​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

Ashley and Paula's Ebell Club wedding in Long Beach, California, right outside LA, was beyond perfect. Their colorful and whimsical flowers were inspired by the Spirit World in Avatar The Last Airbender which made the Ebell club feel so magical, their outfits were custom made to reflect their family heritages, and their love is radiant and joy contagious. Drew and I have been talking with A+P since we lived in NZ, and I knew Ashley at UNC through athletics! We were so excited to bring along our incredible friend and talented videographer, Mel, to help document their day. I loved their getting ready outfits, how they were both watching Harry Potter without knowing while putting on finishing make up touches, their wedding party who were all so happy, helpful, and supportive. I loved their emotional vows, how they created everything with intention, Paula's epic family performances, their tea ceremony, their money dance, how every single guest come up and give them massive hugs. A+P are those kind of people, they give and serve others, and it was an honor to celebrate them and return the love they unconditionally share with all. 

Venue: Ebell Club of Long Beach
Flowers: Inessa Nicole Design
Coordinator: Orange Blossom Special Events
Video: Mels Films
​DJ: DJ Tessa
H&MUA: Girl Meets Bongga

Nora, Drew, and I all went to high school together! She's one of our very closest and oldest friends who's kind, spontaneous, and goofy! So of course we were ecstatic when we first met Emma! So loving, adventurous, and just oh so cool. These two are the perfect match, balance, and compliment to each other. We were beyond honored and humbled when they asked us to photograph their backyard wedding at their in Nashville home and also be guests at their intimate celebration. Due to historic rain and flooding we had to move the wedding into their cozy living room for their morning ceremony. Drew and I loved that N+E got ready together, spent the morning together, and fully took in each moment of the day as a couple. They exchanged vows, had family read poems, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. After they said "we do" a three-piece folk band called Howlin Brothers joined the party. Nora and Emma have been hearing this band play around Nashville for years and it was so much fun to dance with everyone, with doors open to their neighborhood, sharing all the love and joy they embody. Thank you thank you for letting us be a part of your life, your day, and your family!  

The Whistler
________________________
Mary Oliver
All of a sudden she began to whistle. By all of a sudden
I mean that for more than thirty years she had not
whistled. It was thrilling. At first I wondered, who was
in the house, what stranger? I was upstairs reading, and
she was downstairs. As from the throat of a wild and
cheerful bird, not caught but visiting, the sounds war-
bled and slid and doubled back and larked and soared.
Finally I said, Is that you? Is that you whistling? Yes, she
said. I used to whistle, a long time ago. Now I see I can
still whistle. And cadence after cadence she strolled
through the house, whistling.
I know her so well, I think. I thought. Elbow and ankle-
Mood and desire. Anguish and frolic. Anger too.
And the devotions. And for all that, do we even begin
to know each other? Who is this I’ve been living with
for thirty years?
This clear, dark, lovely whistler?

Cloverleaf Farm is one of the most beautiful wedding venues Drew and I have ever photographed. The gorgeous fields, farm house, barn, courtyards, trees, and details make Cloverleaf Farm so magical! But what truly makes a wedding is the couple. I first met Sarah + Patrick in Miami, Florida! Drew and I were living in Miami when they got in touch with me and we took their engagement photos at sunrise on the beach! Drew and I then moved back home to NC and we were over the moon when they asked if we could travel to their wedding. Drew has always wanted to visit Athens, GA! We loved town and visiting campus and of course the football stadium. But wedding day was just so special. Sarah + Patrick are so kind, thoughtful, easy going, caring, fun, and unconditionally loving. They've been together forever so it was a giant party of friends and family celebrating this radiant chapter in their love story. Everything was perfect on Cloverleaf Farm and Drew and I consider ourselves lucky to call them friends! 

Horseshoe Bend is the most incredible and perfect place for a wedding and to celebrate two incredible people. Horseshoe Bend gets its namesake from the iconic and now Instagram famous horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, United States. It is also referred to as the "east rim of the Grand Canyon or Glen Canyon.

I love that Marci + Dulce wanted to get married at this awe-inspiring location with their friends and family!

Dulce & Marci's met while working at a local college, and their first date was to a Marlin's Baseball game in Miami, Florida. They talked for hours from the drive down, at the game, and back home. Dulce had never been to a game before but she was excited to try something new, and that adventurous spirit is one of many reasons why M+D are perfect. They took several trips together while dating and their relationship only grew deeper as they hiked mountains, explored Horseshoe Bend, and created life long memories.

“I remember going on a trip to Tennessee just as friends and thinking to myself, ‘she is absolutely perfect, she is paradise and home all in one,’” recalls Marci. “I knew then I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.”

M+D spend their lives helping, loving, and serving others. Dulce is a nurse and Marci is a multi-tour veteran who now works in security with a side hustle in photography. 

I met Marci at a photography workshop and we clicked! We kept up with each other even from across the state (because that's the kind of caring and thoughtful person Marci is) and one day I got the call to help her plan her proposal.

We convinced Dulce to dress up and model for me because I needed Tiktok content, so I had my phone filming moments. The location was picked out, the spot was perfect, and I handed Marci the ring, and Dulce spun around with surprise and joy. You can read about it more on my blog HERE!

Their Horseshoe Bend elopement was postponed due to Covid, but the wait was worth it! Drew and I were over the moon to be asked to document their day. We felt like family! They had several family and friends there to celebrate with them and witness their emotional ceremony on the cliffs of the Colorado River. 

They got ready at the Hyatt Hotel and exchanged the most meaningful gifts. Then we had their first look on the banks of Lake Powell. Antelope Canyon is sadly closed due to the pandemic but we tried our best to get some cool slot canyon pictures! We then drove to the National Park where family and friends and amazing officiate awaited. 

The sun dipped behind the clouds, the wind died down, it was heavenly as they declared their forever love. They fit, they challenge each other, lift each other up, laugh, cry, dance, adventure together as they support each other as they make the world a better place

Thank you, thank you for letting us be a part of your perfect day at Horseshoe Bend! 

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 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! I've been in October and it was so beautiful! 

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!

• Furniture: HERE & HERE
• Flowers: HERE & HERE
• Planner: HERE & 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! 

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!

30 minutes outside Durham and less than an hour away from Raleigh is a cutest town! Graham, NC is right outside Burlington and hosts the cutest downtown! Right in the heart of the is the newest and coolest North Carolina wedding venue, The Graham Mill. Historic, modern, industrial, spacious, full of natural light, exposed brick, metal beams, and complete with an outdoor space! The Graham Mill is owned by Harmony Weddings & Events, a North Carolina based wedding planning company established in 2015 so you know the space is so well thought out and perfect in every big and small way! 

This modern cotton candy themed wedding was so much fun to photograph! I loved the fully pink clouds of baby's breath and cotton candy. The black was the perfect compliment to make it edgier and more modern. The gold in her hair and the gold decorations were the most beautiful accent! It was a dream to be apart of this fantastic team and document Imari and Demetrius at The Graham Mill!

Scroll down to see the cotton candy, the glitter, and love and read more about the town of Graham, our couple, and the team! 

When planning your Graham Mill Wedding you can stay in so many cute hotels and Airbnbs! You have options all over the Triangle! I picked a few cute places right in and around Graham! Check out this romantic Graham AirBnb right on a lake! 

​The Graham Mill is a photographers dream! This incredible North Carolina Wedding Venue is totally worth the short 30 minute drive for us Durham wedding photographers and the fast hour drive for Raleigh wedding photographers! The light from the massive windows and the glass garage door is so dreamy! I love the white sliding barn doors as the perfect ceremony backdrop with a touch of history and character. The Graham Mill is perfect for big weddings, micro weddings, elopements, or anything. It's a blank canvas and the most beautiful medium for our cotton candy dreams! 

I HAVE to brag on our couple Imari and Demetrius! They met at an engineering conference (the same one her parents met at!) and 5 years later he proposed at her favorite place, Disney World! This power couple is truly inspirational y'all. Imari has her own YouTube Channel that everyone needs to check out, like, and subscribe to her videos! Analytical Chemist. Environmental Engineer. Oceanographer. Badass. Visit her website and give her some love! 

​We had a really amazing crew come together to pull off this Cotton Candy Wedding Editorial! Everyone is so collaborative, creative, and committed to making it the best day ever for our couple! 

• Florals: @bea.morad
• Beauty & Planning: @weddedkiss.com
• Venue The Graham Mill: @TheGrahammillwww.thegrahammill.com/
• Cotton candy: @wonderpuff
• Cake: @sugareuphoriasugareuphoria.com/
• Models: Imari and Demetrius @calimari93 and her Youtube Channel 
• Tux Bernard’s tux: @bernardstux
• Gown Gilded Bridal: @gildedbridal 
• Rentals Greenhouse: @greenhousepickersisters
• Place cards CK creations: @ck.creations
• Sequin cake tablecloth: @ce_rental_raleigh

There are so many great hidden gems restaurants in Graham! Here are a few of the best restaurants in Graham! 

• Press Coffee & Crepes
• The Graham Soda Shop & Grill
• The Verdict On The Square 
• Reverence Farms Kitchen 
• Daily Donuts 
• 
  

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Miami Design District is a super cool neighborhood in Miami, Florida minutes from Wynwood, Downtown, and Miami Beach! Miami Design District is full of creativity, shopping, fashion, design, art, architecture, and restaurants. It was built in the early 2000s by developer Craig Robins, president and CEO of Dacra and is home to over 130 art galleries, showrooms, creative services, architecture firms, luxury fashion stores, antiques dealers, restaurants, and bars. Miami Design District is listed at the #12 thing to do in Miami on Trip Adviser. Here is a huge list and directory of Miami Design District stores to check out too!

Miami Design District is the perfect location for wedding, elopement, or engagement pictures because of all the incredibly unique back drops but also super close and amazing restaurants and hotels! This first picture, for instance, is a giant bubble surrounded by water that is actually the entrance to a parking garage! SO COOL! You can only find stuff like that in the Miami Design District! I loved how this elopement was a little more high fashion and editorial. So of course I thought of Miami's Design District as the perfect backdrop! 

I teamed up on this Miami Design District Elopement with the following awesome Miami wedding vendors:

• Couple: Cindy & Tim
• Dresses: Merlili Bridal & Boutique in Coral Gables 
• Florals: Posh Petals Miami 
• Assistant: Marla Manes Photography

There are SO many great Miami Design District Hotels! But I prefer AirBnbs! If you want something beyond Miami Design District hotels, check out this list of AirBnbs in and near Miami Design District and Wynwood!* I put this together picking the highest rated AirBnbs with either awesome views or something special to offer like a pool or mural! When looking for Miami Design District hotels or Airbnbs, consider the following:

1. Rating - If you plan far enough ahead, stay at only 4.5 stars and above!
2. Reviews - Does it have 5 stars but only 1 review? Is it loud? Host welcoming? Comfy bed? Coffee provided? Pets allowed?
3. Parking availability? - Miami is a big city and sometimes parking isn't aways easy to find!
4. Safety - Wynwood and Downtown Miami, like any big city, have parts that might not be the safeest, so be sure to look up crime maps!
5. Walkability - Can you walk out your door and go grab an amazing meal or do you have to Uber/Lyft?

Let's talk Miami Design District Restaurants! Miami Design District has awesome eateries, food halls, and bars! Drew and I LOVE taking our out of town guests here! Our top 3 favorite Miami Design District restaurants are:

1. Politan Row Miami Food Hall - This awesome Miami Design District Food Hall has SO many delicious choices! We brought my parents here because every food stall is changing and revoloving and everyone can find something. I am gluten free and vegetarian and my mom is gluten free and soy free, and my dad eats bland. So food halls are a great choice for group meals! 
2. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink - This Miami Design District restaurant is a CLASSIC. We always love going for happy hour! We love the oysters and cocktails! They have a great outdoor area which is perfect for Covid safety too! 
   
3. Mandolin Aegean Bistro - This Miami Design District restaurant is a little outside of the neighborhood but I promise it is worth it! This Mediterranean restaurants literally feels like you're stepping onto a Greek Island. So much out door seating, surrounded by the iconic blue and white stucco and tropical plants. I recommend the Halloumi and Turkish sampler! 
   

Living in Miami, weather is super unpredictable. It's a tropical climate so rainstorms can come out of no where. It can pour for 5 minutes then be sunny. So checking a weather radar is the most helpful. Miami's Design District is on the mainland and next to the city, so it's often prone to more rain than the beach because the heat gets trapped in the tall buildings and concrete. So I definitely recommend checking weather before visiting Miami's Design District and always bringing an umbrella. Here are the best times to visit Miami and Miami's Design District:

• Summer - It rarely gets above 90! If it does, it rains. Living in NC I think our NC summer months are hotter and more humid than Miami. Miami at least has a breeze. But be warned, it rains EVERYDAY in the summer. It might be for a few minutes. It might be on and off. Rarely, it's all day. 
• Sunrise - I recommend sunrise in the summer months for elopements for less chance of rain! 
• Winter - January through March is magical! You might catch some sub 80 days and those are magical! 
• Be aware of hurricane season! August, September, and October are all prone to hurricanes. If you book during this time check refund policies incase a storm does hit, grow, or turn! 

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This gorgeous Wilmington elopement was a dream! I drove into Wilmington's historic district and on the cobblestone road hides Wilmington wedding venue, The Atrium! I am so excited to move back to North Carolina! Raleigh/Durham is only 2 hours from Wilmington! I can't wait for Wilmington Weddings, Wilmington Elopements, and Wilmington Engagements! I SO loved photographing at The Atrium! Now that I know all the best shooting locations, I am so ready to photograph another wedding or elopement in the gorgeous hidden gardens!

The Atrium by Ligon Flynn is tucked among the buildings in the heart of historic downtown Wilmington. At one time the building housed livery stables for the downtown community, but by the 1970’s the structure had fallen into complete ruin. Architect Ligon Flynn purchased the building in the 1980’s and redesigned it into a contemporary urban garden and office space. Ligon Flynn centered his design on the intersection of people and nature, and the philosophy remains apparent in the Atrium today. The area is filled with natural elements, local foliage, climbing vines, brick masonry, and water combined with the clean lines of modern architecture. The space has a magical quality and has been called “an open-air cathedral,” a hidden treasure,” “Wilmington’s secret garden.” 

Maintaining Ligon’s philosophy that humans should be touched by breeze, light, air, and earth, it only seems appropriate that his space be used for one of the most significant moments in a lifetime. 

Thank you Adorn Collective for hosting this amazing day! 
Host: @adorncollectiveworkshops
Stylist: @lionhouse.weddings
Venue: @atriumwilmington
Floral + Floral Arch: @fiorefineflowers
Invitation: @prettywrittenthings
Lounge, Table + Chair rentals: @marthamydearrentals
Tabletop Rentals: @partysuppliersandrentals
Runner, Napkins + Ribbon: @mosshound_designs
Neon Sign: @customneon
Beauty: @makeupbymadieee
Gown: @beautifulbridesofwilmington
Jumpsuits: @asos
Cake: @swankysweetsbakeshop
Bridal Earrings: @_poppy_co_
Shoes: @badgleymischkabride
Model Agency: @lockemodels
Models: @alexandriashekian / @minyonezekiel