"A big photographer for a big wedding..."

I couldn't believe it when the words rolled off my tongue.

It was about a year ago when I met Caroline to discuss her wedding in South Boston, Va. We met at the Mellow Mushroom in Raleigh and I was in a particularly silly mood - even for me.

Caroline asked me the usual questions - if I was married, or if I had an assistant. Then she asked if my wife ever assisted me at weddings. I said she probably wouldn't be much help, considering that she was only 3-foot, 4-inches tall. Of course I was lying. I didn't know why. Caroline gave a sort of uneasy laugh. I maintained my composure and went on to the next piece of business.

She said her wedding would probably have between 300-350 guests. While I've documented a lot of wedding up until that point, I hadn't covered one quite so big. With great stealth, I dodged the question with, "Well, for a big wedding, you need a big photographer. I would say you need about a pound per guest, so I'm right in your range."

It was one of the dumbest things I had ever said to a bride. She hired me a few days later. Of course, the fact that I had met with and bribed her fiance Chad first didn't hurt.

The wedding was at the gorgeous Berry Hill, in South Boston, Va. The amazingly talented wedding planner Grace Beason was on hand to make sane what normally would have been an absolutely chaotic environment. I'm honestly amazed at how these things come together. Without folks like Grace, I don't think they would. It was an absolutely stunning event.

Thanks Caroline and Chad, for trusting a big comedian wannabe.

Enjoy some shots:







































And the beautiful slideshow is here.

Sand, sand everywhere, sand...

I don't want to complain here, 'cause I absolutely loved shooting Morgan and Ben's wedding at Wrightsville Beach. But after two beach weddings in a row, I feel as if I'm taking a little too much of the beach with me when I come home. It has somehow migrated to my bed, my other shoes... I could have sworn I picked a piece out of my coffee.

Oh well, such is the price for covering a gorgeous ceremony. Morgan and Ben were wed at Beach Access 43. It's a really great part of the beach with a little sand dune (mound really) right in the center of the ceremony site. The reception was at Oceanic Restaurant, a fantastic spot right on the beach.

Thanks for having me out, guys!

Yeah mon. I'm back from Jamaica...

I just returned from my trip to Negril, Jamaica to cover the beautiful wedding of Joanna and Charles. The couple lives in San Diego and found me several months back after seeing a picture I had published in BRIDES magazine.

The ceremony was held at the Moondance Villas and the couple stayed at Country Country. Both are beautiful spots for vacationers.

While I did manage to avoid a sunburn with the help of about a gallon of 45 SPF lotion, I will be rethinking my summer outdoors wedding attire. It was hot - and I wore all black. Ouch. I can't say my wife didn't warn me. "But dear," I said. "I need to look like a ninja."

Instead, I ended up looking like someone pushed me into the ocean.

In any case, enjoy some images: