Sarah and Phillip get Married

A couple weekends ago I had the opportunity to work with fellow photographer, Emily Rearick in Charlotte, NC. We first met the couple, Sarah and Phillip at a hotel they were using for pre-wedding preparation. I spent most of my time with Phillip and his gang of closest family and friends involved in the ceremony.

Phillip putting on his cufflinks given to him by his bride.

My favorite group of shots were to get each of the guys after they were put together in front of the large window in the hotel room and shoot a close-up portrait using natural light at a very large aperture to isolate them from the frantic background.

The entire entourage then traveled to Catawba College which has a beautiful campus and presented some great locations for some group shots. We got some of the standard/formal stuff done but also had plenty of time to also have some fun. Setting aside time for photos is one of the best ways of making sure you get results. 

Starting with the traditional formal stuff is a good idea. Guys tend to get antsy and eventually punchy and goofy. When you have a great group of guys like this, you can use that to your advantage. Getting the expected formals out of the way, you can let them cut loose and get some great stuff that they will appreciate later. Moms like the formals grooms like the fun stuff. 

We then moved onto the venue which was beautiful. The couple had hired a classic Rolls Royce sedan for their transporation.

The ceremony was beautiful and there was an ample amount of natural light which was a blessing in most respects but a real challenge in other ways. Having plenty of light meant good light for a majority of the ceremony but also created very hot spots that had to be addressed when people were walking and standing in specific places.

After the ceremony, we retreated to a nearby country club and a good time was had by all.

Late into the evening, the couple walked through a gauntlet of well-wishers with sparklers (this seems to be a growing trend, apparently) and onto their brittish charriot. 

This day was the first time I had met Sarah and Phillip. But after spending time with people on their wedding day, surrounded by the people they love and trust most and love them, you tend to learn a good bit in a short period of time. They way they treated me, a near total stranger, on their special day said volumes about them as well as what their family and friends shared in their toasts. I wish them nothing but the best in their future life together and am grateful I was a part of it.

You can see a gallery of the highlights on my website here. And an even larger collection on my flickr account here.