Team ChrisKris Gets Married

Team ChrisKris is back! This time there was no pizza, but there was a wedding instead! There was also lots of talk about Krispy Kreme (the best man has an app on his phone that alerts him whenever the donuts are hot), and lots of smack-talk between Chris and Kristen about who’s better at Call of Duty (I’m not getting involved in this debate). Between the donuts and video game smack-talk, there were also some Lego Movie references (thanks for getting “Everything is Awesome” stuck in my head again, Chris), and the general agreement between everyone present that Daryl is the best character in the Walking Dead. If you can’t already tell, it’s like Chris and Kristen are Geoff and I’s life partners… except in reality they’re each other’s life partners instead of ours, and they live in Charlotte so it’s hard to see them. But in spirit, it’s nice to know that there’s another couple out there spending their evenings reading and/or arguing about video games. We like them!

We also like their families (because everyone was hilarious) and their friends (because everyone was hilarious). When you’re having a smaller, intimate wedding, it helps when your people are nice and funny (and willing to hop over construction barriers without complaining). There was a hot chocolate bar (with Batman cups!) and a lot of books and purple accents and amaaaazing food and a lot of really entertaining dancing (Chris’s dad, we’re talking to you). Everyone was so entertaining and fabulous that, if we can think of a way to just start quietly and slyly showing up at this group’s family functions, we totally will. But for now we’ll have to settle on seeing them when we can and loving them all from afar.

Everything is awesome… everything is cool when you’re part of a team…!

Date: December 13, 2014

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Brakefield at Riverwalk // Rock Hill, South Carolina

First Dance Song: “Living for the Love of You” – Isley Brothers

Kristen’s Occupation: Eternal Student

Chris’s Occupation: IT

How You Met: College

Interesting Bride Fact: Lives in the south, hates grits.

Interesting Groom Fact: Had never seen the Neverending Story before meeting Kristen.

Honeymoon Destination: Minimoon – Asheville. Honeymoon – Hawaii!

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Rebecca Nagy | DJ – DJ Shogun | Florist – April’s Floral Expressions | Cake – Polka Dot Bake Shop | Caterer – Family Catering Services | Hair – Hiliary Wilson of Salon No Mirror Needed | Makeup – Joy of Flawless Makeup Art | Videographer – HoneyDew Films | Coordinator – Ivy Honeycutt of The Silk Veil Events

Courtney+Kyle+Patti+Roy // At home.

We do a lot of important stuff like photographing weddings and babies and engagements and all that good, happy stuff that usually signifies beginnings rather than endings. This shoot was a little different. Courtney, whom we met a friend’s wedding a couple years ago, contacted us because her parents were selling Courtney and her brother Kyle’s childhood home. They were pretty bummed out about it, but with the kids gone (Courtney) or going away (Kyle), it was time for Patti and Roy to downsize. Courtney wasn’t going without a fight, though, and hired us to photograph her and her family hanging out inside their house one last time before the family moves in January. We felt incredibly honored to do this type of shoot as we knew how important it was for the family, and it was kind of our first shoot that signified an ending. Of course, it’s a beginning too with Kyle going off to college and the parents moving into a new house, but it was the end of one phase of life and the beginning of another, and for some reason it made me feel the significance of our job probably more than I ever have previously. We were really happy to do this for them.

Of course, the fact that the family is super awesome, hilarious, and fun didn’t hurt much either. They made us food (yum!) and welcomed us in with open arms and Vanilla Coke. We ran around their gorgeous house and yard and had a great time. Courtney and Kyle showed us how they climbed on the roof as kids, how they play board games and pool and hang out in the kitchen, how they fish and play baseball, and how they decorate the tree planted in their grandpa’s memory for Christmas. The cats hid from us, but… we tried. :) We loved doing this type of shoot, and we hope that we were able to capture their awesome family doing what they love in a space that they grew up in and called home.

Raleigh Winterfest!

Happy to photograph Raleigh’s Winterfest for the Downtown Raleigh Alliance again this year! We always have a great time and this year was no exception (except for the brief 10-minute window when Stacey made me ride a Ferris Wheel). Other than that, it was fantastic. :) The ice skating rink and various other activities take place downtown until February, so check it out if you’re in Raleigh! http://www.godowntownraleigh.com/winterfest