Travis Dew Photography

Well…..wow.  So this is the calm, cool and collected bride……with the calm, cool and collected parents, bridal party, groom’s party, grandparents, guests, etc.  Couldn’t have been a more stress-free event.  The ceremony was in a quaint, little Episcopal church about an hour and a half away from Charleston.  Most of the guests….arrived by Durham SCHOOL BUSSES.  Now that’s how you provide a designated driver for your guests….Right on.  The reception was under a grand tent at the beautiful Oaks Plantation and everything was perfect.  The placement of food, seating, bar, dance floor….everything was free flowing and comfortable.

Everyone….and I mean EVERYONE…..had a blast.  I have such an interesting vantage point….because I’m all over the party from the beginning to the end…able to watch the personality of the party turn from “I Luuuv Beach Music” to “Whoooo Let the Dogs Out?…..Whooh Whooh Whooh!”  How many weddings do you go to….that include yellow Durham transportation, Rice-Crispy treat wedding cake, a joke-telling bridesmaid, biscuit bar, a buried bottle of bourbon, flower laden dog collars, and hoola hoopin’ on the dance floor?  Yep – not many.  Not one guest was sitting on the sidelines…..everyone was dancing, laughing, and carrying on…FABULOUS.  Congratulations John and Laughing Lee……it was the BEST!  Here’s a sneak peek…

Oh….”Bury the Bourbon” is a tradition that insures good weather on your wedding day!  One month before the wedding – you bury a bottle of bourbon at the site of the reception …..while enjoying your good weather – dig ‘er up and enjoy that too!

CATERING – Cru Catering 843-5342433

FLOWERS/DECORATING/DAY-OF SERVICES – Out of Hand – 843-856-3585

BAND – Intensity – 800-922-2057

TRANSPORTATION – Charleston Style Limo

HAIR – Salon 101 – 843-793-2437

MAKE-UP – Stella Nova

 

Before my husband and I had children….I was always intrigued about the thought of having more than one child and seeing how different they would be.  I now know how crazy it is how three people can come from the same parents, same household….and each be their own little individual selves.  I can only imagine how much fun it is with twins.  These two had many similar thoughts….but would go about the ideas in much different ways.  Enjoyed our Fall morning together….here’s your sneak peek!

This is sweet, happy-go-lucky, laughing LEE.  I hope that I don’t jinx myself by saying this…..but in the years I’ve been shooting weddings…..I’ve never had a Bridezilla….not even close.  So I have to go on t.v. shows and imagination…but Lee is like the Anti-Bridezilla.  Laid back…..smiling…..she and her mother on the same page……awesome.  Here are some from her bridal portrait…a sneak peek of the FABULOUS wedding to come later.

I can’t even start this post…..because after looking through a couple of these photos….well, let me back up.  Sweet K.D. contacted me to shoot her senior pictures – and I suggested she pull together some friends…..the idea being to get the ‘posed’ senior shots – while documenting some fun with lifelong friends.  So….I think to myself after looking at these super CUTE girls….”Heeeyyy, I’m gonna check out my senior yearbook.”  And GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY……who bought those clothes for me?  Who punched me in the eyes because there is blue and black stuff all over them….was I cutting my own hair?  There are so many questions….from ‘where are all these people that “love me” and told me to “have a great summer”…’ to ‘why was I always a base in cheerleading?’ Ohhhh…..because I still had that (as my husband calls it) subcutaneous layer…all over.  There are about 7 pictures of me in an awful, over-sized purple sweater that could have been out of Notorious B.I.G.’s closet.  One small but fun tidbit about my yearbook….it has Phaedra Parks in it.  Yep, the “southern” Atlanta Bravo housewife.  She giggled with a scrunched up nose back then too!

Okay – moving forward – thank goodness…..here’s a sneak peek of some fun in the park – with some seniors who carry it a WHOLE lot better than we did….back in the day.  Check out how straight and LOW their hair is…..no White Rain mousse for these girls.  (Remember how it used to make your hair smell?  Phew!)

I’m sure you recognize this sweet angel…..I have been fortunate to shoot him every 3-6 months since he was a newborn.  He’s always been engaging….and ready to play with me…..but the P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y has arrived.  He is full on, stick-carrying, dirt-throwin’, sign punchin’ BOY.  We played hard Saturday afternoon…..and right in the middle of the tree climbing and dust – as all sweet, little boys do….he showed his soft side and picked his Mama a flower.  Too sweet.  So great to see you guys….

So….I roll up on these two little firecrackers and they had already started the morning by jumping on the furniture….~giggle giggle giggle~ life couldn’t have been any better.  Sometimes a photo shoot has to “warm up”…..but we were ON from the get-go because all I got was smiles, giggles and chitter chatter.  “C” was enjoying playing dress-up in my necklace and her grandmother’s earrings…while “A” got his own camera out to document his fun, Fall vacation at his grandparent’s house.  A perfect October morning, indeed.  My favorite part…might have been…overhearing “C” say to “A” – “Give me that, ACORN!”  Mama said that was her ‘curse’ word for her brother.  Fantastic…and ironic that he brought me an acorn during the shoot.  I so enjoyed my morning – here’s your sneak peek….

 

I realize and understand the ‘craziness’ that brides, and families surrounding, can experience during the weeks leading up to the big “day.”  It’s nice to see when that frenzy escapes the scene and happiness takes over. Sunday afternoon, all worries of details, planning and doing… vaporized with the onset of make-up, hair, flowers and dresses.  Even the little drizzles of rain didn’t get Anna ruffled.  She took off – through the rain – in her gown and boots and marched right down a dirt road to the ceremony without waiting on an umbrella or ride.  She had one mission….and worrying about keeping her dress clean wasn’t it.

I am always impressed with the Jewish, ceremonial traditions.  At the beginning of the service – just after Mom and Dad escort down the isle, the bride circles the groom seven times ….the number paralleling the original number of days of creation.  The Chuppah is an open structure under which the couple stands and exchanges their vows.  Its openness is a reminder to keep their new home and minds open.  Fantastic.  The breaking of a glass by the groom – a reminder that even during joyous times…life is not perfect.

Another FABULOUS tradition – known specifically to this Foxy family….jumping rope using tablecloths tied together.  Awesome.  How can that NOT be fun? Anna’s parents did it at their wedding years ago….

One more thing…Coolest. Wedding cake.  Ever.  Part naval ship cake….part traditional cake.  Right on.

 

Just returned from shooting Cam and Anna’s wedding………so here are a couple of shots from her bridal portrait – sneak peek of wedding….FUN wedding…later.

Saturday night’s wedding between Deborah and Terry was filled with good moods, sentimental tokens and happiness throughout.  Deborah was relaxed and looked BEAUTIFUL.  Terry was laid back and couldn’t have been any more handsome.  The bride was in her mother’s dress (which was also a (bridesmaid) cousin’s mother’s dress….so there was some sweet emotion going on in the dressing room.)  The groom’s daughter “L” was a lovely, little flower girl and turned out to be a big helper for me!

The reception was not too big and not too small…good live music, delicious food and wedding cake accessorized with her parent’s cake topper.  The room was chocked full of fun-loving family and friends with lots of laughter and great conversation – you could just feel it.  Fabulous.

By the way….is there anything better than a toast from the groom to his new bride humbly saying, “Now….I’ve got a best friend for life.”

Just makes you wanna smile.

My apologies to my bride and groom last weekend for not getting a sneak peek up quite yet…….I got detoured and took a quick trip up to Nashville to capture a pretty special moment.  Darius Rucker played the Grand Ole Opry last night (note the circle in the floor….that’s an inlaid piece of the original floor of the Ryman Theater where the Grand Ole Opry was for years and years)…..and after one of his songs…..there was a “question and answer” session from people in the audience.  On the third question, the spotlight went to a guy in the crowd….and Brad Paisley pops up (who is known for being a huge jokester…..and I later learned that Darius thought ‘what prank is he about to pull?’) whose question was in two parts.  First he wanted to know if Darius still stunk at playing cards…..and second, if he’d like to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry?

The emotion ran high and the crowd went crazy…..Darius was completely surprised and must have said, “Wow! Wow!…..Wow!” a million times….just after saying, “Are you serious? Are you serious?”…..

Bear hugs for the man who just asked the question every country star wants to be asked….

Taking the moment in……

…and full of emotion.  Love it.

Then he rocked out “Wagon Wheel” with a new and excited energy.  Congratulations…..great night for a great person.