“According to Conde Naste Traveler, Charleston is one of the most popular destinations for weddings in the country. Part of that is because we have such photogenic parks that provide a plethora of diverse backdrops for gorgeous engagement, bridal and family photos. As a professional photographer…”
Enjoy this article I wrote for the Charleston Parks Conservancy:
http://www.charlestonparksconservancy.org/blogs/view_article/guest_post_the_backdrop_of_charlestons_parks/
Lauren & Stephen’s wedding at Seacoast Chapel, with reception at The Lighthouse on Shem Creek, was so much fun! The excitement continues, now a couple months after their special day, as their wedding was just featured on Borrowed & Blue. We’re just tickled!!!
Check out the article, the fun stories, and all their photos at: http://www.borrowedandblue.com/charleston/weddings/lauren-stephen.
CONGRATULATIONS Lauren & Stephen…you have now officially become celebrities!
It’s no secret that photographing secret marriage proposals is one of my all-time favorite things to do! Jarrad’s proposal to Paige this morning is one I’ll never forget!!! 🙂
I love it when a gentleman really puts out the effort to plan every detail and make it truly special for his lady. Jarrad pulled out all the stops! After weeks of going back and forth, considering a number of great locations, we settled on a fantastic plan:
“Chris, I feel like Middleton Gardens is a beautiful place to do it and I really like the last two pictures near the tree and the water!” I had sent him sample images and a custom Google Map with suggested locations picked out. “I really appreciate all the time and effort you have put into helping me with everything!”
So this morning I got to Middleton Place bright and early…I was the first one through the gate! I waited to catch a few candids of them walking in, then hustled over to my “paparazzi” hiding spot in the bushes across from the famous Middleton Oak, which Jarrad had chosen as “the spot” to propose.
The Middleton Oak is a beatiful live oak, which overlooks the Ashley River as it meanders past Middleton Place. It was the largest tree in the eastern United States prior to 2008, when it lost several of its limbs after a strong storm. And it’s nearly as old as the nearby Angel Oak, which is considered to be the oldest living thing east of the Mississippi.
I thought it fitting that this is where Jarrad decided to propose to Paige, a biology major. Not to mention the symbolism of the strong roots needed to sustain a long and happy life together!
As Jarrad led Paige under the tree, my heart began racing…nervous for Jarrad after getting to know him over the last few weeks…and excited for Paige who I think at this point was starting to get butterflies in her stomach as well. 🙂 She did say YES! But I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…
CONGRATULATIONS Paige & Jarrad!!!
This weekend I had the joy of working with one of my all-time favorite couples of the year!
Rachel & Dave had the most AWESOME wedding celebration on Saturday. (We’re still editing the zillions of images from their special day and will have those up soon!!!) But on Sunday we met up in downtown Charleston for this really fun After-Shoot!
After-Shoots are becoming really popular, especially with couples like Rachel & Dave who aren’t from Charleston. It gives us a chance to go to some different locations we couldn’t get to on the wedding day, and capture some really cool and unique images together. For example…Rachel, Dave, and I were able to hit up Waterfront Park, the French Quarter, Rainbow Row, and even zipped over for some dramatic final images with our toes in the cool water of the Ashley River. Not having to worry so much about the wedding gown getting dirty is another bit plus with After-Shoots. And the best part of these fashion-oriented sessions is, we aren’t limited, rushed, or pressured by the schedule of the wedding day. 🙂
Rachel & Dave are just perfect for each other, such an AMAZING couple, and we couldn’t be happier for them!!!
“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.” – Nelson Mandela
My roots in Africa run deep. So I was overjoyed when Alice and Dieter asked me to photograph their wedding. You see, Alice is from Burundi. By the most amazing fairytale, and the grace of God, she ended up in Charleston through the open hearts of her friends at St. Andrew’s Church. If she hadn’t come to Charleston, she wouldn’t have found and fallen in love with Dieter.
Dieter’s amazing story begins in his native land of Austria! He’s now works at MUSC, is a photo enthusiast like me, and shares my passion for traveling the world. We also run in the same circles, playing tennis and competitive badminton together. Between Alice’s African connection, and the common interests I share with Dieter, I instantly felt like I was part of their world-wide family!
The wedding day was absolutely perfect! A day of clear skies nestled between days of rain before and after…truly an answer to prayer. The ceremony at St. Andrew’s Church, performed by Pastor Andrew, was truly memorable in its humor and its reverence. The reception, held at Alhambra Hall, was full of amazing touches from both backgrounds…including a group of Burundian Drummers, and an Austrian Waltz! Everyone had an AMAZING time. And I was extra excited to have my good friend (and mutual friend of Alice & Dieter’s), Frank Oplanic, capturing all the memories with me that day.
In Swahili, safari means “journey”. So to Alice & Dieter, may God Bless your new journey together!!!
Yesterday I got a wonderful lesson in TRUST!
About an hour before I was supposed to leave the house to go photograph the Haik Family in Wild Dunes Resort on Isle of Palms, it started storming over our house. My confirmation calls to the Rob & Brenda were met with assurance that the weather was fine out on the island. So I started heading over to IOP for our shoot. No sooner did I hit the highway, when Severe Thunderstorm Warnings started popping all over my phone and a rediculous monsoon rained havoc down on me! I just KNEW I was going to get all the way out there, only to be rained out.
But I’d promised the Haiks that I was on the way. So I forged ahead. As I crossed over the Isle of Palms Connector, I suddenly passed out of a wall of rain into an open sky…what a beautiful sight to see! We ended up with a perfect window of gorgeous light, just right for their portrait session. And I learned to never doubt my clients when they assure me the weather is nice their way!!!
I am so grateful to Dr. Lori of Belle Hall Eye Care, for taking such great care of my eyes for me! Photographing promotional images for her practice, covering her beautiful wedding to Mike, and photographing Ellie’s newborn pictures have all been such a blessing to me. But let me just say…being a part of Ellie’s 6-month portrait session at Boone Hall Plantation was something special!!! 🙂
Tyler & Tara are childhood sweethearts, who have been dating a long time…and are no longer boyfriend/girlfriend. They are ENGAGED!!!
Tyler planned this whole big trip to Charleston for the two of them, staying at the gorgeous Harbourview Inn downtown. Saturday night he led Tara for a walk across the street into Waterfront Park and asked her to be his beautiful bride! She said “YES”. 🙂
Meanwhile, knowing how much Tara wanted to tour an old historic plantation, Tyler had arranged for me to meet them at Boone Hall Plantation this morning when it opened. We had a great time…talking about their “story”, and photographing some beautiful engagement portriats for them.
What an honor to be a part of this exciting time in their lives. CONGRATULATIONS Tyler & Tara!!!
It’s been over a decade since the Simonetti Family has all gotten together! Back then, the teenagers were in diapers, and the triplets weren’t even born yet!!! What an honor for Cami & I to be able to update the Simonetti family portraits for them! 🙂
How to have fun and entertain a family of 15 (10 adults and 5 children, ages 4 years to 6 months) while on vacation at Isle of Palms: Hire a crazy photographer to come photograph your family beach portraits of course!!! 🙂
I had so much fun with the Muro family while they were here last week, visiting from Alabama. They welcomed me like I was part of the family! I’m so blessed to meet the most AMAZING people in my line of work.
Last September I had the pleasure of photographing Chisti & Dave’s beautiful family while they vacationed on Isle of Palms. This year, they decided to stay on Sullivan’s Island. So we met up down by Fort Moultrie for some really cool shots around this old historic fort before heading out to the beach.
It was so neat to see how much their adorable children had grown since I last saw them. They were absolute angels! Perhaps Mom & Dad’s excellent bribary skills had something to do with it…HA! We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. And the sunset was absolutely astounding!
I can’t wait to see what beautiful photos will be in store for us next year!!!
As photographers, I often take our scenic city for granted. But we truly are blessed to live in one of the most picturesque towns in the world!
I’m always posting photos from photo shoots with my favorite clients. That doesn’t account for the millions of images I shoot to simply fill my soul. Whether it’s pulling over on my way home from a family shoot to grab a shot of an egret fishing in the marsh, planning a fun photo-excursion on my day off, jumping out for a quick walk around Cannon Park, or making time for a stop at the Limehouse Bridge on the way home from a bike ride to capture the dramatic evening sky…Charleston offers the eye a never ending plethora of beautiful scenes!
We just have to take the time to stop and appreciate them…
