Almost nine years and over 320-ish weddings in, I’ve learned a lot about soul mates. I’ve learned that no two love stories are the same. Some happen instantly with a touch or a smile, some start as friendships that slowly evolve into head-over-heels love, some happen in the 20s, some happen in the 30s, and some…some involve second chances. The only thing I’ve found to be universally true of all the real-life love stories I’ve photographed? They never (ever) involve a white horse, no two “princes” look alike & real-life love is a million times better than any fairytale..

When Jill & I first met she had been searching for a photographer for months. A lucky google search for Figure 8 Island weddings brought her to me (score one for google). She sat across from me in the studio & shared her story. She beamed as she told me how Thomas felt like home. How he was the most perfect person in the world to her. How kind he was, how much she couldn’t wait for me to meet him. As she spoke, I kept thinking to myself how rare & special this girl is. Jill is as authentic as they come & by the end of our meeting we were hugging with tears in our eyes. I had never met anyone more deserving of beautiful memories captured. Our meeting reminded me what I love most about this stage of my career. Connection. In the days of 45 weddings a year I didn’t have the time or energy to fully invest in each couple and their story, but now with only a choice 12-15 weddings a year, I go all-in. And Jill & Thomas were 100% a perfect fit for me. One thing I know for sure? You’ll be seeing more of these two..their story is just beginning & I can’t wait to tell more of it as the years pass.

So what about Thomas, you ask? The minute we met right before their first look, he said “I have heard the best things about you, Kellie.” I smiled, hugged him & said, “ditto, Thomas. You have one truly amazing girl, you know..”

“Believe me, I know,” he said.

These two are the real deal & I will forever be grateful to Google for leading them to me…

Venue & Planning- Jenn Mitchell with Figure 8 Island Yacht Club
Dress- Monique Lhuillier
Florist- Beautiful Flowers by June
Cake- Anna Echols with One Belle Bakery
Hair- Sunny Lee with Harbor Club Spa
Makeup- Tess Wheatley with Blush
Band- Complete Desire
Videography- LifeStage Films

Happy 2014, friends. Hope you all enjoyed a peaceful holiday with your families. The start of the new year offers a short break from weddings. Super short actually, as our first wedding of the season is in just 3 weeks in the mountains of Virginia. (yes, we are hoping for snow!) A few updates before I introduce you to the darling trio below. Our 2014 roster is nearly complete, with only two spaces left for the year. Spring is full, but there are still a handful of dates left for Fall…I can’t wait to meet the two special couples who are meant to fill those spots. If you’re considering my work for your wedding coverage, I look forward to hearing from you! Over the next few weeks you’ll also be seeing more 2013 weddings, along with a few personal travel posts. A new wedding will be showing up here late next week, so keep a lookout. Its a stunner.

…aaaand moving on to this sweet trio. I drove to Lake Norman in late November to spend the afternoon with Elizabeth, Christopher & their pup Milo. I had been waiting months to meet Elizabeth & Christopher, as they booked long-distance & our only correspondence had been via phone or email. These two were worth the wait. As I pulled into her parents driveway, I was met with the warmest hug & excited smile from Elizabeth. You guys, this girl. True beauty. She just shines from the inside out & radiates such joy. I don’t know many girls who can pull off a ponytail & just the slightest dash of mascara and look absolutely flawless. She is truly an effortless beauty, and their pup Milo is kind of obsessed with her. At least a dozen times during our shoot, I caught Milo giving kisses to his mom. (see below) Christopher is my style guru. Seriously, the guy has style for days. And the perfect spark of personality. I got to see a few of his dance moves on the dock during our shoot & its very obvious why these two have been together for so long. They are the very best of friends. The kind that live for snuggles in the hammock & uncontrollable laughter. When they contacted me about shooting their March wedding they let me know they were looking for truth captured in their images. They want their story told & I am honored they chose me to tell it through my lens. Consider this the first chapter…this chilly winter day we spent hanging by the water with Milo, baking homemade pizza, making the worst tasting hot chocolate in the universe (true story) and documenting a little slice of their life together.

Elizabeth, Christopher & Milo, thank-you. Can’t wait to see you guys in Palm Springs in March. So much love to you three.

Hard to believe another year is coming to a close. 2013 has been so good to me. It feels like I have finally found that sweet spot where family life & work life can happily coexist. I set a cap of 12 weddings for this year & ended with 14 extraordinary couples. Only one of those weddings has shown up on this blog, so its time to play catch-up a bit and share more of 2013’s magic. Lana & Rizan are the perfect place to start..

A few years ago, I made a “bucket list” of venues I dreamt of working, in various locations around the world. Over the past 2 years I’ve worked two of them, and in March of 2014 I’ll be shooting at #4 on the list. The thing about having dreams become reality is…there’s always an unexpected truth that surfaces along the way. For me that truth is one I’ve known for a while: venues are great, but people are better.

As far as people go, Lana & Rizan are as good as it gets. These two are everything about my job that I cherish all wrapped up in one shiny, happy package. They give so freely that you feel loved the minute you meet them. It took all of 45 seconds into our first conversation to just know…they are my kind of people. Two stunningly soulful humans who are seven-hundred percent in love. Two adventurous spirits who have been inseparable since their first (not so stellar) tennis match. Until their wedding weekend in Turks & Caicos this fall, I had only heard little snippets of how they love each other through our conference calls & emails. Let me tell ya, to watch it in real-time is something special. If you don’t know Lana & Rizan personally, you might think the fact that they call each other “Angel” is silly, but its actually quite endearing. Their friends & family brought up the “angel talk” more than once throughout the wedding day, poking innocent fun at their nickname for each other. But what they all know to be true is this: two humans have never been more perfect for one another. After spending an entire weekend with Lana & Rizan, I witnessed firsthand how they light each other up, challenge each other & put each others needs before their own. An angel (according to the thesaurus) is someone who manifests goodness, purity & selflessness…and that definition fits Lana & Rizan perfectly. I’m blessed to count them as friends & will always be grateful they chose me to document their first memories as a family.

While in Providenciales, I learned the term they use to refer to the locals & it has stuck with me ever since. They are called belongers. How fitting that Lana & Rizan chose this heavenly place to join their lives. They are two incredible people who make everyone they meet feel like belongers. Lana & Rizan: thank-you my friends. So much love to you both.

To see more of Lana & Rizan’s day & watch their wedding film from Inkspot Crow, you can check out their Style Me Pretty feature here.

Venue- Gansevoort Resort
Hair- Tangled Salon
Dress- Enzoani
Sash- Romona Keveza
Wedding Shoes- Manolo Blahnik
Grooms Tuxedo- John Varvatos
Floral Design- Flowers by EA
Reception Dress- Cymbeline Paris
Reception shoes- Jimmy Choo
Veil- Boutique De Viole
Event Planning- Tropical Destination Management
Stationery- Envelopments
Cake- Grace Bay Pastry Chef
Cinematography- Inkspot Crow Films