You know those scenes in holiday romcom movies where everyone is deep belly laughing around wine, telling stories with big smiles on their faces, passing amazing food across the table to each other, you hear music, you see light in everyone's eyes, you smell the wood fire, and somehow everyone feels present and fully joyful? That was this wedding. 

From our very first Zoom meeting, LJ+J wanted their wedding to be about family. Blood and chosen. They are givers, they are creators, they are connectors; and as such they intentionally crafted their wedding weekend to foster and celebrate their lifelong community. 

In the mountains of Tuscany, an hour outside Florence, Italy sits an ancient castle surrounded by olive tree groves called Castello di Ristonchi. The owners, Stephanie & Rasmus, revitalized the grounds and open their doors to families from all over the world. It's the best base camp to deepen connections and make new core memories thanks to their long wooden tables, bistro lights, and heavenly food and views. (There's actually a movie filmed at the castle called Toscanna, you can check it out on Netflix!)

We arrived on Friday to welcome drinks followed by a homemade pizza party, and dinner with stories & toasts in honor of LK+J. Wedding day we woke up to breakfast next to the castle, pool side paninis, yard games, and the most magical day full of love, food, wine, and of course dancing in the castle's "rave cave". Sunday was a gift. We had a day to relax, to tour the farm, see the bees, relive the previous night over fresh gelato and an open fire cookout, and finally make homemade pasta. 

Words can't describe their beautiful hearts and this perfect weekend, but I hope these pictures show what manifests and flows from their unconditional love for each other and for their people. 

Are you thinking of eloping at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah? We're Drew and Laura, Utah Wedding Photographers & Utah Elopement Photographers! The Bonneville Salt Flats are the perfect place to get married! The Salt Flats are located about 2 hours from Salt Lake City in Tooele County Utah. Driving out to the Salt Flats feels like you're driving on the moon with the white, crunchy ground and the epic mountains in the background! Yes, you can drive on the Bonneville Salt Flats! It's also literally salt. The salt flats were made when an ancient lake receded.

​So why are the Bonneville Salt Flats the perfect place to elope? The Salt Flats are open year round, the white salt flats are like a blank canvas where you can create whatever elopement you want, they're super accessible so no hiking required, they can be just the first stop on an epic Utah adventure! 

Time of year is everything for your Salt Flats elopement! The Salt Flats are either hot, or cold, or wet or dry. Dry Salt Flats gives you that iconic texture and wet (December-February) will create a mirror, although it's not recommended  to drive on the Salt Flats when they're wet. THIS or THIS weather site will help you pick the right month for you! There is no cover on the Salt Flats, so keep that in mind for your Salt Flats Elopement especially if you pick a warmer month to get married. I'd say late summer and all fall are pretty safe! 

If you wan to legally get married, a local officiant can help walk through the process! HERE is a site on Utah Wedding Laws and HERE is the county wedding license website. You can also get married in a nearby or your courthouse OR you can come out and say your vows! Reverend Anita Gordan has preformed several Salt Flats elopement ceremonies so she can help you too! Drew and I would be honored to be your witnesses! 

With the time of year in mind, you can wear whatever kind of wedding dress, jumper, suit, you want! Boho with lace and tassels, leather jacket with "Mrs. & Mrs." on the back, colorful suits to pop against the white backdrop, all black for a modern take. Have more than one outfit if you want! I would bring a few different kind of shoes and jackets just incase depending on weather! 

Go all out for your Bonneville Salt Flats elopement or wedding! Rent furniture, have incredible flowers, don't forget vow books or invitations! Drew and I can help you find the right vendors!  HERE is a Pinterest board of awesome Elopement Inspirations from all over the world!

• Salt Flats Furniture Rental: HERE & HERE
• Salt Flats Flowers & Salt Flats Florist: HERE & HERE & HERE
• Salt Flats Planner & Salt Flats Stylist: HERE & HERE​
• Salt Flats Lighting with an incredible tent made from string lights: HERE 

This is your wedding day at the Bonneville Salt Flats!! So make it special! Let's pop some bubbly, light a wish lantern, light sparklers, drive a camper van onto the flats, dance under the stars! This can also be your first stop! Let's go to the Sand Dunes after this or we'll meet you in Moab. Or we can head to Zion, St. George, or Vegas! The possibilities are endless! 

Yes! Since the Bonneville Salt Flats are on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, a special uses permit is required for your Salt Flats wedding. If you want to just take photos and legally get married at home or elsewhere, no permit is required. 

Here's contact info of people who can help you apply! 

• Caleb Robitaille – (801) 977-4394 – crobitaille@blm.gov
• Peter Monson at (801) 977-4356 or bmonson@blm.gov
• Todd Marks - 801-320-8387 - Email: tmarks@blm.gov
• SaltFlatsSpecialRecreationManagement Area (SRMA) 801-977-4300 - blm_ut_sl_mail@blm.gov

Click HERE to apply for your Salt Flats Marriage License. 

Also be sure to check out Bonneville Salt Flats Special Recreation Management Area events that will happen at the Salt Flats so your wedding doesn't interfere with an exclusive date. 

If you're thinking of having a Bonneville Salt Flats Elopement or Wedding Drew and I would love to talk! We are elopement photographers based in North Carolina but we travel to Utah, Arizona, and the west coast often! We think what sets us apart is our commitment to creating an intentional experience. Your elopement is more than a photoshoot, it's a celebration of your love story! And this can be a full day, multi day, or a few hours, and we'd love to be a part of it! Send us a message and let's start dreaming about your Bonneville Salt Flats Elopement in Utah!

I absolutely loved taking the ferry to Bald Head Island with Lindsey + Clay! Bald Head Island is an amazing place right off the coast of South Port and feels a world away! There are no cars just quiet golf carts, you can explore forest, marshes, and beaches, full of history, and peace and quiet! We took pictures in the marina by the sail boats and then hopped on the 20 minute ferry ride to Bald Head Island where we went to the light house named Old Baldy, and then watched the sunset set over the ocean. Bald Head Island is the perfect place for adventurous engagement photos! 

The Atrium is one of our favorite wedding venues in Wilmington, NC and is a stunning garden courtyard surrounded by greenery, exposed brick, and natural light! It's the perfect bank canvas for a minimal and modern wedding. I first met Christina while photographing for a local clothing boutique and she was a model. It turned out we live in the same neighborhood! I was so excited to click quickly and become friends and now Christina, Nick, Drew, and I all explore Durham together, have drinks and cook meals at home, and are a happy downtown family! We were over the moon with joy when they asked us to be their wedding photographers. Not only could we share our photography, but we'd be with the all day celebrating such an incredible and deserving couple! I even got to snap a few rolls of film! Their day was perfect with getting ready and ceremony at The Atrium, then the reception at Iron Clad where Christina worked, that's also across the street from another brewery where Nick work. How's that for a meet-cute! One of my favorite parts was the Zaffa which is an Arab musical procession which is basically a pre-ceremony dance party with drums, shouts, and dancing followed by Nick sprinting down the aisle to Blink 182 and warming up the ceremony crowd! I could write all day about how much we love them (and their pup Nova!) But here's a very long blog post showing all my favorites from their downtown Wilmington fiesta! 

Sandals South Coast in Whitehouse, Jamaica is a dream location and the perfect place for a destination wedding! We were so thrilled to become Sandals destination wedding photographers and start at the stunning South Coast location! Sarah and Brandon had been to several destination weddings and loved that they felt like a stress free week long vacation with all their friends and family. So that's what they did! The most amazing feature at Sandals South Coast is the stunning over water chapel with its glass floors and views out to the ocean. Sarah and Brandon had their first look in the lush and tropical gardens and then sunset photos on the beach as the sun dipped below the horizon. They then had a garden dinner and dance party surrounded by palm trees and bistro lights. We had the most amazing time celebrating with them all week! 

If you want to know more about the resort, please reach out! We now get a discount for staying at any Sandals around the world and have wonderful planners we loved working with! 

Thank you to all the friendly and hardworking staff at Sandals South Coast for sharing Jamaica with us as we were worked as wedding photographers and were guests! 

This Miami backyard wedding was so stunning with all the boho details, the romantic rain, and of course G+K celebrating their love! I was SO excited when she told me it was approved to be featured both in print and online in the New York Times! Here's the digital New York Times article where you can read all about their story. Wedding day was magical with every inch of their backyard decorated from a white wheelbarrow filled with roses, to family style picnic tables, to modern arches painted in warm tones. Drew and I loved coming back to Miami to celebrate and document their perfect day!! 

(If you want to see other awards and publications click here!) 

Capital One Venture X Review:

Let me just start off by saying credit cards used to scare me. Before we got the Capital One Venture X, ​that The Points Guy is calling "the most exciting premium card to come around in years", we just had 2 cash back cards. I have the Capital One 1.5% back on everything and Drew has the Bank of American 3% on gas, 2% on groceries, 1% on everything else. 

​PS
(If you start to find this helpful, use our referral code so we can get some extra miles!) 

Then one day, my cousin texted the family group chat. He loves using credit cards and recently used all his points to take 3 several week long vacations on business class for free, including 10 days in the Maldives with his wife, is taking friends for free to Mexico at an all inclusive resort, and taking his oldest daughter on her first trip to Europe. So, in summary, I trust this guy. So he texted and said we should apply for the new Capital One Venture X credit card because it has CRAZY good benefits. And with all our travel coming up, I'm so glad we listened. 

*We've had the card for about a month and we 1) Went on a trip 2) Bought plane tickets through the portal for 5x miles 3) Went to our first airport lounge 4) Used the price watch feature on the travel portal 5) Gotten money back through the price drop guarantee 6) Received $10 off our Grubhub order (we did it 2 nights in a row haha so we got $20) in the rotating categories 7) Already received our $300 travel credit when booking through the portal. We have not tried to transfer points yet. So that's the only area that I can't review! But trusting my cousin here and all the amazing trips he's taken and taking!

*CAPITAL ONE VENTURE X REVIEW UPDATE:
The Capital One Venture X card AMAZING we're several months in and we have redeemed points, eating our weight in free meals from the lounge, and keep gaining miles with flights, hotels, and everyday purchases. My only regret is not getting a premium travel card earlier!! 

*The Bonuses have changed a little but are still epic - you get 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchase in the first 3 months (so this is perfect for a trip!)

*This card had paid for 2 direct flights from Raleigh to Iceland and Raleigh to Bozeman. Then we've reloaded so quickly with our car rental and hotel bookings. We're in love with how quickly we gain miles. 

​The Capital One Venture X is worth applying for, plain and simple. The card has a $395 annual fee, but has so much to offer:

• The Venture X has a massive welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus miles upon completing minimum spending, plus a $200 vacation rental credit (which anecdotally works for lots of purchases); I consider this to be the best credit card welcome bonus out there, and value this at $1,900
• In the long run, the Venture X offers two perks that should more than offset the annual fee — a $300 annual travel credit, plus 10,000 bonus anniversary miles (redeemable for a minimum of $100 worth of travel)
• 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel.
• 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel.
• 2 miles per dollar on other purchases.
• The Venture X offers incredible lounge access perks, including a Priority Pass membership and access to Capital One Lounges (the first lounge opened at DFW — read a review here) and it's a $450 value and we can bring a guest which is a $32 value each time!
• You can add up to four authorized users to the Venture X at no extra cost, and they receive many of the same great perks, including lounge access
• The Venture X also offers Hertz President’s Circle elite status, primary rental car coverage, cell phone protection, a TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry fee credit, and more
• The card offers 2x Venture miles per dollar spent, which can be converted into 2x airline miles with a variety of programs; that makes this the best card for everyday spending, in my opinion

The math more than checks out here — this really is an unbelievably rewarding card, and competes favorably with the best premium cards out there.

Oh yeah! There are SO many. Here a just a few:

• ​Flight Price Protection: The Capital One Travel Portal tells you when to buy your flights at the cheapest price. If it goes down in price - you get refunded up to $50 the difference! We already got $40 back from this!
• Rental car status: The primary cardholder as well as authorized users receive complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: Up to $100 in statement credits for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Up to $2,000 per person for you and immediate family members for prepaid, nonrefundable tickets.*
• Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 per person for reasonable expenses like hotel rooms, food, toiletries or clothes when your flight is delayed overnight or by six hours or more.
• Lost luggage reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per covered trip if the airline damages or loses your bags.*
• Cellphone protection: By using the card to pay your monthly wireless bill, you’re eligible for up to $800 in coverage per claim with a maximum of two claims and $1,600 per 12-month period. A $50 deductible applies per occurrence.
• Primary rental car insurance: Up to $75,000 for damage caused by collision or theft to a rental car.*
• Purchase, extended warranty and return protection: Up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account on purchases; warranties extended by an additional year; returns up to $300 per item and $1,000 per account.*
• Rotating Categories: There are SO many good categories! We have already used the $10 off Grubhub several times!

​How do I earn rewards?
You will earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel using this Rewards card account, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Earnings will apply to net purchases (purchases minus any credits or returns) only. Cash advances, balance transfers, and checks used to access your account are not considered purchases and will not earn rewards. All purchases made outside of Capital One Travel such as hotel incidentals, upgrades or other expenses, will not earn the enhanced earn rate, but will receive the standard 2 miles per dollar earn rate.

How do I earn rewards?
You will earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel using this Rewards card account, and 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases. Earnings will apply to net purchases (purchases minus any credits or returns) only. Cash advances, balance transfers, and checks used to access your account are not considered purchases and will not earn rewards. All purchases made outside of Capital One Travel such as hotel incidentals, upgrades or other expenses, will not earn the enhanced earn rate, but will receive the standard 2 miles per dollar earn rate.

​How does my spend bonus work?
You will earn 100,000 bonus miles if you spend at least $10,000 within 6 months of your rewards membership enrollment date. Once you qualify for this bonus, we will apply it to your rewards balance within two billing cycles. Existing or previous Accountholders may not be eligible for this one-time bonus.

How does my anniversary bonus work?
You will earn 10,000 bonus miles after your rewards membership anniversary each year once you have paid your Annual Membership Fee for that year. Once you qualify for this bonus, we will apply it to your rewards balance within two billing cycles.

Other Cards?
As always, do your research. Pick the card that fits your spending habits, lifestyle, financial status, and goals best. It was helpful for us to create a monthly budget of all our personal and business expenses to see if we could meet the $10k in 6 months bonus. And it became clear that we could with just 1 vacation. We didn't want to be airline loyalists because we didn't want to limit ourselves. The Capital One Venture X works best for us right now and I can't wait to see if it works for you! 

​I was so excited to be able to photograph at a brand new venue, Ivy Rose Farm in Rocky Mount, Virginia. It's a luxury white barn venue complete with a greenhouse, mountain views, honey bee farm, and wild flower fields. It's a magical place that's a blank canvas for a high end celebration! This was an editorial to show off the incredible potential of Ivy Rose Barn and Farm. It was still under construction and now there are even more locations for your wedding ceremony, reception, and pictures! Drew and I would absolutely love to come back! I'm so lucky to be able to work with so many amazing vendors! 

Host: @styledshootsacrossameria
Concept & Planning: @heatherbengeofficial
Venue: @theivyrosebarn
Florals: @blomstfloraldesign
Hair: @bohobraids_byivy
Makeup: @madexdejamua
Stationery: @papier.handmade
Cake: @blushbakingco
Linens: @nuagedesignsinc
Gown Salon: @studioidobridalsroanoke
Menswear: @studioidobridals

I had the joy of photographing Brittney & David in Joshua Tree National Park! They had a skater, rocker, boho orange theme and it worked perfectly against the massive boulders, dessert sand, and warm sky at sunset! I wanted to focus on movement and candid moments and so we did a lot of running, lifting, spinning, and laughing! The camper photo booth with hot chocolate was the perfect boho touch for the cold fall night! Drew and I would LOVE to come back to Joshua Tree National Park for a wedding or an elopement! We know several amazing hidden gem locations! Keep an eye out for a "How To Elope In Joshua Tree National Park" guide! Thank you to all the California vendors who participated!   

HOST: @theshootoutsociety
PLANNER: @terracottaeventco
FLORIST: @whimsybloomsdesign
HAIR: @tressesandtwine
MAKEUP: @vansylkbeauty
BRIDE: @brittney.caroline
GROOM: @da_kekoa
CAKE + MACARONS: @heritagedesserts
​PAPER GOODS: @summersagecreative
BRIDAL GOWN: @dreamersandlovers_
SUIT: @friartux
RENTALS: @lapinataparty
TABLETOP RENTALS: @hostesshaven
TRAILER: @cannedcloseup
NAPKIN RINGS: @knotandhome

When your best friend from college just also happens to be a gorgeous model, you go on a trip together and take pictures! Drew and I had a wedding in Los Angeles, California and I flew out early to spend time with Marisa who is an absolutely incredible, talented, goofy, beautiful, so super fun, selfless front line super hero travel ICU covid unit nurse in LA. I wanted to visit the Palm Springs Windmills and I'm so stoked she agreed to model for me!! Back in 2014 ish she was on the of first people I took photos of during her nursing school graduation, and since then she has been nonstop encouraging and supporting me, my business, and my art. She got to pick out the wedding dress to rent and I found a bunch of cute items on Amazon! She even had roller blades packed in her car and of course we had to break them out! It actually rained the sunset we were supposed to photograph so she was incredible, as always, and woke up before sunrise to get ready, drive us from Joshua Tree, and brave hurricane winds in a gown. I was so stressed and wanted everything to be perfect because I waned it to be perfect for her. We ran around the sand, danced to salsa music, tried new things, it was perfect. I am SO grateful we got to have fun, get creative, and explore California together. She is my hero and I'm so blessed over 13 years later she's in Drew and I's lives! We love you Maris! 

Here are a few Amazon Associate Links:
Veil
Glasses
Earrings 
Hat
Roller skates