Ariana+Matt // Raleigh Rose Garden

We met Ariana and Matt way, way, way back at the 4th wedding we’ve ever photographed. Ariana was a bridesmaid and Matt was a groomsman and they had kind of exchanged brief “hello”s at each other once before since their best friends were engaged. Now they were in the wedding, and I specifically remember photographing them several times talking and dancing because I was pretty sure they were a couple, but apparently they weren’t, but rather had just started actually speaking more than “hello” that evening. Clearly they seemed like a couple and that obviously transformed into them actually being a couple and I’m really happy that I took those photos because that’s pretty much when they first met so I feel like I have some sort of weird, cosmic part in the whole thing. :)

Through the years since that wedding, Ariana has kept in touch with me. She’s an extremely talented cellist who plays at weddings and with the symphony (and has performed recently with Yo-Yo Ma!) and is generally awesome. Recently she asked me for my hair dresser’s contact information and got her hair cut right before us so we were able to see her and recommend the best gluten-free restaurant ever in Asheville (Posana!) where her and Matt were soon headed for their anniversary (they’re gluten-freebies). She had a sneaking suspicion that he might propose, so we were anxiously awaiting the news, and he did, and it was awesome, and then they went to Posana to celebrate, so I feel like we had a weirdly cosmic part in that aspect of their relationship timeline as well! Clearly the cosmos think the four of us are pretty good together.

Anyway – we are thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to have them finally… all these years later… as our clients and we’re looking forward to their wedding next March! Here are our favorites from their engagement session at the Raleigh Rose Garden. We love you both and are so excited!

Caitlyn+Joe’s Wedding in New London, Connecticut

Caitlyn and Joe kindly sent us a few initial pleading e-mails asking us if we’d come to Connecticut to photograph their wedding after she found our photographs on a wedding blog. They thought we’d say no or we’d be unavailable or it would cost them their first born son, but we’re a lot nicer than that and we Skyped and all fell into a mutual love for each other. True, type-A, spastically-organized, obsessional love. Well, Caitlyn and Carolyn anyway. Geoff and Joe kind of cooly, quietly, type-B-ingly watch Caitlyn and I spazz out from the sidelines. I was recognized at their rehearsal dinner as “possibly as organized as Caitlyn”… and that girl had an itinerary printed out for everyone that was the size of Game of Thrones. Because of this, though, everyone knew exactly what they were doing or Caitlyn and I spazzed out until they did, and thus everything went according to glorious plan.

This wedding taught us many things. It taught us that staying in college dorm rooms when you’re in your late 20s/early 30s has a surprisingly nostalgic effect despite the communal showers. It taught us that colleges can have really non-threatening-even-kind-of-smiling mascots. It taught us that Connecticut is exactly as we all picture it with the little cottages by the sea and the stone walls and the ivy and the rounded shingles. It taught us (or rather confirmed) that everyone from Boston is a horrible driver. It taught us that the sun is significantly brighter in the far northeast than in the southeast (actually true!). And finally, it reminded us of why we do what we do… and how lucky we are to have people fly us to cool new places so we can see new things and be there for them on their wedding day. We had an amazing time and are looking forward to seeing these two when they vacation down here in the future! And now at least Caitlyn can relax while Carolyn continues to obsess over weddings and timelines. ;)

Date: June 7, 2014

Ceremony and Reception Venue: Connecticut College // New London, Connecticut

First Dance Song: “My Best Friend” – Tim McGraw

Caitlyn’s Occupation: Federal Human Capital Consultant

Joe’s Occupation: Financial Examiner

How You Met: In 8th grade, braces and all ;)

Interesting Fact about Caitlyn: Caitlyn truly believes that ice cream is a food group, and eats accordingly

Interesting Fact about Joe: Joe has visited over half the states in the country and plans to visit all 50… Caitlyn may skip out on a few locations ;)

Honeymoon Destination:Charleston for a honeymoon preview and Jamaica around the holidays!

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Mike Webb (friend, mentor, former 8th grade teacher) | DJ – Atlantic Coast Entertainment (Erv) | Florist – Jordan Florist in Windsor, CT (Karen) | Cake – Dairy Queen ice cream cake and family-baked desserts | Caterer – Merrill Collins | Hair/Makeup – Larissa Lake Makeup Artist ( Laura and Danielle) and Alli Bizeau (family friend) | Videographer – Forever After Studios (Kevin and Kevin) | Ceremony Coordinator – Marilyn Burnett of Connecticut College |  Reception Coordinator – Merrill Collins of Connecticut College | Ceremony Guitarist – Morgan Brown

Caroline & Brian’s Downtown Raleigh Engagement Session

Caroline and Brian came into Raleigh all the way from Charlotte to have their engagement portraits taken, and we are lucky to have had the opportunity to meet them! Finally, Carolyn was able to unite with someone who loves school supplies as much as she does, despite no longer being in school and despite not longer being a teacher. :D They also shared our love of 80s movies and reminisced about past job horror stories. On top of all this, we were pleased to find out that only one half of Caroline and Brian enjoy the Goonies and the Princess Bride, much like only one half of Carolyn and Geoff. We wish they lived closer so 50% of us could try to convince the other 50% that the movies are good (or bad, depending on what side you’re on).

These guys met in Raleigh, went on their first date to Gravy and the Raleigh Times (both of which we visited during the session), and have since moved to Charlotte. They’re getting married in Wilmington next spring as a middle ground of their families’ and their own locations. Brian likes golf and refused Carolyn’s suggestion that they go mini-golfing for their engagement session, and Caroline wouldn’t let him bring his golf clubs into downtown. Caroline was both her high school mascot and their prom queen, and also cries at emotional stories about children throwing out the first pitch on ESPN. They’ve both solidly convinced us that the West Wing is probably a good show to start after we run through House of Cards. We had a great time with these two, and we are so happy they came out to Raleigh to see us! Here’s a few of our favorites.
engagement photographer raleigh nc