Erika+Emmanuel+Felix // Raleigh Family Session

Team Emmerika has been gracing our blog for quite a while and we are ever thankful for them being clients but also our friends. And now, in addition to their fur family, they have added a little boy named Felix, who we couldn’t be more excited for. He doesn’t quite know it yet, but he has the BEST parents. And by the best parents, I mean THE BEST. Geoff was out of town for work one weekend and they came over to our house with bags of food and made me dinner, dessert, and left me snacks (they’re aware of the fact that I’m helpless at cooking and came to rescue me). They are so sweet and thoughtful but also make the best food imaginable and I’m convinced they could take over the Raleigh culinary circuit if they tried. Erika, in addition, regularly makes the best cupcakes for every conceivable occasion and to this day makes the best gluten free cupcakes I’ve ever tasted.

Generous doesn’t really even begin to describe them, but it’s a start. They’re also loyal and caring and constantly positive, and both of them have the most adorable smiles of all time. We love them. They are so cute. So Felix, you don’t know this yet, but you lucked out big time. Your parents are going to kick ass. They are going to teach you all about comic books and good movies and pop culture and you’re going to eat the best food and they’re going to be so fun and we are SO EXCITED FOR YOU. Also, you have a great extended family and friend group (Grandma Helen and Aunt Kacie pictured here!) and an adorable group of furry siblings. You’re going to have the best life, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for you, but we are 100% sure it’s all good.

Annie+Kunal+Aashna // A Durham Family Session

GUYS remember Annie+Kunal’s engagement session from way back in 2014? We went to Bean Trader’s and then to downtown Durham where Annie and Kunal would frequent. Then they got married and left us for Albuquerque where, apparently, Kunal grew his hair down to his lower back and we are SO UPSET THAT WE DIDN’T GET A CHANCE TO SEE THIS. In addition to growing his hair and Annie doing doctory things, Annie and Kunal also had their first child, sweet Aashna, who is a bundle of energy and almost-two-year-old joy. She enjoys sunglasses and foiling all of her parents’ plans by already being able to spell some food items that they try to discuss in secret. Recently Annie, Kunal, and Aashna all moved back to the Triangle area (YAY!) and are now expecting their second baby due this winter! So for this our-family-right-now/kinda-maternity session, we visited their old haunts from their engagement session, now complete with an Aashna. Also complete with the BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES EVER (that Annie handmade!!!) and I swear if Kunal doesn’t answer the door to their newborn session dressed as a rocket I will be so, so deeply disappointed. Love working with this family as always, and so excited to meet their new little one soon!

Christina+David // Chapel Hill Wedding

October is our favorite time of year, and we were so happy to spend it with some super awesome people on a gorgeous day in Chapel Hill. Plus, wedding food is very important, and weddings that contain GF garlic cream bacon pizza AND bourbon coffee ice cream are at the top of my list. But as if it couldn’t get any better, this wedding venue also had a very cute goat, as well as a barn cat that I befriended and took a selfie with. Boom! A good work day indeed. Christina and David were so excited and made the best of every moment. They also have a great group of extremely supportive friends who all pulled together to make this day happen smoothly. It had basically monsooned the day before (which is better than the day of), and their friends laid down hay in the tent and did a ton of work to make this wedding as dry and comfortable as possible, so mad props to the wedding party and friends for their hard work at the venue! The weather was a little chilly, but everyone was comfortable in their heated tent and around their bonfire in the yard. Cafe lights added a bit of a magical touch, and it was a perfect fall wedding. We were happy to be there and spend the day with these two lovely individuals.


Date: October 27, 2018
Ceremony + Reception Venue: The Eco-Institute at Pickards Mountain // Chapel Hill, NC
First Dance Song: “ILYSB” – LANY
David’s Occupation: PhD Candidate
Christina’s Occupation: Health Research Analyst
How You Met: We met in Chapel Hill right before graduating from college (the first time around)
Interesting Fact: We spent two years being long-distance-engaged as Christina worked on her Masters in Public Health and David started his PhD program.
Honeymoon: Australia, New Zealand, & Peru.
Officiant: Blair Ganson
DJ: DJ Harlem
Florist: Pine State Flowers
Ice Cream: Two Roosters
Caterer: Napoli Pizza
Hair: Moshi Moshi
Makeup: Ceremony Salon
Videographer: James Ryan Films