winter wedding - ALTMIX Photography

Jan 06

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stephanie & patrick are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | One Comment

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!

Jan 11

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katie & blain are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | One Comment

after a whirlwind holiday season full of fun and little pockets of relaxation, we were energized and ready to start 2010 with katie & blain’s wedding! the air was ice cold and bright blue when we pulled into washington, georgia the morning of january 2nd. matt and i arrived with just enough time to grab breakfast together before we got started. it was a peaceful way to start the year, sitting across from one another, sipping coffee, eating biscuits and soaking in the fact that we pretty much have the best job ever. ;) when i arrived at the historic fitzpatrick hotel in downtown washington i was immediately excited by the beauty of the building and even more surprised when i ventured inside! everything was so beautifully and creatively restored and the backdrop it provided for our images was just stunning. katie had definitely thought that through- well, katie is one of those people who has thought everything through! she’s super organized, creative and inspired but also quite peaceful. her wedding day started in a beautiful place surrounded by her closest friends and family- what a way to kick off the year!

katie made sure we had plenty of time for portraits of all kinds! we enjoyed the room where she got ready so much that we started there. it was beyond freezing outside but katie & blain were prepared and we finished up couple portraits with chattering teeth beneath our grins. SO WORTH IT! three thumbs up for katie & blain sticking it out!

with plenty of time to thaw out before the ceremony; everyone was warm with excitement when it came time to walk down the aisle!

it’s always so sweet to watch couples take a moment to absorb what just happened once they walk back down the aisle. it always makes for some of our favorite images!

onto the reception! katie & her friends and family had done an amazing job with the catering and decor and it was finally time to enjoy it all and celebrate!

katie & blain, thank you so so much for asking us to be a part of such a celebration! you guys are an adorable couple and we were so happy capturing it despite the temperature- way to push through it! we wish you guys the very best!

Jan 19

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stasia & andrew are married!

By Kate Altmix | Weddings | 14 Comments

last weekend matt and i had the pleasure of hanging out with an amazing couple- stasia & andrew! it was our first wedding of 2009 and we showed up more than ready to get back into creating images! when i arrived at stasia’s house to start shooting, the day was already in full swing- no groggy morning coffee drinkers here! LOTS of energy was flowing as the ladies poured over fashion mags looking for hairstyle ideas- exclaiming as they found ones they loved for themselves and pointing out perfect style ideas for other bridesmaids. everyone seemed constantly on the edge of being overtaken by excitement and sudden outbursts of song, laughter, and dance were abundant. what an amazing environment for stasia as she entered one of the most exciting days of her life! i found myself laughing along with the girls as they recounted their favorite stories of stasia and andrew and shared contagious smiles that were so intense they became slight grimaces, haha! there was no slowing down the momentum of this day and it continued on like this until the reception ended! but now that i’ve talked forever about the amazing ladies let’s get started with a picture of the gentlemen of the day:

and a few of the lovely ladies trying to walk while talking and laughing and huddling close for warmth!

so as i mentioned in my last post, stasia was wonderful enough to make some time for a few casual bridal portraits. i love the timeless beauty in these shots- stasia’s expressions and natural poses were just so elegant:

just as we were finishing up these images, matt was starting to shoot the beginning of the ceremony! our friend from college, barrett, plays beautifully and i love how this images seems to capture his love for music:

just before it was time to line up, all of the ladies gathered around and prayed over stasia and the new life she was about to start. it was a very sweet and emotional time- everyone was grateful for their waterproof mascara!

and they did it! i love the excitement in this shot, stasia is such an animated person!

after the ceremony the tears were not quite over. here, stasia comforts her mother as her joyful tears catch stasia off guard, what a sweet moment:

stasia and andrew had built in time for couple portraits after the ceremony before the reception but the rain clouds had caused night to fall about 30 minutes before we expected sunset! so instead of exploring outdoors we took a few shots in the sanctuary and then, with the help of a few lovely bridesmaids, we grabbed a few nighttime portraits before they jumped in their car to head to the reception. i love the creativity unforeseen circumstances can bring. these actually ended up being some of my favorite portraits we’ve made in a while!

when we showed up to the reception, cocktail hour was in full swing and we could already tell that this was going to be a serious party! their amazing (and beautiful and talented and organized) wedding planner, snuck us into the reception to set up our lights and the guests poured in shortly thereafter. the cheers as andrew and stasia were announced were deafening and after that everyone crowded the dance floor for the rest of the evening. like i said earlier, there was NEVER a dull moment the whole day!

andrew & stasia, being part of your wedding day was such a blessing. your love and energy and excitement for life and for one another makes you such a perfect couple. no doubt you two will never be burdened with taking life too seriously and you’ll dwell on the best that life has to offer. best wishes to you both and thank you so much for including us!