We started out the bridal portrait slowly at first.  I mean, multiple lights and a guy with a camera, a nice guy that is (nice camera too), can be pretty intimidating at first so I thought it would be neat to shot the progression of our shots below.  I would like to thank the lovely Lauren for being my portrait client and especially for having fun during the shoot which enabled us to get the last shot, which she chose for her bridal portrait on display at the wedding.

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While Kerri got ready in a beautiful suite in the Renaissance Hotel in Raleigh, Greg headed over to the church in downtown Raleigh with the guys and my 2nd photographer captured them doing their thing (Won’t be posting those, sorry guys – but I see there was a table harmed in the process). As Kerri got ready, it was very apparent how close everyone in the bridal party and family was. A big challenge for photographers on the wedding day is finding out the relationships between everyone so we can better tell the story. Well, with Kerri’s party, I couldn’t determine who was immediate family and who were friends – since they were all treated like family, I did the same.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral is beautiful and a great example of architecture in downtown Raleigh and following the ceremony, we were able to get a few quick photos in before everyone took a break. The reception picked up that evening at the Renaissance Hotel in Raleigh at North Hills and, with it being my first time there, I was very excited to check out the property. One words comes immediately to mind – beautiful! With the happy newlyweds and 100 of their friends and family celebrating, Kevin Majoros (Joe Bunn DJ) got the party rolling and, well, let’s just say a few pictures had to be censored for decorum purposes.

Congratulations to you both! I am always honored to be chosen to both document and create artistic imagery during a wedding day – so thank you for choosing me!

Wedding: Sacred Heart Cathedral – Raleigh, NC
Reception – Renaissance Hotel in Raleigh – North Hills – Raleigh, NC
Flowers: The Purple Poppy – Wake Forest, NC
DJ: Joe Bunn DJ – Kevin Majoros – Raleigh, NC

And on to the photos:

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I originally met Brittany & Shawn though another wedding photographer, her father, Jim. Jim and I have talked, met for lunch and bounced ideas off of each other for the past year and a half or so. When I found out his daughter was getting married, I jumped at the chance to photograph their wedding. When I found it was in Myrtle Beach, well, let’s just say I got a little excited. I’ve been wanting to photograph beach weddings for a while and even though the ceremony wasn’t on the water, we had some fun the next day with a little trash the dress session.

The wedding ceremony looked like it was under threat from rain but as we got closer to the start time, the wonderful beach weather kept the storms about 3 minutes inland from us. The effect of the clouds, however, was beautiful for photography as the filtered light lent itself beautifully to blue skies and softer light on the wedding party.

After the wedding, we got out onto the beach for a few formals then went off to Tommy Bahamas Cafe for the reception. Something I leaned a long time ago, is when you get put into a tough position in photography, you usually either get something “safe” or something that’s “beautiful” because of how unorthodox your solution was. With the reception outside under umbrella covered tables and a 4 foot awning that just covered the walkway, lighting this reception was definitely a challenge. In the end, I captured my favorite 1st dance shot to date. With true emotion showing from everyone involved to the familiarity and friendship I have with the families, I was proud and honored to be a part of their day.

So, with just a little more ado, I’d like to give my congratulations to Shawn & Brittany! I wish you guys all the best and thank you for letting me be a part of your beautiful wedding.

Location: Marriott Grand Dunes – Myrtle Beach, SC
Reception – Tommy Bahamas Tropical Cafe – Myrtle Beach, SC
Flowers: Dandelion – Myrtle Beach, SC
Cake: Janet Adams
DJ: Music on the Strand – Pat Taylor – Myrtle Beach, SC

Of course, here are a few shots!

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