August 2, 2011
This is a wedding Jeremy & I will never forget. We made the beautiful drive from Charlotte to Oak Island, with the sun shining, and beautiful blue sky. I met up with Allie & some of her ladies at Pure Salon in Southport. Everyone was laid back and having a great time being pampered. While I was there, Jeremy was getting venue shots of the Oak Island Golf Club and beach. I met up with Jeremy at the club, and we waited for the bridal party to arrive. We chatted about the weather, and how we hoped it would hold out for the beach ceremony. One of the golf cart guys told us to walk around the back of the building, and this is what we saw….. Needless to say, the bottom was about to drop. By the time Allie & Jamie were dressed and ready for their first look, it was pouring. So instead of seeing each other on the beach, or golf course like we planned…. we made the best of it, and used the restaurant balcony upstairs. These are actually my favorite photos from the day. After they saw each other they started to dance. Allie said they hadn’t had a chance to practice their first dance, so this was the perfect opportunity. After a few moments alone, we got going with all the formal photos…. but with the rain, we were stuck doing them under the club overhang (thank God there was an overhang… I really don’t know where else we could have done them! AND thank God they decided to do all the portraits before their evening ceremony!) All the guests were instructed to arrive a little early, so when a break in the rain came, everyone dashed to the beach for the ceremony. Club employees and groomsmen were drying chairs for the guests. Then, just as if it was planned….. the bottom fell out again…. just as the bridal party made there way down the aisle. During wedding ceremonies, it’s normally a nice breather…. as photographers you get to catch your breath, and get ready for the party ahead. Not this one. Thankfully when the rain came down I had my zoom lens on my camera, and Jeremy had the wide angle…. so that’s what we shot the whole ceremony with… in fear that changing lenses would get water inside our cameras. My lens kept getting covered with water, and finding a dry spot on me or Jeremy to wipe it off became comical. I really love all the pinwheels they decorated with… at the end of the night they were handing them out to the guests, so Jeremy and I snagged a few…. and they make a great addition to my office 🙂 Jamie got suckered into serenading the crowd with “Mr. Roboto” I know this photo isn’t in focus or perfectly lit… but I love it anyway… you can see all the colors from the bubbles! I have to say, through all the things that could have gotten these people down… nothing did. Allie & Jamie, all their guest and family staying in the best spirits the entire time. The guest stayed till the end of the night, even though they were all soaked. That’s commitment. You have an amazing support system, don’t forget it! Congratulations, Allie & Jamie!