Asheville Wedding and Portrait Photographer

Thanks for Voting! I'm a Winner - Best of WNC 2011

2011-10-13T14:22:28Z

Wow! I won second - Best Photographer in Western North Carolina - in the Mountain Express WNC Best of 2011.

Who made it happen? My much appreciated group of supporters, followers, fans, friends and family. I truly appreciate all the votes. It’s always fun to win something, even if you don’t know what it’s worth. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for the thrill.

Winston-Salem Engagement / Winston-Salem Portrait Photographer

2011-06-02T01:59:47Z

Beth was Abby’s big sister in their sorority at Wake Forest University. Beth and Abby must have gotten along pretty well because Beth and Chip will be at Abby and Barr’s wedding this September at the Biltmore. Beth and Chip will be getting married later this year in Mexico.

I can’t remember which happened first. Beth and I scheduled our engagement sitting. Abby booked me to photograph her wedding. All I know is that they found me independently of one another and they independently decided to hire me, which I think is pretty neato.

Firstly, this is not a story about Beth and Abby. This is a story about Beth and Chip.

Also, this is not a story about me, my childhood or my father. However, I’ll just mention *for a second* that my dad went to Wake Forest. I spent my childhood at (what seemed at the time) every single basketball and football game with my best friend, the basketball coach’s daughter.

And as it turns out, Chip played football at Wake Forest.

Beth and Chip live in Charlotte. It seemed a natural choice to meet up in Winston-Salem for their engagement sitting. We went to Old Salem followed by their alma mater’s beautiful Wake Chapel.

I got these icecream parlor Sweetheart Chairs from stylists Maura and Tara of The Darling Bee. Aren’t they sweet?

Biltmore Estate Wedding / Part Three

2010-11-15T01:07:05Z

We’re still at the Biltmore with Kathryn and Doug. It has been so nice to revisit this wedding as an extended feature. Thanks for hanging in… I know it was a healthy little break between Part Two and this posting - I’ve been traveling a lot the last couple of weeks. I’m sure you’ve all been at the edge of your seats, waiting for when Kathryn and Doug are married. No, Kathryn didn’t just take a pretty carriage ride. She actually went somewhere very important! :) I will take you there…

Isn’t this ceremony lovely? Everything about Kathryn and Doug’s wedding was so romantic.

I usually include only shots taken by me on my blog, but this one is by my second photographer Camilla Calnan of Kathryn’s father shaking Doug’s hand. A beautiful moment:

Biltmore Estate Wedding / Part Two

2010-10-27T01:15:03Z

The Diana sits on the hill above the Biltmore House. This is where Kathryn and Doug’s ceremony and reception took place.

I know I said I’d turn this into a two part posting. But I think I’ll spread it on a bit thicker. How about three or four posts?

This one is all about the amazing ride in the horse-drawn carriage Kathryn took to her wedding to Doug. And meeting up with her father on the way!

Kathryn’s smile when she see’s her dad.

I just gracefully floated and landed in this spot. No bounding in the woods like a hefalump did this require…

Biltmore Estate Wedding / Part One

2010-10-22T18:20:46Z

Kathryn and Doug’s wedding took place at the Diana on the gorgeous Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Kathryn and Doug are an adorable couple and their wedding was absolutely beautiful. Tara Jordan of Weddings with Tara did a wonderful job coordinating all of the details - everything was perfect! And Stacey of the Bloom Room created stunning floral arrangements. Scott Thompson did a fabulous job with makeup as always.

Kathryn and Doug’s wedding story will be told in two parts. Welcome to Part One!

Kathryn’s beautiful dress was found at The White Room in Birmingham, Alabama. She wore her mother’s veil.

Kathryn’s great-great grandmother’s brooch:

Kathryn’s Grandmother’s wedding dress sleeve around the bouquet:

Scott and Kathryn:

Such a beautiful laugh…

Gardenias in her hair and bouquet to honor her grandparents…

Kathryn and Doug have a special moment when they see each other for the first time.

On the shuttle:

The Biltmore House and the wedding party:

Come back later for the ceremony and the reception at the Diana!

Pretty Little Weddings Blog Feature / High Hampton Inn Wedding

2010-10-13T16:02:39Z

Natalie and Brian’s beautiful High Hampton Inn wedding in Cashiers, NC was revisited today by the lovely blog Pretty Little Weddings.

Here is just one shot, a reminder of that gorgeous day in the North Carolina mountains just about this same time last year…

Natalie and Brian “seeing” each other for the first time on their wedding day, with their hands:

Visit the Pretty Little Weddings blog for more or find the entire wedding here on my blog.

Bangkok Portrait Photographer / BAMBI article

2010-10-09T14:20:46Z

I recently had the pleasure of being one of five photographers interviewed by Soofia Asad of Bangkok, Thailand for an article for BAMBI magazine about maternity portraits. The article is below, along with a photograph taken during one of my maternity sessions (it’s on the second page - the half-page black and white one of the woman lying down).

I’ll be returning to Bangkok in February for a week of portrait sittings. Look for more Bangkok trip updates and write me to get on the list. I’m only there once a year now! :)

My shot here, bottom half of page:

I didn’t send my headshot for this last page. It was asked for at the last minute while I was out of town working. So no picture of me here… sorry, for all of you dying to see me…

Valerie's Bridal Portraits / Asheville Wedding Photographer

2010-09-28T01:29:29Z

Valerie and Zach were married recently at the beautiful First Baptist Church in Asheville. Photographs of their wedding are to follow sometime soon. Valerie and I were able to get together before their wedding for her bridal portraits at the North Carolina Arboretum. These are a just a few of those taken on that day. There are others I would love to share but because they’re are tucked away on another hard drive and I’m experiencing a very sleepy moment… I will plan share those when I post their wedding!

Valerie had these images printed by me to display at their reception at the Crest Center in Asheville.

I met Zach at a wedding I photographed of an old friend of Valerie, whose beautiful engagement portraits and wedding I’ll share eventually as well (as you can tell I don’t blog every day!). After our intoductions, Zach showed me the following first image of Valerie that he had been allowed to see from our bridal portrait session - it doesn’t show the dress…and it made great i-phone wallpaper.

So beautiful!

Biltmore Estate Wedding / Asheville Wedding Photography

2010-09-23T16:08:00Z

Ann and Ben’s wedding was held on the beautiful Biltmore Estate at Lioncrest.

All the details of Ann and Ben’s wedding were perfect, from the dress to the flowers to the table settings… it was a great festival for the eyes. Ann had lots of wonderful ideas which paired well with the creativity of the vendors she chose, who were able to collaboratively see her vision through.

As a photographer shooting a wedding at the Biltmore, it’s very helpful to know your way around the estate because it is so large and spread out. I’m so grateful I do. I live only minutes away from the Biltmore and as a passholder member of it I spend a lot of time exploring and scouting for new angles and places to shoot. I love photographing weddings at the Biltmore.

Ann and Ben are a couple who are truly generous of the heart. I enjoyed getting to know Ann over the planning stages and I was grateful to Ben on the wedding day when he so graciously faced the intense summer heat as I escorted them all over the estate for photos. It was his wedding day, so what else was he supposed to do? But he had the sweetest smile on his face the entire time. I loved witnessing how happy Ann and Ben were.

Since the wedding day I’ve gotten to hang out with Ann a little bit (we went to a wine tasting together) and I really appreciate her calming, up-lifting spirit. It’s totally palpable in her smile - you can see it everywhere in the photographs below. I can’t wait to hang out more. It’s really nice to know I’ve made a friend.

Something that I enjoy about weddings is the feeling of working as a team. For the most part I work “alone” as a photographer but I like being part of a group effort when it’s supportive of each individual’s creative efforts and strengths. I bring this up because there was a nice synergy I felt at this wedding. And… I think both Ann and Ben’s sweet personalities are infectious, so that even when we had to play a little “catch up” with the schedule (as it goes with many weddings) we were all just gushing with cheerfulness and truly enjoying being a part of a real celebration.

Bravo to the team of amazing vendors:

Maura of Honey Darling Events

Florist: The Bloom Room

Makeup: Scott Thompson

Hair: Lola

Ceremony Site, Reception Site, Venue, Catering, Cake: Biltmore Estate

Congratulations, Ann and Ben!! I’ll shoot your wedding any day!

Give a wink to the shuttle… and an ahhhhhhh for air-conditioning.

The Conservatory:

I don’t always blog post so many table settings and centerpieces, but I couldn’t leave these out. A complete table setting is so elegant.

The Knot Magazine Feature - Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland Weddings

2010-08-07T00:56:53Z

Rielle and Bobby’s beautiful Washington DC wedding is featured in the Fall issue of The Knot Virginia, Maryland, DC magazine. Rielle and Bobby’s reception took place at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Their wedding was also featured as the wedding of the week on The Knot. You can visit the slideshow of that feature here. Thank you to Erin Rexroth for doing a fantastic job helping me shoot and Alex Pare of Cherry Blossom Weddings & Events. Congratulations Rielle and Bobby!