While we were in Panama photographing Marri & Aldo’s engagement session, I also had the honor of photographing a destination family portrait session for Aldo’s family. Isn’t his little niece absolutely adorable? The whole family was so fun and friendly, welcoming us to their beautiful country of Panama with open arms. It was a real joy to meet all of them. Muchas gracias mis amigos!!!
Every now and then, a couple comes into our lives who somehow make our hearts feel full and free. Marri & Aldo are THAT kind of couple!
I’ve known Marri for about 4 years now as I’ve worked with her on a professional level, photographing assignments for the company she works for. In fact, she was the person that originally hired me! I was so proud of her when she took on a new position with the company, as the Regional Director based in Panama. Imagine my excitement when she shared the good news that she’d met someone special…in Panama!!!
Last week Cami and I had the honor of meeting Aldo and his family. What an AMAZING guy!!! We all met up in the old walled city of Casco Viejo for their destination engagement session. It was so much fun exploring this historic part of Panama City…laughing, goofing off, and getting to know each other along the way. Marri was absolutely STUNNING, flashing her contagious smile in that warm tropical light. Aldo’s rugged good looks showed off his Central American roots.
As sunset turned to evening, Aldo was so kind in inviting Cami & I to join them for dinner. What a true gentleman! Spending the evening with good food and good friends was a wonderful treat.
CONGRATULATIONS Marri & Aldo! I can’t wait to be there for you on your beautiful wedding day!!!
Kyra & Jake met when she started working at an Outback Steakhouse about two weeks before he left for Navy Nuclear Power School. Luckily, he was smart enough to get her number before he left!!! 🙂
They’ve been together about 2 years now. But they still act like they just got together…young, vibrant, and full of love! You can just tell they are a match made in heaven.
I’ve known Kyra for a while now that she manages The Art Mecca of Charleston, a wonderful art gallery in downtown Charleston that sells some of our fine-art images. She’s beautiful, full of life, and a real go-getter! Although I’ve met Jake, we haven’t had the chance to hang out. It was so much fun getting to know him as we explored some cool, iconic areas of downtown Charleston.
Starting out at White Point Gardens, we strolled through the French Quarter. We then went deeper into the hear of the city for a few shots along the historic Chalmers Street. And finally we headed over to the new Dewberry Hotel. The Living Room at the Dewberry is Kyra & Jake’s new go-to hangout spot. We had so much fun, and the staff was fabulous…even bringing them some Champagne for a toast.
To see the full session, visit: http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/kyraandjake.
It was such an honor spending the morning getting to know with these two AMAZING people! We had a BLAST, and captured some wonderful images to showcase this special time in their lives. CONGRATULATIONS Kyra & Jake!!!
Paul is the epitome of a true gentleman!
Evidence of that is the care and attention to detail he put into a beautiful weekend for his future bride. I was honored to be a part of his plans to propose to the adorable Lacey! We emailed ideas back and forth, figured out the perfect timing, and talked on the phone to fine tune each and every step.
This past weekend, Paul led Lacey into a private courtyard at the historic Mills House in downtown Charleston. With all the staff “in” on the secret, everything went off without a hitch…even when Lacey almost derailed it by asking one of the bell hops to take a selfie with her phone. 😉 Somehow, Paul got things back on track and in a touching moment, asked Lacey to be his wife!!! Celebrating with champagne, a private serenade, and a candlelight dinner, I left the two love birds to enjoy their evening.
The following morning we met up for a fantastic walk-about through our picturesque city streets. Lacey took over the engagement session with her gorgeous smile, bubbly personality, and creative eye. Paul was proud as could be, and happily put up with all our crazy ideas and fun poses! To see the rest of their photos, head over to http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/laceyandpaul.
Many thanks to my good friend and amazing photographer, Roxy, for the kind referral. CONGRATULATIONS Paul & Lacey! It was such a pleasure being a part of this special day for you both!!!
Cami & I have been friends with Toni…well…forever! 🙂 So it was with great joy that we got to photograph her and Billy’s beautiful wedding celebration last weekend at the West Ashley Outboard Motor Club!!!
It was such a fun, intimate affair, with close family and friends gathered around to support Toni & Billy’s love for each other. Their joy and happiness was truly self-evident throughout the evening. And I must add, Toni was absolutely stunning in her coral wedding gown.
CONGRATULATIONS Toni & Billy! We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin this new journey together…
Last weekend, Katie & Grayson’s dream of a picture-perfect southern plantation wedding came true!!!
The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, and excitement filled the air! Magnolia Plantation was the gorgeous backdrop for the day. And Katie was absolutely stunning in her gown. What more could a photographer ask for?!? 🙂
To see the rest of their photos, visit http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/katieandgrayson. And to see some of Katie’s beautiful bridal portraits, check out https://chrisandcami.com/katies-bridal-portraits-at-charlestowne-landing/.
Originally from Arkansas, Katie & Grayson are the most amazing couple you could ever hope to meet! Katie is a stunning lawyer and athlete, with an infectious laugh, and a fun mischievous streak. Grayson’s devilish good looks and strong-but-quiet demeanor could land him on the cover of GQ magazine someday. Together they are a match made in heaven!
Many thanks to my amazing second-shooter, Robbin, to Leanza at Magnolia Plantation, to Loraine at Invitation Only Charleston, to Angela at First Impressions, to John at Watering Hole, to Thomas at 326 Films, to Janice at Pretty Petals, to Steve at Coastal Hospitality, to Andrew at Classical Charleston, to Monica at Cake Sablee, to Ron at RCB Audio, and to the many other helping hands and smiling faces of friends and family who helped make this day so special!
CONGRATULATIONS Katie & Grayson!!!
“Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there will be no loneliness,
for each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons,
but there is only one life before you.
May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead
and through all the years.
May happiness be your companion,
and your days together be good and long upon the earth.”
– Apache Wedding Blessing
Now that Katie & Grayson are married, I’m SO EXCITED to be able to finally reveal a few images from her fabulous Bridal Shoot!!!
Katie, her Mom, and her Maid of Honor all met up with me one afternoon last week at the picturesque Charlestowne Landing. This historic state park preserves the original site of the first permanent English settlement in the Carolinas! How cool is that?!?
We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. The light was amazing. And Katie was absolutely STUNNING in her wedding gown! We had a blast and came away with some wonderful images to honor her beautiful dress and to commemorate this special time in her life!
This morning I had one of the coolest, most unique photo shoots I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing!!! 🙂 I met up with Reid & Paul and their amazing kids for a fun After-Shoot at historic Bethany Cemetery.
A HUGE thank you goes out to the super creative Reid for all her creative stylized ideas, props, and pets. A special thanks also goes to the rest of the family for braving those CRAZY mosquitoes…HA!
CONGRATULATIONS Reid & Paul! You guys are so perfect together!!!
You won’t believe it…but Elika & Jonathan finally tied the knot this weekend!!! 🙂
I’ve been looking forward to this wedding with much anticipation ever since the fabulous we had together at their engagement session. Elika & Jonathan are the warmest, most caring, downright lovable couple on the planet! Just being around them makes you want to be a better version of yourself. The joy they emanate, and the love they share, is truly special!!!
Their ceremony was held at the picturesque Boone Hall Plantation on a day that couldn’t have been any prettier. Guests marveled at the beauty of the venue…until Elika walked down that aisle in her Cinderalla gown. After that, all eyes were on her! Even their adorable dog, Kato, couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off Elika. But my favorite part was how Jonathan’s smile was filled with pure love and total adoration for his stunning bride!
The rustic Cotton Dock was the location of their reception. It had been decorated so elegantly! Delicious food, incredible music, and joyful laughter made the scene complete. The whole affair was an AMAZING celebration and I’m so honored to have been a part of this special day! Many thanks to Rachel at El Events for the kind referral and for her undeniable gift. Many thanks also to Laura, my incredible second-shooter.
Check out the rest of the photos at http://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/elikaandjonathan.
CONGRATULATIONS Elika & Jonathan! Wishing you all the best as you begin your new lives together. God has so many more wonderful things in store for your future together!
I feel like a SPY!!!
Chris and I have been in cahoots for several weeks now, planning his really cool surprise wedding proposal to Mandi. Chris is an incredible guy! Everything he’s planned out, down to the finest details, has all been to make Mandi the happiest girl in the world. I think it’s so honorable when a man does that for his future bride!!!
Yesterday, the big day finally arrived! It was Mandi’s birthday. Chris had planned it that way so she wouldn’t suspect he was proposing until the last minute…pretty sneaky! They drove down for a fun weekend get-away to Charleston. The first stop on their list was to visit Middleton Plantation for a relaxing tour of the gorgeous gardens before their dinner reservations.
Before they arrived, I took all the picnic items, and the painted pumpkins, and set them up under the oak tree Chris had selected for “the spot”. With eyes on the target, I was able to follow the Mandi & Chris as they strolled around the grounds, sneaking a few shots as they went. Once they began approaching the picnic area, I got myself hidden and waited for them to come into view
With heart pounding and hands sweating, I gripped the camera and captured a ton of great shots as Chris asked Mandi to be his wife! Photographing all the cute moments of their picnic was a delight. Finally I came out of hiding so that we could create some beautiful engagement photos of them in the gorgeous “Magic Hour” right before sunset!
CONGRATULATIONS Mandi and Chris! May your lives be full of joys too numerous to count!!!
For the grand finale of Maniesha & Travis’ amazing Charleston wedding celebration, we met up at Folly Beach for an incredible Trash-the-Dress session!
Actually, we prefer the term Rock-the-Dress. Some even call it Rock-the-Frock. Regardless of what you call it, I love the romantic notion behind this concept. When a bride elects to do a TTD session, essentially she’s saying “I have found the one true love of my life, and will never need this dress again!!!” Isn’t that sweet?!? Of course most brides get it cleaned and sell it, or get it preserved in a shadowbox. But the best part is, they have all these AMAZING, creative, artistic, and unique images to hang in their home or preserve in their album to commemorate this special day when they said “I do”.
CONGRATULATIONS again to Maniesha & Travis! You are two very special people. Your son Dallas is lucky to have you. And I consider myself lucky to have met you!!!
P.S. As soon as we finished shooting and got out of the water, a pod of dolphins came RIGHT UP to us…as if to investigate this strange shimmering gown that was so elegantly swaying in the waved!!! How cool is that?!? 🙂
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.
