nourished and relaxed, the ladies piled into cars and headed up the mountain to a cabin to start hair and makeup. the lighting in the cabin made for beautifully dramatic images- these next two were our favorites:

then it was back down the mountain to the ceremony! as lindsay and her ladies arrived there was much excitement over what was about to happen. lindsay and chad had a long engagement and an eight year dating relationship and everyone was ready to see them tie the knot! …no one was more excited than lindsay herself!

the surrounding area was stunning and we were so glad that lindsay & chad carved out some time for couple portraits after the ceremony! the light was soft and the mountains in the distance created such a beautiful backdrop:

the reception was full of dancing and moments of emotion as old friends toasted to and took turns dancing with lindsay & chad.

lindsay and her bridesmaids made the whole day a party- but they really turned it up at the reception! meet the ‘maids:

when it was finally time to leave, the party slowly moved out front to wish them a happy honeymoon and send them off in style:

***please click here to see lindsay & chad’s slideshow***

lindsay & chad, your wedding was so beautiful! all of the personal touches you took the time to plan were so well done- and i know your guests appreciated everything! (based on the empty candy table at the end of the night! :) ) it was great to finally meet you guys and get to know you and your guests, thank you so much for having us be a part of your wedding. hope you guys enjoyed hawaii to the fullest!

once we’d drained the last speck of coffee from our cups, we headed over to blain’s alma mater, georgia tech, for some engagement pics. we’d never shot there before- or really even been on the campus! luckily we were with a local- as we shot, blain shared snippets of info about the campus and school as well some of his memories there. it was awesome finally getting to know one of atlanta’s landmarks- about time too!

as the sun sank lower the humidity and mosquitos burst forth as a united force- but katie & blain powered through it! we were all smacking them off of one other between shots but we were still going strong- must have been quite a sight for anyone who saw us! so katie & blain, to you i must say, WELL DONE!

we started the shoot off at a little secret garden area that blain knew about- it was quiet and peaceful, and a great place to get things started:

from there we just wandered, looking for sunlight, cool architecture, interesting plants- anything and everything! katie & blain seemed up for whatever so we tried a few experimental shots so ridiculous that we pretty much all just laughed at the absurdity of it- so thanks guys for your willingness to run between these two trees multiple times so we could get this shot!

the variety of textures and architecture at tech was surprising! there was stone, iron, wood, brick and plaster for us to play off of- sometimes all in one place!

this rock wall was unique too- now that i look at this next image it almost looks like they are lying down and we flipped it up- but really, it’s a wall! the sun was glaring over them but i love the washed out look this image has. and look at katie’s eyes- WOAH! so so pretty!

all it takes is a three foot bed of daylilies and an awesome couple to pull of a dreamy image!

we really liked this reflective building- it’s creates such an interesting background as it reflects the rest of the campus! great idea to swing by these buildings on the way out, blain!

***please click here to see katie & blain’s slideshow***

katie & blain, we are so excited to be working with you guys! it was awesome to take some time to get to know you and relax together and i think it shows in the images. you guys rock, hope you love them!

last may (2008) we officially shot our first string of weddings as altmix photography. those brides that trusted us early on hold a very special place in our hearts and we still keep up with many of them even today! one such couple is bonnie & david. remember them? the wedding with herb and twig and feather bouquets? and a stunning handmade wedding dress and veil? yes, that was bonnie & david:

when we first met them we realized we had a lot in common and we’ve been excited to watch them get married and start their own business(s!)- we’re always so impressed by their creativity and ingenuity! for a long time now bonnie has played with the idea of starting a blog about their life- they are so interesting and full of ideas and ready to jump into anything- perfect blog material in my opinion! so i am ecstatic to share with you that she’s begun! and with all things bonnie does- she’s doing it RIGHT.

from bonnie:  going home to roost is dedicated to a simpler way of life and focuses on handmade style and design. it features talented artisans, designers & eco indieprenuers. it also includes handmade how-to’s, recipes and whole-living tips to boot. its purpose is to provide daily inspiration and to allow its readers to feed their creative minds!

so check her out! you will NOT be disappointed, promise! leave her a sweet comment and be sure to check out her two etsy sites! i leave you with the eggs she sent home with us last time we visited her- their little backyard chicken coop is quite idyllic and it produces wonderfully creamy, organic eggs that are almost too pretty to eat…almost! :)

really everything about this wedding was a dream- the weather, the colors, the setting but most of all, the people. huge grins accompanied every event of the day, which was actually very helpful for me as chane’ and her family are from south africa and all day wove in an out of speaking english and the exotic sounding, afrikaans. the vibrant culture that accompanies this language was evident in chane’s wedding, and blended seamlessly with the southern hospitality of tom’s upbringing.

i could really talk all day about the unique and loving families who came together at this wedding, but really, i think the pictures can say much more. we’ll start with the beginning of the day, with the girls chatting in the kitchen lazily munching watermelon- while the dress was hanging quietly in a bedroom down the hall.

while i hung out with the ladies and watch chane’s little sister work absolute MAGIC on her hair, matt met the guys at tom’s grandparent’s old home. tom’s aunt lives there now and was so kind to allow us to wander the property and take portraits in the very same places tom used to play in as a kid! the nostalgia of the barn, especially, worked wonderfully for images- it was just so rich with old tools and dusty light!

probably one of my favorite images we’ve ever taken- the light is just so brilliant and dramatic and emphasizes the details on chane’s dress perfectly!

because i was so in love with the decor there was no way around us making a detail board for this wedding! chane’- your brilliance and creativity came together so perfectly! this is just amazing:

the sun came and went during the ceremony so we have a huge variety of images! i love that matt grabbed this one as the sun was just about to break through. he actually grabbed two shots so he could do a little composite- we rarely do anything HDR but the sky was too stunning not to!

just as matt grabbed the previous shot and started walking back to the ceremony, the sun peeked out and shined straight into my lens. usually i’d immediately angle the lens for a more balanced shot but the moment when it came out was so beautiful i wanted to capture exactly what their guests were seeing- the resulting capture brings a little thrill to my heart:

as does this look:

the sunflowers i mentioned before were tipped with golden light as we strolled down this little road for portraits. the next few moments are some of the best i’ve experienced as a photographer. the light was beyond words, the sunflowers were brilliantly golden and the green was glowing with the sunset- and chane’ & tom were celebrating being married, totally ignoring us, grinning and laughing and embracing and kissing- we couldn’t shoot quickly enough. be sure to check out their slideshow at the bottom of the post for TONS more!

when the sun finally dropped it happened quickly- replacing the striking gold with a cool blue hue. i love how matt captured the reception, the dusky sky and the wildflowers in the foreground all in this shot:

chane’ & tom had their guests cheering and tearing up the dance floor from the moment they were introduced! tom even grabbed the mic and shocked us all (well, at least me! i guess his friends knew) by belting out mustang sally in a way i’m sure i’ll never hear again! the energy level stayed at rave status most of the evening and i’m sure matt and i had as much fun as the guests! seriously, i could go to their wedding again every weekend and enjoy it each time!

this next shot was taken as tom was reaching for the garter to toss it. chane’s mom’s expression cracks me up- it seems to be a mixture of disbelief and joy- really, all of the expressions are priceless- it’s a winner:

a robust cover of don’t stop believin’ brought down the house as the last song and we’ve never had a harder time picking out just one image of a series to share with you! so there’s reason #2 to check out their slideshow! does it get much more hardcore than this!?

***please click here to see chane’ & tom’s slideshow***

chane’ & tom, you guys, i don’t have words for you! everything about your wedding was as enjoyable for the guests as it was for you, and i don’t think i’ve ever smiled as much as i did (and laughed!) at your reception. thank you so so much for including us in your wedding, best wishes to you! oh and THANK YOU for introducing me to boiled peanuts, now everytime we pass a sign for them on the road i get all excited and make matt stop! ;)

the fact that they are wedding photographers also means that matt & i had EVERY detail before the day of the wedding- which was really fun for me since we all know i LOVE details! we had seen pictures of the bridesmaid’s dresses, knew the colors in the bouquets- davey even sent us a slideshow of images he took at the venue to give us an idea of the space. needless to say when we showed up we were ready!

i met marissa and her family for an intimate morning of hair and makeup before we met up with the bridal party at the venue. it was great to have some time to get to know marissa and her family- she’s quiet and so sweet and the stories she told me about her relationship with davey were so adorable it made me feel even more honored to be capturing their wedding!

here is a little taste of our morning- i love that hair salons always have a few little awesome and kinda bizarre details! this time? marissa = HOT!

meanwhile at the corley mill house! i love the direction in this image:

marissa and davey had an adorable table set up for their guests to write them little notes of encouragement, advice or congratulations. i bet these were so fun to read through after the wedding!

i love this image matt grabbed of davey’s grandmother checking the time just before the ceremony:

every couple has a special way of showing they care for one another- some couples talk about their love while some show it through an affectionate touch- i think all marissa & davey have to do is just LOOK at one other! there’s no denying their powerful connection and love in these next two images!

like i said before, pictures were super important to marissa & davey- which meant that their ceremony ended just in time for us to take their couple images at the most perfect golden hour! well planned, guys!

their reception was such a celebration! tons of their erskine friends reconnected with one another and there was an abundance of hugs and smiles. marissa & davey spent the evening talking to every single one of their guests and enjoying themselves to the fullest! a few of our fave reception shots:

***please click here to see marissa & davey’s slideshow***
marissa & davey, we are so honored you chose us as your photographers! your wedding day was so perfect and beautiful, we hope you are able to look back through your images and remember the best parts for the rest of your lives. happy marriage!

the morning of their wedding i drained my coffee and walked into the salon expecting nothing less than the best day ever. high expectations? not with heather & matt- it was guaranteed. i was chatting with heather as her best friend took a starbucks and chic-fil-a order from each girl and while matt sped off to meet the guys for their frisbee golf game.  <- that sentence alone should give you an idea of the level of awesome we were dealing with! well, that sentence, and their photobooth!

i think, for this one, i’ll cut up my chatter between the images- there’s so much to talk about! but let’s kick things off with a pretty picture of the bride- that seems the most perfect place to start! we arrived at the botanical gardens ready to dive into their tall grasses but as we turned in the rain got stronger and forced us indoors. luckily, everything is beautiful inside too and we were able to grab some great portraits with completely natural lighting, so like i said- the pretty bride!

heather wrapped this necklace, a family heirloom, around her bouquet to carry during the ceremony. i love the symbolism in carrying a piece of your family history as you begin your new family, wish i’d seen this sweet idea before my own wedding! [attn photogs- 6400 iso, baby! gotta do what i gotta do!]

heather wrote a tearjerker of a note to matt for him to read on the wedding day- it was so sweet the way he sought a bit of solitude to read her words:

the rain let up just enough for us to jump out from under the awning and grab a few quick images. and how perfect that heather was still holding her umbrella- if it hadn’t rained this shot would be umbrella.less and slightly less adorable. so, thank you rain, for helping in your own way!

also, are you as obsessed with heather’s hairpiece as i am!?

matt’s sister and her husband have a two month old baby girl who’s cuteness could not be left alone! she seemed always surrounded by cooing friends and family but i love how (my)matt found this sweet moment between her and her daddy and captured it in such a way that they seem all alone in their own world, he’s a genius. check out this little daddy’s-girl-in-the-making! ;)

wren, heather’s maid of honor, held up her dress as they waited to be motioned up the stairs to the ceremony. the last few moments of waiting is always one of the most exhilarating and yet introspective times of the wedding day and i am 100% always caught up in it at this moment too, love it!

sidenote: just realized we are sharing tons of black and whites from this wedding, love it!

heather & matt take pictures seriously and created a solid chunk of time for couple portraits at the botanical gardens after the ceremony- for which we LOVE them! the setting was perfect, their excitement was perfect and the rain held off- PERFECT! oh, and also, they are one good looking couple!! here are a few of our faves:

let’s pause for a moment to check out some of the sweetest details i’ve seen! i love how heather’s style came through in her wedding- couples often ask what they can do to make their wedding awesome and we always recommend infusing as much of their personal style into the day as possible- that is something heather knew instinctively! she snagged the uber-talented joy thigpen and the once wed crew to turn her dreams and ideas into a unique wedding bursting with personality enjoyed by everyone in attendance:

heather & matt’s reception was held in the large glass conservatory at the state botanical garden of georgia. it was the perfect location to compliment her style and all of the indoor foliage made for a stunning setting! …although i may have a bias as this is the exact spot matt and i celebrated our own wedding reception one year and nine months ago! it was so awesome to be back!

***please click here to see heather & matt’s slideshow***

heather & matt, just as we post this you are heading to italy to enjoy a long and well-earned holiday- we cannot wait to see your pictures from the trip- especially with your new awesome camera! we had a great time getting to know you both and capturing your friends and family as they celebrated with you was a joy. we wish you the best italy, and marriage, has to offer, ciao!

so today, friends, we OFFICIALLY launch the altmix photobooth…or whatever more clever name we come up with in the next couple weeks…any ideas, please!? i know, i count on you for so much, but really, my pocket thesaurus did nothing for me when i looked up ‘photo’ and ‘booth.’ out of pure frustration i threatened to name it ‘image cubicle’ before i slowly put the thesaurus down, backed away and decided to ask you. TANGENT. anyway, without further babble, i present a few of our favorite images from the first altmix photobooth EVER:

heather just finished up her master’s and matt just finished up his doctorate so we thought books and mustaches were appropriate props to bring- pipe, glasses, birds and pearls completed the look :)

the groom and his mother- shouldn’t every mother/son portrait be this amazing!?

centerpieces make great props too…?!

remember how we said we needed help running this thing? well, thank goodness for crazy college friends! we were so thrilled to have steve and his lovely wife, katherine, along to run the booth and get everyone excited to jump in! they did an amazing job! …and while big things like the cake cutting were happening, they enjoyed the booth themselves- meet steve:

i tackled a straight minute of repeatedly jumping as high as i could to get a picture where the bottom of my feet are in the shot and surprise! no luck. BUT, one of heather’s bridesmaids is a cheerleading coach so i called her over and she helped my dreams come true! isn’t she awesome!?

what do you do when all of your friends steal the props? pull out a dollar, of course:

well, that’s all for the blog but there’s LOTS more fun to be had at their photocart! *CLICK HERE*

soooo….what do you think!? :)

we met for a few pictures of hair and makeup before heading to le jardin blanc to meet the other bridesmaids and finish getting ready. after spending the last few hours laughing and chatting with elizabeth i was so excited to meet her best friends- they were all so sweet and so focused on helping and encouraging their friend- it made shooting their relationships such a pleasure! when it came time to put the dress on there was a pause- everyone knew elizabeth was planning on wearing her grandmother’s dress from the 1950s and there really weren’t words for how special that was. we all quietly oooed and ahhhed over the delicate vintage lace and the timeless shape of the dress- it was perfect for elizabeth. as she put it on and zipped it up, it hugged her figure- so similar to her grandmother’s sixty years ago- i looked around at teary eyes and big smiles and fell in love with my job all over again.

after a few moments of absorbing the fact that she was indeed in a wedding dress and getting married in a few short hours, elizabeth was ready to see david. they planned on taking some time to connect before the ceremony and it was the perfect time for us to grab some images. but first! the stunning elizabeth as her mom placed her veil- i just love how she looks so peaceful and happy:

they were both beyond excited to finally see one other but it took elizabeth a few seconds of recomposure before she could start walking down the stairs. i love witnessing these first few moments- the emotion is so beautiful. first up, matt’s view from downstairs:

and my view from upstairs:

we took some time to explore the gardens and found some great spots! the rain came down lightly but neither of then cared in the least! here are a few of our favorites:

don’t you love how this bluish metal contrasts with her stunning red hair!? i’m in love:

back inside david and elizabeth shared notes they’d written to each other for their wedding day. i love this series of elizabeth reading, and, sidenote: HER DRESS IS AMAZING!

i love how dramatic the lighting in this image of elizabeth peeking out as guests start to arrive:

laura, elizabeth’s sister and best friend, stole a look back before walking out to the garden and down the aisle.

how perfectly adorable was their ceremony?! shaded by a huge tree that acted as a bit of an umbrella and backed by a vintage window salvaged just for this purpose, i love everything about it!

‘for the first time!’ love the excitement here:

we took just a few more minutes for portraits after the ceremony- how could we resist!?

the rain held off for the outdoor reception and the party started right away! a few toasts were given before the cake cutting, and the rest of the evening was marked with crazy dancing and laughter atop a perfect black and white checkered dance floor! it was a great evening! but first the toasts:

ahhh, the mother/son dance. so emotional and sweet:

here, elizabeth’s parents hug the new couple just before they danced to the final song. elizabeth’s mom is such a funny person, always ready with a joke or quip but i love her emotion in this shot:

and the last dance. love this shot- the expressions, the colors, the clarity- everything:

***please click here to see elizabeth & david’s slideshow***

elizabeth & david, thank you so so much for asking us to be part of your day. everything and everyone was so genuine and natural and beautiful, we were so happy to be capturing it all. best wishes to you both in marriage and grad school!