2007 was a great year for me. I worked with some extraordinary couples who became more than just clients…they became friends. Meagan & Joe are one of those couples. Their September farm wedding is still etched in my mind as one of the most colorful, joy-filled events I’ve ever photographed. It took place long before farm weddings were trendy. I loved that they had a wedding that was simply…them. With Joe in his black converse & khaki suit, and Meagan in a lovely A-line gown carrying a whimsical bouquet of wildflowers, every detail was southern perfection. If this blog would have existed back then, you can bet their wedding would have been a Fall feature…

Flash forward 3 years & they have a new reason to celebrate. Their baby girl Charlotte ( better known as “Charlie” ) was born in January & I don’t know if I’ve ever seen two more natural parents than Meagan & Joe. Charlie has clearly stolen their hearts & brought a whole new level of joy to their lives. Even at a wee 8 months old, she’s a fiery little strawberry blonde with the sweetest gummy grin you’ve ever seen. I can’t get enough of her in this hat… :)

Last week I met up with the Barnes family in Charleston for what turned out to be one of my favorite sessions to date. Rae & I had been emailing back & forth for months trying to come up with a free day in our schedules to make this shoot happen. With her in Philly & me in NC, plus our fall shoot schedules…lets just say it was tricky :) So when she called to tell me they would be in Charleston vacationing for a week & asked if I could make the trip… I was in. But after 10 hours of driving to Highlands & back over the weekend, and a blinking engine light on my Rover, I was starting to think life had other plans.

So what do you do when life throws you a curve ball?

Rent a car.

Or in the strange case that Enterprise has NO cars available…you borrow your dads :)

Who knew that in the midst of the busiest month of my life, driving 10 hours to photograph a family playing in the surf would be just what I needed? We had a perfect sunset dancing off the water and Rae, Chris & Claire are so natural together, I felt like a quiet observer soaking in their sweet connection. They are the happiest little trio. I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend a Tuesday afternoon than running up & down the beaches of Charleston with them.

Thanks to my sweet friend Lauren for suggesting this perfect location on Sullivans Island. It was a little slice of heaven with some of the prettiest light I’ve ever seen.

In this industry, its easy to get caught up in the details. Believe me, I understand the appeal…every time I photograph a pair of Louboutins, my heart skips a beat, and every Reem Acra gown I’ve ever shot has taken my breath away a little. So when we arrived to Tracy’s grandmother’s house to find not one, but two ( 2! ) gorgeous Reem Acra gowns & 2 pair of fabulous shoes, I had a Rachel Zoe moment :) Tracy has impeccable taste & boy did she rock those 3 inch heels on her wedding day. As a gal who can’t even sport a 1/2 inch heel without breaking an ankle, I was impressed.

But here’s the thing about Tracy…her incredible style is only a tiny fraction of who she is. She’s one of the strongest women I’ve ever had in front of my lens. To see her with her daughter Aaliyah will make your heart melt. She’s an amazing mom & is so supportive of PJ’s pro basketball career. PJ brings out the kid in her & its obvious how much she adores him. Their first dance was a favorite moment of the day. PJ surprised Tracy by having the DJ cue their song right after they were announced as Mr & Mrs. It was a perfect PJ move….to remind us all that life is so much better with surprises. Tracy is a planner at heart, so as much as this went against her nature, her reaction was priceless. She loves PJ for who he truly is…surprises and all. There’s something so inspiring about that kind of unconditional love. I know these two have an exciting future ahead. Tracy has already emailed about baby pics in the future, so hopefully you’ll be seeing more of them…soon :)

Thanks to Tracy’s mom Diane for making us feel like family for the day…you guys are the best. Big hugs to you all.

Ceremony Dress: Reem Acra
Reception Dress: Reem Acra
Shoes: Christian Louboutin & Vera Wang
Groom custom suit: Elevee
Groom’s shoes: Louis Vuitton
Flowers: A Ming Rose
Invitations, Programs, Place cards: Paperwhites Press
Cake- Sweet Memories Bakery
Catering: Sisters
Videography: Barton Creek Weddings

Katie’s shot:

This is my favorite image Katie has captured while shooting with me. Every inch of the frame tells a story. I love it: