we can’t wait to share the rest of our incredible new year’s eve experience with lara & zack and their families so we thought we’d kick things off by sharing a couple images from their awesome rehearsal dinner! in general, i feel like rehearsal dinners can rarely be described as ‘awesome,’ but between surprise entertainment, david sweeney‘s carefully prepared and creative cuisine, a selection of lara & zack-inspired gelato and the heartwarming, tearjerking sentiments of family and friends, this night was fully enjoyed by all!
can’t wait to return with more lara&zack goodness to share!
before matt & i started this biz, i was in school and matt was working at a small ad agency in atlanta. we were engaged and excited and we knew nothing about weddings. we decided to get married in athens, where we met, and we chose our date: august 18th. with a good bit of help we pulled off the wedding and, as much as we know about weddings now, we still say that it was an awesome day of celebration and fun! BUT, it was over 100 degrees. you guys, i kid you not, the weather channel suggested everyone in athens stay inside that day! thankfully, all activities were indoors but looking back, i really wish we’d been able to sneak away with our photographer and explore our favorite little city on a beautifully sunny, 60 degree day like stephanie & patrick!
when we arrived in athens, we could not even believe that their december wedding was so balmy! the same time last year we were all preparing for a white christmas! needless to say, we took full advantage of some of our favorite nooks and crannies in athens and spent a relaxed half hour with stephanie & patrick, soaking up the most beautiful day in a city we all love. i was reminded of so many afternoons matt & i spent getting to know one another, walking the very same streets, lingering at some of the very same spots where we stopped to capture stephanie & patrick. we felt so blessed to return and capture the love of two people we like so much. stephanie & patrick are warm- their love radiates from their expressions, their movements and their care for others. i’m pretty sure that had their wedding dawned icy and overcast i would still look back on their day and see warmth and light- they are just that full of life and love! and so was their whole bridal party! the makings of one awesome day, for sure!
after a sweet few moments of disbelief at seeing one another in their wedding clothes and re-absorbing what the day would bring, stephanie & patrick exchanged gifts. patrick surprised steph with a pair of stunning diamond earrings while she surprised him with a seriously awesome watch. stephanie didn’t miss a beat- as soon as she could she removed the earrings she had purchased to wear on her wedding day with patrick’s gift- so sweet:
pops of red are perfect for a winter wedding- the trees are bare and the grasses are golden- and the red stands out so boldly and cheerfully. i love it:
has there ever been a happier bride!?
i love this next series- especially the detail of the blue strip of sky- matt’s just the best. :) i also like how stephanie & patrick leaned in for a kiss and managed to not fall off the skinny little cement barrier that divided the parking lot and the ‘flower bed,’ they’ve got skills!
we couldn’t help but embrace the beautiful sunlight- everything around us was dramatically lit and we had to reign in our inclination to stop every three feet or so to capture it- so, we stopped every 6 feet or so instead. ;) stephanie & patrick were so trusting and excited and even encouraging of us as we tried a couple of spots that seemed a little crazy! this couple rocks.
and so does their bridal party! [many of whom you’ve probably seen dancing on this blog before- it was a fun reunion for us!!]
stephanie and her close friends and family shared some sweet moments of encouragement and prayer before the ceremony:
and then it was time! patrick’s expressions are the best:
stephanie & patrick hosted a receiving line on the way out of the church to thank all of their guests for sharing the day with them and then it was on to the reception!!
i love this next image of stephanie & patrick’s parents as they watched their first dance:
patrick and his dad- in case you were wondering where patrick gets his endless energy and dancing skills! :)
stephanie & patrick, we hope you guys had a very merry christmas as a new family! thank you so much for having us at your wedding to capture your love and celebration. we wish you the very best!
matt & i just returned home from our annual tour of the southeast christmas adventure to a 49 degree house littered with wrapping paper remnants and tiny pieces of tape and ribbon. it’s good to be home! we’ve been excited to jump back into work so that we can share kristen & ben’s awesome engagement images with you. emails will just have to wait a teensy bit longer. ;) kristen & ben’s shoot fell on a beautifully sunny winter day that felt much more like summer than december ever should- but it was perfect for the shoot! we wandered around the neighborhood a bit, taking advantage of this beautiful landmark red trestle that matt has been wanting to shoot for so long now! next, we ventured into a natural field area just as the sun fell low enough to light up the dried grasses in the most magical way. we really could not believe how beautiful our surroundings were and kristen & ben were so wonderful to capture- always talking to one another and grinning with outbursts of laughter- a recipe for a wonderful relationship (and fantastic images!). we feel really lucky to have captured their relationship and spent such a wonderful afternoon getting to know them even better!
my favorite, so much love and comfort:
kristen & ben, thank you guys for sharing such a sweet time in your relationship with us. we can’t wait for the wedding!
