12 Days of Christmas Small Business Edition | Day One

Day One

Gifts for the fiancé.

If you're anythign like me, you agonize over just the right gift to buy for each person on your list. For me, that's a lot of people! I decided to help you out with the twelve days of Christmas, small business edition. I'm going to tell you about one product a day for twelve days, made by small businesses, which just may help you come up with the winning Christmas gift. Why small businesses? Well, being a small business myself, I know not only how hard it can be to get noticed but also that the quality that comes from small businesses often times far exceeds the big box brands. 

Since I'm a wedding photographer I decided the first two days of this blog series will be dedicated to gifts to give your fiancé and fiancée. Let's start with the boys because I found not only a super fun but also very practical gift for the favorite man in your life. This custom cufflink and money clip set comes in a wooden box and is personalized with your man's initials. Groovy Guy Gifts can make this for the all of the groomsmen as well. Definitely go check them out at the link below. If you love this product as much as I do, order now as it takes 8-12 business days for delivery!

Courtney & Leif Say I Do | Hickory Wedding | The Crossing at Hollar Mill

If you ask me, Courtney & Leif's wedding day was perfect from the beginning to the very end. I'm usually a huge fan of texture and lace on wedding dresses but from the very moment I saw Courtney's wedding gown I knew it was going to be just the right dress for her. Courtney's something blue, those adorable shoes, complimented the dress in all the right ways.

I like the trend of the bride & bridesmaids in robes during the getting ready process but I really LOVE this idea of the ladies in monogrammed denim button ups. I'm positive they will all wear these again!

When you have 5 bridesmaids, it can be a hectic morning during hair and makeup. I love to steal my bride's away from their entourage and only bring the Maid of Honor and the bride's mom when it's time to put the wedding dress on. Not only did this give Courtney a moment to take in the moment but also to show off her full wedding look to her ladies afterwards. 

In a hotel not too far away, Leif began to get ready with his groomsmen. He was a bit more serious than I had seen him in the past. To be honest, this is just how I like to see the grooms, taking in the gravity of the day and being anxious to see their blushing bride.

Courtney and her bridesmaids were ready first so we headed over to their venue, The Crossing at Hollar Mill, to grab some pictures before the ceremony. 

After the ladies were hidden away, it was time for the boys to step into the spotlight. After the serious shots I let them goof off a little. & I decided to share those images, because I mean they're way more fun! 

Courtney wrote a letter to Leif for him to read just before the wedding ceremony was to begin and I can't say enough about how I love his raw, honest feelings as he is ready the letter form his bride to be!

This was my first time photographing a wedding at the Crossing at Hollar Mill in Hickory, NC. I love going to new venues and letting my artistic freedom flow. I especially love indoor venues that allow ample natural light to flow but also have amazing outdoor spots for portraits and formals. This venue hit all the check marks.

The ceremony was short and sweet. Courtney is very close to her mom so she walked Courtney down the aisle. (Don't tell my mom, she's been begging to do this forever!) Leif was truly excited and overjoyed when he saw his bride in her wedding dress for the first time as she walked up the aisle. 

As the ceremony finished I whisked the family and bridal party just outside of the venue for portraits. The sun was lowering and the lighting was absolutely perfect. We started with a few pictures of Leif & Courtney with those that matter most, their family. 

Next it was time for wedding party portraits. Who knew the whole wedding party could turn into models with a little breeze and backlighting.

As much fun as I had with the wedding party, which was a lot, it was time for my favorite portraits of the night, the bride & groom! I can't say enough about how much I LOVE these portraits! Courtney you are a natural girlfriend and Leif you look so dapper! You two will make beautiful babies & I can't wait to photograph them. =)

When you have both an amazing veil and wind, you use it to your advantage!

From the moment Courtney saw the train tracks she was dying to take pictures on them. I convinced her not to do the bridal party pictures on them but instead wait for pictures with Leif. I'm sure she will agree, it was well worth the wait! 

Let me introduce for the first time as husband and wife, Courtney & Leif Demmink! 

When you are raised by a single mom, she deserves extra love and attention on your wedding day. This special moment of Courtney's dance with her mother had everyone emotional. Afterwards, Leif kept the emotions running deep when he danced with his mom. They are both very proud of you!

If you know me at all, you know I'm a HUGE dessert person. I feel like every meal needs dessert, even breakfast. So when I saw Courtney & Leif's dessert table I was in heaven. There were cookies and cupcakes and brownies! 

The night was full of love and laughter, dancing and even a little karaoke. 

Some of Leif's best friends began to serenade him with both song and questionable dance moves.  So afterwards, it was only fair that the ladies had a turn. But, I have to say in the end, the boys stole the show!

The DJ made the call for the last dance where everyone joined in to celebrate the union of this beautiful couple.

Everyone lined up, sparklers in hand, to see Courtney & Leif off towards the rest of their lives.

Your wedding was perfect and we can't thank you enough, Courtney & Leif, for choosing HOH to photograph your big day!! 

Sabrina & Derrick Say I Do | Davidson Wedding | Daveste Vineyards

On this particular Saturday, HOH actually had two weddings! I know, crazy talk! It was a warm and absolutely beautiful day, absent of rain. The last part we were really excited about since Sabrina & Derrick's wedding took place outdoors at the fabulous Daveste Vineyards in Mooresville, NC. Two of our shooters, Carina & Ty, did a great job photographing the Williams & Angradi wedding.

Sabrina had eco-flowers at her wedding for her bouquet and her bridesmaids as well. I have been eyeing these flowers for extra decor in the studio and she may have sold me on them! The pretty shades of blue really stood out and resonated through out the wedding day.

While the ladies were pulling out their Pinterest wedding boards and posing in their fabulous monogrammed robes, the boys were drinking and partying the morning away!

Sabrina & Derrick had a huge wedding party, with 8 bridesmaids and 8 groomsmen plus several little ring bearers and an adorable flower girl. 

Who's ready to head to Daveste Vineyards to marry Sabrina & Derrick?

I love these side by side black and white portraits of the beautiful bride and handsome groom getting ready. 

At the venue, Sabrina revealed her wedding gown and bridal look to her brothers who were so happy to see her.

Sabrina looked AMAZING in her wedding dress, rock it girl!

During our initial consultation I talked with both Sabrina & Derrick about a first look. I told them how much I loved the intimacy and expressions from first look moments. I think what really sold them though was being able to enjoy cocktail hour and hang out with their friends and family right after family formals!

No matter the reason, I love these portraits while Sabrina & Derrick are still fresh and so in love.

These pictures crack me up! I'm loving the uncertainty on Derrick's face as Sabrina stabs him. I mean, puts on his bouteniere. 

Sabrina's parents were in charge of the music and opted for stringed ensemble. She said they even learned the song from Cinderella, her favorite childhood Disney movie. So sweet! 

Don't look so nervous Derrick, it's just FOREVER!

The ceremony was perfect. It was simple, sweet and just to the point. 

That first kiss as husband and wife was spot on. I love it almost as much as I love the pure job on their faces as they're walking proudly into their future, arm in arm.

It means so much to be able to celebrate with your closest family and friends on one of the best days of your life.

So I have to warn you, as wonderful as the ceremony was, the reception looks like way too much fun! I do wish I had a slice of that gorgeous wedding cake though.

Let me introduce you for the first time as husband and wife, Mr & Mrs. Angradi! 

Such a sweet first dance together as husband and wife.

Directly following, Sabrina danced with her father. I'm surprised he managed to hold back the tears.

So I noticed when editing these pictures that Derrick took an interesting looking shot during the speech of his best man. After asking him, it was payback for making his best man take the same shot at his 21st birthday. Y'all, it was mayonnaise and whiskey. I don't dare repeat what it was called. Let's just say, it couldn't have been good! Way to be a trooper Derrick!

Now the real fun begins as the drinks continue to flow.

I heard at the wedding viewing how amazing this cake was and became slightly jealous! It was even my favorite, vanilla. Sabrina and Derrick were nice to each other while feeding the wedding cake. Leave it to the best man though to smash it in Derrick's face!

Look at all those single ladies trying to catch the bouquet. 

Derrick's dance while going in for the garter was perfect! 

I have to say, this last set of pictures may be my favorite from the day. Derrick and his groomsmen decided to take it off, grab a paddle and single 'I Want It That Way' to his gorgeous bride. It was the perfect moment to end the night on!

Thank you so much Sabrina & Derrick for allowing HOH to be such a big part of your wedding day!

Cami & Scott Say I Do | Mooresville Wedding | Langtree Plantation Wedding

I was super excited about Cami & Scott's wedding for a few reasons but the first being that they had the perfect wedding date, April 23rd, 2017. (My birthday!!)  They picked a gorgeous venue, Langtree Plantation, in Mooresville, NC and travelled to us from Nashville, TN. To top it off they were both so laid back, sweet and calm on their wedding day. Even though it was a rainy day, and we couldn't take advantage of a lot of the portrait spots around the venue, rain on the wedding day is good luck and we weren't going to let it ruin anything!

Our morning started out with the ladies! I absolutely love detail shots and Cami had some of the prettiest details for us to document. I just knew her dress was going to look AMAZING on her! & those shoes, swoon!!

The girls got ready on the top floor of the plantation house and the boys had the bottom floor. We kicked the boys out for a little bit to grab these portraits of the bridesmaids in their adorable robes downstairs in the parlor before they finished getting all dolled up! I don't think the boys minded much, since they couldn't drink inside the plantation house. It gave them an excuse to pour one, or maybe two back before they started their portraits. 

Below are some of Scott's dapper details. 

One of the amazing things about the plantation house is that there were so many rooms for the girls to get ready in. This particular room, where Cami finished getting ready, had a stunning life size canvas painting of a wedding gown. My associate, Emily, suggested that we take a picture of the veil with canvas. I knew just how to make it happen! 

Often times, we kick the bridesmaids out when the bride is getting into her dress. However, since it was raining, it was the perfect opportunity to keep the bridesmaids in the room and get their natural reactions as Cami transformed into a beautiful bride! 

Cami was a gorgeous bride & Scott was a very lucky man that Sunday! 

The groomsmen usually wait until the very last minute to get dressed and ready, which we are always fine with because that means less time for the boys to mess up their clothes! Up until this point I believe there was a little alcohol and a lot of Heads Up! I love seeing which guy takes the lead of showing everyone else how to tie their tie and fold the pocket square. 

Cami & Scott chose to be a little more traditional on their wedding day and forgo to the popular First Look and instead had an emotional, sentimental First Feel. 

Originally we had planned to photograph Cami with her bridesmaids and Scott with his groomsmen before the ceremony. Unfortunately due to the rain, we decided to postpone those pictures until after the ceremony, hoping the rain may quit. Instead we orchestrated this epic bridal party picture of everyone on the porch and balcony. I love that we were able to still incorporate the bridal party with the stunning venue despite the rain. 

There was only one more thing that needed to happen before the ceremony started, Cami's father needed to meet his daughter as a bride! There is something just so special about a bond between the bride and her father, this one nearly brought tears to our eyes. 

I absolutely loved the soft details of the white flowers and candles in the rustic chic barn. 

With a packed house it was time for the wedding ceremony to begin. 

Most wedding ceremonies are pretty similar but I have to say this one particular moment will always stand out to me. Before the officiant even read Scott his vows, he jumped right to the 'I Do!!' As you can see, Cami was cracking up & so was just about everyone else in the barn. 

With the rain sticking around, we decided to utilize the covered barn as our family formal location. I'm so glad we did, I just love how everyone stands out against the wood. (I mean hey, the new last name is Wood!) 

As the temperature began to drop it was time to begin the bridal party portraits. They are one good looking crew! 

With a few minutes to spare before the reception was slated to begin, we let the newlyweds have a few intimate moments to themselves, with us documenting the whole thing of course. 

The reception venue at Langtree Plantation is large, open and had stunning custom fabric draping with chandeliers throughout. The mint and pink details really popped! 

Let's welcome for the first time as husband and wife, Mr & Mrs Scott Wood! Followed immediately by their first dance. 

It was obvious that Cami & her dad had a little more practice with their dance! You both nailed it!!

One very unique and cool thing about this wedding was that Cami's Matron of Honor and Scott's Best Man are actually married and introduced the two of them! The speeches were both sweet and funny. Check out Cami's running motion when the Best Man talked about Scott running back to walk Cami to her car after he was so nervous on their first date that he forgot. Way to seal the deal! 

Cami's dad did a great job with his speech as well, thanking everyone and making sure to embarass Cami just a little bit. 

Next, it was time to cut the gorgeous cake. If I remember correctly, there were 3 or 4 different flavors. I may have tried them all, I mean it was kind of like birthday cake for me! 

The bouquet was caught by one of the bridesmaids who was surprised and excited!

There was only one thing left to do, party the night away!! Congrats Cami & Scott Wood. Thank you for choosing HOH to capture your important moments and document those memories!! Also a big thanks to Whitney Abbot Events for introducing us to the couple. You put on an amazing wedding, even all the way from Germany! 

Kate & Billy Say I Do | High Point Wedding | The Lofts at Union Square

As a photographer I'm always up for a challenge and I love being able to photograph weddings in venues that I've never had the pleasure of photographing before. When Kate & Billy chose HOH as their wedding photographers, they sold me on this gorgeous industrial loft venue in High Point, NC. At their engagement session, I bonded with the Kate & Billy and learned what they were looking for in their portraits.  

The wedding day, October 29th, 2016, not only had perfect weather, a perfect venue but was also perfectly curated. There was only one hiccup during the day and was nothing that a little alcohol couldn't smooth over. Take a look at Kate & Billy's big day and pay attention to all of the amazing details that Kate worked so hard on! Notice all of the fun that Billy had and all of the love shared between not only the couple but all of their family and friends! 

Thank you so much for choosing HOH to capture your wedding memories. It was such a pleasure!