when matt & i started dating it was his last semester of college and only my second. he moved to asheville while i was still in athens and it was NOT an easy transition for either of us! so when i think of stacey in mississippi and zach in florida my heart goes out! we talked about it a little while we were shooting and laughed at how good we all got at talking on the phone while apart! we were so glad they found a little window of time to meet up in atlanta for their engagement pics and also happy to be a little part of the reason for the reunion. we shot much earlier in the day than we usually do so we were utilizing some light we aren’t as used to- it was a nice challenge! for stacey & zach- i guess living so far apart makes you really appreciate the time you have together because these two were truly a joy to shoot! not only are they an adorable couple- their interactions are so sweet and perfect for photographing! …but i guess i’ll let you be the judge of that ;)
stacey & zach, you guys did such an awesome job staring into the sun and trying to relax and look natural at the same time. ;) anyone who can do that totally rocks in our book! we are excited to be your photographers and we cannot wait for the wedding! until then, enjoy those phone dates knowing the end is in sight! ;)
if i had to choose one word to describe noel & michael it would be ‘genuine.’ they are both so open and sincere about everything- their love for one another, their faith, their dreams- spending the day with them was a treat! noel is truly one of a kind- so interested in everyone around her and naturally encouraging and helpful as she carries on conversations. i was trying to describe her to matt later but i really couldn’t come up with the right combination of words- noel is just passionate about everything, especially the passions of whoever she’s speaking with! it’s almost like it makes her happiest to see others happy but yet, it’s more than that, remember what i said about not being able to find words? this babbling paragraph proves that i guess. ;) we spent the morning chatting about marriage, new homes, the importance of faith and eyelashes, separately. i wanted to include these next images just as a little tribute to noel’s love of lashes- i think she ended up curling hers at three different times throughout the day!
noel & michael decided to see each other before the ceremony so we would have time for a variety of portraits. not to be redundant, but you know how much we love it when couples make their own portraits a priority! noel had chosen the perfect place for them to privately meet and it was such a sweet moment! before noel got there michael asked matt all the questions he could think of to make sure this moment was exactly as perfect as it could be for noel. these two are just so darn perfect for each other! ;)
the rain clouds were threatening so we dashed outside to grab a few images before it hit! when it did start, the rain was light and we were able to stretch our time outside just a little bit without getting too wet!
when we were finally forced back inside we didn’t complain! this awesome room was awaiting us and we couldn’t have been happier with the light. noel & michael were up for some classic indoor shots as well and they worked it like they do this every day!
then it was time to split back up and rest a bit before the ceremony. the ladies munched on chickfila (another reason i love noel- she works for chickfila corporate, one of my favorite companies ever!) while they touched up one another’s makeup and greeted the guests who came to peek in on the bride before the ceremony. i love this next shot of the minister with his stunning daughter, she looks like a porcelain doll!
it was finally time for noel and her mom to make their way down the aisle and they both got a little emotional! their matching huge grins and their matching watery eyes did not leave michael’s face as they walked down to meet him. it was so clear how thrilled noel’s mom was to have michael as part of her family!
then it was time for the reception! noel & michael were introduced as husband and wife and entered down the same staircase they used for their first meeting on their wedding day- such a perfect way to come full circle!
matt did some exploring and found a awesome empty theatre in the same building as their reception. we mentioned it to noel and she was all about taking some portraits there! they missed just one song as we worked quickly to grab a few dramatic images. noel & michael- you guys are the BEST!
then it was time for the bouquet and garter toss- i love this next pairing as michael and noel goofed off during the garter removal and noel’s mom and sister reacted to their silliness:
michael surprised noel by hiring a limo for their exit- she knew there was a surprise but didn’t want to know what so she covered her ears until michael was finished working out the details with one of his groomsmen- i think this series is so cute!
noel & michael, LOVE you guys! thank you so so much for choosing us to capture your wedding day; it was a joy! we wish you both the very best in your new life together; knowing you two a little bit better now, no doubt you’ll have a blast!
there are so many reasons we are excited to be working with brandi & thomas- starting with: they are beyond awesome. i met brandi at UGA when she moved in with some of my friends into the apartment just below ours. every day when i’d walk out to class, brandi would grin ear to ear and say hello in the sweetest southern drawl you’ve ever heard! you can’t help but smile around her- her optimism is contagious and her faith is inspiring. thomas is about the luckiest guys alive to be spending the rest of his life with such a bright light!
we met them for coffee to chat about their wedding and we were excited to find that our styles are very similar- they are getting married at one of our favorite venues, king plow, and they wanted a similar feel for their engagement pics. we decided on a park with some ruins in athens but when that option was removed last minute by construction, brandi & thomas trusted us with our alternative location- i am so glad they did! we were happy to be in athens, happy to be shooting with the warm sun and most of all happy because we were working with brandi & thomas. they made the shoot so comfortable and natural and i’ve been on the edge of my seat, excited, to get these images up to share since the second we left athens! seriously, one of my favorite shoots ever:
brandi & thomas, cannot even wait for your wedding! you guys are perfect together- watching you interact while we were shooting was such a blessing- no doubt you have a beautiful future! :)
