Posts Tagged: NC Wedding Photographers

The Pirate Party Wedding of Edith and Kirk

If we had a golden doubloon for every time we were asked to attend or photograph a pirate wedding – we’d have a single coin and a million pirate jokes we’d be tempted to make. But this was no joke and the ceremony itself was filled to the brim with pirate references and joy that only the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott. It started as a party but this year, the host couple added a new element: they got married, …. on their property ……. dressed as pirates and surrounded by their friends, many in costume. It was a blast, down to when the last sword was sheathed and the last lantern was out.west jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photoThe couple are in beverage distribution, so there was no shortage of beer and ale for the party and their first dance as man and wife was to Chris Stapleton’s Tennessee Whiskey. west jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photoEdith and Kirk have been a couple for 21 years and a dozen of those ago, they started hosting a pirate party on their gorgeous wooded property that boasts a stream that runs through it and a pirate ship. Their place is called: the Piratez Cove. If you find yourself suffering from poverty of imagination for a party or a wedding (or both), take note:
Edith’s processional music was AC/DC’s Highway to Hell. They said their vows on a bridge that Kirk built. No walking the plank. Before the ceremony, they had a parlay party where the bride and groom laid their weapons out on a table. Kirk had a few, but Edith had quite a few more. Peace was established.west jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photowest jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photoThe party lasted late in the evening and a chef pal of the couple made Japanese rice hibachi for those staying up and hanging out. We had the best time. These 2 and their friends are a fun bunch of pirates and pirate-loving peeps. Here’s to doing it your way, with your theme!west jefferson nc outdoor wedding photographers pixels on paper photography photo

Whether your wedding is conventional or as non-conventional as Edith & Kirk’s we would love to be part of it as your wedding photographers. Contact Pixels On Paper Photography so we can discuss your celebration and specific needs.

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wedding redux #4: nice and simple

wedding advice redux blog pixels on paper photo

This wedding, between Jamie Goforth and Daniel Harrison, was windy and gorgeous. The two can coexist, and if you check out their portraits from the day, you’ll see. As part of our series where we ask the bride and groom for feedback to share for future nuptials, here are some insights from Jamie.

Goforth/Harrison Pixels On Paper nc mountain outdoor wedding photographers photo

Goforth/Harrison Pixels On Paper nc mountain outdoor wedding photographers photo

“I wish that I had used more flowers in my ceremony and reception, but both locations had lots of natural beauty.
We were married at an outside chapel in Glade Valley, NC. It was windy and cold on the day of the wedding. My bridesmaids wore leggings under their dresses (LOL). I would tell those planning a wedding to remember to think about how the weather will be on the day of your wedding.”
Number in the wedding party and number of guests — any thoughts or changes? “We had 6 bridesmaids, 6 groomsmen, 1 flower girl and 1 ring bearer. This was a large party but I knew that I wanted and needed them all by my side the day of the wedding. We had around 150 guests and I think that was a nice number, but more than we really wanted. I personally think the smaller the better with the amount of guests.” [As a couple who’ve photographed more weddings than we care to count, we loved the honesty in that answer. It’s important to know who you want and need with you on your wedding day. It will matter later more than you can imagine. Just saying…]

Time of year? Time of day? “We had a fall wedding in the mountains, 4PM and the leaves were beautiful on the trees that time of day. It was a little chilly, as I mentioned, though.” 

DJ vs. a band? “I preferred a live band, but they were much more expensive, so I went with a DJ and the reception was great… a LOT of participation on the dance floor!”

Wedding planner or “family-and-friends-all-hands-on-deck” approach to planning? I think that having a wedding planner is better than all hands on deck. This is so there is only one person to go to for everything. That one person will know what you want in your wedding and if others want to assist they can. Just have the wedding planner approve it.”

Name 3 things you would do differently, if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (to the same person of course). “I would have had a cocktail hour while taking our pictures after the ceremony. I feel like the whole day was a blur, I would try to slow down and take it all in. I would have eaten, instead of just taking a few bites, but of course I wanted to talk with all of our guests.”Pixels On Paper NC Mountain outdoor fall boone blowing rock nc wedding photographers photoMost important piece of advice: “Tailor the ceremony to who you are as a couple. Daniel and I love camp fires and s’mores so we had a fire in the fireplace at the reception with a s’mores bar for our guests.
Make the day about what you envision and not what other people want or think it should be. It was honestly the best day of my life and I got to enjoy it with all my family and friends.”

 

We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kidsengagements and weddingsbrides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.

 

Wedding Redux…. What would YOU do if you could do the day again?

This was the wedding of Meghan and Josh in August of 2015. The groom made the arbor they stood beneath (a gift to his bride) and she walked down the aisle to Bruno Mars’ “Marry You.” There were amazing details in every direction – from the mountains behind them as they pledged to be together for life, to the bouquets, color choices, and reception where everyone danced and partied late into the evening and stayed for the weekend.
BUT. What if they could do it again….? Do it all over again.
If you’re planning your wedding – listen up.Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo

We asked Meghan and Josh what they would change and here is what they said. [insert the high-pitched rewind sound here and clip of everything moving at top speed in reverse]

Name 3 things you would do differently, if, by some strange wrinkle in the universe, you could do it all again (with the same person of course)?
I wouldn’t worry about a shuttle service to get people to and from town. I wouldn’t book vendors based solely on price and I wouldn’t try to do things I wasn’t completely happy with just to save money.

Name 3 things you would do again, if you could?
I would definitely do a small destination like we did where we all stayed in cabins together for the weekend so it was an extended celebration. I would still have my personal and humorous wedding. I would use my florist, caterer, and my photographers a million times over.
Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo
Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoTell us about vows. Any changes?
I LOVED our vows!  We wrote our own and they were completely original and US.  They were humorous, but still sweet.

How about the number of guests?
DO NOT invite everyone you have ever known and don’t worry about people getting their feelings hurt. Throughout this process, I started to notice that for every person we added to the guest list, we were adding approximately $75/head. This is where I should have cut my budget instead of scrimping on other things or trying to put too much work on myself.

Did you use a wedding planner or the “family-and-friends-all-hands-on-deck” approach to planning?
I had a planner and don’t know how we would have done it without her. I wish we had utilized her even more instead of me trying to do it myself to save money! I tried to do a lot of things on my own or use people who were “cheaper” to try to cut costs.  I would have paid the extra amount and had everything taken care of and not worried about it! Do you notice a trend here?! 

Time of year? Time of day?
I never wanted an August wedding, but then I never planned a wedding until I had to. August was perfect! Late summer was perfect for my colors and the time of day and location (on top of a mountain) made the weather absolutely unbelievable!

Location?
My fiancé and I wanted something that was natural and gorgeous, which is exactly what we got.  We had to go way out in the county to find this, and didn’t want people to worry about driving.  We wound up spending more money for a shuttle service to and from town and up and down the mountain than if we had just paid extra somewhere else.  We had to rent two sets of chairs because of two separate locations, get generators, and lug things up and down the mountain just to try to get everything we needed into this “natural” space.

Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo

What about the elements of the ceremony?
Make it ALL about you! Traditional or not, putting your personal touches on these makes all the difference in the world and it is what your guests will remember.

Decorations & decor?
Make sure they fit your venue. I wanted glitz and glamour mixed with the natural space and additional vintage elements. Sometimes your venue is decoration enough!

Number in the wedding party?
I would suggest going with the smallest number of people possible.  My 6 were perfect, but the smaller the better.
Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo

Positive and negative advice on any or all of the following:
Attire?
Dress in things that will look good, but also fit your location.

Food?
EAT!  I said, “oh we are GOING to eat!”…then we didn’t. We loved the food we selected and then we didn’t even get our to-go boxes.

Gifts?
Don’t register for things you have no intention of using, regardless of what people think you need!

Flowers?
My flowers were one of the TOP things that made my wedding!  The colors were gorgeous and tied together my color scheme perfectly!  In an attempt to save money, I tried to use potted plants at the altar, but I should have let my florist do those as well.

What, if anything, do you regret?
I don’t regret anything, however, there are a few family members that I wish I would have taken pictures with before they left. I wanted the majority of the pictures done before the ceremony so that we could use the full time for the reception. I had some older family members I assumed were going to stay through part of the reception, but they left right after the ceremony, so they aren’t in any of my photos.

What do you wish you’d done, but were afraid to do?
There are a few moments of my wedding that I wish had been slightly more serious, but that is just not my personality.  I was scared to have anything even slightly sentimental because I knew I would cry, so I did everything in my power to make sure that I didn’t break down.
Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding PhotoBoone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo
What would you do more of?
If I could do it over, I think I would have enjoyed things more. I don’t say that to mean I didn’t enjoy it, but it was a very stressful time, and I went through different phases and a boat load of emotions. I had days where everything mattered and I didn’t care about the cost; other days, I wasn’t spending a dime, and nothing was a big deal because it was just a “celebration.” 
Looking back, I see that these were things I will only get to do one time and I would have cherished every moment even more if I had truly had a concept of this.
Boone Blowing Rock NC wedding photographers Pixels On Paper Lansing NC On The Windfall Outdoor Mountain Wedding Photo
Stay tuned for more in this series — Wedding Redux, especially if you’re a bride-to-be, maid of honor, mother-of-the-bride or newly engaged. Hearing from those who’ve stood where you are about to stand can make all the difference in the world.

We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden.Pixels on Paper photographs babies and kidsengagements and weddingsbrides and special events and portraits of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.

 

 

 




2015 Pixels highlight reel ~ part deux – WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!

Pixels on Paper wedding portraits outdoors - 2015 highlights photo

Starry, starry night in the mountains

As a followup to our engagement highlight reel for 2015, you knew we had to do a wedding version; I mean, c’mon. It’s fun for us to remember and reminisce about the couples and their families, but also about the locations, the weather, the unexpected moments that entered our lenses and the magic that happens when a planned photo has an element of surprise. Whether these couples were basking in “end of the night starlight” or nestled on a rainy church lawn, in a field with horses or smooching under a glass roof, they were in their own perfect moment. Here are just a few of our favorite shots from the weddings Pixels had the privilege to photograph.
Above are Micala and Tyler at their reception. See more of their wedding in Todd, NC and reception in Laurel Springs.
Below are Rebekah and Josh. Their wedding is a guide for any couple who have a theme in mind. They didn’t miss a single detail.

Pixels On Paper Photographers Blowing Rock NC Mountain Scotish High Country wedding photo

Wedding with Scottish details and Scottish weather

This outdoor wedding provided us with so many opportunities to experiment (including the shot below) and so many moments of tenderness with the couple and family.

Goforth/Harrison Pixels On Paper nc mountain outdoor wedding photographers photo

Caught in God’s perfect light…

This shot of Meghann is not from her wedding, but from her bridal session, but we had to include it. Taken near her family’s farm in Warrensville, NC, she took our breath away in every shot.

Clawson Wedding, Meghann Roberts Bridal Portrait Photo

Bride in a perfect mountain landscape

A Charlotte City Center wedding is an event unto itself, but these two only saw each other that day. Their wedding under a glass ceiling was gorgeous and special. We love this shot.

Jone/Johnson Pixels On Paper Photography Wedding portrait photography photo

Center City Charlotte rooftop kiss

Whitney and Preston’s wedding was deeply personal and rife with details about them.

Parsons/Pegg wedding photography by Wilkesboro NC Photographers Pixels On Paper photo

Joy in the meadow

The best portraits aren’t always of the bride and groom. This one of Sarah and her decorated military dad was just too perfect. And so was her wedding to Danny. Not one shot of Sarah and Danny disappoints.

Clampett Wedding, Sarah Crisp, Danny Clampett, Wedding, Chetola photo

Father and bride….

Katie and Josh’s wedding managed to be Elegant Celebration and Crazy Party in one evening. Autumnal details for the groomsmen’s ties and bridesmaids’ bouquets at the wedding gave way to glowing necklaces and bracelets for the reception.

Katie Muskal and Josh Minor Blue Ridge Mountain Club Blowing Rock NC outdoor wedding photo

The Big Send Off in Blowing Rock, NC

A fan favorite as weddings and wedding stories go – Elisabeth and Isaac. These two decided to buy a house and up-end the whole wedding timeline. It didn’t stop them from having a brilliantly simple and gorgeous Tanglewood Park wedding, though.

Elisabeth Bolick and Isaac Spillman tanglewood wedding photos

“We did it!”

Amber and Andy’s wedding was special for so many reasons, not the least of which was that they were starting a new family with Andy’s young daughter and cementing a new life anchored in love, respect and joy. This shot captured part of that vibe.

Cannon/Shumate Pixels On Paper Photography Wedding photography photo

A New Family Story Begins

So many of our favorite shots of brides and grooms are taken outside where nature can play a role. This one of Kendall and Nathan though was just perfect. See some of them outside as well at their lovely wedding in Wilkesboro, NC.

Williams wedding photography by Wilkesboro NC Photographers Pixels On Paper photo

A private moment in the pews

We are booking weddings for 2016 and 2017 and would love to help capture the moments that solidify memories – both planned and unexpected. Call us at 336.990.0080 or email us mail@pixelsonpaper.net and let’s get started!