Melissa and Jackson are two rain proof kids in both mind and spirit. The forecast was unusually cold for March, but also called for an epic downpour to start riiiiight at the time of their first look. Geoff and I were optimistic – rain almost always get pushed back, and all we needed was for it to hold off an hour. But, because this is how the weather seems to be rolling so far in 2018, the rain started right at the first look, and continued on through their pictures. Then I promised Melissa that there was an alley nearby that had a fish mural. But… the city had painted over it to be a plain yellow. Then they got excited about the weird fruit and vegetable and strange faces mural behind it, but there were cars in every. single. spot. in front of the wall. But then! Thennn!

Because Melissa and Jackson are so badass, they stayed super positive and super wonderful and super friendly despite all of this! And so did their bridal party! And it was cold! And wet! And YET WE MARCHED ON. Equipped with nothing but clear umbrellas and a will of steel, we blocked traffic in City Market and did what we came there to do. We took pictures in that plain yellow alley that used to have the fish! BOOM! Then a car moved and we were able to shoot in front of the weird veggie faces wall! BAM! And Melissa’s dress was absolutely soaked afterward and so were her shoes, so we called in a favor to the wonderful ladies we just photographed at the Design Gallery Salon just recently, and they were so kind as to throw Melissa’s Toms in a dryer for a few minutes while they used several blow dryers on the bottom of her dress. :) TA-DA!

It was a good, good day with good, good people who also like cats. These guys are moving back to North Carolina from Ohio later this year and we’re glad to repopulate the city with more happy-go-lucky people like them. PLUS LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE.

– Date: March 24, 2018
– Ceremony + Reception Venue: 214 Martin Street // Raleigh, NC
– First Dance Song: “Carolina in My Mind ” – James Taylor
– Occupations: PhD students, soon to be postdocs
– How You Met: In a math class at UNC
– Interesting Fact: We’re brewery fans. Our favorite thing to do in a new city is check out local beer.
– Honeymoon: Austria

Officiant: Terri Hollingsworth, family friend
DJ: Al Sibille, Epic DJ Entertainment
Florist: Eucca on Etsy
Cake: Groovy Duck Bakery
Caterer: 214 Martin Street
Hair/Makeup: Junction Salon

Mallory and Ryan’s wonderful winter wedding closes out our 2016 wedding season! We couldn’t have ended the year with a better couple. Super sweet and wonderful people, they wished every kid on campus good luck with their finals as they walked by during their pictures and thanked us for our patience several times during the day even though there was literally nothing to be patient with because they were so fantastic and cooperative. So we lucked out for last wedding of the year! We also lucked out with the weather. It had been 30 degrees for a couple days prior to this, and the forecast was predicting rain. It did not rain (yay!) and it was in the 60s! Actually, no, it was supposed to be in the 60s but it had to have been colder than that. But the point is that it wasn’t as cold as 30, and we weren’t wet.

This beautiful wedding was held at Duke Chapel and Bay 7 and it was all so, so pretty. Mallory wore a stole that belongs to one of her mother’s friends, and the bridesmaids wore the best shade of green. Their bouquets all had pine in them and so everyone smelled like a Christmas tree. Bay 7 had put up all the lights around campus, and everything was absolutely dreamy. I hear there were animatronic elves displayed somewhere in the hotel where Mallory got ready, but unfortunately we missed those (or fortunately, depending on your opinion of animatronic elves). But there were Santa hats and reindeer ears passed out at the reception, and Geoff delightfully bit off the head of a gingerbread man there as well. This wedding got everyone in the spirit and was just lovely. Thank you, Mallory and Ryan, for sending 2016 off in styyyyle.

  • Date: December 17, 2016
  • Ceremony Venue: Duke Chapel // Durham, NC
  • Reception Venue: Bay 7 // Durham, NC
  • First Dance Song: “How Sweet It Is” – Performed by Affirmative Groove
  • Mallory’s Occupation: International Programs Coordinator at NC State
  • Ryan’s Occupation: Assistant Director of the Duke Parent’s Program
  • How You Met: Ryan and Mallory met a little over 3 years ago after Mallory moved to Minnesota to work at a small liberal arts college. One of their mutual friends introduced them at a young professionals happy hour that the college hosted, and things took off from there!
  • Interesting Fact: Our first date included sushi and a baseball game, and those continue to be two of our favorite things.
  • Honeymoon: German Christmas Markets & Madeira, Portugal.
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Bruce Puckett. Band – Affirmative Groove. Florist – Lyn Graves of Fresh Affairs. Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes. Caterer – Angus Barn. Hair – Caroline of Careaux Cartier On Location Wedding|Event Hair & Makeup. Videographer – Jaired Sullivan and Jesse Ashe of Carolina Story Film Co. Coordinator – Karen M. Stone Wedding Consultant and Director, and Jeane Batten. Duke Chapel Director – Blanche Williams. Bay 7 Director – Angel Nicholas.

Katherine and Jon are pretty stellar and I’m not just saying that because we have a creepy amount in common and I’d like to think Geoff and I are cooler than we actually are. We are super excited to shoot their wedding next summer at the Merrimon-Wynne House and also to run into them at weird, random concerts between now and then. Jon is one of two really, really excited clients named Jon/John Rush fans that we’ve had this year and we always appreciate those with a deep love for Geddy Lee. Katherine and Jon also love Brand New, one of Geoff and I’s favorite bands, that we all saw this summer along with several other clients in a big, Brand New love fest.

In an obvious connection upon seeing either one of us, Katherine and I are both very short and Geoff and Jon are normal-people sized, so it was only logical for both her and I to dress up as Eleven from Stranger Things for Halloween this year (me with a shaved head, Katherine with her blonde hair). Jon went as Dr. Martin Brenner and Geoff went as the Demogorgon. Twinning and winning. Or, you know, at least getting candy.

We followed them around Raleigh for their engagement session, a city that they love very much and where they had their first date, and then continued on to NC State where we took a few more pictures of them and then watched as Jon drove his car to a lake and lovingly gazed at it for a long time (Katherine was there too but it was mostly about the car). We’ll keep you updated as to whether or not the car makes an appearance at the wedding. We’d assume it would be the getaway car, but I feel like there’s a fair chance we could see it take part in the lighting of the unity candle or something.