Michelle fulfilled my ongoing search for the unicorn bride: tattoos, short hair, and tea-length dress. Richard knows a lot about Star Wars. Together, they had cat-themed thank you gifts and a guest book consisting of two framed artwork portraits of cats in formalwear. Bonus bonus bonus points: Michelle is gluten-free so I could eat everything at this wedding, including all of the flavors of cupcakes, of which I had both chocolate and lemon (thank you, JP’s Pastry, for making me a very happy woman on this day). They were married on a very hot and sunny day at Fred Fletcher Park near downtown Raleigh amid some blooming Magnolia trees, an old and beautiful historic building, and some bridesmaids wearing fake mustaches. We laughed, we cried, we watched people do the Single Ladies dance. All in a fantastic day’s work for these two very awesome people.

Polka dot wedding dress Groom getting ready Blue and white striped shoes Bridesmaids getting ready Groom putting on shoes Raleigh Wedding Photographers Groom putting on tie Bridesmaid getting ready Bride getting hair done Groomsmen in hotel Borden Building Raleigh Bride putting on shoes Bride with tattoos Borden Building Wedding Wedding at Borden Building Raleigh Bride getting ready First Look Bridesmaids laughing Groomsmen portrait Bridesmaid with fake mustache Couple cuddling Raleigh wedding portrait Outdoor wedding in Raleigh NC Wedding at Fred Fletcher Park Fletcher Park Raleigh NC Outdoor wedding venues Raleigh NC Raleigh Wedding Photographers Bride with tattoos Groom portrait Raleigh NC Bride walking down the aisle Couple getting married Fred Fletcher Park Wedding Fred Fletcher Park Wedding First kiss Receiving Line at Wedding Borden Building Wedding Reception Cat signature guest book Kids playing at wedding Coffee wedding favors Wedding reception Wedding reception Cute kid with hat Wedding reception guests Cupcakes Fletcher Park Wedding Reception Kid jumping in park Kids playing in park Outdoor wedding venue Raleigh NC Couple first dance Raleigh Fletcher Park Wedding Reception Father Daughter Dance Father Daughter Dance Fletcher Park wedding reception Raleigh Wedding Photographers Outdoor reception Raleigh NC Wedding Reception Raleigh, NC Fred Fletcher Park Wedding Raleigh NC Wedding Reception Raleigh NC Borden Building Wedding Raleigh NC Wedding Reception Raleigh NC Borden Building wedding Fletcher Park Borden Building wedding Fletcher Park Dancing at wedding reception Ring bearer at reception Groom dancing with mother-in-law Guests dancing DJ Alex Choi of Vox DJ Borden Building Raleigh Bride playing frisbee Night sky Wedding reception Raleigh Wedding Photographers Wedding Reception Wedding Reception
  • Date: May 23, 2015
  • Ceremony + Reception Site: Borden Building at Fred Fletcher Park
  • First Dance Song: “God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys
  • Occupations: Richard is starting as an assistant professor and Michelle is starting a position in social research at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in August.
  • How You Met: Wet met in graduate school at NCSU – Richard was two years ahead of Michelle in the sociology program.
  • Interesting Fact: Richard and Michelle play a lot of board games together.
  • Honeymoon: England for work/mini-honeymoon in June, and then a full honeymoon to a beach resort in December.
  • Vendor Credits: Officiant – Rev. Ingrid Weber Sagula | DJ – Alex Choi of Vox DJ Company | Cake – JP’s Pastry | Caterer – Irregardless Cafe | Cat Print Guest Book – Ryan Berkley Illustration

Bérénice and Mike gave us the joy of attending and photographing our first courthouse wedding recently! We’ve had a few very small, intimate weddings in the past (one where Carolyn was literally the only guest and witness!), but no courthouse weddings, so we were excited for something new. Bérénice and Mike were excited to have a low-key, low-stress way to permanently commit to each other without the headaches attached to a large scale shindig. :) Together, we had an awesome time! Mike’s family came in to join him from out of state, and Bérénice’s family came all the way from France to see her get married. There was a lot of love in that room, and even more so between Bérénice and Mike. And despite it being hot, humid, and muggy… and despite Bérénice’s feet hurting from her really adorable shoes, these two were really cooperative, fun to work with, and two really nice people. We ran around Raleigh to take some newlywed pictures of them before they went off to Sitti to celebrate their wedding with amazing food! A big congratulations and a huge “thank you for having us!” to Bérénice and Mike for allowing us to be with them on their wedding day. :)

Susan and Michael have fast become some of our favorite people. Previously Carolyn had declared herself and her sister as the unofficial presidents of U2’s fan club, but I’m happy to say that we’re going to scootch over a little bit to make some room for Susan and Michael, and we’re happy to do it. I could say a lot about these guys… and how they are awesome and kind and funny and genuine… or about how they made a bunch of paper cranes for their wedding and then thought, “Is this enough paper cranes?” and it turns out that it was way more than enough paper cranes… or about how all of their guests were so sweet to us and there were a lot of Jamaicans there wearing hats and were highly entertaining people… or about Susan and Michael’s super good fashion sense that makes me want to raid both of their closets. But instead I’m going to leave a bit of the reading that they read to each other here. They edited it a bit, and I’m writing down what I can remember from a combination of my memory and the actual book text. (so forgive me when I inevitably get this a little bit wrong) But it’s too sweet to not put in the blog post and has been one of my favorite wedding readings ever.

“I like you and I know why. I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it’s special, and you remember it a long, long time. When I think something is important, you think it’s important too. We have good ideas. When I say something funny, you laugh. I think I’m funny and you think I’m funny too. I like you because if I am mad at you, then you are mad at me too. It’s awful when the other person isn’t. If you find two four-leaf clovers, you give me one. if I find four, I give you two. If we only find three, we keep on looking. I like you because I don’t know why, but everything that happens is nicer with you. I can’t remember when I didn’t like you. It must have been lonesome then. If you and I had some drums, and some horns and some horses, if we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines, we could be a HOLIDAY! We could be a CELEBRATION! We could be a WHOLE PARADE! Even if it was the nine hundred and ninety-ninth of July. Even if it was August. Even if it was way down at the bottom of November. Even if it was no place particular in January. I would go on choosing you, and you would go on choosing me, over and over again. That’s how it would happen every time.” – Excerpt from I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg.

Date: May 31, 2014

Ceremony and Reception Venue: NCMA // Raleigh, NC

First Dance Song: “The Way I Am” – Ingrid Michaelson

Susan’s Occupation: Career Counselor at George Washington University

Michael’s Occupation: School Administrator at Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School

How You Met: In a French class at North Carolina State University

Interesting Fact about Susan: Studied Arabic in Morocco and Jordan. Mumtaz!

Interesting Fact about Michael: Went to Space Camp…twice!

Honeymoon Destination: Santorini, Greece! Bookended on either side with a night in London.

Vendor Credits: Officiant – Dan Holodnik (friend of bride and groom) | Band – The Swinging Swamis | Florist – The Watered Garden | Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes | Caterer – NCMA (Iris) | Hair/Makeup – Body Bliss Salon | Coordinator – Morgan Greer of the NCMA