JACLYN + JOHN

I met Jaclyn & John by shooting Thomas + Mary's wedding last summer. John and Thomas are brothers, and John was one of Thomas's groomsmen. Jaclyn & John have been married for three years and decided to do a shoot for their anniversary this year. They picked Stone Mountain Park, and it was the perfect spot at the peak of all the fall colors! Everything about this married shoot inspired me: nature (the leaves! omg!), the couple's chemistry (they were like newlyweds!) aaaand, of course, the light. Ohhh the light was phenomenal at sunset, and I'm so glad we landed in a field to take advantage of it.

Be sure to email me (mel at melissatuckphoto dot com) if you're interested in a married shoot! It's a good excuse to snuggle up with your significant other for a couple of hours. ; )

MARY + SCOTT - Celebrate North Carolina Wedding

Mary & Scott were married on a picture-perfect day in Edenton, North Carolina. It was so endearing to see two people so in love and so happy.

I'm pumped to share this wedding with y'all! The couple chose a "Celebrate North Carolina" theme for their wedding. Being a native North Carolinian myself, I LOVED all the details that Mary thought of to incorporate into their day to make it uniquely NC: cotton, Cheerwine and Eastern N.C. BBQ to name a few. The reception was held at Mary's aunt's house, which was right on the water. The sunset was breathtaking and so was their sparkler exit by boat...yes, boat! Congrats to the newly happyweds! ; )

Bride's dress: Romona Keveza Couture Bridesmaids dresses: Lula Kate Groom's cufflinks: F.M. Allen Bow tie and ties: Southern Proper Ties Reception music: The Charlie Band Caterer: Doris Riggs Catering Invitations/Programs: William Arthur

And a special thanks goes to awesome photographer Jenny Tenney for second shooting with me on this wedding. Thanks, friend! : )

Adorable welcome bag!

Scott's daughter Shelby is SO adorable and had so much energy the whole day!

Mary gave monogrammed robes to her bridesmaids as gifts.

The original artwork where the girls had their hair and makeup done (Salon Marcels) was awesome.

One of Mary's friends cut the wedding invite in strips and put it into a decorative ornament. So cute.

Girls love their Diet Cokes (including me!).

Such cool groomsmen gifts.

Yes, those are ties with a cotton print. Awesome.

Sweet father/daughter moment.

Beautiful and sincere.

I loved the signs Mary made using reclaimed wood for the reception.

Cornbread, brussel sprouts, BBQ, grits... Now that's a plate of food in the South if I've ever seen one!

Beer was served from the Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill, NC, where Mary went to college.

Biggest tongue ever. I think this photo is hilarious!

This is Jenny's view of the bouquet toss. I love how all the girls look like they're about to catch a baby and that their lives depend on it. haha.

NICOLE + MATTHEW - Corolla Beach Wedding

Nicole & Matthew were married on the first day of October (10.01!) on the oceanfront of Corolla Beach, which was followed by a ROCKIN' reception at The Currituck Club. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for a wedding. : )

Bride's dress: Casablanca Bridal Bridesmaids dresses: Jenny Yoo Groom and groomsmen attire: JoS. A. Bank Makeup: Aimee Crepeau Florals: Renee Landry Cake: Kelly Lamb Ceremony music: Roy Murray Videographer: MediaBrewer Films Caterer: Currituck Club Rentals: Ocean Atlantic Rentals

I got to know Nicole while we studied abroad in Australia together during college. She's SO full of energy and spirit, and she found her match in Matthew. These two met each other working at The Currituck Club one summer, and they watched their first sunset together on the beach where they got married. So sweet and personal! I felt really privileged to be the one to document this wedding, and I wish the newlyweds all the BEST!

Father/daughter share a moment...

STUN.NING.

Such cool groomsmen gifts!

And yes, there was a pilsner glass inside with Matthew and the couple's wedding date on it. HILARIOUS. He acts it out for me:

So handsome!

EPIC clouds.

This bridesmaid's baby bump was SO adorbs.

In case you didn't see my animation posted yesterday (also later in this post), Matthew and his buds are big fans of Double Dutch. : )

Love.

Aren't they a knockout pair?

Adored all the poms!

The cupcakes and cake were awesome!

I die over the cuteness of this little girl.

Not only did Double Dutch make an appearance... volleyball did as well. : )

I love my friend Blake's expression in the background of this photo...

Take a close look at this shot... it's hysterical. From left to right, we've got: shoving dudes, casual drinker dude, a dude who looks like he's going to ring the garter on the neck of his beer bottle, almost-committed dude, dude who is ready to swat it away and then three dudes who actually look like they won't mind catching it. : ) Funny note: the garter landed on the floor.

CATWALK.

SARAH + DANIEL - State Botanical Garden Wedding

This first photo pretty much sums up how I felt watching Sarah & Daniel on their wedding day. They have SO much fun together and couldn't WAIT to be married! You could tell even more when they dance together. : )

Sarah's attention to detail for the wedding was incredible. And I adored her style. I'm so honored to have been a part of their day, and I wish nothing but "lovely love stories" for Daniel & Sarah's future together! ; )

Bride's dress: Wtoo by Watters Bridesmaids dresses: Alfred Sung Groom and groomsen attire: JoS. A. Bank Makeup: The Spa at Foundry Park Inn Hair: Beth Emery of Shenanigans Salon Florals: Southern Florals Ceremony: The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's Day Chapel Reception: The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's Conservatory Cake: Trumps Catering Reception music: DJ Kris Bayne with Orpheus and Aphrodite Caterer: Trumps Catering Invitations/programs: Paper Source Planner: Crevolyn and Emily with Wonderful Events

Sarah's "something borrowed AND something blue," which she wrapped around her bouquet stems, belonged to her father as a baby!

So glam.

Excerpts from A Lovely Love Story were read during their ceremony. ["Together they stand on the hill, telling each other stories and feeling the warmth of the sun on their backs. And that, my friends, is how it is with love." --Edward Monkton] So presh!

Sarah made these purses for her bridesmaids! Can I get a tutorial please? ; )

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia's Day Chapel is so beautiful...

The cake was awesome!

YES... that's right... it's a chest bump! LOVE it.

This was my first "ribbon wand" exit... and I love that someone is tapping Sarah's booty during the send-off. : ) Congrats you two!

LAURA + ZUM - The Carolina Inn Wedding

I found myself at the jaw-dropping Carolina Inn for two weekends in a row in August. This, my friends, is the perfect time to bring up why my job isn't boring and why I am a lucky lady to have found something I love doing. People typically ask me: Don't you get bored with being a wedding photographer? It's the same thing over and over again every weekend. (And in this case, the same venue, too!) HOWEVER, that's when I say: Of course, every creative person can get in a rut from time to time... BUT, my job is exciting and inspiring because every couple has its own swoon-worthy love story and vision for their big day, which makes every couple unique and memorable in my eyes. Laura and Zum are certainly no exception! Stunning, yes?

Bridal gown: Traditions by Anna Bridesmaids dresses: J.Crew Groom and groomsmen attire: Bernard's Formalwear Hair: Salon 135 Florals: Fresh Affairs Cake: Sugarland Ceremony music: UNC-Chapel Hill students Programs: Home-made using supplies from The Paper Source Reception music: Rubber Band Caterer: The Carolina Inn

You may remember lovely Laura from her bridal session over the summer. I had a great time then with her family, and the wedding day was simply round #2 of fun! I especially loved the anticipation that built up before the ceremony and the great moments between friends throughout the day. Congrats to the happy couple! Enjoy a little bit of time with Mr. & Mrs. Xanders. : )

In LOVE with Laura's veil -- it was her mother's. So beautiful.

Zum gave gifts to his groomsmen, and the guys opened them in a "Dirty Santa"/"Yankee Swap" format (if you aren't familiar with this, check out this clip from The Office's "Christmas Party" episode -- one of my faves!). While some guys got some top-tier presents (indoors practice putting green, grilling set, etc.), others were left with less-desirable gifts... like, The Jonas Brothers DVD. So hilarious.

Looking sharp!

Stealing a glance at his beauty. : )

MARRIED!

One of my favorites below!

Laura's father gave a funny toast...