wedding. It was fantastic, and I wish you guys all the best. Cheers!

Some vendors of note:

Cake–Sweet Memories Bakery
Hair/Makeup–Bottega
DJ–Jerry Thompson from Joe Bunn DJ
Flowers–Mel Day of Dogwood Tree Floral Designs
Reception Venue–Cardinal Club
Wedding Planners–Rebecca Naderman and Andrea Siracuse