Deanna and William's Wedding at the Angus Barn

Oh my goodness, when I showed up at William’s family home in Lake Toxaway to capture their engagement session and they walked me around the grounds, the VERY FIRST thing I noticed was the canoe. I was like….sooooooo….. what are the chances….

And well, obviously, because they are one of my couples and therefore adventurous by nature, they were like IDK, but we’ll make it happen!

Fast forward to the most fun wedding weekend! Their crew pulled out all the stops to make sure they felt special and everyone had an absolute blast! Everyone shared the morning together at her parents home in North Raleigh then moved on to the Saint Mary’s School campus where they would say their vows in the Chapel. Deanna is an alumni there, and they happened to choose alumni weekend for their wedding so there was much excitement around the whole campus to know that a fellow alum was having her big day. During the rehearsal there was actually a current student painting a watercolor of the chapel and allowed me to take a photo to surprise the couple. You can tell everyone who calls this campus home is automatic family. It was so special.

After the ceremony, everyone moved to The Pavilions at the Angus Barn and danced the night away. And what a crew! So many incredible dancers and they showed up ready to party, we had so much fun!

You guys thank you so much for inviting us to be a part of your day!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Melissa Toma

Ceremony: Saint Mary’s Chapel

Reception Venue/Catering: The Angus Barn

Florist: Kelly Odom

DJ: All Around Raleigh DJ

Video: Twenty-One Films

Angus Barn Wedding | Marianne and Brian

“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other”

— Audrey Hepburn

Watching two people like Marianne and Brian commit to loving one another for the rest of their lives is such a beautiful thing. They have been together for years, and of course, known for years they would be together, 2018 just seemed like the right time to make it “official.” Their families could not have been more thrilled. I loved hearing them talk about how excited they were that this day was finally here! During speeches they were not “welcomed to the family” because they already were family and the comfort in the room was palpable. It’s rare to find couples whose families are an absolute perfect fit for each other, their moms were laughing and giggling together the whole morning and both families were dancing together and intermingling at tables during the reception. It was beautiful. These two will be starting their own beautiful legacy now, and I have no doubt it’s because of the example their families set, their love is strong and genuine.

Each wedding leaves me with a favorite detail, and this one had to be Marianne’s grandmother’s dress. She had a small piece of it sewn into her dress, a reminder that just a short time ago, white was not the norm for wedding dress colors, and her grandmother wore a gorgeous blush dress. As for traditions her dress was new, her earrings and veil were borrowed from her sister and she had bright blue polish on her toes.

During toasts, Marianne’s sister Sara told a funny story about shrimp that was long running in their family. The final word being that Marianne, while a lover of life and laughter and a good joke… is incredibly kind and considerate of the feelings of those around her. Brian saw that too when he first met her, as his best man, Justin recounted; she makes every day brighter. It is very clear that their love for the other people in their lives is deeply reciprocated by their friends.

This weekend could not have been any more beautiful and we were so grateful to be a part of it!

The vendors who made this day possible:

Photographers: Cynthia Viola with Guillermo Delgado

Venue and Catering: The Angus Barn

Coordinator: Sarah Leach

The Dress: Allure

The Suit: Custom made Men’s Warehouse

Maid of honor’s Dress -Alfred Sung

Groomsmen’s Attire: Custom made Men’s Warehouse

Her Ring: Custom made using his grandmas diamond - setting by Stonehaven Jewelry, Cary NC

His Ring: David Yurman

Perfume: St. Kitts, Tommy Bahama

Cologne: Polo Ralph Lauren- Black

Hair and Make Up: Margo Williams with Belloviso

Florist: Kelley Kennedy with Teacup Florist

Officiant: Reverend Barbara Lodge

DJ: Frank with Joe Bunn Entertainment

Napkins and Chargers: DeeJay Rentals

Invitations: Papersource

Favors: Chad's Popcorn via Angus Barn

Signs: Fastsigns

Honeymoon: Ritz Carlton Maui, hawaii

Preparing for Your Engagement Session

“Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile”

— Franklin P. Jones

The first thing to remember as you arrive for your engagement session is that this is supposed to be fun! We'll have plenty of pressure from timelines and schedules on the wedding day, no need to be stressed now. These sessions usually take anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on how far we walk around and how many outfits you have etc. But if we knock it out in 45 minutes that's totally fine, if we need an extra 30 it's totally fine. Just be prepared to roll with it. 

This is our chance to get to know each other well before the big day so that we're both comfortable when we do have the time crunch. Feel free to ask as many questions as you like and know that I'll do the same. When you learn how I work and the types of poses I'm likely to move you into, it'll make you a pro on the wedding day. It also gives me a chance to see how you two interact together. If you don't enjoy kissing in public, or prefer not to sit on the ground, it's better for me to find out at this session rather than when I ask you to do so on the big day. :)

1. When to plan your session. Time of year is totally up to you, though, if you book your wedding out far enough, a lot of couples like to choose the opposite season of their big day. If you have a fall wedding then a spring engagement etc. Regardless of what month you choose, we will always, only shoot at either sunrise or about 2 hours before sunset. This ensures golden light that will make all your images dreamy and romantic. 

2. Outfits: Most couples choose 2 outfits, one casual to start and one dressier as you get more comfortable with the whole flow of the session. Once you've gotten used to the idea of a camera in your face, you'll warm up to the more romantic poses. That said, if you prefer one outfit or three, I'm perfectly ok with that. You can see my post HERE to see ways to coordinate them.

3. Location. I always recommend choosing a location that is important to you if possible. A family farm offers legacy, the place where you actually got engaged or had your first date can be a great way to capture that memory, or just a place that you find beautiful can ensure beautiful backdrops for when you print them for your home. If you can't think of any places like that, or you're not from the area where we'll be shooting, have no fear, I have a long list of places that are wonderful and I'm happy to check out a spot in advance if I'm unfamiliar with it.

4. Trust me. I certainly do not expect you to be a professional model. I will guide you when you need it and give you the freedom to be yourselves as often as you let me. I have hundreds of posing ideas floating around up there and am perfectly happy guiding you into them, I also really love letting you interact in your way. It always takes about 15-20 minutes to warm up to the idea of making out in a public space so we'll work up to it slowly and have some fun along the way. I'll never make you do something you're uncomfortable with. 

5. Drink ALL the water. Think a gallon a day every day for a week leading up to it. (and then every day after that for the rest of your life) ;) It's not only healthy, but for the purposes of the shoot, it will get rid of dark circles under your eyes. 

6. Prepare your fiance'. Sometimes one person is really excited about the photography portion of the wedding, and the other is well, not so much. They may be planning to show up, smile at the camera standing in 2 or 3 locations and then calling it a day. If they aren't prepared when I tell you to snuggle or nuzzle, they may not know how to respond. I recommend choosing your top 3-5 favorite images on my site or blog and showing your fiance' so you're both on the same page when you arrive. If you're going to err on one side or another, over communication is usually a good bet. (Feel free to use that one as a general marriage tip as well...you're welcome) ;) 

It can also be fun to practice some of the snuggling and flirting in advance... just sayin ;)

7. Ring, Hair and Make Up. Some ladies like to take this opportunity to get their hair and/or make up trial arranged with their stylists so they can see what they'll look like on the big day as well as taking the pressure off of preparations for the engagement session. Certainly not a necessity, but if you're having a trial anyway, this is a good time to do it. (This or the bridal session if you choose to add one). There will definitely be photos of the ring, so it's a good time to get it shined up as well. 

And just for fun, here's a few couples showing off their snuggling and flirting skills both at their engagement and their big day. Have fun!