jennifer had no idea when she said it in her email but when i read her words ‘something unique and not typical’ i knew their engagement shoot was in for a little flavor. they suggested we meet up at their home to shoot them doing what they are most comfortable doing- being together, being in love and relaxing- we were excited to try something new! there is something so intimate about shooting a couple in their home- as they went about their normal activities, making espresso and sipping it together at their kitchen table, cooking, relaxing on the love seat- all of it was like watching a movie! we chatted about film noir for a while and matt and i couldn’t get over how much these images lend themselves to an earlier time. that being said, we’ve decided to present their images the way we want them to be experienced- in black and white. you just never know what you’re going to get when you set yourself up to an a-typical shoot- but after talking with jennifer and morgan about their vision, we agreed this was exactly the right way to go!
jennifer & morgan, you guys worked it! i think i remember something you mentioned about being uncomfortable in front of a camera? what was THAT!? you guys did such an awesome job and we are thrilled you were up for a little something different. we’re excited to be part of your wedding!
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!
so this was take two at the park where we were supposed to shoot carolyn & trae before the rain started. we were still so excited about the location that we suggested it to jennifer & rob and they were totally up for checking it out- because they are awesome! after quite a fight with atlanta traffic we all were in the same place ready to get started. and get started we did! since we were racing the sun we didn’t give them quite as much time as we usually do to get comfortable but they were ready for it! their natural comfort with one another made their shoot just flow easily from one location to the next. i know i’ve mentioned it before but we really are so lucky to have such amazing couples like jennifer & rob! couples who know what they want, understand our style, and make things happen!
the sun made it’s first appearance in a while and we were happy to take full advantage of it!
it made me really happy when jennifer mentioned that she really loved close-up shots; so do i! they had no problem at all with us getting a little bit close to their faces to make sure we nailed our closeups- love them for that!
these next two combination shots are simply my shot and matt’s shot of the same moment- it’s fun to look at images this way! also- gives a pretty good excuse for hiring two photogs, no!?
it got dark really fast once the sun set so we were able to grab a few with the moon- a first for us! this was my fave:
jennifer & rob, you guys did an amazing job jumping straight into your shoot! i know this means awesome things for your wedding day; we’re excited! :)
