No rust here, thank you very much

Of course, before the big first wedding of the year, I get a bout of nerves. But I was so blown away by the coolness of my couples unique ceremony, I didn't have time to think about anything but their big day.

Brooks Ann and Charles lucked out - storms were threatening to drive their ceremony indoors. It would have been a wonderful ceremony regardless, but the fact the weather held out just made the day that much more special. The couple sang a Velvet Underground song to each other during the ceremony. How cool is that?

After the ceremony, we headed to The Carolina Club on the UNC Chapel Hill campus.

Enjoy some pictures from one amazingly d i f f e r e n t wedding:



my favorite detail shot of all time:




















The slideshow is here.

Plantation session

Crystal ran out of time before her big day to get a portrait done. So, we decided instead to find a cool place where we could get some shots of her and her new husband, Josh. When I was a reporter out in Eastern Wake County, I wrote a story about Beaver Dam Plantation in Knightdale. At the time, the home was being renovated to its original glory. The owners took painstaking steps to ensure the property would be, in almost every detail, the same as it was built in 1810.

And it makes for a beautiful backdrop for a beautiful couple.



















And the slideshow is here.

Bride gets framed

Brooks Ann is a true artist. She's a framemaker by trade and a genius when it comes to clothing. She designed and made her own wedding dress. I have a feeling you'll be hearing a lot more about her in the coming years - she expressed an interest in designing custom bridal gowns for brides with a taste for something entirely original. What a cool world we live in!

For the shoot, we headed to a few spots around Hillsborough, NC, including the beautiful Ayr Mount - the site of the ceremony and reception. But enough of my blabbing... Enjoy a few pics!