Tatjana & Scott ‘s Wedding at St. John’s Parish

The title of this story could be “From Germany with Love”. 🙂

Hailing from Deutschland, Tatjana has her masters degree in education, but also a minor in photography. So the two of us hit it off right away!!! She and Scott met in Greenville, where he was doing his medical residency. They soon fell in love! But his roots are right here in Charleston. Naturally, when he moved back to Charleston to work in the ER, Tatjana came with him and their relationship blossomed!

Tatjana & Scott were married in a beautiful and intimate wedding ceremony, led by Scott’s childhood friend, now pastor at St. John’s Parish. The flock of adorable flower girls nearly stole the show. But when Tatjana in her gorgeous gown entered on her father’s arm, with the magical afternoon sun glowing through the windows behind them, it was a heart-stopping experience!

A picturesque low-country reception followed at Scott’s family home on the banks of the Wadmalaw River. The setting sun, the clear-top wedding tent, the amazing band, the delicious food, and of course the delightful friends and family who came out to help these two celebrate their special day…all made for an INCREDIBLE evening!

Many thanks to my friends at Sposa Bella for recommending us to Tatjana and Scott. Also, a huge thank you to my amazing second-shooter Laura. To see some of Tatjana & Scott’s adorable Engagement Photos, check out: https://chrisandcami.com/tatjana-scotts-historic-charleston-engagement-shoot/. And to see the rest of Tatjana & Scott’s photos, visit: http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/tatjanaandscott.

CONGRATULATIONS Tatjana & Scott! Prost!!!

Möge dir dein Weg leicht werden
Möge dir der Wind immer von hinten kommen
Möge dir die Sonne warm ins Gesicht scheinen
Möge dir ein sanfter Regen auf die Felder fallen
und bis wir uns wiedersehen
möge Gott dich in seiner Hand halten.

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Sam & James at St. Andrew’s Church

I love teachers. And I love computer geeks. So I was DOUBLE excited when Samantha & James asked me to be their wedding photographer!!! Cami & I owe a HUGE thank you to our friend, Sam’s mom Tricia, for steering them our way!  🙂

Sam & James tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony in the old original sanctuary at St. Andrew’s Church. Sam’s wedding gown was absolutely GORGEOUS…she looked like a princess in a fairy tale.  James was looking pretty suave in his suit and suspenders too! One of my favorite moments in the whole day was when they turned around from the alter and took a moment to look back at all the friends and family that had come out to support and celebrate this special day with them!!!

After a quick stop for some fun wedding party photos at White Point Garden, the festivities continued with a fabulous reception at the Historic Rice Mill.  I always love shooting there.  What a cool venue! From the first dance to the dramatic sunset photos, from the cake “smashing” to the exciting glow-stick exit, the reception was a non-stop party like you’ve never seen before. Everyone had a BLAST!!!

To see the rest of their photos, visit http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/samandjames.

A big shout-out goes to all the vendors for helping make this day such a success. A giant hug goes to Cami for all her help and expertise. But most importantly, a huge CONGRATULATIONS goes to Sam & James! You guys truly have a love that is pure and true. We wish you all the best for a beautiful new life as you journey down this new path together…

See the Difference

It’s not uncommon for Cami & I to hear of someone that’s decided to let their friend, uncle, or cousin photograph their wedding.  This might be due to budgetary concerns or that the friend or relative wants to break into the photography business and needs portfolio material.  While we totally understand these reasons, we encourage couples to consider all possible outcomes and be truly certain that this is what they want before making the final call. 

There are definitely some wonderfully talented friends and relatives out there.  Plus advancements in camera technology make it easier for part-timers to get descent shots on occasion.   Just know that there IS a difference in hiring a full-time professional to cover a once-in-a-lifetime event!  While both can certainly point and push a button.  Only a professionally trained full-time photographer is going to create a high percentage of visually stunning images every single time.   Put the most advanced camera in front of an untrained eye and you get cave drawings.  Put a point-n-shoot into a master’s hands and you end up with a Rembrandt!

We are long-time members of the Professional Photographers of America.  Check out this PPofA video featuring Jeff & Julia Woods.  Cami & I frequently attend lectures, do workshops, and train with high-end professionals from around the country like Jeff & Julia in order to hone our craft.   Simply having professional photography degrees isn’t enough.  We are constantly striving for perfection and pushing to fill our pool of knowledge to overflowing.

Here are the 10 Toughest Questions to ask your photographer:  http://www.ppa.com/findaphotographer/10_things.php