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

Laura and Tina's Wedding at The Laurelbrook

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper”

— William Butler Yeats

What an incredible wedding weekend! Between the perfect spring weather, and awesome vendor team and the most genuine couple imaginable, it was certainly one for the books! Laura is one of the brightest little rays of sunlight you could meet. She disarms you instantly with pure kindness and grace. She had such a beautiful vision for the day down to every tiny fairy world given to every guest. (which she handmade herself!!!) She flowed so easily between each guest and what I found even more beautiful was the way Tina, who was admittedly less excited about the big crowd, kept an eye on her always, like a protector. She was so happy to see Laura so happy which made the crowd part easy. They were never more than a couple feet from each other all day. Getting ready in the same room and walking hand in hand between tables, always stealing glances at each other and it was just so very beautiful.

One of my favorite parts of the day was all the COLOR! Bloomworks used the entire rainbow in all the florals, the brides’ pink and blue dresses, the little fairy worlds, and of course all the desserts! It was so fun to photograph! And Janna’s team were rockstars of course. Every detail exactly as they wanted, every piece of the timeline right on time. So incredible to work with from the very first timeline email.

Thanks ladies for inviting me to be a part of your day!!

The Vendors who made the day Possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola Photography

Coordinator: Janna Simone Weddings and Events

Venue: The Laurelbrook

Laura’s Dress: Vow’d + Flower crown by BloomWorks

Tina’s Dress: Formalwear Outlet + Headband from NC Museum of History

Rings: Sparrowood Jeweler

Hair: Prickly Pear Salon

Florist: Bloomworks

Officiant: Pastor Tim Brown

DJ: DJ Wes

Harpist: Sarah Cavaiani with Hummingbird Harmonies

Catering: Cateringworks

Cake: Pasteryworks

Rentals: CE Rental

Get Away Car: Triangle Corporate Coach

Elopements on the Blue Ridge Parkway

For Earth Day, it seemed appropriate to highlight the beauty of our Blue Ridge Mountains with all the magical elopements I’ve had the honor of capturing lately. There’s just something about the rolling land and vast sky that draws so many to make their commitments here.

Sha’Lanika and Mike drove up from Florida, seeing mountains for the first time on this trip, and while a little nervous on the roads, were overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding them. We chose Thunder Hill both due to its ease of access for hiking and also because it happened to snow and ice just the day before closing off the rest of the parkway to access by vehicle. You never know what kind of weather you’re going to get up here!

Keith and Rebecca drove down from Illinois and chose Carvers Gap on the Appalachian Trail at Roan Mountain State Park because they are newly avid backpackers who met during covid and fell in love with backpacking and each other! We swapped hiking stories while we walked as Roan Mountain is still, in my opinion, the most beautiful section of the Appalachian Trail I’ve seen to date and I frequent the balds both for shoots and for camping! We were freezing in the 38 degree temps of course but Rebecca was such a trooper, you’d never even know her teeth were chattering.

Oh my goodness, when Claire told me they were driving down to Blowing Rock from Ohio and their big day would be more of a “private affair,” I knew exactly what she meant and my heart broke into a million pieces. Sometimes these elopements can have a bittersweet feel to them, however, the love these two share, CANNOT, be denied. They were so precious to witness all day. The friends and family who came to support them were all they needed to feel loved and adored. Tears flowed from each of us all day but the flood gates came when Claire got down on her knees to promise to love and honor Erica’s kids as well. I know this little family will be there to support each other for life.

And just yesterday Jon and Kristianna said their “I dos” at The Blowing Rock. Their kiddos couldn’t have been happier to participate and celebrate with them and the weather was Carolina perfection. I can’t believe I’ve never been to The Blowing Rock before… in all the years I grew up and built my business in these mountains, for whatever reason had simply never made it. So grateful to know what I’ve been missing though! I’ll be back very soon! All Kristianna wanted was a photo standing on the edge of the rock and she walked up there like a damn queen. I am really beginning to love these intimate affairs. The freedom of the schedule to adjust with the weather and wind or an upset child or delayed friend. There are no rules, just overwhelming love and support from those present.

I am grateful to each of you for including me! Can’t wait to see all that is to come!

Tarin and April's Double Proposal in Banner Elk

“Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale”

— Anonymous

Goodness, where do I even begin with these two. If ever a couple were more meant to be, I haven’t met them.

April contacted me a few weeks back asking if I’d be available for a surprise proposal on 2-22-22 on Beech Mountain while she and her girlfriend were in town for skiing. I knew I’d be traveling until the 20th but could make it work so we started all the furious planning. She sent me a playlist to have playing on a small speaker when they arrived, mailed a special sign to my house, and I agreed to pick up some flowers from a local florist and have it all set up before sunrise so she could walk up with her blindfolded bride-to-be and wow her. It was going to be perfect.

Fast forward a week, I get another message from Tarin asking if I’d be available on 2-22-22 for a surprise proposal on Grandfather Mountain….

Ummm…yes? Hmmm, how am I going to pull this off without either of them knowing? I just said yes and knew it would all work out one way or another. It was going ok, the plans for Tarin were a little simpler, I just had to be set up as a nature photographer in a particular location just before sunset when they walked up and then just redirect to them at the right moment. No problem.

And then the weather happened. It was going to be cold and rainy on the 22nd so both of them started texting me to see if we could reschedule a day early to sunset on the 21st… both were texting at the same time and both wanted the same thing. So after going back and forth and trying not to mistake who I was texting what, we finally worked it out to do Tarin’s proposal first and follow it an hour later with April’s.

The dilemma was that the two mountains were about 35 min away from each other and the second shoot required a small hike plus major set up on my part. I was determined to make this epic day happen for them though and agreed.

I got home from my travels at midnight the night before but got up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with excitement. I gathered the sign, the speaker, the flowers - all scattered over the high country, made dinner reservations for them since they were skiing and couldn’t get away from each other to do so. April texted me a couple hours before the first proposal saying she had a sneaky suspicion Tarin was about to propose…I of course said that that would be crazy, and what are the odds… *wink wink… and after texting them both back and forth as the day progressed I got into place, possibly more excited than either of them.

As they approached, I tried not to make eye contact with either of them as I knew April would recognize me, which she did of course anyway because of my bright purple hair, but once she realized what was going on, she just played it cool like we had never met. The moment was magical of course anyway, people were cheering around us and we were all teary-eyed.

We walked around the mountain trying not to freeze as we captured a few “just engaged” photos and April and I shook hands as if meeting each other for the first time and then I said something about needing to get to another shoot and best of luck etc, and off I raced up to Beech to set up for the next moment.

April and I had spoken with Overlook Barn about using their Boulder View location because it had the best sunrise and was out of the way in case anyone else was using the property that day. Of course at sunset it’s not quite the same, but it was overcast anyway so it still worked out perfectly!

I had hoped to set everything up on top of the boulder but the wind was racing around furiously making it impossible. After setting it as best I could on the ground, I started scattering the rose petals as April had hoped for into a heart, but the wind had other plans. If I had known in advance what a struggle it would be I would have set up a timelapse on my phone to document the shenanigans. It must have been absolutely hysterical to the on-looking birds and squirrels to seeing me diving on the ground trying to wrangle featherweight roses with those high winds.

Nevertheless I persisted and five minutes later I heard their car roll into the parking lot, I dived for my camera and ran down to meet April to snag her phone (Tarin was still blindfolded in the car) and then I raced back up to the site, set up her video and stepped back in awe as the magic unfolded.

When Tarin took off the blindfold and saw me, she burst out laughing and exclaiming, “How?!?!” I told her not to worry about it, we’d discuss all the details later…

She read the sweet words April had pre-written for her in a letter while listening to James Arthur sing “Medicine” in the background, and I swear we could’t have timed it better if we tried…the moment she finished the letter and turned around to see April there waiting for her, the next pre-chosen song began. “Marry Me” by Train. *que all the tears.*

Lots of happy tears later, all three of us just died laughing at the insanity of the day. I was so relieved the secret was finally out as it was about to burst out of me otherwise, and they were both elated to find they were so in sync and in love.

If they weren’t already aligned in so many ways, they both also chose to engrave their rings. Tarin with “Forever Always”, their favorite memo to each other, also tattooed on their arms, and April with the date they had both said, “I love you.” It was truly a proposal for the books and will not ever be a day any of us could forget. We were all freezing from the double mountain top winds so they opted not to do any further photos, and we all grabbed a seat at Sorrento’s in Banner Elk to talk about everything and really take it all in. They told me more of their story and we made plans to hang in Atlanta soon and start making the next plans for the Big Day!

Babes, I am so honored to have been chosen to capture this moment in time for you. Thank you for trusting me with your memories and I cannot wait to celebrate with you in Georgia in 2023!

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

First Location: Grandfather Mountain

Second Location: Overlook Barn, Boulder View

Flowers: Shady Grove Gardens

The Rings: Cumberland Diamond Exchange

Handmade Sign: Etsy - Sterling Shore Co

Celebration Dinner: Stonewalls

Brianna and Niko's Wedding at the Pinery in Colorado Springs

I met these two babes at Lauren and Brady’s wedding last year. Brianna was one of Lauren’s bridesmaids and we became fast friends. When it came time to plan for their big day in Colorado, she asked if I’d be willing to travel…

Well, rather than giving her a 300 page book on why traveling is my favorite, I simply said, of course, and well now I get to tell you about how AMAZING Colorado weddings are!

If you know me at all, you know I’m not a big fan of cold weather. I know, I know, I grew up in the mountains and should therefore love it, but well, I don’t, so there. HOWEVER, I love these two and I would go ANYWHERE for them! Colorado in February sounded a little scary, but we just planned for me to be there 2 days before the wedding just in case any in-climate weather messed with the flights, and then hoped for the best that I’d get there right on time and be able to capture a few quick couple photos at Pikes Peak as well as their rehearsal dinner if not.

The weather was kind and not only did Brianna get the fresh snow she’d hoped for, it was beautiful and sunny the whole weekend. After treating the wedding party to a Cog Train tour of Pikes Peak the celebrations began!

Brianna is so close to her family, she chose to do special moments with her mother, father and brothers and they were all so happy to share those moments with her. Of course the best moment was her first look with Niko. He couldn’t stop telling her how beautiful she looked and she kept saying everything felt calm now. All the stress that had built up over the weekend dissolved when she saw her groom and the rest of the day was pure joy.

Thank you guys for including me in your special day!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue, Catering, Florist, DJ and Coordination: The Pinery

The Dress: The Bridal Suite

The Suit: Mens Warehouse

Hair and Make Up: Jessica with Le Coquelicot

Barber: Lincoln St. Barber

Officiant: Kris Bowen

Video: Veiled Rose Films

Rehearsal: Bourbon Brother’s

Lauren and Justin's Wedding at Historic Mordecai Chapel

I met Lauren a decade ago when I first lived in Raleigh through one of my favorite couples, Brook and Chuck! When she organized an epic dance flash mob for their wedding I knew she was my kind of girl. She is a bright shining star and it was so fun to see her and Justin celebrate their day together. They were both so relaxed as they they made the preparations and full of laughter as they teased each other and flirted through their first look.

His brother Chris officiated their short ceremony at the Mordecai Chapel and they were on their way to celebrate with their friends and family at Caffe Luna Downtown.

In between the ceremony and dinner we drove to the top of a parking deck to capture the last of the sunset and a few new Mr. and Mrs. portraits. Raleigh is just so beautiful from this height and did not disappoint. We even waited for traffic to be just right in front of the restaurant so we could capture a slow shutter shot of the traffic moving behind them. I love it when my couples are willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot. Thank you guys for including me in your big day!! I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!

Trash the Dress Shoot at Brown Mountain Beach Resort

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience”

— Eleanor Roosevelt

If you have followed me for any amount of time, you know trash the dress photography is my all time favorite type of shoot. The wild abandon of breaking the “rules.” The sheer joy that comes with splashing water on your love when you’re “not supposed to.” The simple fact that you get authentic memories of a moment that wasn’t buried in tradition and expectation, but wild and free, just like your new love.

Katie and Dan wanted those moments too and with as much fun as we had on their adventurous engagement session at Otter Falls, we knew we made a great team.

Of course Brown Mountain Beach was the perfect venue for capturing everything they were looking for. They wanted to include their best girl Kimura, ride off on their motorcycle, hop in the canoe, and of course, jump in the icy mountain water! I couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect shoot if I wanted to!

While perfect photos in a proper, clean dress and suit certainly hold value and help you remember your wedding day, you cannot deny that you could ever forget holding onto your train so it didn’t get caught in the engine as you road away on a motorcycle, or dying laughing as your splashed your love and danced in an icy mountain river barefooted as the sun set in the background.

There are days that need to be remembered, and then there are memorable days. And I submit that the spontaneous moments that catch us by surprise in between the planned ones, are the ones that will never leave us.

I’m ready for your next adventure whenever you are.

Anne and Rachel's Elopement in Asheville

It’s hard to explain how you can have such a connection with a couple through text messaging, and I wouldn’t normally choose it or recommend it, but dang, if I didn’t know these two were perfect for me within our first couple messages back and forth.

I chatted with Rachel for several weeks via text making sure we were on the same page with all their elopement plans and then both she and Anne as their engagement session approached. There was zero anxiety as I pulled up to the lake, I knew we were already besties. Of course the shoot went amazing…

And I could not wait for their big day. They spent the weekend at Rachel’s family’s farm, and it suited them perfectly. Complete with super friendly animals of all shapes and sizes and of course their closest friends and family, the whole day was filled with happy tears as they shared their vows and created new memories.

I was overcome with emotion myself as they shared their vows to never give up on each other and to be the best versions of themselves for each other. Their love is deep and to see them celebrated wholeheartedly by their loved ones as we all joined in the happy tears was incredibly moving.

Ladies, thank you so much for inviting me to celebrate with you on this happy day! Love you both!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue: Out in Jupiter Farm

Hair: Donovan at Atlas Beauty

Anne’s Ring: Jared

Rachel’s Ring: Modern Wedding Ring

Officiant: Luanne Carmichael

Cake: Nothing Bundt Cakes

Gabby and Brett's Wedding at Hidden River Events

Oh how I love these babes! You’ve pretty much never met a more genuine couple than Brett and Gabby. The way they compliment each others’ strengths and weaknesses, you’d think they were one person. All weekend everyone kept talking about how well she cared for him and how well he looked after her, like a protector. One of my favorite moments with them was when they were models for one of my styled shoots, almost 2 years ago. During the shoot, I literally watched before my eyes as it went from fun shoot, to the moment Brett realized he was ready to propose, and sure enough, that’s exactly what he did! The way they look at each other in the little moments throughout everyday tells you every thing you need to know about their relationship.

They met each other at Crossfit, and that’s where I met them, and they were, of course, already great friends of Anthony’s so we hit it off right away. When I found out Gabby loves to dance just as much as I do, we immediately proceeded to attend all the house parties together and have become great friends, I felt like family the whole weekend. She couldn’t wait to tell me to put down the camera at the reception so I could join them in the shenanigans…which of course I did, then continued with the wedding party afterwards. We stayed up until 3am just chatting about all the things. I’m pretty sure every single person in the wedding party at some point during the day told me one thing or another about how wonderful they are both as individuals and together. We are all so excited to see where they will go in life. (And also to share many more dance parties!) Love you guys!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue, Florist, Coordinator and DJ: Hidden River Events

Her Dress: Wedding Inspirations Bridal Boutique

His Attire: Best Bride Prom & Tux

The Rings: Village Jewelers, Ltd

Hair Stylist and Make Up Artist: Della Terra Beauty

Officiant: Irma Strikesky

Catering and Cake Baker: Anne's Custom Catering

Marcus and Inita's Wedding at Amity Creek Farms

These high school sweethearts pulled out all the stops this weekend! I have never met another couple more excited about surprises than I am! Inita and Marcus both pulled me aside during our initial meeting to tell me about their fun plans for the wedding weekend. Then both their moms did the same, then they both added another through email later!! I *may have been the most excited person the whole day because I actually knew about every single surprise in advance (in order to capture it of course). I was bouncing around waiting for the next thing to happen, I had to send them one timeline that everyone could see, and then keep a separate actual timeline to include each element.

There were of course special gifts: a set of pearls during the first look, a set of cufflinks and a necklace honoring his late grandmother, tons of items for the wedding party, a bracelet from his mom to her - welcoming her as a daughter. There was a hysterical fake first look with his twin brother complete with dress and blonde wig, then the same brother whipped out a cartwheel down the aisle as he suddenly shifted from best man to flower boy. The day was filled with happy tears and riotous laughter as they celebrated fully with their loved ones. Everyone had the very best time.

The full moon surprised us all when it made a strong appearance over the hills. We had to step out of the reception for a few to capture it! We had the best time! Congratulations to you both! Looking forward to many more surprises in the future!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with John Bahamon

Venue: Amity Creek Farms

Wedding Coordinator: Ashley Causby-Hicks

All Wedding Attire: Bridal Traditions Wedding Attire

Cake Baker: Nutmeg Bakery

Linen/Chair/Tent Services:

Get Away Car: Volkswagen EOS

Favors: Soap bars from Soapy Chicks

McKenzie and Ian's Wedding at The Meadows

Oh my goodness, where to begin?!? I feel like I’ve known these babes for years now! From the first time we met in the fall of 2019 I knew right away they were perfect for each other. These two simply know how to give each other a knowing look that will either make them laugh or calm them down. Even at the rehearsal this weekend, when stresses were running high, the moment they actually took a moment to look each other in the eyes and remember why they were there, instant relief.

McKenzie has a wonderfully bubbly personality that made everyone smile all weekend, she knew just what to say or do to make us laugh. Then Ian is so down to earth and easy to be around, all of their friends talked about how they were each others’ perfect balance.

When Covid wrecked everyone’s plans last year, they decided to go ahead with a small elopement with their family and push the bigger celebration to this year. Everyone was so grateful for the joy they brought during that challenging year, and so happy to celebrate them in full this weekend.

If that day wasn’t already perfect, this weekend made everything complete. With all of their loved ones in attendance, they were celebrated fully and everyone danced the night away.

Thank you so much for inviting us to celebrate with you guys!!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Melissa Toma

Venue: The Meadows at Firefly Farm Preserve

Wedding Coordinator: Lauren with Carolina Bells

Hair Stylist and Make Up Artist: WINK Hair and Makeup

Florist: Sweet Love Blossoms

DJ: The Deluxe Event Group

Live Music: NC Violinist and Prince Yabani Music

Videographer: Thomas Blake Films

Photobooth: Spark Photo Booths

Catering: Fords Fluent N Food

Cake Baker: Cinda’s Creative Cakes

Alcohol: Brewmasters

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: CE Rentals

Speciality Rentals: Greenhouse Picker Sisters

Invitations: Minted

Calligraphy: Meriweather Designs

Fall Engagement Sessions in the Mountains

“Because in the end you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb the Mountain. ”

— Jack Kerouac

Oh my goodness! I have had SO many fun Engagement Sessions and Surprise Proposals this month so I thought it would be more fun to post them all together! I’ll never get over the fact that I get to be a part of so many life changing moments in couples’ lives. I can’t imagine there’s a better job on the planet.

I captured Phil and Ashley’s surprise proposal in Raleigh this summer then they joined me in Banner Elk for their engagements. They are adventurers too, (literally mountain biking right up until the shoot) and were all about a last minute trash the dress at the end of the shoot! It makes me so happy when couples are willing to let loose and have fun! I cannot WAIT til the big day next year!

I will be capturing Rachel and Stephen’s big day also in Raleigh next fall but they wanted the Blue Ridge Parkway as their engagement back drop. Being able to flow freely between both locations is so much fun for me! I love that my couples love it as much as I do!

I schemed with Brooke for WEEKS on how to make her surprise proposal to Kayla special. She absolutely loved the view from the park in downtown Banner Elk and wanted to make it even more special with this moment. After quite a bit of back and forth on weather and back up locations, the rain parted JUST long enough to make it happen! I could not be more excited to capture their big day next fall at Overlook Barn!

I have known Brandon and his family since my early days living in Raleigh. When he said he was ready to propose I was all in on helping him to plan everything! After his and Shelby’s engagement on Blue Ridge Parkway, they asked me to come by their house in Raleigh to help them make their wedding plans! They have big dreams of owning a wedding venue themselves and I can’t wait to pass on to them 250 weddings worth of venue experiences!

John and I were both a nervous wreck trying to plan his surprise proposal to Alyssa! First he drove 2.5 hours up here a week early to scope out the location I suggested, and then couldn’t find it! And when it came time to pop the question, alllllll the hand drawn directions I had given him about exactly which rocks to stand on were completely useless, because when I arrived I realized the heavy rains from the day before had FLOODED the entire area! I sent him a new quick drawing to try to describe the new option, jumped behind the bridge and hoped he got the message in time! He did, and of course she said yes!! We were in full dance party mode when it all came together! I cannot wait til next year!

SO many couples to celebrate, so little time. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Love you guys!

Taylor and Sam's Wedding at Chetola Resort

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore”

— Andre Gide

These two babes somehow found each other living on two different continents, a half a world away from each other, but the moment they met, they knew it was meant to be. Taylor and Sam are perfect for each other in every way and it was so fun to watch them celebrate with each other. The wedding itself was a little bittersweet as his half of the family in New Zealand were unable to travel due to Covid, so they joined via zoom, but her half of the family doubled down on making them feel loved. The weather even cheered them on with the most vibrant fall colors and blue sky.

Even though I hadn’t met them in person before this weekend, I knew from our conversations they would be really fun! Then the moment we started a few portraits at the rehearsal they turned into giggly sweethearts who were so adorable and easy to shoot I just knew the wedding was going to be a blast.

If you don’t know their proposal story already, you should read that first, it’s so cute. Taylor describes it like this:

“I love our proposal story. It was Christmas morning 2020. We woke up early to a white Christmas in Blowing Rock at my parents house. We haven't had a White Christmas in YEARS. Sam literally never gets to see snow since it didn't snow where he grew up in New Zealand so I thought he was all excited to get up and go in the snow so early in the morning at like 7:30am. We had our Christmas jammies on (a cute tradition in his family), got our jackets and gloves on, and went outside in the front. I was playing around and sliding on the road out front and kinda hanging on to his jacket, having no idea what was in the pocket. He kinda quickly asked if we could go take pictures outside on the back deck instead with our amazing view of the mountains in the back and I of course said yes. My mom was up and he asked if she could take some pics of us. So we go on the back deck taking pictures and all of the sudden he asks my mom to take a video, he turns and looks at me and starts saying the sweetest things about us and the love he had for me and all of the sudden he gets on one knee and opens a box! I was totallllly shocked and surprised and just couldn't believe it was happening. I had these big gloves on so he just had to hold the ring while I cried and hugged him and of course said yes! It was one of the best moments (if not the very best moment) in my life. The rest of the day was literally perfect, filled with celebration, so much love with family and friends, and so much more. It was the best Christmas ever!

They are just the sweetest together! And right after their first look with each other, Taylor decided last minute to do one with her brother as well, neither of them expected tears, but were both just so happy to be celebrating something so wonderful.

What I didn’t realize before the wedding was that I actually when to high school with both the bride and practically the entire wedding party. We had so much fun catching up, I even joined them at the after party! They were an amazing crew!

Taylor and Sam thank you so much for including me on this special day! I am so grateful for you both and excited to hear about your New Zealand celebration!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue and Catering: Chetola Resort

Wedding Coordinator: Megan Drake with The Elegant Event

Her Dress: Maggi Bridal, Raleigh, NC

Bridesmaids Attire: Bella Bridesmaids Charlotte, NC

Men’s Attire: The Tuxedo Shoppe

Rings: Ballantyne Jewelers

Hair Stylist: Susan Geer-Fickling and Chetola Spa

Make Up Artist: Layne Barter

Florist: Bouquet Florist Boone, NC

Officiant: Jon Murto

DJ: Split Second Sound

Videographer: Elliot Wilks

Cake Baker: Hallmark Cakes

Favors: Welcome bags for the guests with party supplies

Kristen and Kate's Wedding at The Oaks at Salem

“After all this time,
Always.”

— Harry Potter

I met Kristen and Kate two years ago when we were planning their Engagement Session and knew right away we would be great friends. Kristen had already proposed to Kate down in St. Augustine and we were making plans for their photoshoot. But Kate wanted to add a twist and propose back to Kristen during the shoot. So after lots of tears of all of us and much celebration our friendship grew and we had so much fun planning for the big day. (Of course covid pushed it back a year like so many others, but it was no less joyful)

Kate wore her great grandmother's pearl bracelet and Kristen wore a Wooden Watch from Ox and Birch that Kate had given her as a gift, their favorite quote inscribed on the back of course, “After all this time, Always.”

The best part of the whole day was simply the incredible relationships both ladies had with their dads. From the first looks and preparations, being walked down the aisles and first dances, the four of them were so tight and supportive of each other, they were full of big belly laughs and a *maybe* few tears. When both dads decided to swap daughters half way through the first dances, the whole room flooded with happy tears and everyone cheered.

Doughnuts, rainbow shoes, smore’s, rainbow masks, sparklers and allllll the dancing made for a wonderfully celebratory night and everyone had so much fun. So grateful for these friends and all the love they bring to the world.

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue: The Oaks at Salem

Wedding Coordinator: Laura with The Oaks

Make Up Artist: Menagerie

The Dress: Lillian West from Maggi Bridal

The Suit: Michael Kors from NY Bride and Groom

Florist: Southern Blooms Co. Wood Flower Bouquets

Officiant: Kevin Holland

DJ: Damien Maass

Videographer: Steve Creel Video

Photobooth: Cynthia Viola Photography

Catering: Cannon

Desserts: Utica Bakery + Duck Donuts

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: CE Rentals

Favors: Kubenik Honey (Kristen's grandparent's bee and honey farm in upstate NY)

Anne Marie and Justin's Wedding at the Museum of Life and Science

“Butterflies are nature’s angels.
They remind us what a gift it is to be alive.”

— Robyn Nola

I’ve seen a lot of fun ceremonies and moments at weddings, but watching a butterfly release has got to be in the top 5. Anne Marie and Justin both have a very strong appreciation for nature and animals, when they chose the Museum of Life and Science as their wedding venue it was a perfect fit. The cocktail hour was set within the insect exhibit so guests were able to walk around and learn while they mingled, and of course the shining moment involved the butterfly release with the bride and groom. As the butterflies had just come out of their cocoons, their wings were still developing so they were so happy to just hang out in their hands for a while, it was quite magical.

Their family and friends were able to experience the butterflies throughout the night as well and everyone had so much fun with them. The atmosphere all evening was full of celebration. Anne Marie and Justin went ahead and eloped on Halloween last year when covid pushed back their celebration so the only thing on the agenda this weekend was butterflies and dancing, and everyone had a blast!

Thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of your big day you guys! Everything was perfect :)

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola

Venue: The Museum of Life and Science, Durham NC

Wedding Coordinator: Olivia, the Maid of Honor

Her Attire: ASOS Design

His Attire: AWearNess by Kenneth Cole

The Rings: JRingStudio on Etsy

Hair Stylist and Make Up Artist: Shaina at Little Shop of Hairdos

Florist: Tre Bella

DJ: Vox DJ Co

Catering: Neomonde

Cake Baker: Blue Moon Bakery

Favors: Handmade Soaps made by the Bride at Cantrip Fantasy Crafts

Bar Services: POUR

Abbey and Mayukh's Wedding at The Oaks at Salem

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul”

— Martha Graham

Well…I thought I had seen alllll the dancing at weddings. But no. With three days of Henna tattoos, bridal showers, family talents shows at a Sangeet ceremony and then, of course, the wedding and reception…. now, I feel like I’ve seen all the dancing. I had SO MUCH fun this weekend. Abbey and Mayukh were gracious enough to invite me to all the festivities that their Indian/American wedding included and I was not disappointed. So much color, good food and alll the dancing.

Abbey and Mayukh like to say they met the third time they were supposed to. After being in the same place at the same time twice and missing each other, they finally had their first conversation at a friend’s birthday party and the rest is history.

Their wedding, like so many others this year was rescheduled due to covid, and still could not include at least 100 guests who would have otherwise been here if not for travel restrictions, but it didn’t damper the fun. Both families were so happy to meet each other and celebrate with the happy couple.

The Mehndi party kicked of the weekend as all the ladies were decorated with henna.

After the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal brunch on Saturday they had the Haldi Ceremony where turmeric was placed on their head and hands by 5 married women on each side of their family. This is considered a symbol of blessing for the couple and a healthy marital life. According to Indian customs, all the married ladies of the house apply haldi to the bride and the groom in order to bless them with a long and strong relationship.

Then the dancing began. The Sangeet. Everything you’ve ever imagined about Bali dancing…. this was it. It was absolutely mesmerizing and beautiful. It truly set the tone of celebration for the rest of the weekend.

Sunday morning for the joint wedding ceremony was perfectly beautiful and every tradition for both sides was welcomed and celebrated.

I had soooo much fun celebrating with these two and hope to witness many more Indian weddings soon!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographers: Cynthia Viola with Guillermo Delgado

Venue: The Oaks at Salem

Wedding Coordinator: Aubi and Laura from The Oaks

Henna: Henna by Neena Jain

Her Dress: Pronovias from Tre Bella in Durham, NC

Wedding Party Attire: David's Bridal and Menswarehouse

The Rings: Diamond's Direct

Hair Stylist and Make up Artist: Ashley Watts

Florist: Cary Florist

Officiant: Jason Lynch

DJ: Frankie at CWDJ Entertainment

Catering: Under the Oak Restaurant and Catering

Cake Baker: I Do Cakes

Bartending: BrewMasters

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: CE Rentals

Invitations: Papel Custom Design

Favors: Wine bottle stoppers featuring a prominent compass rose on top of the stopper

Bryan and Justin's Wedding at Rickhouse Durham

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage”

— Lao Tzu

You guys, I cannot even begin to describe how much I adore these two. From the very beginning I feel like we have been besties and I’m not sure there is anyone more supportive of my work. Every single time I post I’m going to be in there area they tell all their friends and it just means the world to me.

Last year they trusted me with an extra extra special engagement shoot at Linville Falls Winery which you should totally read about here first if you like. And they have been so very fun to work with on all things planning.

For their preparation time on the morning of the wedding, they decided they wanted to just be chill and get ready together along side all their mutual friends and not make a big fuss about waiting until the ceremony to see each other. I must say this made the day so enjoyable for everyone with tons of laughter, cheers and stories.

An equal star of the day was most certainly their best boy Ketsu who did everything exactly as they asked, and even waited until the perfect moment to bring the rings down the aisle. As the anticipation for the ceremony built I hid them in the back room with just Ketsu so they could have a moment, and I swear, as soon as he saw them he jumped for joy and pulled out all the excited wiggles, instantly bringing down any bits of stress that had built up. He really is the very best good boy. :)

The ceremony itself was one of those where we basically had to mop the floor after due to allllll the tears the entire room collectively shed, myself included. For two beautiful humans who felt the need to keep their relationship a secret up until their actual engagement out of uncertainty for how everyone would respond, the outpouring of love and support was overwhelming. Both that first day and this day were a huge testament to how far we have come as a society, and more importantly, how many truly genuine friends they have who adore them for exactly who they are.

May there be no doubt ever again. Justin and Bryan, you are loved, supported, celebrated. Thank you for trusting your community, for being vulnerable and allowing us to come along side you. We are all cheering you and Ketsu on, now and forever.

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Guillermo Delgado

Venue: The Rickhouse, Durham, NC

Wedding Coordinator: Rose at Bright Rose Events

Wedding Attire: Bernard's Formalware and David’s Bridal

The Rings: Lashbrook

Barber: Mike Chops RDU

Florist: Ninth Street Flowers

Officiant: El Fisseha

DJ: DJ Scotty B

Event Lighting: Get Lit

Photobooth: Cynthia Viola Photography

Catering: Donovan's Dish

Cake Baker: Fat Rabbit

Accommodations: Unscripted Durham

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: American Party Rentals

Invitations: Christina Berkowitz

Favors: Cookies by Debbie (Justin's mom); Recipe card and Workout card by Justin & Bryan

Three Micro Weddings in one Weekend

“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”

— Mae West

Well this weekend was quite the blur! Friday morning started with Amy and Jeff’s Micro Wedding at McGill Rose Garden in Charlotte. They were one of my Covid Wedding Reschedules and decided last minute (literally one month ago) to go ahead with a small elopement. Lucky for them and me, I already had a small backyard Micro Wedding scheduled in Charlotte that afternoon with Audrey and Anderson! We were able to work out the timing and capture both!

Fast forward to the next day, Tara and Erika had their Raleigh Wedding planned at the Tucker House! I had so much fun doing all three of these back to back and thought it would be awesome to combine them into one blog post.

Amy and Jeff were finally able to tie the knot at The McGill Rose Garden in Charlotte. Rain threatened all week, but pulled it together at the last minute and gave us a perfect afternoon. Their sweet family helped them pull everything together at the last minute to make sure everything came out perfect and they were so happy to see everything work out for the best.

Audrey and Anderson chose her parent’s backyard for their elopement. And in just the sweetest southern form ever, they were married by her grandfather who also officiated her parents wedding, which was held in his backyard. These two were high school sweet hearts and they said about a year into dating they became pregnant and honestly didn’t think they would make it through being young parents but they did and they couldn’t be happier! The entire family rallied around them and offered full support this weekend.

Tara and Erika chose the Tucker House in downtown Raleigh for their intimate ceremony. We had so much fun getting to know each other as we pulled together all the final details. We hadn’t had a chance to meet before the wedding because they live in North Dakota but we had the best time. They love to travel around Europe and want to live there permanently. After the wedding they plan to expand their family of three and work towards moving to France in the near future. They incorporated that with the most adorable map set up so their guests could pin where they wanted them to go. It came complete with luggage tags and airplane mini bottles as favors!

Coordinator: Marina with The Royal Ribbon

Make Up: Bria

Florist: Teacup Floral

Officiant: Kayelily Middleton

Cake: Love Cake

Each of you, thank you so much for including me in your special weekend! I wish you all the very best now and in all the years yet to come.

Tara and Mischon's Wedding at The Collector's Room

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses”

— UNKNOWN

Tara and Mischon had a unique covid-wedding story where they chose to go ahead and have a small ceremony at his parent’s home with their immediate family in 2020, and then their full ceremony and reception this year with the whole crew.

Fortunately, I and Vintage Soul Floral Design were both able to participate in both events and were able to help them seam both days into one cohesive story. Even more fortunate, mother nature decided to bless both days with beautiful weather, making the story all the more wonderful.

With the way these two approach life though, I think it could have poured rain both days or been completely canceled and they would have rolled right on, knowing they had each other and their family to make it all worth while. They are truly a one of a kind couple and I adore them.

I absolutely love that they were able to have a dress rehearsal, because it allowed Tara to realize she wanted to wear her hair down, without a veil, Mischon changed up his suit and Tara also wanted to make the bouquet absolutely EPICLY huge! It must have weighed 20 pounds but it was soooo worth it!

There were two very sweet differences between their two ceremonies. In the first, the sweet pups were able to participate and insisted on laying on the train the entire day. The second, already married, they walked each other down the aisle. I absolutely loved both scenarios. Also in both, Dean’s Duet’s performed, and Vintage Soul Floral stole the show in absolute glorious design.

You guys! I cannot thank you enough for including me in BOTH your beautiful days. I cannot wait to see what comes next for you. Always cheering you on from behind the lens!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographers: Cynthia Viola with Kalypso Burley

Venue: The Collector’s Room

Wedding Coordinator: Carla with Precious Times Events

Her Dress: Pronovias from Anjolique Bridal & Formal

His Attire and Groomsmen: Generation Tux

Bridesmaids: Azazie

The Rings: Diamonds Direct - Blue Nile - Collectors

Perfume: Yves Saint Laurent

Cologne: Mon Paris

Hair Stylist: The Makeup Addict

Make Up Artist: Glam by Tara (the lovely bride herself)

Florist: Vintage Soul Floral Design

DJ: Split Second Sound

Videographer: K2 Productions

Photobooth: ShutterBooth

Music: Dean’s Duets

Catering: Roots Catering

Cake Baker: Cake Expressions By Lisa

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: CE Rentals

Invitations: Lucrecia Caporale

Chris and Kat's Wedding at the Oaks at Salem

“Love her but leave her wild.”

— Atticus

1394.

These cuties joked all weekend that they have all be waiting 1394 days to celebrate and everyone needed to “party accordingly.” Which everyone was more than happy to oblige. Everywhere they went their hype team (wedding party) would start a chant, “Murphy….Murphy….Murphy.” They would start quietly then get loud and jump around and throw their hands up in the air, it was SO much fun to be a part of! I think after all was said and done, if Kat and Chris could have chosen to have their “normal” wedding last year verses their covid reschedule now, they would have still chosen this. The anticipation was well worth the wait.

You can’t have a covid reschedule without the quintessential drink of choice, Corona. We were joking that they nearly went out of business when the virus first hit, now it’s the favorite drink at every rescheduled event. The weather even gave them a nod of approval as it was the most gorgeous sunny day, complete with a slight drop in temp to welcome fall.

Chris and Kat wrote letters to each other and read them during their first look. I think this might be my new favorite way to greet each other. So heartfelt, and allowed them to say everything they wanted to say to each other in the moment and also started the portraits off on a genuinely love-filled note.

This day was 100% worth the wait and I am so grateful these guys stuck it out and grew stronger together as they rescheduled all their plans. Thank you so much for including me you guys! So happy you are officially #finallythemurphys :)

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographers: Cynthia Viola with Guillermo Delgado

Venue and Coordinator: Aubriana with The Oaks at Salem

Her Dress: Stella York from Michele-A Bridal Boutique

His Attire: Kenneth Cole Reaction from Men's Warehouse

Bridesmaids: Kennedy Blue

Groomsmen: Egara from Men's Warehouse

Her Ring: Belloring Etsy Shop

His Ring: Gentlemen's Junction Etsy Shop

Her Perfume: Coco Chanel (Chris chose this for her just before the wedding) :)

His Cologne: Dior Sauvage

Hair Stylist: Taylor Burgos (Chris's sister)

Make Up Artist: Julie Robbins

Florist: MEWS Floral Design

Officiant: Lynne Weeks

DJ: All Events DJs

Catering: Funky Fresh

Linen/Chair/Tent Services: CE Rentals