Tatiana & Joe | September 23, 2012

My favoirte moment of Tatiana and Joe’s wedding was the Saber Arch send off.  A Saber Arch is a wedding tradition in which sabers or swords are used to salute the bride and groom at the end of the wedding ceremony.  As the bride and/or groom pass under the Arch of Sabers, the sabers are held with the sharp edges up. When the couple reaches the final pair of saber-bearers, the last two people in the arch block their passage by lowering their sabers. At that point the groom salutes his bride with a kiss and the saber bearers raise their sabers and allow the couple to pass.  What a cool send off!

Location: Wrightsville Beach, Access #4

Nicole & Michael | September 22, 2012

Nicole introduced me to a new chair layout call “the circle of love.”  The premise of this design is to arrange the chairs in a circular pattern around the pavilion.

It is a cool concept but create some logistical challenges when the bride has a large wedding party (mainly figuring out how to arrange a standing wedding around the pavilion so that seated guests can see the bride and groom.

Our solution was a modified circle of love we deemed “the clover.”  The clover is comprised of quarter circles with openings at each side of the pavilion.  Kudos to Nicole for thinking outside the rows!

Location: Winding River Beach Club, Holden Beach

Morgan & Donald | September 22, 2012

I love this photo because it depicts the moment Morgan conquered her stage fright.  This shy bride hates being the center of attention so we were bit concerned that her nerves may effect her experience.

The ceremony was pretty typical until it came time to exchange rings.  At that point the couple momentarily forgot which hand to take and then confused left and right.  When Morgan extended both hands to determine which one made an “L” everyone (including the Bride and Groom) erupted in laughter.  From that point forward it was smooth sailing.

Location: Wrightsville Beach Access #4

Andrea & Jeff | September 21, 2012

When I first met Andrea on the beach two months ago I was concerned that she may not get the beach wedding of her dreams. Five months before her big day she was hit by a drunk driver and sustained multiple injuries, including a broken pelvis.

During our initial meeting, she was unable to walk on the beach without assistance, however with a lot of hard work and perseverance Andrea made enough of a recovery to not only walk down the aisle but also to share a first dance with her new husband.

Location: Wrightsville Beach, Access #43

Lori & Elijah; | September 18, 2012

Rarely does it rain on wedding day, however Tuesday was the exception.  As a past beach bride myself I know how upset I would have been to have to move inside due to inclement weather, so I try my best to make sure every bride gets her outdoor wedding experience.  To make sure Lori and Elijah got their perfect wedding ceremony we wrapped all the chairs in plastic bags and completed most of the set-up in the rain.

Fortunately the weather cleared up just as the ceremony was set to began and we were able to start a few minutes after 4pm.  As the bride and groom shared their first kiss it started to rain and everyone took cover at the beach house which was just steps away.  Wow, what a fun and memorable day!

Location: Wrightsville Beach

Hannah & Devin | September 14, 2012

Saturday was a beautiful September day, warm with a slight breeze and not a cloud in the sky.  The guests arrived on the Wilmington Trolley and were serenaded by Zach Hanner on the ukulele.  It was truly the perfect beginning to Hannah and Devin’s new life together.

Location: WB, Access #43

Natalie & Brent | September 12, 2012

Natalie and Brent put a great deal of thought into their ceremony.  In the weeks leading up to their wedding the couple worked closely with Reverend Morningstar to select vows and readings that truly represented them as a couple.  One of the coolest elements of their wedding was their custom vows which they pledged to each other in unison.

After the ceremony, tears of joy were replaced with laugher and smiles as the couple “had a ball” posing for pictures with their wedding party.

Location: Wrightsville Beach, Access #43

Kalee & Nick | August 25, 2012

Kalee and Nick are actually high school sweethearts from Colorado.  The couple decided to tie the knot at Wrightsville Beach after Nick got stationed at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC.  Favorite moments include seeing the guys in their dress blues waiting in anticipation for the bride, watching Kalee’s father tenderly give his daughter away and sharing in the excitement as the couple was introduced for the very first time.

Location: Wrightsville Beach Access #2