Tory+Adam // Duke Lemur Center Wedding

This is, proudly, the second bridesmaid of our beloved past client Carly that we’ve had the pleasure of photographing! Carly seems to permeate most things we do, and we’re totally okay with that because we love her. Carly’s mom even was accidentally present at a consult we had with Tory and her mom! So everything’s like a small little circle of Carly and we love it. We’re so glad that we were introduced to Tory, who is a kind, hilarious, creative soul who loves lemurs. Her sister-in-law Sara works at the Duke Lemur Center, and they just started recently doing weddings there, so it was a perfect fit! You guys, we learned a lot about lemurs. They live in Madagascar and are the only primates there. There are so many species of lemurs that they’ve all developed distinct traits – from the color of their coat and eyes, to different things they eat, to different ways of behaving in order to all survive together. Plus, did you know John Cleese likes lemurs? He’s a frequent visitor to the Duke Lemur Center (because why not?). Tory and I have a mutual love for Monty Python so this was an extra exciting bonus for her venue choice.

On the morning of the wedding, I hadn’t yet met Adam, and I asked Tory what he was like. She said, “Oh, he’s so friendly. He will make friends with anyone!” and I totally agree. Adam is an absolutely delightful human being. He’s incredibly friendly with a big smile and a great laugh, and everyone had really great, endearing stories to tell about both him and Tory all day. Tory’s brother officiated the wedding, adding several adorable stories of his own (including a lot about Tory’s love for all things chart, graph, and data-related, so when later in the night I found a huge graph detailing her father’s sense of humor I was not surprised to learn she had made it). The reception was held in Tory’s parents’ house, which is an incredible midcentury modern work of art… complete with a lemur Christmas tree. Everything was personalized and perfect.

We did discover on the day of the wedding that Adam is mildly (like 5%) afraid of lemurs. None of us knew this (including Adam) until we directly approached said lemurs. And I have to say, while they’re incredibly adorable, I think something about their intense beady eyed stare and quick movements does make them a tad intimidating (the lemurs, not Tory and Adam). We were lucky enough to have access to part of the center where the lemurs roam free in the forest, and were immediately approached by a lemur named Nacho and his friend. I don’t remember the friend’s name because Nacho just really stuck with me because I really like nachos. Tory’s excitement is evidenced in her face in these pictures, while Adam stands a bit behind her, usually gripping her shoulders, like he might use her as a shield if a lemur got too close. I don’t blame him, as I used a telephoto to photograph them… just in case.

Date: July 14, 2018
Ceremony Venue: Duke Lemur Center // Durham, NC
Reception Venue: Private Residence // Durham, NC
First Dance Song: “Painting by Chagal” – Weepies cover performed by Tory’s Aunt Victoria Clark, cousin Thomas Luke Guest, and accompanied by cousin Kyle Anderson
How You Met: As reluctant attendees of a fundraiser in Boston
Honeymoon: Cycling through Ireland and Scotland
Officiant: Banks Clark (Tory’s brother)
DJ: DJ Jay Mik
Florist: Tory!
Cake: Monuts
Caterer: Durham Catering
Hair/Makeup: Tiffany at Arrow Salon
Coordinator: Nancy Kelly
Ceremony Treat: Locopops

Mary Beth+Brandon // The Cookery Wedding

Mary Beth and Brandon came to us via beloved clients Megan and Carly, so we already knew that we’d like them. Then we liked them more when we found out that they like Twin Peaks, and also cats. Then we liked them even MORE when their first dance was to the Twin Peaks song “Dance of the Dream Man” by Angelo Badalamenti – bonus points for them being totally illuminated by red lights via the Black Lodge, err, I mean, their DJ. Then we liked them EVEN MORE when we got to hang out with them all day at their wedding. They are two of the most thoughtful, kind, gentle people who I want to hug all the time. They had flower crowns and flower necklaces (!) and flower bracelets (!). They planted little popsicle sticks in flower pots for a seating chart. They walked down the aisle together, and planted a tree in a pot for their ceremony, with each of their parents watering it. They treated everyone with kindness and were two of the most gracious wedding hosts. All the vendors were able to sit at a table with the guests and eat (!!) and we were treated so very well. They’re just good people.

The day contained added bonus points for using taking pictures in a neighborhood that contained a friendly neighborhood cat who then, once befriended, we literally could not get rid of. He’s in like, every picture after that unless we cropped him out. He insisted on posing with them and stopped just shy of giving us suggestions and directions and taking over the entire wedding by himself. I know they say that rain on your wedding day is good luck, or pennies in your shoe and stuff, but I’m fairly certain that a cat who’s knowledgeable about photography and inserts himself into every posed picture has to mean SOMETHING, right? I’m guessing it’ll mean like 25 years of the BEST LUCK EVER and then after that just regular good luck. And I hope so, because Mary Beth and Brandon deserve it. So happy to have come across them and to photograph this beautiful wedding at The Cookery’s new space!

Date: June 23, 2018
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Cookery // Durham, NC
First Dance Song: “Dance of the Dream Man” – Angelo Badalamenti
Brandon’s Occupation: Energy Specialist (Mechanical Engineer)
Mary Beth’s Occupation: Speech-Language Pathologist
How You Met: In farm school in Pittsboro, NC in 2008
Interesting Fact: We have crossed paths in many different avenues of life, even prior to officially meeting. Brandon still owes Mary Beth $3 which he borrowed from her at the thrift store in 2008.
Honeymoon: France (Paris, Provence)
Officiant: Michelle Johnson, LCSW
DJ: PlayPlay
Florist: Bluebird Meadows
Cake: Kelley G Cupcakes
Caterer: Snap Pea Catering
Hair/Makeup: Natasha Abe
Coordinator: Events by Emily

Amy+Cullen // Museum of Life and Science Wedding

Amy and Cullen are the bee’s knees. Cute, cute, very cute, and more cute. They are SO fun and SO giggly and basically a photographer’s dream to work with. It poured the morning of their wedding. Like, torrential. And it had been pouring for several days prior. And ground was muddy, yet this would not stop them! Brave and valiant souls, they still wanted to go outside for pictures and had their ceremony in front of the gorgeous butterfly conservatory at the Museum of Life and Science. Thank goodness, too, because that place looks like Jurassic Park and is quite fun to shoot as someone who loves plants, butterflies, and also escaped raptors.

The way these guys found us is kind of fun, as Amy used to do framing. She did the custom framing for this fab family, whom we’ve done photographs for the past several years. They have what I consider to be a bonafide Museum of Carolyn Scott Photography, and I was so glad to meet the gal who did some of their incredible framing! Amy also loves Halloween and was attracted to our bats, much in the same way that we’re attracted to her Nightmare Before Christmas tattoo. It was a match made in heaven. Also, there’s Cullen, who is a wonderfully fun redhead and whom I now possess much reception photo blackmail over, and I’m pretty sure neither one of us would have it any other way. We adored working with this whole crew and were so thrilled the rain held off for this one!

Bonus picture: Geoff feeling incredibly uncomfortable and laughing nervously after a Pittsburgh Steelers-colored butterfly lands on his neck and refuses to leave during the butterfly release ceremony. Occupational hazards of a fluttery nature. ;)

Date: May 19, 2018
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Museum of Life and Science // Durham, NC
First Dance Song: “Past Lives” – Bornes and “There goes our Love Again” – White Lies
Cullen’s Occupation: Account Rep for Nutanix
Amy’s Occupation: Project Manager for 3C Store Fixtures
How You Met: Girl walks in bar, boy works at bar…boy complimented on girl dance moves.
Interesting Fact: Cullen is the rain man of movies and pop culture. There’s is no song that Amy can’t dance to.
Officiant: Lawyer Jonathan Crook (friend)
DJ: Michael Gay of All Around Raleigh DJ
Florist: Fallons Flowers and Libby Baskervill
Cake: Lisa Tedder (Cullen’s Aunt)
Caterer: Porchetta
Hair/Makeup: Rock Paper Scissors