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

Elaine+Henry+Charlotte // Raleigh Family Photographer

My notes going into this session said: “Elaine is good at finding four-leaf clovers, hates zombies. Henry = possible lead singer of Journey cover band? Charlotte likes to sing.” Turns out that Charlotte DOES like to sing and dance, and she prefers both of those things to be done to Hall & Oates and/or the Beastie Boys. I’ve never seen anyone dance so dramatically around a living room to “She’s Gone” besides myself. In a rainbow tutu nonetheless! John Oates would be so proud. We had a lot of activities to do on our roster, so unfortunately we did not get to hear her sing “Sabotage,” but maybe in the future (one can dream!). Charlotte is an outrageously smiley adorable small child who I want to scoop up and pat on the head.

Her parents are equally as adorable by themselves and together, but I cannot scoop either one of them up because they’re taller than me. Elaine did not spot a four-leaf clover during our shoot, but to be fair, we did not have her look for any. She was kept safe from any and all zombies. Henry, it turns out, was not a lead singer of a Journey cover band, but instead pretended he was for many years, just subtly and occasionally and vaguely enough to fool everyone around him. This went on for long enough that by the time people found out, they liked Henry despite the fact that he was never in a Journey cover band, and he got away with it. I’m taking notes on this plan of deception. Together, all three of these humans are really, really great and make a terrific marching band.