when i was 11 years old i was pretty sure i was going to be a fine artist and an eye doctor when i grew up. my interests were soccer and theatre and my favorite food was macaroni and cheese and pickles. everything about me has changed so dramatically since then- except, honestly, pickles maaay still be one of my favorite foods. ;)

when lara was 11 years old she walked into a new school and the very first person she met was her future husband. you guys, lara & zack met when they were ELEVEN! they became close friends quickly and their shared interests kept them very involved in each other’s lives- they had the same friends, shared the same extracurricular activities and even found themselves passionate about the same big issues as they grew up. in 10th grade everything changed- these two best friends started dating. it was a big step for them but was the most natural thing in the world to those who had watched them grow up together. luckily for lara & zack, it was the right move- they’re so obviously deeply connected and in love and their comfort level with one another is such that no one would question them having been the closest of friends for so many years. they are beautiful and rare.

when we were first contacted about shooting lara & zack’s wedding we knew only one thing- they were currently through-hiking the appalachian trail together and wouldn’t be able to meet with us until the october before their new year’s eve wedding. matt & i always do what we can to meet with a couple before we agree to shoot their wedding but in this case it made the most sense to meet with lara’s mom while they were away and then connect with them when they returned. andie, lara’s mom, showed up with adorable pictures and incredible stories of lara & zack and instantly we knew we had to meet these two! we had so many shared interests and passions and their life experiences fascinated us. we quickly decided that, though we’d never made new year’s eve available before, there was no doubt we were going to open it up for lara & zack! when we finally met with them i’m pretty sure i just asked them 1000 questions about their time working on an organic farm, about their passion for locally grown beautifully prepared food, about their time on the AT and all of the beautiful sights and experiences they shared during their time away together- they are fascinating. i could go on and on but i’m starting to realize this is getting rather long…but seriously! these two were a joy to get to know and so much fun to work with on their wedding day. we couldn’t have asked for a better way to ring in the new year!

lara’s family is presbyterian and zack’s family is jewish so lara & zack spent lots of time designing a ceremony that highlights the similarities in the two religions as well as their shared themes of love and unity. the service was unique and personal with both parents walking them down the aisle and remaining with them in support and encouragement through the whole ceremony. it was so clear how much these families love each other and find joy in lara & zack’s relationship:

the chuppah was designed especially for lara & zack and made from zack’s mother’s wedding dress, such an intimate, personal detail:

after the ceremony, guests enjoyed a lively time of catching up and cocktails before they were introduced into the stunning reception space, brilliantly designed by steve bales, creative director at bold american events and catering:

lara’s dad surprised her by playing a song she had written and recorded when she was younger- she was definitely surprised!

somehow the father daughter dance turned into an impromptu family dance- i LOVE it! such a clear picture of how close these two families are:

lara & zack’s parents planned lots of little surprises for them on their wedding day! one of the crowd favorites was the huge tray of whoopie pies brought in from maine:

zack’s dad surprised many of the guests by joining the band for auld lang syne after the big countdown, impressive!

instead of running to a car to exit their reception, lara & zack just walked away with their packs! clever, funny and perfect for them:

***please click here to see lara & zack’s slideshow***

lara & zack & families, thank you all so much for trusting us to capture such a wonderful celebration! we feel so blessed to have gotten to know you all. best wishes!

the next five images are all of immediate family- just to give you a taste of how fun these families were to capture hanging out and celebrating!

*CLICK HERE to view them all!*

…wedding to follow!

can’t wait to return with more lara&zack goodness to share!

before matt & i started this biz, i was in school and matt was working at a small ad agency in atlanta. we were engaged and excited and we knew nothing about weddings. we decided to get married in athens, where we met, and we chose our date: august 18th. with a good bit of help we pulled off the wedding and, as much as we know about weddings now, we still say that it was an awesome day of celebration and fun! BUT, it was over 100 degrees. you guys, i kid you not, the weather channel suggested everyone in athens stay inside that day! thankfully, all activities were indoors but looking back, i really wish we’d been able to sneak away with our photographer and explore our favorite little city on a beautifully sunny, 60 degree day like stephanie & patrick!

when we arrived in athens, we could not even believe that their december wedding was so balmy! the same time last year we were all preparing for a white christmas! needless to say, we took full advantage of some of our favorite nooks and crannies in athens and spent a relaxed half hour with stephanie & patrick, soaking up the most beautiful day in a city we all love. i was reminded of so many afternoons matt & i spent getting to know one another, walking the very same streets, lingering at some of the very same spots where we stopped to capture stephanie & patrick. we felt so blessed to return and capture the love of two people we like so much. stephanie & patrick are warm- their love radiates from their expressions, their movements and their care for others. i’m pretty sure that had their wedding dawned icy and overcast i would still look back on their day and see warmth and light- they are just that full of life and love! and so was their whole bridal party! the makings of one awesome day, for sure!

after a sweet few moments of disbelief at seeing one another in their wedding clothes and re-absorbing what the day would bring, stephanie & patrick exchanged gifts. patrick surprised steph with a pair of stunning diamond earrings while she surprised him with a seriously awesome watch. stephanie didn’t miss a beat- as soon as she could she removed the earrings she had purchased to wear on her wedding day with patrick’s gift- so sweet:

pops of red are perfect for a winter wedding- the trees are bare and the grasses are golden- and the red stands out so boldly and cheerfully. i love it:

has there ever been a happier bride!?

i love this next series- especially the detail of the blue strip of sky- matt’s just the best. :) i also like how stephanie & patrick leaned in for a kiss and managed to not fall off the skinny little cement barrier that divided the parking lot and the ‘flower bed,’ they’ve got skills!

we couldn’t help but embrace the beautiful sunlight- everything around us was dramatically lit and we had to reign in our inclination to stop every three feet or so to capture it- so, we stopped every 6 feet or so instead. ;) stephanie & patrick were so trusting and excited and even encouraging of us as we tried a couple of spots that seemed a little crazy! this couple rocks.

and so does their bridal party! [many of whom you've probably seen dancing on this blog before- it was a fun reunion for us!!]

stephanie and her close friends and family shared some sweet moments of encouragement and prayer before the ceremony:

and then it was time! patrick’s expressions are the best:

stephanie & patrick hosted a receiving line on the way out of the church to thank all of their guests for sharing the day with them and then it was on to the reception!!

i love this next image of stephanie & patrick’s parents as they watched their first dance:

patrick and his dad- in case you were wondering where patrick gets his endless energy and dancing skills! :)

***please click here to see stephanie & patrick’s slideshow***

stephanie & patrick, we hope you guys had a very merry christmas as a new family! thank you so much for having us at your wedding to capture your love and celebration. we wish you the very best!

my favorite, so much love and comfort:

***please click here to see kristen & ben’s slideshow***

kristen & ben, thank you guys for sharing such a sweet time in your relationship with us. we can’t wait for the wedding!

i am currently hugely distracted by christmas. we have strings and strings of interior and exterior lights. i’ve closed all the blinds in the house so i can enjoy the warm glow of the tree and mantle even during the day. i’ve had eggnog three times in the last two weeks [ugh!]. so it means a lot for me to say that i haven’t even taken the time to turn the tree on today because i’m happily sitting in the office working as quickly as i can because i just can’t wait to share these images with you! i talked about the amazingness of jaimie & jonathan in their photobooth post and i am really excited for you to scroll down and learn more about these two and their sweet families and friends. there is just nothing better than capturing the wedding day of two people that are so obviously meant to be together. there is such a peace that comes with a wedding like jaimie & jonathan’s, such a trust and understanding and comfort at the base of all of the excitement and celebration. spending the day with these two, matt & i really felt like we were witnessing something very special. there is no denying that these two are madly in love with their best friend and i feel such joy to have been a small part in their celebration.

ok ok, let’s get started with the images! the first time jaimie caught a glimpse of herself just before going to meet jonathan:

her sweet friends were quick with the tissues and comfort:

jonathan, just before seeing his bride for the first time on their wedding day. the excitement and love is so clear:

jonathan couldn’t take his eyes off his lady. it made for sweet pictures. :)

these two LOVE to laugh together, a trait that i really appreciate! we laughed a lot with them:

each of their parents gave a toast and charge to the couple and encouraged them in their new life together- it was such a sweet gesture- i love this image of jaimie’s dad’s toast as he took a moment to compose himself:

and jonathan kissing his mom after her toast:

***please click here to see jaimie & jonathan’s slideshow***

jaimie & jonathan, thank you for including us in your wedding celebration! we felt blessed to capture it all- best wishes to you!

but you know what?? that couldn’t ruin my whole day. because then i looked through these images and i couldn’t help but smile and feel warm inside. because jaimie & jonathan are the kind of people who can do that- they light up a room, coax laughter from everyone and talk with everybody like they’ve been friends for years. they are those wonderful people who can make a seriously rough morning disappear just by flipping through photos and remembering the day you spent capturing their joy. i am thankful for them, especially today! :)

*CLICK HERE to view them all!*

wedding images to follow!

we found a small area of densely packed, bare, skinny trees and we kiiiinda got stuck there we liked it so much! and i kiiiinda want to go back here to take our christmas card photo…

i love this next series, such a perfect capture of the fun and love ashton & michael share:

as ashton & michael’s shoot drew to a close, we found ourselves in a dusky blue light. the warm tones of the leaves looked so beautiful in the cool light that we decided to end the shoot with a few reclining images to capture the environment and the serene, calm feeling of the almost empty park. i love these:

***please click here to see ashton & michael’s slideshow***

ashton & michael, thank you guys for trusting us every step of the way! we really loved our afternoon with you and we cannot wait for your beautiful spring wedding!