ALTMIX Photography Blog | Atlanta Wedding Photographers

Jul 13

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laura & david are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | 9 Comments

i arrived just in time to shoot laura’s hair and makeup and, THANKFULLY also in time to taste the homemade breakfast pastry she’d created for the morning of her wedding! that’s right, she baked a wonderful pastry treat the morning of her wedding! there’s a lot i could say about laura but i really believe this simple act says it all. she’s loving, giving, graceful and talented- david is one lucky man!

laura grew up dancing and that same gentleness and passion that carried her successfully through her dance career has also led her through life. the friends that surrounded her on her wedding day are sweet and encouraging girls and her choice of husband in david was one of patience and faith. the more i learned about laura and her family the more her bright future as a sweet wife and mother became clear to me. not only does she have the talent, she has the spirit, all of this was so evident to me, even after just one day together.

before the wedding we corresponded via email about everything from the schedule of the day to the feel of her wedding. i couldn’t have been more excited than when i read this in an email from her, just before the wedding, “I’m going for kind of an antiquey feel (Victorianish) with lots of lace, pearls, and silver. I really want everything to have a very soft elegant romantic look.” after that i daydreamed a bit about the best way to shoot romantic photos of her details and whimsical but modern, portraits. matt and i had lots of fun with this on their wedding day! laura, i hope these photos are all you dreamed of!

laura & david decided to see one another before the ceremony to exchange their gifts and disconnect with the details of the day to reconnect with one another and the true meaning of the ceremony. it was the perfect time to create some beautiful portraits as well as capture them together in their excitement and love:

i love this next series!

just before the ceremony laura & david went their separate ways to be covered in prayer by their families and friends. it was an emotional time as they committed laura & david’s relationship to God.

and then it was time for just a few more couple portraits at their reception site, primrose cottage! this cute little shed in the back was the perfect spot for a few fun yet soft and vintage-y portraits:

and of course, there was the red bathtub upstairs! it’s definitely a unique detail that cannot be overlooked by anyone having their reception there- it allows for some really interesting, dramatic portraits. but i’ll leave those for their photocart and leave you with this little teaser! ;)

the reception was set up beautifully, and everyone settled into seats as laura & david went from table to table greeting their guests. there was a lot of laughter and picture snapping and then it was time for toasts and cake!

i love this moment matt found where laura & david stole a quick moment together in the midst of all of their guests- so sweet!

then it was on to the dance floor for the rest of the night! laura, of course, having the time of her life with her new husband doing one of her favorite things, dancing, with everyone who has meant so much to them over the course of their lives. what a perfect end to a perfect day!

when it was time to leave guests were given little white bells to ring- the ringing mixed with cheers as they ran out to their car and they laughed as they realized it had been filled with balloons! with smiles all around they drove off into the night, ready for jamaica and the rest of their lives together!

laura & david, we were so blessed to be part of your fairytale day. everything you worked so hard to plan and create added to a sense of whimsy and romance that was felt by everyone there! we wish you the best and we’re confident that you’ll rock at marriage! cheers!

Jul 07

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jessica & earl are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | 5 Comments

when we first met jessica and earl they warned us that based on earl’s position in the air force there was a chance that they wouldn’t know until the last minute if their wedding could really happen the weekend they were preparing for. nevertheless, jessica forged ahead, planning away and leaning on faith that it would work out. and oh, it did!

the morning of their wedding, jessica met me at the door of her parent’s home with a head full of hot rollers and a huge smile! the sun was shining, the details were finished and she was ready to marry the man of her dreams. after years and years of dating (and a few jokes based on that), it was TIME! we had a lot to catch up on since their engagement shoot and i was so excited to hear that she & earl had already had the chance to set up their new home- in nebraska! jessica talked excitedly about the town they would soon call home- noting as an afterthought that she would definitely miss her coke products- they’re all pepsi out there and there’s no making that switch for someone raised in georgia. bottom line though, she was beyond excited to start her new life with earl!

as the girls finished up getting ready it was finally time for jessica to settle into the makeup stool for the creation of her ‘bridal look.’ she went pretty natural with a little bit of a smoky eye- it’s always so amazing to watch make up stylists at work- it’s such an art! in the end when jessica looked into the mirror her eyes filled with tears- it was perfect!

while the ladies grabbed a light lunch i wandered around outside with THE dress, looking for the perfect spot to shoot it in her dad’s expansive garden. i was in heaven, of course, among all of the beautiful veggies but in the end i really loved the way her dress contrasted with the quaint little greenhouse on the edge of the garden. the light was intense so exposing for the dress brought out the rich blues and greens of the sky and lush gardens. i love the resulting shots so much!

meanwhile, matt and the guys were pretty much just hanging out! relaxing over chick-fil-a and generally goofing off! ;) but really, they were totally ready on time- even with a little time to spare so matt could grab a few amazing outdoor portraits! i love these two shots matt took outside the church:

the real waiting happens at the church- when everyone is dressed, portraits are done, bouquets are back in their water and everyone is just- waiting. it is usually a sweet time of story telling and reminiscing but also a time to really focus on what’s about to happen. as jessica and her ladies did just that, they also kept a running commentary on the guests as they were showing up! it was great to hear how everyone was related and knew one another and there were little bursts of excitement as everyone arrived. what a great way to build up the excitement!

as the time drew near, everyone assembled at their assigned location and waited for the ceremony to begin! since we weren’t allowed in the church, matt and i took extra care to get these shots just before the doors were closed and we were ushered to the balcony. i love all of the expectant expressions:

…and of course we shot between the doors a bit to see what we could get! i am in love with this one of matt’s:

we had only a few minutes to grab a few portraits before the reception so we had to think fast! matt quickly decided to shoot through the window of the ground floor of their reception venue and i think the result is stunning- i especially love the colors!

then it was party time! after a sweet first dance and some mingling jessica and earl headed to the cake cutting and then back to the dance floor for a few emotional toasts. as the sun started setting the view of atlanta was stunning and kids of every age enjoyed the view. UNTIL the dance floor exploded into insanity- lead by none other than the groom himself! some of you may have seen us mention it on twitter- but a light bulb was literally shaken from the ceiling and shattered on the dance floor it was so crazy! after a short respite while someone grabbed a broom it resumed and didn’t even slow down for a second the rest of the night!

when it was time to leave jessica & earl exited to clouds of smoke and sparkle! since they were staying at the hotel next door, they carried a just married sign between them as they ran off to the hotel- stopping only to wave one more time. so lovely!

jessica & earl, thank you guys for including us in such a special day. we were so glad that it worked out perfectly for your desired date and we wish you a lifetime of things that work out just as perfectly! best wishes!

Jun 30

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lindsay & chad are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | 10 Comments

i walked into the lake lure inn just in time to catch the finishing touches lindsay was making to her reception site. the tables were full of pink hydrangeas overflowing white vases that i realized, upon further inspection, lindsay had carefully wrapped in white satin ribbon to create a slight stripe. tea candles clustered around them waiting to cast their warm glow of the sheen of the ribbon. after the last of the hydrangeas found their home snugly in a vase, we made our way through the inn into a sunlit front room for a relaxing bridal luncheon. as the girls nibbled on tea sandwiches, lindsay handed out personalized scrapbooks she’d made for each girl and they laughed and exclaimed over the memories inside.

nourished and relaxed, the ladies piled into cars and headed up the mountain to a cabin to start hair and makeup. the lighting in the cabin made for beautifully dramatic images- these next two were our favorites:

then it was back down the mountain to the ceremony! as lindsay and her ladies arrived there was much excitement over what was about to happen. lindsay and chad had a long engagement and an eight year dating relationship and everyone was ready to see them tie the knot! …no one was more excited than lindsay herself!

the surrounding area was stunning and we were so glad that lindsay & chad carved out some time for couple portraits after the ceremony! the light was soft and the mountains in the distance created such a beautiful backdrop:

the reception was full of dancing and moments of emotion as old friends toasted to and took turns dancing with lindsay & chad.

lindsay and her bridesmaids made the whole day a party- but they really turned it up at the reception! meet the ‘maids:

when it was finally time to leave, the party slowly moved out front to wish them a happy honeymoon and send them off in style:

lindsay & chad, your wedding was so beautiful! all of the personal touches you took the time to plan were so well done- and i know your guests appreciated everything! (based on the empty candy table at the end of the night! :) ) it was great to finally meet you guys and get to know you and your guests, thank you so much for having us be a part of your wedding. hope you guys enjoyed hawaii to the fullest!