Amy + Justin

What:

Wedding

When:

April 27, 2008

Where:

Eden Gardens State Park | Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort

I remember the first time I met Amy face-to-face. Charles and I were in Atlanta for the wedding of Heather + Michael last July and Amy agreed to swing by and meet us at our hotel restaurant. We had already spoken via phone and emailed back and forth quite a bit and Amy + Justin had even signed a contract and retained us for their wedding date - so this meeting was more of an excuse to get to officially meet and chat about her big day… and I just remember how incredibly striking she was to me. And it was more than just ‘wow, she’s a beautiful girl’ - which is undeniable, but more the absolute joy she shared when she spoke with such excitement about marrying her very best friend. We did not have the opportunity to meet Justin until we shot their engagement session in Seaside late last year, but in that session I could see her affections were returned. Just the way these two look at each other… It makes you want to fall in love all over again.

With such amazing chemistry between these two, how could I not make this wedding another 100:1 feature?

Again, we’re trying to share a little bit more about how we ’see’ a day, start to finish - so here’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Pay special attention to their ‘first sight’ in the garden - I think that just maybe you can actually FEEL the love:

Girls spend hours primping, hugging, and even a little bit of crying.

Guys dress in a matter of minutes, throw a football in the house, and hit golf balls in the backyard. Incredible.

Eden Gardens State Park is a gorgeous venue located just north of 30-A in the Santa Rosa Beach area. As far as outdoor ceremonies go, it is definitely one of the favored non-beach spots along the coast.

Amy + Justin’s first sight was just breathtaking. Even Charles cried a little.

It was so touching to see two people so in love, and so overcome by emotion. They began the long walk towards each other here…

… and I’ll never forget Amy saying, barely above a whisper, “Come to me faster.” I was a pile of tears when Justin eagerly RAN to meet his bride!

The magic moment:

A thoughtful gift from his bride - a locket with a photo of Justin’s late father that he wore down the aisle.

Following the first sight, we were supposed to meet up with the bridal party and family and roll right in to group formals, but with a setting so perfect and such awesome chemistry between the soon-to-be weds, we had to take a few minutes for some couple work.

And because we don’t show group formals much outside of 100:1 features, here are a few extra for you:

If you thought the first sight was something, just wait for the ceremony:

The reception was held at the lovely Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort.

The couple was greeted by their fans on the waterfront patio & had their first dance as the sun was setting… unfortunately, with overcast skies we didn’t get that pretty orangey pink hue overhead, but the upside was nice, even light!

The best man ended up stealing the show with a musical toast. It had an Adam Sandler-esque quality & delivery… I’ve never laughed so hard!

All in all, a beautiful and emotional day that reminded us why we love what we do. Thanks for letting me share.

- Meg

Ashleigh-Anne + Matthew

What:

Wedding

When:

April 26, 2008

Where:

Tallahassee, FL | Florida State University Alumni Center

You’ve met Ashleigh-Anne once before when we featured her bridal session on the blog. Now she’s back (complete with hubby) and we’re sharing her wedding with you! Here goes:

~ Charles

Katie + James

What:

Wedding

When:

April 20, 2008

Where:

Panama City Beach, FL | Bay Point Marriott

Katie + James came to Florida to have a laid-back destination wedding. We’re pretty sure they hit the mark! They had an adorable beach wedding at the Bay Point Marriott in Panama City Beach, FL with a relaxed reception under the stars. Check it out.

~ Charles

A few pretty details to start the day.

Too bad this place doesn’t have a view.

Going to the chapel…err, beach.

We do.

Blue skies & palm trees.

The first dance.

I love the “breakin’ it down” shot…

Congratulations guys!

Kelly + Robert

What:

Wedding

When:

April 19, 2008

Where:

Ocean Springs, MS

We made our first visit to Ocean Springs, Mississippi last month for Kelly + Robert’s wedding. For those of you who don’t know, Ocean Springs is right next to Biloxi (typically associated with gambling). Well, I guess you could say it was our ‘lucky day’ because this wedding was adorable! (careful - the puns could go on & on!)

And because Meg was on a roll when pulling and creating these collages/storyboards/groupings last week - she made yest ANOTHER 100:1 series! But don’t get used to it - she’s cut off for a little while - it’s busy season, you know - I need her focusing on other stuff for the next few weeks- so enjoy the last 100:1 for the next little bit, anyway!

~ Charles

When you pull up to a quaint little church built in 1892 with a 1956 classic Bentley parked out front, you know it’s going to be a good day!

Rob + the boys:

Kelly + the girls:

We do:

We only had time for a few quick newlywed portraits in the chapel…

… before these two had to be rushed off to their backyard reception:

Let the details begin!

Everywhere you looked, lanterns dotted the reception - around the perimeter, lighting pathways, over the cake table, even suspended over the dance floor!

The place cards were arranged on a custom door system that Kelly’s dad built for her! Too cute. Next up…oyster shooters!

The newlyweds made their grand enterance from the second floor overlooking their many fans guests anxiously awaiting their arrival in the courtyard below:

Toasts + dancing:

Thanks to the newlyweds for having us - when Kelly contacted us a full TWO YEARS prior to the big day - we were flattered and a little shocked that someone wanted to have us there so badly that they would retain our services before any of the rest of their big day details had even been hammered out! But we are so glad that y’all did and are really thankful that we were given the opportunity to capture such an awesome time in your lives. Now that the big day has passed, you don’t need to be strangers, okay? We’d love to photograph the next chapter in your lives - and we won’t require a two year notice either! Besides , I’m pretty sure y’all will only get nine months when that time comes! ;)

Jennifer + Tom

What:

Wedding

When:

April 12, 2008

Where:

Destin, FL | Emerald Grande

This April we had the great privelege of shooting the awesome nuptials of Jennifer + Tom in Destin at the newly opened Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village. I was planning to share the typical 20-something number of images here - but had a hard time narrowing it down, as I really wanted to show off more of this beautiful new venue in addition to all of the wonderful details and real moments. SO with that said, please enjoy ANOTHER 100:1 posting on me! These photos really don’t need any explanantion - so I’m going to get back to work and let y’all get to scrolling through the pretty-pretty.

- Meg

Meredith + Aubert

What:

Wedding

When:

April 5, 2008

Where:

Meridian, MS

When Meg sat down to pull the images for this blog post, she tells me ‘I fell in love with this wedding all over again’ - and we think you just might, too. Introducing our newest 100:1 blog feature - the wedding of Meredith + Aubert. Y’all just met these guys in our last entry where we introduced their “southern elegance” rehearsal dinner. The wedding day was equally as charming! Take a peek…

~ Charles

Meg started the morning with the Meredith doing her final touches during preparation…

…and then we rolled right into a ‘first sight’ on the front porch of her parent’s home. (As always, taking a little bit of time to see each other BEFORE the ceremony opens up all kinds of doors for a speedy transition to your reception following the ceremony. It’s not for everybody, but the couples who choose to go this route always tell us this was one of the best parts of their day!)

I’m fond of this sweet exchange between sisters as Meredith prepares to see her soon-to-be-husband for the first time on their wedding day…

Aubert beaming at his beautiful bride:

Aubert surprised Meredith with a stunning wedding band:

The Bling:

The first sight gave us the opportunity to take a few simple but lovely couple ‘formals’ prior to the ceremony…

A classic Rolls-Royce is always an excellent choice.

Meredith + Aubert’s church was the most charming little downtown southern church you’ve ever seen! We worked with both the girls & the guys right on the front steps.

Going to the chapel…

OK — this was too much! The little guys were “escorted” up and down the aisles of the church in a little red wagon and the flowergirls followed behind ringing little bells!

Gorgeous floral arrangements filled the reception - here are just a few details:

The dances:

The ice cream bar was a surprise for the groom that was rolled in following the cake cutting!

The reception was held in the downstairs area of a lovely performing arts center… which meant that somewhere in the building there would be a theatre. With the newlyweds in tow, Meg and I set out to find it. The results from our ten minute excursion were pretty fantastic:

Their guests were treated to one of the best, most entertaining bands I have ever heard to date - Meg and I were talking about them for days. The lead singer did a mean Michael Jackson impersonation towards the end of the evening - he even had the moves down!

A rose petal goodbye:

And there you have it - one hundred images highlighting one fantastic southern wedding!

Meredith + Aubert

What:

Rehearsal Dinner

When:

April 4, 2008

Where:

Meridian, MS

Meredith + Aubert tied the knot this past April over in Meridian, MS. Meridian is a charming little southern town with all sorts of heritage & history! The day before the wedding, we photographed an amazing backyard rehearsal dinner at the home of Aubert’s parents. Here are a few images from the evening.

~ Charles

The guests were greeted by a live 3 piece band…including a live saxaphone! What a great way to set the mood. Earlier in the day, a string of tornados has busted up the downtown area…fortunately, the power came back on right before the event started!

The catering was simply astounding…exquisite attention to detail, superb food…it was amazing!

The toasts were hilarious, emotional, and everything in between! One family member had written a custom song to the tune of “I want to be a rockstar”, and switched it up to read “I want to be a senator”. It was hysterically funny!

Jessica + John ...Ashton too!

What:

Portrait Session

When:

April 3, 2008

Where:

Pensacola, FL

If you don’t know Jessica + John, and their adorable baby Ashton by now, then you’ve just been hiding under a rock! We love this family to death! They stopped by the studio for a quick afternoon shoot on their way through Pensacola to Tallahassee. Here are a few images from the session.

~ Charles

Amy + Bret

What:

Engagement Session

When:

April 2, 2008

Where:

Bellingrath Gardens | Mobile, AL

Amy + Bret are an awesome couple that live & work right here in Pensacola. I met Bret through my work with the Pensacola Symphony, and we had the chance to meet Amy during our kickball league last year. (Yes, you read that right!) Amy + Bret asked us to meet them at Bellingrath Gardens (the site of the big proposal) for their engagement session. What an incredible day!!! Check it out.

~ Charles

(While beautiful and still technically in bloom, this was the only patch of ‘fresh’ looking blooms we found in a cluster in the entire gardens - apparantly we were about a week or two late and everything had started to die… and SMELL! Ever smell rotting flowers? LOL)

Luckily, Amy + Bret had such awesome natural chemistry - we didn’t really miss the flowers after a few minutes!

Meg has a thing for cherry blossom trees dating back to her years living in Japan - so this was to indulge her. Amy + Bret had to climb through all kinds of craziness to get near this tree:

I have too many favorites from this shoot - a lot of them didn’t even make Meg’s blog pull (what’s up with that?!) - but this would probably fall among them:

Our ode to the proposal:

One of Meg’s faves:

Ballet Pensacola

What:

One Step to the Left

When:

March 27, 2008

Where:

Pensacola Cultural Center

Ballet Pensacola recently hired a new artistic director named Richard Steinert. One Step to the Left was his first opportunity to share his vision for Ballet Pensacola. Meg & I absolutely LOVED the production! Check it out.

~ Charles

This production really took it to the next level with intense lighting & high energy music. The staging was outstanding as well!

I love the layers in this image.

Simple, dramatic lighting.

One of my faves.

Awesome moment.

Great work dancers! We can’t wait for the next one!

Emily + Bryan

What:

Engagement Session

When:

March 23, 2008

Where:

Pensacola, FL

We first met Emily when Ballet Pensacola was looking for a new photographer for their upcoming season. Shortly thereafter, we met Harley Bogart. We had yet another chance to work with Emily when she was a bridesmaid with Mandy + James this past February! Now it’s Emily + Bryan’s turn, and we’re thrilled to be working with you both! Congratulations!

~ Charles

My fav. Meg’s fav. Love this shot.

Bryan wanted to catch a few shots a local marina. So we set sail for Pensacola Beach.

Emily was convinced she was going to fall off the dock. This probably didn’t help much!

I LOVE this shot!!!

Ashleigh-Anne

What:

Bridal Session

When:

March 16, 2008

Where:

Thomasville, GA | Pebble Hill Plantation

Ashleigh-Anne’s bridal session seemed like it was never going to happen! We had to reschedule twice due to rain. But we finally did find the right day, and it was totally worth the wait!

~ Charles

This is one of my faves!

And a cool silhouette to end the session!

Jane + Daniel

What:

Wedding

When:

March 15, 2008

Where:

Tallahassee, FL | Woman’s Club Tallahassee

You just met Jane in our last post when we showed off the rockin’ images from her bridal session. Now you’re going to meet her other half, Daniel. Jane + Daniel had an awesome wedding at the Tallahassee Woman’s Club. Here goes.

~ Charles

Meet Daniel.

Another killer bridal portrait of Jane.

This little cutie just kept puttin’ on a show for the camera right before she was about the walk down the aisle.

And this little guy got nervous. I absolutely LOVE this shot of his Dad give him a pep talk.

Jane’s brother performed a song at her wedding. From what I understand, he is part of an outstanding performance group at Florida State that has received national recognition.

The flower girl decided that tossing petals on the ground was a waste. She took it upon herself to distribute flower petals to a variety of guests seated in the sanctuary. We have so many adorable shots of her “tossing” the petals to the audience!

The big walk with mom + dad.

The new Mr & Mrs.

The cool factor for exits goes through the roof when you have every single guest at your wedding getting in on the action! Jane + Daniel stalled in a room for 5 minutes while the coordinators setup this bubble exit on the front steps of the church.

Aren’t they cute?!

The Woman’s Club has these magical windows. Dreamy light.

Check this out…this is the maid of honor & the best man in the background. It just so happens that the maid of honor was Jane’s sister, and the best man was Daniel’s brother!

Throwing a reception in Tallahassee? Greg Tish = Party. It’s just that simple. The man is an amazing DJ. Hire him. He’s booked? Change your date.

Go Jane! Go Jane!

Thanks for inviting us to be a part of your weekend guys!

Jane

What:

Bridal Session

When:

March 9, 2008

Where:

Tallahassee, FL

What can I say about Jane? We had an AWESOME time working with her this past March on her bridal session! She is hilarious, and basically kept Meg & I in stitches the entire session. Fortunately, we managed to actually shoot a few images too! Check it out.

~ Charles

LOVE this shot!

Amazing light here. It was such a cool find.

Cheryl + John

What:

Wedding

When:

March 8, 2008

Where:

Tallahassee, FL | Golden Eagle Country Club

Cheryl + John put together a beautiful wedding this past March in Tallahassee. We had a great time working with them, and its always a pleasure to shoot a reception out at Golden Eagle. Check it out.

~ Charles

Meet John.

John has been a football coach with Florida State University for the last several years. He was just named as a new coach with University of Georgia. Look for him on the sideline next year. GO DAWGS!

Meet Cheryl.

Check out the centerpieces!

Thanks for a wonderful weekend guys!