southern bride

Taylor & Aaron | Lake Jocassee Engagement Session

Taylor & Aaron met me on a warmer than normal fall day at Lake Jocassee for their engagement session last fall. This was their first time being there, but I've spent many days kayaking and enjoying the water and amazing views the park has. We had a wonderful afternoon climbing rocks and exploring the landscape. Aaron was a jovial presence and I can see perfectly why he and Taylor are so happy with one another. I'll be blogging their 2018 wedding soon!

Samantha & Grant | Easley Presbyterian Wedding, Easley, South Carolina

Samantha & Grant got married in the beginnings of spring at Easley Presbyterian Church and had their ceremony across the street at Easley's new reception center, South & West. This wedding was FUN for so many reasons! I was honored to second shoot Samantha's younger sister's wedding two years prior with Hannah Woodard Photo and was able to shoot Samantha's older sister's baby photos! (Twice!) The Lake family has been a favorite for a while. They throw the -best- parties and this wedding was no exception. Grant and his friends were a blast to hang out with and Samantha's girls treated us like friends. I ADORE her bridesmaid's dresses and the touches of significant throughout the day. Samantha's bouquet was adorned with the pins of her sorority sisters and her veil has been worn by her two sisters and her mother at her own wedding. Not to mention-this is the same church where her parents and two sisters got married. I'm so pleased to have been able to shoot this fun day and almost a year later still enjoy looking back at these photos. Thank you Sam & Grant! (And thank you, Sophie Hopkins, for helping me shoot this beautiful wedding!)

Miranda | Bridals at Craggy Gardens, Asheville North Carolina

Shooting one of your best friend's bridals adds an entire extra level of emotion to the entire day of shooting and the next day of editing. Even better than just shooting Miranda's bridals, I also got to make her bouquet and that made me SO HAPPY! I love playing with flowers and making arrangements and was delighted she trusted me to take not only her bridals, but also make her bouquet. My mom and I went foragaing in Piedmont, South Carolina a few days before and I made the bouquet with those flowers, plus a few from Miranda's own garden. We drove up to Craggy Gardens and danced around in the rhododendrons for a bit, shot some fun photos, and ate a delicious vegan lunch in Asheville to finish of the day. (I say that, but we really finished off the day by going back to Miranda's and taking a nap. Ha!) Miranda, I had the best time and love these images. Thank you so much for the perfect day of shooting and fun.  

Jessie & Zeke | Table Rock Lodge Destination Wedding Photographer

Jessie and Zeke were married in a tiny cabin with a view of Table Rock in February of 2017. For them this was a destination wedding, but for me it was the backyard mountains I grew up in. Jessie found me on Instagram and I'm so happy she did. We clicked instantly through emails and I loved meeting up with her and her mom at The Village Grind in Greenville. This wedding was unusual for me because it was on a Monday! Something new, right?! New and fun! The wedding was made up of so many sweet touches-from dinosaurs in Jessie's bouquet-all of which her mom made, the many very cute cakes (Jessie made them HERSELF), the sign's around the venue her son's wrote, their personal vows, and on. I loved shooting this beautiful wedding and am so happy for Jessie and Zeke. It's been fun keeping in touch with them and seeing their first year of marriage together.  

Lauren & Rony | Gassaway Mansion Wedding, Greenville, South Carolina

Lauren and Rony were married on the coldest day in December at a Catholic Church off Augusta and then hightailed it to the Gassaway Mansion for one of the best parties I've been to. Their wedding was an intimate gathering of about forty people who ate a spread at the Mansion, danced late into the night, and wished the couple a farewell into the cold. I loved shooting this wedding for how beautifully intimate it was, how much love surrounded the couple, how much fun the guests had on the dance floor, and for the fun I had shooting all of it. Thank you, Lauren and Rony! This day was sweet. 

Kayla | Clemson Botanical Garden Bridals

Kayla's bridals were done at the Clemson Botanical Gardens a few weeks before her August wedding and I had the best time meeting her family when we did them! Kayla is so sweet and so willing to walk and stand and pose and try all the things we did during her session. I miss working with you already, Kayla! So happy for you and Josh.  

Kayla & Josh | Lake Hartwell, South Carolina Engagement

If you wanted to meet the sweetest couple in the upstate of South Carolina-then here they are! Kayla and Josh contacted me about photographing their wedding (which is TODAY!) back in march and I knew right away we would get along so well. We met up at Spill the Beans in Greenville and had the best time laughing and talking about the wedding. Kayla is extra giggly and Josh always knows how to bring her back to what we were originally supposed to be talking about. Hanging with these two is a great time and I couldn't be happier for them. Can't wait for the wedding, Kayla and Josh!! 

Alyssa & Daniel | The Barn and Stables at Forevermore Farms, Moore, South Carolina

 When I met Daniel during my time in the Visual Arts Program at Greenville Technical College I had no idea he would design my logo or that I would be photographing his wedding the next year, but here we are! Daniel and Alyssa have the coolest style and I knew we would be fast friends when our meeting for coffee lasted over three hours. Plus, Alyssa does roller derby and basically held my hand while giving my bangs. I owe a lot to this awesome lady. 

Daniel & Alyssa got married on a semi-over cast day last October at the The Barn at Forevermore Farm in Moore, South Carolina. The rustic white barn was a great counter to their edgy vibes and the banana pudding inspired cake still makes my mouth water. Their family embraced Brett and I with hugs and their laid back wedding party had us laughing all day. These two are some of my forever friends now and I couldn't be happier for them and I'm so happy they seem to like me as much as I like them! ;) Thanks to my second, Brett Wilbanks, for shooting with me! Some of his images are below. 

Courtney & Tommy | Easley Presbyterian Church/Clemson University

I've known Courtney for more years than I can even remember! We go way back into our teen years and maybe even before then since we grew up just two streets away from each other. She was someone on year book staff in High School that I looked up to and I have photos of us exploring Table Rock and from fun nights when she was a student at Clemson University. It's amazing how life can come full circle sometimes. In 2012 Courtney and I both attended a wedding for a very dear friend of ours at the Madren Center on Clemson University's campus. This is the same wedding where Courtney finally introduced me to her boyfriend, Tommy! Fast-forward four years and Courtney & Tommy are having their wedding reception at the Madren Center of Clemson University. When Courtney introduced me to Tommy four years ago I never would have envisioned I would be fortunate enough to be documenting their big day in that very same location!! 

The entire day was a dream. The flowers were stunning, the dress was a classic, the food Southern, and Courtney & Tommy were both glowing with excitement and love. We began shooting in Easley at the Easley Presbyterian Church before moving to Clemson University for a few shots and then off to the Madren Center for the party of all parties. If you want to throw a good party, just invite a large group of Clemson alumni, the Clemson mascot, and you're good. The reception was amazing! The Madren Center has lake side views with nice gardens, so the guests were able to enjoy some garden games along with dancing and dining before a bubble send off for the bride and groom.

Courtney & Tommy, I cannot thank you enough for the honor it was to photograph your wedding. My heart was so full and continues to be full from the memories I have of your big day. I felt so included by each family member and guest and you both will forever be in my heart.

Thank you, Sophie Hopkins, for assisting me this day!  

Emily & David | Spring Engagement | Easley, South Carolina

When Emily approached me about shooting her wedding I about scream/cried because I'd been waiting for this moment for YEARS! She and I were stand partners in our high school's orchestra class and have been long friends ever since. Emily and David are the sweetest and we had a BLAST shooting this 'Up!' inspired engagement shoot on David's family's land in Easley. There's nothing like hopping on the back of a mule with all of your equipment and a dozen balloons and having an enormous amount of land to choose from to shoot! Best part was I wasn't trespassing, or going to have to explain why I was standing in someone's yard shooting photos! Ha! Emily & David, I had such a wonderful time and every day we pass is a day closer to your beautiful wedding! I cannot wait for October!    

Shelley & Matthew | Camp McCall, Sunset, South Carolina

I met Shelley and Matthew at a small coffee shop in Easley over a year ago. We had some good coffee and laughs over remembering some yearbook staff days at EHS and got to business talking about their upcoming spring wedding. When Matthew began explaining their wedding venue I was very curious and excited at the thought of shooting their day at a boy's summer camp up in the mountains behind Pickens. The wedding day was everything I had pictured it to be! Quaint little chapel on the top of a mountain; filled to the brim with friends and family supporting Shelley and Matthew as they took this big jump into the future. They finished the night dancing in the mess hall and with a fun sparkler send off. Thank you so much for having me be with you on your big day, Mr & Mrs Trotter! It was a delight! Thank you, Sophie Hopkins, for being my second on this wedding! Some of her photos are below!