Allison+Blue’s Wedding in Morgantown, West Virginia

Allison and Blue met at a bar in college. His last name is Brown, but Allison doesn’t like the color brown, so she’s taken to calling him Blue, and so has everyone else. I prefer calling people by primary colors whenever possible, so I think it’s a great idea. The two met in college at WVU and found us through another wedding we photographed at the WVU Erikson Alumni Center a few years ago in Morgantown, West Virginia. We Skyped, they booked, and we packed our bags and drove up West Virginia to photograph their awesome wedding weekend.

Morgantown is a unique place in that it’s in West Virginia, but still awfully close to Pennsylvania with its nearest rival city being Pittsburgh regarding college sports. But yet Pittsburgers like Morgantowners (unlike our feelings for people from Cleveland), and Morgantowners tend to identify with Pittsburgh ways (Heinz ketchup, for example, and the Pittsburgh Penguins who were cheered for several times during their playoff game that happened to take place during Allison and Blue’s rehearsal dinner). So it’s kind of like being home, except not really.

Morgantown is, if I dare say it, slightly better at partying than Pittsburgh. So though we knew they were cheering for the Pens, we also knew that it would be a rowdy (in a good, happy way!) wedding. And it was. There were polkas involved (another Pittsburgh/WV wedding staple which is always surprisingly crazy and enthusiastic and much more entertaining than the Wobble) and a cookie table and really, really delicious food. There was also lots of American flag light-up glasses and hats because it was Memorial Day weekend and who doesn’t love a good pair of light-up glasses!?

We had an awesome time being lovingly welcomed by Allison and Blue and their amazingly kind parents, siblings, and friends. We enjoyed our brief but lovely stay in Morgantown and we even got to stop at the Fiestaware Outlet on the way home (which I enjoyed despite them not having flatware on sale… sigh). A huge congratulation and thank you to Allison and Blue!

Date: May 25, 2013

Ceremony Venue: St. Francis de Sales Church // Morgantown, WV

Reception Venue: WVU Erikson Alumni Center // Morgantown, WV

First Dance Song: “Makin’ Plans” – Miranda Lambert

Allison’s Occupation: Physician’s Assistant

Blue’s Occupation: Civil Engineer

How You Met: At a bar in college :)

Interesting Bride Fact: Frequently talks in high pitched voices when she gets excited.

Interesting Groom Fact: Hates UGG boots – esp. when Alli wears them just to spite him. ;)

Honeymoon Destination: Bahamas

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Father Mark Ward | DJ – Ken Maisel | Florist – Toni and Liz from Memories in Bloom | Cake – Karen Rodkey Cakes | Caterer – WVU Erikson Alumni Center | Hair and Makeup – LKHA Salon | Videographer – Luke Nesler | Coordinator – Heidi Wiedebusch

Meagan And Her Dress

Meagan and Jonathan were married yesterday at Barclay Villa in Angier, North Carolina, so today I can finally share a few of my favorite bridal portraits I took of Meagan a few months back. :) The best part of the day was when someone said something about Keira Knightley and we instantly formed a bond over this amazing video that never gets old after Meagan started singing. I love this girl. “Now back to the good part!”

 

Margaret/Betsy+Jeff Have a Chapel Hill Wedding

The biggest moment of sheer panic I’ve had involving a wedding for a while involved Geoff and I meeting with a couple named Margaret and Jeff, booking Margaret and Jeff, labeling everything Margaret and Jeff (folders, client information, postcards, other things that they’d both see), and then receiving the timeline a week before from Sally Oakley, their coordinator, that was labeled, “Betsy and Jeff’s Timeline.”

Woah woah now! Who is this Betsy and Jeff? Surely Sally accidentally sent me someone else’s timeline by mistake. Open it up: no, it’s definitely our wedding. WAIT A MINUTE YOU GUYS HAVE I BEEN CALLING HER MARGARET FOR LIKE A YEAR NOW AND HER NAME IS ACTUALLY BETSY?!!! I am pretty sure that in the e-mails I subsequently sent to Sally and Margaret/Betsy that there were that many question marks and exclamation marks.

After apologizing for calling her the wrong  name for about a year I found out that her real name is actually, indeed Margaret. But everyone calls her Betsy. Her mother explained to me at the wedding that she just didn’t look like a Margaret when she was born, so Betsy it was. So to me she is both. She’s a Margaret in my folders and in my head, but a Betsy when I speak. Although to be honest, I felt like I had gained a client when I started referring to her as Betsy. I’m not entirely sure where Margaret went, but we have a Betsy now!

Anyway – Betsy and Jeff are terribly awesome. When we booked them, Jeff signed the contract by drawing in Trogdor. I wasn’t sure if that was legally binding, but I figured hey – we shouldn’t have any legal troubles with anyone signing a contract with a little cartoon Trogdor. They’re big book nerds (I use the word nerds with love) and centered them around their wedding accordingly. They unfortunately used us as their photographers despite knowing that we come with a rain curse when shooting at the Carolina Inn (we have literally never had a wedding ceremony/reception combo at that venue where it hasn’t poured). The curse did indeed follow us to their wedding, but held off for long enough where we could get photos outside despite it. We hope we were worth the rain curse. ;)

Date: May 18, 2013

Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Carolina Inn // Chapel Hill, NC

First Dance Song: “I Could Write A Book” – performed by The John Winntet

Betsy’s Occupation: Recent Library Science graduate

Jeff’s Occupation: Best Buy Mobile Lead

How You Met: Working at Barnes and Noble

Interesting Bride Fact: Has never lost a game of Risk.

Interesting Groom Fact: Keeps his bowling balls and shoes in the trunk of his car at all times, because you just never know. Last time he bowled: about six months ago.

Honeymoon Destination: Negril, Jamaica

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Barbara Lodge | Band – The John Winntet | Ceremony Music – Arioso Strings | Florist – Tre Bella | Cake – Lynn’s Traditions | Caterer – Carolina Inn | Hair/Makeup – Elaine Harrison | Coordinator – Sally Oakley