It’s always risky when you don’t meet clients prior to booking them. We really like to like our clients and we really want people we get along with and who have the same ideas and visions that we do. But sometimes our clients live in different states or Skyping doesn’t work out due to scheduling and we end up booking them anyway. Lindsey and Mark asked for a lot of referrals and I gave them the names of a bunch of past clients and we talked at length about their wedding, pretty much unaware of the ton of other things we have in common, and a ton of other reasons why Geoff and I would end up loving them so much. The first time we got a glimpse into their awesomeness was their idea for their engagement session, and the phone consult leading up to the session where Mark and I ended up taking about television shows for way too long. After I got off the phone Geoff looked at his watch and said, “So I guess they’re pretty cool then.” Yep.

Their engagement session was awesome and freezing and their wedding was awesome and 112 degrees. I asked Lindsey the night before if she wanted to take pictures inside the barn. She said no. I asked, “Now – are you going to grin and bear it or complain a lot but I shouldn’t take it personally?” She said, “Oh I’ll complain a lot, but don’t take it personally.” They didn’t complain at all. At one point she did say that she felt like she was going to pass out (so we went in, obviously), but they put up with the heat and a potential snake in the barn all while carrying a heavy lace dress and wearing heels. And not once did they make fun of us for being completely soaked. I’m not really sure why we don’t bring kiddie pools with us to weddings because we end up looking like we were in a pool anyway… only we weren’t and it’s freaking hot here.

Anyway – their wedding had adorable details, one of the most talented florists we’ve had the pleasure of working with, a Tom Petty first dance, and tons of help from family and friends for the food, cake, music, and everything. I love weddings like this.

First Dance Song: ”We Were Built to Last” – Tom Petty

Lindsey’s Occupation: Assistant Front Office Manager

Mark’s Occupation: English Teacher

How You Met: First in our high school English class, but we never really hit it off. Then again in college after a mutual friend invited us both to the same get together.

Interesting Fact About Lindsey: Lindsey has the most eclectic music taste of anybody. Ever. Thanks Dad for a childhood filled with everything from Dusty Springfield to Alice in Chains.

Interesting Fact About Mark: Mark is a high school teacher by day, and a musician by night. He is in a rock/rap trio called T Minus 9.

Honeymoon Destination: It’s a surprise! Details are being completely withheld from both the bride and the groom.

Date: June 30,2012

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Fair Barn // Pinehurst, NC

Florist: Aldena Frye Design

Officiant: Rev. Darlene Liedig

Other: Lindsey says… “This wedding was DIY in quite a few ways. We could not have pulled it off without the help of many friends. Special thanks to our Best Man – Brent, Bridesmaid – Cassandra, and Family Friend Jack  for providing their talents and time!”

kelsey and adam’s wedding date finally came! you may remember the adorable couple from their engagement shoot with their daughter, emma grace. kelsey and i have been facebook chatting it up over the last couple of months and we were so excited for our weddings which are falling a few days apart (mine is coming up in a few days!). i love the bond that you can build with clients and that lovely point where clients become friends. :) kelsey and adam are definitely that – my friends as well as a beautiful couple who has a wonderful group of family and friends. they thankfully had a warm, dry, sunny day on october 9th when they were married in pinehurst, nc. enjoy!

bride getting ready with white flats wedding jewelry bridesmaids

had to get a shot of the mother/daughter wedding dresses. :) emma grace’s tiny dress was just too cute! we hung it in the same place as mom’s as a surprise… we thought kelsey would enjoy the side-by-side pics. :)

mother and daughter wedding dresses bride getting ready with perfume bridal veil

first look pictures are becoming very popular for several reasons: 1.) you get ALL of the nervous jitters out of the way so you’re both relaxed for the ceremony 2.) extra time for pictures! 3.) your better half actually gets to tell you what they think about what you’re wearing instead of smiling at you in silence then turning to do the ceremony 4.) you get to express your love for each other in a very genuine way before the ceremony and all-day ruckus begins 5.) they make ADORABLE pictures!

i highly recommend going with the first look pictures. we’re doing it for our wedding because we don’t want a cocktail hour, and i’d love to get pictures beforehand for time, so geoff and i can talk about the dress, and so i can concentrate on actually walking down the aisle (which is stairs!) instead of trying to see what geoff’s expression is. :) if you don’t trust me about first look pictures yet, just look at how adorable kelsey and adam’s are! he was sooo nervous to see her, which made it even more adorable.

first look

he has such a sweet expression on his face. :) such a lovely set of pictures!

first look first look pictures

then we got all of THIS out of the way before the ceremony! it was an easy, low-stress day. love it. the bridesmaids wore sangria colored dresses with the groomsmen in matching ties.

bridal party in sangria bridesmaids in sangria dresses groomsmen with sunglasses

kelsey’s bro walked her down the aisle and into the sunny ceremony. it was bright! it made the pictures look very fall-esque though and i’m digging them. :)

southern pines wedding ceremony

southern wines wedding photographer

southern pines wedding ceremony

two-sided first kiss! thanks to geoff for getting the one on the left. :)

first kiss

i’m in love with this ring shot. i’m in love with her ring!

claddagh wedding ring

wedding portraits

raleigh wedding photographer

southern pines wedding photographer

southern pines bride

southern pines wedding

autumn wedding north carolina

emma grace making her tiny debut for the second time on the CSP blog. :)

baby wedding dress

autumn wedding

they had an intimate reception back at kelsey’s mom’s house which was very relaxed and fun. a nice break for my back and feet from a crowded dance floor! sometimes it’s good to switch things up a bit. :)

north carolina wedding photographer blog

wedding dog

outdoor wedding reception

outdoor wedding reception

thank you, kelsey and adam, for entrusting me with your pictures, which i know are very important to you. you have been amazing to work with all this time and i look forward to seeing you in raleigh soon! :) congratulations!!