Charlotte Wedding Photography – Congratulations Carolyn and Kenny

It was a beautiful autumn day; the kind of day that wedding photographers in Charlotte, NC dream of! Even though the wedding ceremony was held indoors at Peace Moravian Church, the large windows let in some beautiful lighting. Carolyn was already in her dress when I arrived, anticipating the vows that she would make in about an hour. I looked around the church to determine where I would photograph everything, and how I might move to cover different aspects of the wedding. I had a little time to visit with Kenny before the ceremony started, and got a few images when his mom stopped in the room to see him; she had to collect herself and fight back tears of joy. She did well : ) After the couple were pronounced husband and wife, we headed to Marriott Southpark, one of the most beautiful hotels in the Charlotte area. The wedding party were all introduced by the DJ, followed by the happy bride and groom. The gold wall coverings, chandeliers, and soft warm lighting made for a spectacular wedding reception location. I had to mention couple of times, how there seemed to be a noticeable joy in the air, and guests were really enjoying themselves. I think that reception had the most dance lovers of any wedding that I have ever photographed. After the first dances, and cake cutting, Carolyn and Kenny took some time out to have me create some artistic and elegant portraits of them at various locations around the hotel. It was a beautiful evening, and it was a perfect way for me to end the year of my wedding photography.

Thanks Kenny and Carolyn for allowing me to be a part of your wedding!

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Flowers by : Lily’s Greenthumb Floral in Charlotte, NC

Ron Anderson
Flying Pig Photography  [Simply Extraordinary]
Charlotte, NC Wedding Photographers

Outdoor Autumn wedding in Lexington, SC – Nicole & Jeremy
I love the beautiful colors that come with Autumn; but it becomes even more beautiful when love is in the air! Well, love certainly was in the air on November 5, 2011 when Nicole and Jeremy became husband and wife, at aquiet Southern venue near Lake Murray, in Lexington, South Carolina. This small intimate wedding was held at 403 North lake Events, one of the most gorgeous wedding locations in the Carolinas. Nicole and the bridesmaids prepared for the wedding upstairs at Cafe 403, which is adjacent to where the reception was held. Nicole wanted to show the natural beauty of the venue in her photographs with the girls, so we used one of the rustic buildings near the wedding site as a backdrops well as on the front porch of the cafe.Then, Jeremy and the groomsmen had some images created behind the rustic shed, away from where the guests were arriving.

The wedding ceremony was located in the spectacular garden area, well hidden behind the cafe. The ceremony incorporated the exchange of rings, as well as a sand mixing that represents two lives being joined in such a way that could never be separated again. The reception followed indoors after we created a few portraits which included family members and the wedding party. The bridesmaids and groomsmen entered the building, dancing to various upbeat songs, making way for the grand entrance of the new bride and groom. Aside from the first dances, speeches, and cake cutting, there was a new activity introduced by the DJ, that was a real hit with the guests. The bride and groom exchanged one of their shoes, so that they held one of their own shoes in one hand, and the shoe of their spouse in the other hand. The DJ began quizzing the couple as to who was the better driver, who spends the most cash, and who made the first move; it was a lot of fun for all, and didn’t even cause a fight between the newlyweds. After much dancing, laughter, and well wishes, Jeremy and Nicole exited the reception into the night through a shower of bubbles and seeds; what a night!

Congratulations Nicole and Jeremy! Thanks for letting me be a part of your wonderful wedding day!

Click here to view all of Nicole and Jeremy’s wedding photography from 403 N Lake Events

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Ron Anderson
Flying Pig Photography [Simply Extraordinary]
Wedding Photographers in South Carolina

Autumn Wedding at 403 N Lake Events in Lexington, SC – Congratulations Liane & Tony!

When Autumn comes around every year, I get pretty excited about getting outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather! Liane and Tony must enjoy this too, since they decided to have their wedding ceremony held outside, in the garden area of 403 North Lake Events. This is a quiet, intimate, Southern style venue located in Lexington, SC,  close proximity to beautiful Lake Murray!

Liane and Tony opted to steer a bit away from the old traditional path, where the bride and groom aren’t supposed to even see each other before the ceremony, and have a few moments of time alone together before the wedding. This allowed me to be a silent observer to their very first interaction on their wedding day, and best of all, capture the moment from a closer proximity than would be possible during the ceremony. When brides and grooms do this, I clearly notice that the rest of their day is far less stressful, and the moment is much more magical, because it is with the couple alone; without a crowd of people watching.

The gardens featured the wedding ceremony, and photography of family, and the wedding party followed there as well. The main reception area was held inside, with additional beverage and food stations located outside, including additional seating. The wedding reception included Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances, as well as cake cutting. Liane and Tony also incorporated a HUGE dessert bar, which I do admit to visiting once or twice (actually about four times, I think).

Just before the bride and groom exited the venue through a shower of bubbles, they had a very special dance, which was said to be a P.A. tradition. The bride was in the middle of a circle of people joining hands, outside of that circle was a larger one, with those people joining hands as well. The groom was on the outside, and had to roam around, looking for a weak spot so that he could break through to get to his new bride. It was a lot of fun, or so it appeared; but Tony looked especially happy to be through with all of the hard work it involved. I don’t think everyone was as easy on him as they should have been. But, what would I know? I am just a photographer.

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Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lisa and Steven were married on October 1, 2011 at the Timberlake Country Club, in Irmo, South Carolina.Their beautiful outdoor wedding was held just behind the clubhouse, which overlooks South Carolina’s very own Lake Murray. Lisa provided attention to every detail, from the mason jars which held flower arrangements, to guests being provided with sand to add to glasses to be used for the ceremony. The autumn weather was absolutely perfect,and the low angle of the sun at the time of the wedding made for some very dramatic lighting.

After Lisa and Steven exchanged wedding vows (and the rings too), they had guests look towards the clubhouse as they walked away from the ceremony site, in order to get a great group photography that included just about everyone in attendance. Then, the wedding party hopped onto several golf carts and headed down towards the lake to get a few images that captures the unique surroundings near the venue. Then, everyone headed inside to the reception area, where the wedding party was introduced, along with the happy bride and groom. As the DJ opened up the dance floor, it was evident that the adults would have to fight for space, which was occupied by several energetic young girls! After a few hours of celebration, Lisa and Steven joined me outside for a night portrait in front of the clubhouse; and shortly thereafter, the newlyweds drove away into the night by boat, as family and friends cheered them on from the marina.

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Click here to viewLisa’s stunning bridal portraits on Lake Murray

I enjoyed working again with Greenville Light Opera Works, for their dress rehearsal for The Mikado, a Japanese music based comedy Operetta.

The show starts on September 8, and runs through Saturday, September 10, 2011. Performances are held at The Centre Stage, located in downtown Greenville, SC.

Click here to view the entire photo gallery of the latest Operetta entertainment in Greenville, SC!

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Thanks for stopping by!

Greenville South Carolina baby & kids photography:

I was so very happy to create these images for Kennedy and her family!!! While all children are special, I wanted to let you hear Kennedy’s story from her mother’s perspective…

“On July 20, 2010 at just over two weeks of age, an abnormal ping pong ball sized mass was found on our daughter Kennedy’s left thigh. After x-ray, ultra sound, surgical biopsy, CT scan, MRI and about a million tears it was determined that our beautiful baby girl had Infantile Fibrosarcoma, a rare cancer which occurs in soft tissue and area surrounding bone. At 2 months old our little fighter began chemotherapy. After 6 weeks of treatment the chemo was determined to be a success as it shrunk her tumor 2 cm and was ready to be removed. On November 18, 2010 Kennedy under went a 4 hour surgery to remove her tumor along with 1/4 of the quad muscle on her left thigh. It was unsure how Kennedy would recover and develop after her surgery missing such a large piece of her quad. For months we watched her with bated breath as she hit her mile stones. As time went on it became increasingly apparent that Kennedy is as determined as she is strong, crawling at 7 months and shocking us all by walking at 11 months old. Cancer or no cancer nothing is holding this girl back.”

It was nice to meet Kennedy and her family! She was such a pleasant little baby to work with; lots of smiles, and very much a model already : ) – She is turning 1 next week!

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Wedding at the Cliffs At Glassy Chapel in SC  -  Sonia & Myron:

Sonia and Myron were married on June 5th at the Cliffs At Glassy Chapel in Landrum, SC. As you can see from the photos, this chapel is right on the edge of a mountain, and has so much to offer to couples wanting to incorporate beautiful  outdoor surroundings into their wedding while enjoying the comfort of shelter indoors. Earlier in the day,  I met Sonia at a home located within the Cliffs community, where she had some portraits taken of her in her wedding dress, and some family photos done as well. Then, on up the mountain I went to head to the chapel; by this time, the ceremony was to begin in twenty minutes, so I was able to collect only a few photographs of the groom and his two boys. There always seems to be a certain “feel” at the weddings at Cliffs At Glassy Chapel; there is a sense of intimacy and sacredness that I think comes from the structure being so small and being made of wood and stone. I like that I could move around a bit during the wedding ceremony without being distracting, in order to capture expressions that usually are impossible otherwise from the back of the room. I love capturing the smile and laughter on Sonia’s face as she was in the process of becoming Mrs. George!

Congratulations Sonia & Myron!

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It was so nice seeing and working with Brittany and Jim again; this time Miranda and I were photographing their wedding day! I joined Brittany and some of the bridesmaids early in the day at Colors By Design, in Greenwood, SC, where they were getting hair done (and doing some nails too). I learned that the cool trend now, is putting a strip thin feathers in your hair – girls only I suppose : ), which the bride did. After hanging out with the girls for a while, Miranda and I headed to Ware Shoals First Baptist Church, where the wedding ceremony was to be held. While the girls continued to prepare for photographs and the wedding ceremony, I was able to create some beautiful images of the wedding dress, and even take a few “formal” photos as well. The wedding was beautiful, and is even more significant due to the fact that Jim’s father was one of the minister’s who joined them in marriage.

The reception was held a few miles away at Little River Multicultural Complex. Miranda and Loved how the colors on the walls added some nice effects to some of the photography there. Jim and Brittany celebrated with a first dance, and also asked all of the guests to join in (which I thought was cool). There were the usual traditional activities… cake cutting (yummy by the way!), garter toss, bouquet toss, and parent dances. What no one could have expected though, was a one man dance show performed by the ring-bearer himself – that kid’s got some moves! As the newlyweds made their way outside at the end of the evening, they were greeted by their guests showering them with bubbles to send them on their way.

Congratulations Brittany and Jim! Thanks for allowing Miranda and I to be a part of your wedding day: )

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Greenville SC Family Portrait Photography – The Vandiver Family:

I have had the pleasure of knowing Tommy and Iuliana Vandiver for many years now. Now I can even say (just like the old folks talked about me) “I remember when you were born”, to their boy, Josh who was obviously a big part of the family photography session. The Vandivers wanted portraits that would be in a beautiful outdoor setting, but would be close to their home. We decided to head to Furman University due to the vast selection of wonderful photography opportunities there. The sun was very harsh, so we looked for shade where I could control the light as needed. Josh is a typical boy in that he doesn’t want to sit still and pose for pictures, so we took a few breaks to let him play with his sword (a stick), and I even captured several images of that (which I think are great!)

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Carrie started out her wedding day at her hotel room in downtown Greenville, SC, where she and her bridesmaids had their hair and makeup taken care of at the same time! Pretty cool to witness such efficiency, especially on a day that can many times be so easily scattered and hectic. A few hours later I left Miranda to continue to photograph the girls, while I headed up the road to The Cliffs At Glassy Chapel, where I was to meet Charles and the guys. What can I say, every time I go to the chapel, which is situated at the top of a mountain that overlooks the beautiful Upstate of South Carolina, I am refreshed with the spectacular view. Charles and Carrie chose a wonderful place to exchange their vows; it is a place that echoes sacredness and intimacy that is very fitting for a wedding ceremony.

After the wedding, we had some time to kill, so Carrie requested that we take some photography near downtown Greenville. So at her recommendation, we went to the Rock Quarry Garden and Falls Park to create some romantic images of just the bride and groom, and create a few more of the entire wedding party. A little while later, we all joined their guests at the reception held at the Wyche Pavilion, located just behind Larkin’s on The River. This beautiful venue is a perfect fit for someone wanting an outdoor feel, while having the rustic element of exposed brick walls, as well as the security of a roof in the event of rain. The wedding party and guest enjoyed dancing, toasts, and mingling before sending the bride and groom on their way. What a wonderful day!

Congratulations, Carrie & Charles!

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