Sommer & Frank at Greek Orthodox Church of The Holy Trinity

It’s hard to put into words how special it was for us to be a part of Sommer & Frank’s AMAZING wedding celebration at the Greek Orthodox Church of The Holy Trinity!!!  Several years ago, we had the honor of photographing Sommer’s sister’s wedding with Trent at Old Wide Awake Plantation.  Their entire family has become very special to us over the years.  So you can imagine our excitement when Sommer and Frank asked us to photograph their wedding too!

With Sommer working in Japan for much of it, the planning and preparations for their wedding took over a year.  But the Big Day finally arrived…and it was gorgeous!  As the wedding party began getting ready, the excitement in the air was palpable.  I loved all the little details and special moments that made Frank & Sommer’s wedding unique…a first look with her dad, special gifts for the flower girl and ring bearer, the sword ceremony, and a huge wedding party that was so fun and supportive of these two!  The Greek Orthodox ceremony was also unique and afforded so many wonderful photo opportunities.  It’s such a beautiful church anyway…but it’s hard to get a bad shot with such an adorable couple, right?!?  Being a Citadel Grad, the wedding was followed by a traditional sword ceremony, performed by a great group of cadets.  Then it was off to the reception, which was held at the Daniel Island Club.  I love the beautiful “lowcountry” scenery behind the club.  Frank, Sommer, and I took advantage of the setting (and the setting sun) to capture some romantic photos of them.  Then it was inside for the PARTAAAY of the century!  Sommer had warned me to make sure I brought my “Greek dancing shoes”…and she wasn’t kidding!  A grand entrance, a delicious meal, touching toasts, and of course non-stop dancing all night long topped the day off in high spirits!

To see the rest of the photos, visit:  https://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/sommerandfrankwedding.  Many thanks to my team, Cami & Robbin, to Lillie at Pop the Bubbly Events, to Cleo at the Greek Orthodox Church, to Erin at Daniel Island Club, to the ladies from Cloud IX Bridal, to Wimberly Fair Designs for the floral arrangements, to The Black Cab Co., to Nick with EPIC DJ, and to all the other friends, family, and vendors who helped make this dream wedding come true!

CONGRATULATIONS Frank & Sommer!  We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin this exciting new journey together!!!

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HCSF Mardi Gras Gala

I had so much fun photographing the HCSF Mardi Gras Gala at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Maggie Valley this weekend! The event has been going on for many years. It’s a fundraiser for several local schools, which is awesome. My cousin, Beth at Beth Brown Photography normally photographs it. But she couldn’t be there this year and asked me to take over. What a BLAST!!!

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USGC 17th Internationall Marketing Conference – Day 3

Last week I had the pleasure of Photographing the US Grains Council’s 17th International Marketing Conference at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, Florida. It also happened to be the Council’s 60th Annual Membership Meeting, which made it extra special!

In keeping with Chairman Darren Armstrong’s theme of “Make Something Happen”, members had opportunities to visit directly with the Council’s staff from around the globe, build relationships with them, and deepen their understanding of the critical efforts they undertake for the US grains industry. In addition, Advisory Teams held in-depth meetings, offering the chance to provide recommendations to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives. Plus of course there was an incredible lineup of fantastic speakers, experts, and panels during the general session.

After three long but fulfilling days together, everyone left the meeting with a renewed dedication to the work at hand of promoting coarse grains and ethanol exports for US farmers. And I left with a sense of accomplishment at having faced the many challenges of dark conference rooms and grueling 12-hour days loaded down with camera gear, to come away with a collection of images that truly captured the spirit of the event!

Here are a few favorites from Day 3…

USGC 17th Internationall Marketing Conference – Day 2

Last week I had the pleasure of Photographing the US Grains Council’s 17th International Marketing Conference at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, Florida. It also happened to be the Council’s 60th Annual Membership Meeting, which made it extra special!

In keeping with Chairman Darren Armstrong’s theme of “Make Something Happen”, members had opportunities to visit directly with the Council’s staff from around the globe, build relationships with them, and deepen their understanding of the critical efforts they undertake for the US grains industry. In addition, Advisory Teams held in-depth meetings, offering the chance to provide recommendations to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives. Plus of course there was an incredible lineup of fantastic speakers, experts, and panels during the general session.

After three long but fulfilling days together, everyone left the meeting with a renewed dedication to the work at hand of promoting coarse grains and ethanol exports for US farmers. And I left with a sense of accomplishment at having faced the many challenges of dark conference rooms and grueling 12-hour days loaded down with camera gear, to come away with a collection of images that truly captured the spirit of the event!

Here are a few favorites from Day 2…

USGC 17th Internationall Marketing Conference – Day 1

Last week I had the pleasure of Photographing the US Grains Council’s 17th International Marketing Conference at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, Florida. It also happened to be the Council’s 60th Annual Membership Meeting, which made it extra special!

In keeping with Chairman Darren Armstrong’s theme of “Make Something Happen”, members had opportunities to visit directly with the Council’s staff from around the globe, build relationships with them, and deepen their understanding of the critical efforts they undertake for the US grains industry. In addition, Advisory Teams held in-depth meetings, offering the chance to provide recommendations to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives. Plus of course there was an incredible lineup of fantastic speakers, experts, and panels during the general session.

After three long but fulfilling days together, everyone left the meeting with a renewed dedication to the work at hand of promoting coarse grains and ethanol exports for US farmers. And I left with a sense of accomplishment at having faced the many challenges of dark conference rooms and grueling 12-hour days loaded down with camera gear, to come away with a collection of images that truly captured the spirit of the event!

Here are a few favorites from Day 1…

Julie & Shawn’s Phoenix Wedding

When Shawn & Julie got engaged, everyone knew it was coming. They were just too perfect together for it NOT to happen! Cami and I were even more excited when they asked us to do the honor of photographing this special day for my nephew and his fiance!!!

Their wedding was held in Phoenix, a city that we’ve grown to love. When the big day arrived, Shawn & Julie got ready at the picturesque Talking Stick Resort, where they also shared a First Look before heading over to the wedding venue. The ceremony was held at this really cool rustic location called Desert Foothills Resort. It was an absolute dream location for photography, with an old wooden barn, beautifully decorated, and surrounded by wild cacti.

We had so much fun meeting Shawn & Julie’s friends and family who all came out to help them celebrate! Many thanks to Shawn’s brother, Tyler, who officiated the ceremony, to Anne and her family for all their hard work putting together the gorgeous decorations, to Dan & Linda for keeping everything running smoothly, to Lisa at the venue for all her help with planning, to Julian at Heidi’s Events and Catering, to DJ Eli for rockin’ the night away, and to Cami for all her help with navigating and being my lighting assistant!

CONGRATULATIONS Julie & Shawn! We wish you all be best as you begin your new journey together!!!

Marcella & Steve’s Cape Cod Wedding

Several years ago, I had the joy of photographing Roxann & Michael’s destination wedding on a beautiful beach in Charleston: https://chrisandcami.com/roxann-michael-on-sullivans-island/. I had so much fun capturing their special day, and getting to know their amazing children! Thus, you can imagine my excitement when their daughter, Marcella, asked us to be HER photographer too!!!

Marcella & Steve’s destination wedding was in Cape Cod, at the incredible Wynchmere Beach Club. Cami and I had flown up several days early to celebrate our own anniversary, and to scout out the area. When we saw the venue, we knew immediately why Marcella & Steve had fallen in love with the place! Marcella had always wanted to get married on the beach. And Steve had always wanted to get married in Cape Cod. This picturesque spot fit BOTH their dreams perfectly!!!

The day of the wedding was absolutely gorgeous with the sun warming our faces, and the love between Marcella & Steve warming our hearts.  Marcella was absolutely STUNNING in her elegant gown and long flowing train.  Steve was looking pretty suave himself, with the classy-but-casual “no-tie” look.  The two lovebirds shared a touching “First Look” before the ceremony, which was the first time I teared up. There were a lot of funny moments during the ceremony, like when they both did shots under the arbor. But the second time I teared up was when they exchanged their hand-written wedding vows. The third time was when Michael gave his heart-felt speach, honoring Marcella’s father who had passed away 4 years prior, and re-affirmed his love for his amazing new daughter.

With excitement and energy bursting throughout the venue, the reception carried on late into the night. Cami and I had so much fun capturing every moment of this wonderful wedding celebration! Many thanks to Brooke and all the other incredible vendors that helped this dream wedding come together so perfectly. And a HUGE thank you to Marcella & Steve for welcoming us in and making us feel like part of their family once again.

To see the rest of their photos, visit:  https://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/marcellaandsteve.

CONGRATULATIONS Marcella & Steve!!! We love you guys and wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin your new journey together…

The Big Island of Hawai’i

I finally had a chance to finish editing the rest of my photos from The Big Island of Hawai’i. It’s an absolutely beautiful paradise. I was there on a wonderful assignment the first week, staying several extra days to explore on my own. It was a magical experience for me…a “Bucket List” trip for sure! I hope I was able to do it justice. ENJOY!!!

USGC Board of Delegates Meeting – Day 3

Day 3 of the 2019 US Grains Council Board of Delegates Meeting was full of excitement and anticipation for the year ahead!

The morning started off with the Board of Delegates Meeting, which included excellent presentations from the various team leaders, voting in new officers, and of course the changing of the guard as Darren Armstrong from North Carolina accepted the reigns from Jim Stitzlein as the new Chairman of the Board. Afterwards I had the pleasure of photographing the new Board of Directors, as well as new headshots for everyone. That afternoon we had an excellent tour of the facilities and operations of Consolidated Grain and Barge Co. Once we were back at the Hyatt Regency, I had just enough time to run down to Smale Riverfront Park and get some aerial drone photos of the Ohio River, the historic John A Roebling bridge, the Great American Ballpark, and the Cincinnati skyline.

Another successful US Grains Council conference is in the books! As usual, I had so much fun working with their amazing staff, and capturing all the exciting moments of this annual event!!!

USGC Board of Delegates Meeting – Day 2

Day 2 of the 2019 US Grains Council Board of Delegates Meeting was absolutely fabulous!

We kicked off with working breakfasts as each Sector met for meetings and discussions. The various sectors of the organization include Agribusiness, Barley, Corn, General Farm, and Sorghum. Next we had some exceptional presentations by keynote speakers Scott Sindelar, Kurt Shultz, Mike Dwyer, and Brian Healy during the General Session. During lunch we saw several distinguished Awards of Service presented, including one for 50 years of service! We also managed to wrangle a group photo with no fewer than 13 past chairmen…a record number! We had two breakout sessions after lunch, led by Bill Bryant and Andrea Durkin, respectively. And for the big off-site dinner event, we took in a Cincinnati Reds baseball game! The restaurant overlooking 3rd bass had been reserved exclussively for our group to mingle, network, and of course enjoy the game.

It was a long but super fun day of shooting!!!

USGC Board of Delegates Meeting – Day 1

Day 1 of the 2019 US Grains Council Board of Delegates Meeting was a huge success!

The day started off with a welcome from the new president and CEO, Ryan LeGrand…continued with keynote presentations from Ron Dulin and Ken Smithmier…then broke out into special Advisory Team meetings…and finally wrapped up with a fabulous Welcome Reception.

Taking place at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Cincinnati, this annual conference is off to a great start! I am truly honored to be photographing it again!!!

Jennifer & Adrian at the Hilton Head Westin

It was such a beautiful afternoon when I arrived at the Westin on Hilton Head Island for Jennifer & Adrian’s AMAZING wedding last week!

Adrian and his gang of guys were relaxed and having a blast, while Jennifer and the girls were getting all dolled up while jamming to some great tunes. The atmosphere was one of fun and excitement!

After everyone was ready, Adrian and Jennifer met each other for a private First Look in the quiet courtyard by the coi pond. It was such a special moment! The way Adrian’s eyes lit up when he turned around and saw Jennifer in her wedding gown for the first time made my heart melt.

Their ceremony was held on the picturesque terrace overlooking the beautiful beach. I loved all the artistic details and special touches Jennifer thought of. The explosion of applause that erupted as they sealed their vows with a kiss was truly magnificent!!!

After a fun beach shoot with the newlyweds, Jennifer and Adrian entered the reception to more exciting applause. A grand party ensued, complete with cake cutting, fabulous toasts, and crazy dancing.

To see more of their photos, visit https://chrisandcami.zenfolio.com/jenniferandadrian.

CONGRATULATIONS Jennifer & Adrian! We wish you all the happiness in the world as you begin your new journey together!!!