Caitlyn+Joe: Engaged in the Outer Banks

Caitlyn and Joe are like the Carolyn Scott Photography unofficial fan club presidents. The best part about having fan club presidents is that sometimes they take you to the beach with them and let you stay in their beach house and feed you milkshakes from a grumpy man in the Outer Banks when you take their engagement pictures! The other best part about having fan club presidents is the psychic connections that you can develop with them… like when we played Catch Phrase and Joe said, “I have no idea who this is. She’s an older lady,” and I said, “MERYL STREEP!” and he was like, “YES!” and we won. See? It’s like that with us and Caitlyn and Joe.

Initially we were like, “What’s it going to be like staying at a beach house with these people that we kind of know but don’t really know?” and I was terrified that we’d offend them in some sort of way. And we quickly realized that while we had opposing views on music and firearms, that we all equally loved House of Cards and 24 (except Joe who needs desperately to catch up on all episodes of 24 like right now). I was still worried that we offended them in some sort of way about the music and/or firearms until their friends showed up with Cards Against Humanity and all bets were off. I realized that not only did we not offend them, but you kind of can’t offend them, so that was good. We played games for the rest of the trip, saw lots of dolphins, Carolyn got stung by a jellyfish and the friends told Geoff to pee on it (he didn’t), we caught up on some much needed sleep, and we read a lot (they still read!! like us!!). We like them a lot.

They live in Virginia but are originally from Connecticut and were best friends throughout high school and beyond and eventually became more than friends and eventually got engaged and eventually e-mailed us to ask us to photograph their wedding in Connecticut next year and we were like SURE! and then they eventually e-mailed us back to ask if they could have their engagement session in Corolla in the Outer Banks with the wild horses and we were like OKAY! and then this happened.

Raleigh Wedding Photographer in the Outer Banks: Lori+Hassan

We weren’t really supposed to shoot this wedding initially, but we were sure glad it happened that way. :)

I did Lori and Hassan’s engagement pictures in January, which, at this point, seems like eternities ago. Her engagement session inquiry email to me stated, “We’re planning a destination wedding and will most likely pick a local photographer there for the big day.” That’s totally cool and happens a lot. So I went about taking engagement pictures for them in downtown Raleigh on the coldest winter morning ever! I remember shaking, I remember Wrigley, their adorable dog, shaking, but them being very good sports. Well, low and behold, they received their engagement pictures back and decided to book Geoff and me for their Outer Banks wedding. We were super excited, thankful, and honored.

Since their engagement, I’ve photographed their dog and Lori’s bridal portraits and feel like I know them quite well. I wasn’t nervous, they weren’t nervous, and the whole wedding was smooth sailing at the Outer Banks. Well, we were slightly nervous the week before when Hurricane Irene hit the coast and flooded their reception venue under 4 feet of water. But the town of Manteo did a fantastic job of cleaning up, and 108 Budleigh looked brand new. :) It was heart wrenching to see the damage done to some of the areas on the drive in (both structure damage and crop damage).  But all in all, Roanoke Island fared quite well… much better than expected… and the houses had little to no outside damage. Thankfully, it was all very beautiful on their wedding weekend and everyone was thankful. Lori and Hassan enjoyed their beautiful Outer Banks wedding and we were so happy to be there with them to celebrate.

Date: September 4th, 2011

Ceremony Venue: St. Andrews by the Sea Episcopal Church // Nags Head, NC

Reception Venue: 108 Budleigh // Manteo, NC

Officiant: Rev. Phillip Glick

Day-of Coordinator: Karen Kelly, Coastal Event Coordinators

Cake: Linda Bradley

DJ: Don Vaquera, Soundwavz Entertainment

Catering: Lisa Ortega, Ortega’z Grill

Florist: Monica Witt

The newspapers from before Irene hit were still in the newspaper display case.

Thanks to Geoff for second-shooter, as usual. ;) He took a bunch of these photos, including the candid on the right that made me laugh when I saw it… Lori’s dad is fixing his suit jacket I’m pretty sure… but it kind of looks like he’s ready to knock Hassan out. ;)

There are no pictures from the wedding ceremony as St. Andrews by the Church does not permit photography except for the bride entering and exiting. Here is our incredibly lovely bride and handsome groom exiting their ceremony. :)

Lori and Hassan requested their newlywed pictures to be at the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo near 108 Budleigh, their wedding reception. It’s an adorable little lighthouse that looks like a cottage stuck out on a pier. Very cute!

I have been waiting to do groomsmen cigar pictures for a long time. Yessss.

The next day Geoff and I hit the beach for a short period and hiked up Jockey’s Ridge (last picture). I love out of town weddings as it kind of feels like I’m on vacation, even though I’m working. :) Barely noticeable is a Toy Story band-aid on Geoff’s hand in the picture below… proof of him being bit by the hotel’s pet Cockatoo in the lobby. It was kind of hilarious except that there was a decent amount of blood. But not so much that a Toy Story band-aid couldn’t fix it. ;)

Thank you, Lori and Hassan, for bringing us out to the coast with you! Thank you, too, to the wonderful, polite, and super nice bridal party and family. You were all so great to work with!