Posts Tagged: Wedding Photography
renewal wedding photography ~ it’s about “again” and “more” and “us” ~ photographing the next chapter of a marriage
20 years ago, Kelly and Chris Shumate became a couple. They eventually created a new life as husband and wife: Kelly started a new business – Bridal Traditions – and they lived happily ever after.
And scene.
Actually, there’s more. 20 years more and they did live happily, but as their wedding anniversary approached, Kelly decided that she wanted the photos that they never had when they first tied the knot. She contacted us to take them, since she now wanted the more artistic style that wasn’t an option on their wedding day. We were happy to help them commemorate and really celebrate. And Kelly – who’s in the bridal business – had a very specific vision.
Part of what made this shoot fun for us, other than the fact that they were celebrating a momentous wedding anniversary, was the theme. Kelly loves gothic architecture, the antebellum era (think: Gone With the Wind), bare landscapes and an era gone by. We chose a cemetery near the River Arts District in Asheville, NC, during winter. The results were just what she wanted: sparse, real, gothic and graphic. And we loved the juxtaposition of new and old. A renewal of their marriage and an opportunity to capture them in themed clothes and as a couple who were invested in each other for better, worse and the whole nine yards.
Ok – so some notes. How do you like the dress? This is the gown that Kelly was married in originally. It still fits.
IT. STILL. FITS. In fact it was actually too big and had to be altered smaller. (no jealousy……… well maybe some)
Another fun fact: this gown is the first one she bought for her bridal shop, which is pretty auspicious.
Kelly was also specific about setting, which is why this cemetery worked so well for the shoot. In the bareness of winter in the cemetery, she and Chris stand out like a couple of players from a Civil War play or Ken Burns’ mini series. She – Scarlett O’Hara or Melanie Wilkes – and he Captain Rhett Butler or Ashley Wilkes.
They truly look their parts. He comes home from war (brother against brother, people!!! lest we forget) and there she is, after waiting, praying and keeping the farm afloat despite major setbacks. You can almost see the letters from Corinth, MS:
“My dearest Kelly Emeline,
The war does not go well. I can scarcely remember the curves of your lovely visage….”
Pardon the digression, but seriously – look at them and watch this slideshow of their portraits.
This photo shoot was literally a year in the making. It took a little time to plan, but it mostly took will and faith and perseverance. As all marriages do, the Shumate’s union was ebbing when Kelly contacted us. They were struggling as a couple, wondering about the future, trying to understand what to keep in their relationship and what to jettison and whether or not the “us” in them was still alive. Digging deeply, they moved forward, but 99.9% of the success in their marriage was their faith in God. They knew marriage was hard, but giving up was not something either of them was interested in. So this photo shoot was about WAY more than grabbing pictures of great clothes in a cool setting. It was an actual celebration of making it for 20 years and looking forward, with renewed hearts, to the next 20.
And the 20 after that.
Not only were we thrilled to be a part of capturing this day, Pixels created a wall of photos for Kelly’s shop office. Something she could point to that says, “we did it and we’re still here.”
lauren & patrick |outdoor country mountain wedding | big red barn west jefferson nc| pixels on paper wedding photographers
Weddings in the NC mountains are some of our very favorite to photograph. The surroundings are always changing, there is beautiful scenery at every turn and there are so many different venues to choose from for locals or those choosing the mountains for a destination wedding location. Not to mention that we have four very distinct seasons which locals tend to take for granted.
Our Bride, Lauren, is a Charlotte, NC native and her Groom, Patrick, was once also, but now active duty means home is wherever work is. They opted for a destination wedding in the heart of the NC High Country in West Jefferson at a brand new outdoor venue, The Big Red Barn. From the day we photographed outdoor engagement photos for this couple, we knew being involved with their wedding day was going to be incredible. In case you missed their engagement portraits, click here.
Their wedding day was filled with love, helping hands and details from every aspect of their lives. It was a kid-friendlly event since Lauren and Patrick are now a blended family unit. Their daughters each played an active role in the ceremony. Each walking down the aisle with their parent and being a part of the couple’s vows, which were precious moments to witness and photograph. We honor and treasure moments like these. We don’t take our roles as wedding photographers lightly. It’s one day that can’t be reenacted, often filled with fleeting candid moments, and precious opportunities to photograph family members from near and far that are rarely all together for moments like these. We work hard to capture all of the images and take our roles very seriously so that each couple will have treasures to hold on to and heirlooms to pass along.
We hope you can see and feel the love in these photographs. Thank you Lauren and Patrick for trusting Pixels On Paper Photography to tell the story of your wedding day.
Special thanks to the vendors we worked along side: Florist: Four Gals and A Florist, Bride and bridal party hair and makeup: Nelson and Marion of Beautiful Bride On Location, Ceremony & Reception Venue: Big Red Barn Weddings, DJ: Born to DJ, Caterers: Sweet & Savory, Rentals: Jefferson Rent-All, Bride & Bridesmaids Attire: David’s Bridal.
Learn more about our wedding photography packages in the NC Mountains, Asheville, Blowing Rock NC, Boone NC, and the NC High Country and packages for NC Mountain destination weddings by calling our studio at 336-990-0080, visit our website www.pixelsonpaper.net or send us and email at mail@pixelsonpaper.net.
sierra & casey |outdoor mountain wedding purlear nc | rendezvous mountain state park | pixels on paper wedding photographers
Life doesn’t always goes as planned. Even the most well-layed plans have a way of going astray. That seems to especially be the case when it comes to weddings. Occasionally we have the opportunity to be a part of a wedding that has not been in the works for years, but only a few months or weeks. There are no elaborate plans, timelines, checklists, or 100s involved. There are only two people deeply in love and family or friends there to support that the only thing which matters is the commitment they are making to God and to each other. This was the case with Sierra and Casey’s wedding. Simple, rustic, country are all words that would describe the day as well as the Bride and Groom.
Simple has a way of being incredibly personal, romantic and beautiful. Being able to witness and photograph moments like these are a blessing. A wedding such as this is a day that is not tainted by countless Pinterest boards and must-have reenactments but rather opportunities for us to create photographs that are completely unique and personalized. The idyllic forrest, out-of-the-way setting in the NC Mountains at Rendezvous Mountain State Park in Purlear perfectly lent itself to this couple and their personality.
Casey & Sierra, thank you for trusting us to photograph the memories of your wedding day and tell your story through photos. We wish you a life together full of countless blessings. For the rest of you, enjoy a little peek into their wedding day.
We were even given the time and opportunity to have fun at the local Fire Department, Broadway in North Wilkesboro NC, where Casey is a volunteer fireman where we created some uniquely personal creative photos.
Special thanks to the vendors we worked along side: Ceremony Florist: Eden House Floral, Bride’s Attire: Bridal Traditions Wedding & Prom Attire, Ceremony & Reception Venue: Rendezvous Mountain State Park.
To view and learn more about Pixels On Paper wedding photography and portrait photography visit our website www.pixelsonpaper.biz. Visit or call our Wilkesboro photo studio and outdoor portrait garden.
amy & tom | nc mountain destination wedding | pixels on paper | blowing rock wedding photographers
When you start off the summer with one of the rainiest seasons in quite a long time, any wedding couple begins to be concerned that their day would fall on one of those wet days. Amy and Tom were very fortunate to have a clear NC mountain day to celebrate their wedding in Boone, NC, the heart of the high country. Even in the beginning of August, the temperature was just right for what was to be a day full of family and friends from literally all over the world celebrating their love. This couple resides in Washington DC but planned a NC mountain destination wedding in Boone and Blowing Rock NC, where Amy spent years growing up and her parents still live. Amy enlisted the help of a wedding planner and designer, our dear friend and incredible talent Melissa Riley of Day of Your Dreams. Even if your not making wedding plans long distance, we highly recommend Melissa. Her help is essential and her creations beautiful.
The ceremony was held at Grace Lutheran Church in Boone, NC. A very special touch before the start of the ceremony, was Amy’s mom playing several songs on her flute as guests were being seated. She has such an amazing talent and contributed it for a moment that will forever be engrained in our minds. Family was also a big part of the wedding party itself. Tom’s oldest son and brother, along with Amy’s brother, were groomsmen, and Tom’s two youngest sons were ring bearers, carefully carrying the rings down the aisle in bird’s nests.
One moment from the ceremony itself that we will never forget, was when the pastors (one of them being Amy’s pastor growing up) called Tom’s boys up to the altar to make them part of the marriage celebration. Amy, Tom and all three boys held hands and made promises to each other to become one family, promising to love and care for each other.
After all of the post ceremony photos were complete at the church, the wedding party drove over to Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, NC. We gathered the wedding party to do a few more photos before the party began. Melissa did an exceptional job designing and setting up the reception just outside the main lodge. A large white tent was set, with some amazing hanging floral arrangements provided by Bless Your Heart floral designs. If you’ve never seen the incredible floral artistry by Sherry of Bless Your Heart, it’s a sight to behold. It was wedding photographer’s dream come true to photograph this family-oriented couple’s wedding and the beauty that surrounded them in all the amazing details.
Because kids are such an important part of Tom & Amy’s life they wanted a kid-friendly wedding and wedding reception. There was a separate tent beside the main tent just for the kids! They had their own menu for dinner, had lawn games and paddle boats to take out on the lake (both for the young, and the young at heart.) Plenty of activities kept the kids entertained and having as much (if not more) fun than the adults.
The reception band, Hipshack, played all night and the guests really seemed to enjoy themselves out on the dance floor. It really was a great party that everyone will surely remember. Congratulations to Amy, Tom and the new family!
Wedding Venue: Grace Lutheran Church, Boone, NC
Reception Venue: Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock, NC
Wedding Photography: Pixels On Paper
Wedding Planner: Day Of Your Dreams
Wedding Gown & Veil: Did Someone Say Party
Flowers: Bless Your Heart
Rentals: Boone Rent All
Entertainment: Hipshack Band
Gifts/Favors: Candy Bar from Mast General Store, Boone NC
Want to learn more about our husband and wife team providing wedding photography packages and portrait photography in the NC Mountains, Wilkesboro NC and the NC High Country and packages for NC Mountain destination wedding photographers? Call 336-990-0080, visit our website www.pixelsonpaper.net or send us and email at mail@pixelsonpaper.net for more information.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2013 Pixels On Paper. Pixels On Paper Photography Hendersonville NC Wedding, Asheville Wedding Photography, NC Mountain Weddings, NC Mountain Destination Wedding Photography, NC Mountain Wedding Photographer, Boone Wedding and Portrait Photographers, Boone Wedding Photography, Boone Wedding Photographers, High Country Wedding Photographers, NC Wedding Photographers, Charlotte Wedding Photographers. Husband and wife team providing creative photography for weddings and portraits in NC, specializing in the NC High Country, Charlotte, and NC Mountain Destination Weddings.
kristy & trey | nc mountain high country wedding | pixels on paper | boone wedding photographers
We have been blessed this year to have some amazing clients and stunning locations for NC mountain portraits and high country weddings. A couple of examples include Kristy Brown and Trey Bryan’s engagement photos at the Pixels On Paper photo studio, as well as Kristy’s bridal portraits on one of her family’s farms.
This streak continued with Kristy and Trey’s wedding just outside Boone, NC this summer. Although the weather was a tad iffy the day of the ceremony, we were able to catch the breaks in the drizzle to run out and knock out some stunning outdoor photos.
The ceremony was held in Deep Gap, NC at Laurel Springs Baptist Church, just at the bottom of the hill from Kristy’s grandparents home. Surrounded by open fields and crazy nice views around the church, we were able to do some dramatic cloudy sky photos with the bridal party before the ceremony. Sometimes you just have to make the best of a less than desirable situation, and completely rock it out.
There weren’t many dry eyes in the church during the ceremony as the two exchanged vows and rings. It was clear to us that the newly combined families were there to support Kristy and Trey. The looks on the couples’ faces as they walked back down the aisle towards the back of the church was all smiles.
Following the post ceremony family photos, the newlyweds hopped in a perfectly restored 1966 Chevy Chevelle SS convertible, owned by Kristy’s uncle who loaned it to them to drive to the reception. Of course we HAD to have some photos with a classic car, especially with the skies we had to add to the drama, finishing up just as the rain began to fall.
The reception was held in Boone at a building owned by Kristy’s family that was at one time a car dealership. But with a lot of help from family and friends, that building was transformed into one of the best reception venues and it served its purpose well. Guests were treated to a buffet dinner and one of our favorite high country DJs, Gordon with Digital DJs, emceed the night and kept the dance floor hopping.
One last gathering of the guests happened at the end of the night as they lined up on either side of Kristy and Trey as they ran through the sparkler exit towards their new life as husband and wife. We wish them much love and happiness in their marriage!
Want to learn more about our wedding photography packages or portrait photography in Boone, Blowing Rock, Wilkesboro NC and the NC High Country or for NC Mountain destination wedding photography? Call 336-990-0080, visit our website www.pixelsonpaper.biz or send us and email at mail@pixelsonpaper.biz for more information.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License
All photos are ©2013 Pixels On Paper. Pixels On Paper Photography Wilkesboro NC Wedding, Boone NC Wedding Photographer, NC Mountain Weddings, NC Mountain Destination Wedding Photography, Ferguson NC Wedding, Wilkes NC Wedding, Blowing Rock, NC Mountain Wedding Photographer, Boone Wedding and Portrait Photographers, Boone Wedding Photography, Boone Wedding Photographers, High Country Wedding Photographers, NC Wedding Photographers. Husband and wife team providing creative photography for weddings and portraits in NC, specializing in the NC High Country, Charlotte, Destination Weddings and in the NC Mountains.