Jeff + Lanier//Engagement

We had planned on taking these photos in Florence before Lanier moved back to Alabama during the school year UNTIL they decided to do them in Montana during their vacation. Without hesitation, I texted Lanier & said I would be there. I woke up at 3:45am on Tuesday morning to fly out to Montana to meet them in Missoula. We swung by their Airbnb to grab their clothes & then headed off to shoot.

We started at a local coffee shop, which was only fitting, seeing that Jeff owns his own coffee roasting business called Batch Nine Coffee Company (shameless plug). Then we decided just to drive around until we found some cool spots. Lanier & I sat in the back seat of Grammy's (Jeff's grandma) little truck while Jeff drove us around, scouting out locations to shoot. We drove up a mountain until the road got too narrow to keep going (or maybe it was because Lanier was about to have a panic attack being so close to the edge of the mountain haha). So, we pulled over & shot right off the side of the road. I made them run through grassy fields, dance on the side of a mountain, sit in front of some stranger's VW bus, ride a carousel (which was fun because Lanier grew up riding that exact carousel as a kid) and eat huckleberry ice cream. They were up for ALL the adventurous, which always makes my job way more fun!!

I spent the night with them on a trundle bed in their Airbnb (which I'm SO thankful they let me do!) and it was really cool because I usually do the shoot with my couples, sometimes grab dinner afterwards, and then go home. But spending over 24hrs with Jeff & Lanier let me see a lot more of their relationship, how they love, interact, and do life with each other. I flew out the next night to head back to SC, super thankful for couples that turn into friends and all the fun adventurous my job takes me on. 

Jordan Leigh + Josiah//Wedding

Where do I even begin with these two? I have known Jordan Leigh & Josiah pretty much my entire life. They are like brothers & sisters to me. Being a part of their wedding felt like being at huge family reunion, all of our close childhood friends, gathered around to celebrate their marriage. 

They have been dating for YEARS, and here is an old throw back picture I took at Josiah's high school graduation party of their 2013 young love. Its been beautiful to not only watch these two become husband & wife, but to see how their relationship has grown over the years and how they have individually become the most caring, Godly, hard working & creative human beings.

Jordan Leigh's mom wrote me such an encouraging letter, thanking me for photographing their wedding. She said, 'You clearly have a God given talent & calling, and its a joy to see you use it. You bring glory to His name & He provides for you through it. What a lovely way to dance with your Creator! The photos are lovely. Whenever I look at them, I get to experience the wedding more fully because you caught things I didn't see!" THIS is why I love what I do. I get to be a part of people's lives, stories, & special moments. I get to give them a gift they can relive over & over. And my heart & passion, above giving people images they will treasure forever, is to make much of my Creator. To glorify Him. To point people to Him. I feel like such a failure at this daily, but by His grace, I'm thankful He uses weak, inadequate people like me to glorify Him. YOU can as well. You don't have to be a missionary or work at a church to make an impact for the Lord. Do it wherever you are, at whatever you do. The Bible says, "Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people." 

Jordan Leigh & Josiah, you'll always be so special to me! Thank you for years of friendship & for many more to come (since we live so close to each other again!!) 

Gary + Nicole // SC Wedding at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

When I think of a "perfect wedding" this day comes to mind. Gary & Nicole got married on a Thursday afternoon at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens in Charleston, surrounded by green grass, low hanging oak trees full of moss, peacocks roaming the grounds, and their closest friends & family. They served cookies & doughnuts, danced under twinkling lights overlooking the water, and all huddled around the campfire as the sun went down. Dreamy, right?? 

Not only was their wedding absolutely perfect, but these two are such wonderful people. They were laid back, truly enjoyed their day, and loved on every single person that attended their wedding. PLUS they are a super attractive couple! We joked as we took their photos after the wedding that these photos would help them jump start their modeling career ;) But seriously, these two were so great to work with & made me feel like a friend and not just their photographer, which always makes for an enjoyable experience. Love you two, and I'm still so so happy you let me photograph your special day! 

Johannah & Michael // Engagement

I was on Facebook one night and saw a video that Michael's brother posted of him proposing to Johannah in Charleston & thought, "they look like they would be a super fun couple to photograph!" A few days later, a message came into my inbox from Johannah, asking if I would be able to photograph their engagement session!! I freaked out because it was like she had read my mind! We started talking about where they wanted them taken & I sent her a few ideas. Not only did my wish come true about photographing them, but they picked one of the locations where I have been DYING to photograph. So needless to say, this was a dream session for me!

Johannah and Michael, you guys are fun, adventurous, and so easy going. Johannah literally walked up this mountain in heels and didn't complain at all. The session lasted almost 3 hours but it felt like nothing because of how fun they were to hang out with. Thank you two for letting me document this time of your lives and for making my dream come true ;) 

Heidi & Thomas // Wedding

Heidi has been a childhood friend of mine for years and years, so photographing her wedding was such a joy. I met Thomas at his brother Matt's wedding the summer of 2016 while photographing his wedding & had no idea that 2 years later I would be photographing he and Heidi's wedding! 

These two got married in Charleston on literally THE perfect day. It was sunny, not too hot, not too cold, and we got to watch the sun set over the marina. I was so excited when Heidi emailed me and said they wanted to do a first look. She said Thomas would be way more emotional if it was just the 2 of them, rather than in front of 140 people. So we met in a little alley way in downtown Charleston for their first look, and it was one of the sweetest I've ever witnessed. He cried and couldn't stop telling Heidi how beautiful she looked (I mean, could you blame him?!) 

I felt more like a friend than the photographer at their wedding, which always makes my job feel like the opposite of work. I even got on the dance floor for a little while with my sweet husband, which someone picked up my camera & documented (picture below)! I was thrilled to be a part of the Odom's wedding day and even more thrilled that they are now living within "lets grab dinner tonight" distance away. Love you two, and I pray for your marriage often. 

Venue: Charleston Yacht Club

Wedding Dress: BHLDN

Bridesmaid dresses: Lulus

Hair & Makeup: Margaret Ann Kennebeck

Florist: Lexi Woodward 

Baker: Lauren Crittendon