Posts By admin
getting married, the rush of it all
There is a rush to this whole getting married thing.
I know, “newsflash,” but I’m going somewhere with this, so stick with me:
Naturally, there is the race to get everything planned, booked, selected, purchased and pulled together. Even if you’re not on a strict timetable, there is still a sense of urgency about making the right choices and not missing any detail that might make your wedding more memorable. That’s not the rush I’m talking about though. I’m thinking of the rush of actually realizing that you’ve done it.
Do you see it? See what I’m talking about? Some of it is the group celebration, but it’s also that first look and exhaled “phew!” between husband and wife that we love to capture. Those are often some of our favorite shots (and our clients’ faves as well) …. seeing the anticipation and then afterwards, when the officiant announces that two are now one. There is still so much energy in the space, but it’s new energy. It’s an absolute rush.
You cannot get to that moment though if you haven’t booked your wedding photographers and we would love to be a part of your team that day. Most of our wedding package includes a free engagement portrait session, allowing us to get to know you and help you to get comfortable in front of the camera if you aren’t already. We’re now booking weddings for 2017, 2018 and beyond. Contact us and let’s start planning.
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, engagements and weddings, brides, 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.
YOU’RE Engaged!! time to book your portraits
You can look at a couple and sort of see when they’re at the beginning of a relationship, of their journey together, or the beginning of something big. I love this scene from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He’s been daydreaming in hyper-drive about her, obsessing about what “they” might be and FINALLY – at the end (it’s a movie, folks, you know how it works), they begin what might be an actual love affair.
So, now you’re engaged! Tell us how it happened. Flash mob dancing to or singing your favorite song? A video journal with all the memories leading up to falling in love? Scavenger hunt? Did you order a pizza and just decide “let’s do this!?” Regardless: congratulations! You’re at the beginning and this is where we come in as seasoned husband and wife and experienced engagement and wedding photographers. Whether they are indoor portraits or outdoor shots at your favorite spot, we know how to capture the beginning of your life together, tell your story and make it fun.
AND! Engagement portrait sessions are complimentary in most of our wedding photography packages.
At a vineyard……. they love wine!
At a mill with family history …. with their sweet pup.
On the water …. remembering how they met.
With a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains …. you don’t need a reason for choosing this spot.
In Charleston, looking at the water and the future…
We take engagement portraits pretty much anywhere and everywhere our clients ask us to and so far we haven’t had any request too audacious. We always ask couples to think about a place that means something to them and we’ll make it work. There’s something about your first official portraits together as a To Be Married pair, so we want you to be relaxed, excited (you can do both!) and let us handle the results. Engagement portraits are a way for us to get to know our wedding clients better. We get to learn about you, see how comfortable you are in front of the camera and help you increase your comfort level before the wedding day. It’s great practice in posing, and figuring out if you can be candid in front of the camera without our guidance or if you need a little coaching. We’re on YOUR team, so we love the engagement session because it’s an opportunity to create a level of familiarity and comfort.
Engagement session at The Biltmore House in Asheville. These two brought their dog as well. Family is welcome, by the way.
Biltmore Estate, Asheville
In Blowing Rock, … these two ASU grads love this area.
As you plan your big day, don’t forget the engagement portraits can be dressy or casual and given as gifts, put on your wedding website or save the date cards or just sent out to friends via social media. Whatever you decide though, these shots are important and you’ll never regret having them made.
Autumn engagement in Blowing Rock – still a favorite.
A country barn setting for a pretty chic couple.
We were also the wedding photographers for each of these couples above and hundreds of others. If you’re looking for photographers for your engagement portraits and wedding day in 2017, it’s not too soon to start planning and booking. I know…. it’s the second week of January, but you’ll be glad you did. Contact us and let’s get started.
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, engagements and weddings, brides, 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.
One January Anniversary ~ celebrate!
Bethany & Kevin McCoy 7 years January 23rd
Happy Anniversary to a couple we watched (and photographed!) marry 7 years ago. A winter wedding filled with warmth and love. Sounds trite but it’s true. And if you don’t believe me, here’s 16th century poet Thomas Campion.
Now winter nights enlarge
This number of their hours;
And clouds their storms discharge
Upon the airy towers.
Let now the chimneys blaze
And cups o’erflow with wine,
Let well-tuned words amaze
With harmony divine…
This time doth well dispense
With lovers’ long discourse;
Much speech hath some defense,
Though beauty no remorse.
All do not all things well:
Some measures comely tread,
Some knotted riddles tell,
Some poems smoothly read.
The summer hath his joys,
And winter his delights;
Though love and all his pleasures are but toys
They shorten tedious nights.
Happy Anniversary, Bethany and Kevin!
If you’re planning your wedding and are looking for engagement portraits and wedding photographers, please contact us. We’d love to hear your story and capture your big day.
best of 2016 wedding day photos
HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone! As we ease into 2017, we thought we’d share some of the best of our wedding images from 2016. Looking back at these, it really was a great year to get married and we loved being a part of these and many other important occasions in your lives. CHEERS to all and for those of you tying the knot in 2017, we cannot wait!
What’s a little rain and snow with the right lighting?
Gorgeous views and gorgeous couples.
A pirate-themed wedding for a couple who’ve been together long enough to really celebrate.
Autumn weddings outdoors!
A church wedding in Fort Mill SC and fabulous reception (above).
Bonnie & Amanda Walling
Our first but hopefully not last same-sex wedding. Truly beautiful. (above)
Outdoor wedding with a cigar bar at the reception (above).
Ashley & Oscar Orozco
Our last wedding of 2016 with this couple who met on a youth activity trip.
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, engagements and weddings, brides, 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.
Christmas at Home | An Evening with a Young Family
Describing a family and what family symmetry is, as it turns out, much harder than capturing photos of the chaos that is actually very beautiful, symmetrical if you will. Does that make sense? I showed up at the Minick’s house to photograph a Day in the Life session – a holiday at home session – with this family I’ve been photographing for many years and through many seasons of life. And it was all there … all of that insanely beautiful chaos that makes family life so glorious.
We started photographing the Minicks’ Christmases in 2012, when daughter Amelia was brand new. Now, there are 4 in this family, as little Matthew was added just 6 months ago. When we discussed a Christmas at home session, mom Rachel said they weren’t organized and hadn’t decorated and weren’t sure how they would pull it off. My answer: don’t worry. It’s your life and your holiday too. It’ll look however it looks – most likely, it’ll look like love. 
I think people believe that holiday photos, any photo sessions for that matter, have to be buttoned up and the house has to be spotless and everything is ironed and there’s no nonsense or pets racing around, or dust or ……reality. I promise that I couldn’t care less as a photographer documenting a day in your lives. When I arrived at their house, husband and father Ryan was just pulling into the drive with Amelia and they did what families do: they all greeted each after being separated all day and dumped bags and removed shoes and picked up where they left off: doing life together.
Amelia (4 years) loves to be in the kitchen cooking with her mom and wanted to do breakfast for dinner. Who doesn’t want breakfast for dinner???!!! But I digress. They prepped the table and food, cutting strawberries and Amelia made the perfect little sous chef, although she took the time to taunt little brother Matthew who was in charge of banging bowls and being cute. 
After dinner and chatter came pajamas and, on this day, tree decorating. Like MANY busy couples who work and have young kids, they don’t get the tree up the day after thanksgiving nor do they try to have IT all pulled together. After reading stories and pulling out ornaments, they decorated and all of the day — all of the chaos that wasn’t really chaos melted into beloved family time. At one point, Rachel turned to me and said, “this is what our ‘real life’ looks like!” To me, it was gorgeous. The dishes, the kitchen noise, the constant chatter and love, the diapers and pullups, tree stand and step stool, glitter and magic, just all of it. It was beautiful. 
I want people to see the beauty in the every day. We say this all the time and then we go running right passed the park, if you know what I mean. Amelia in her pjs putting the star on top and Matthew lying in the floor like, “what is this crazy ritual I just walked into?” So much love and perfect symmetry. 
I hope families who feel that every photo shoot has to be crisp and perfect and clutter-free will call us. I can assure you that those gorgeous and sacred family moments happen all the time and our job is to capture them for you. There is symmetry in the chaos of family. Our job as documentarians is to help point it out so that you can celebrate and remember it.
I want to thank the Minicks and other families who’ve said “come over. This is our home.” We get it and appreciate it and couldn’t love you more.
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, engagements and weddings, brides, 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.