I went to college with Michelle & Brandon in North Carolina. From the moment I met them, it was always the two of them together! The kind of relationship you know will just last because of how they look at each other. Brandon is funny, outgoing and always cheering people up. Michelle is more quiet and reserved, and they both balance each other out perfectly. I knew that Brandon was an emotional guy, but what I didn’t know was just how emotional he truly was. After I was done taking photo’s of Michelle getting ready and into her dress, I headed over to the hotel where B (all through college and even afterwards, I always called Brandon “B” and he calls me “J”) and his groomsmen were getting ready. He was in tears when I got there… wiping his face over and over, looking out at the ocean and just thinking. I looked at him and said “I just came from Michelle’s…she is so gorgeous B!” And the tears just flowed.  What made their wedding day even more special is the fact that Michelle is carrying their first child! The emotions B was going through was such a solid affirmation of how truly he is in love with this woman.

B had his best man slip a letter to Michelle. She read it in the parking lot just before the ceremony and the tears flowed for her as well. I know it seems crazy, but I LOVE tears on a wedding day. It’s such a happy moment and happy tears are the BEST in my opinion. She shook a little, read her letter and cried. It was beautiful to me. Afterwards we all made our way into the venue, which was BEAUTIFUL! Duck Woods Country Club in the Outer Banks is absolutely gorgeous!

When the doors opened and Michelle started walking down the aisle, Brandon couldn’t even look at her yet. He was in tears already at the mere thought of what she would look like. I sat there thinking “is he going to look at her??” LOL!! He finally turned his head and boy did he cry… he watched her make her way to him in her gorgeous Maya Couture dress, looking beautiful as ever. They both looked at each other and cried for a while. It was so hard keeping it together, but I’m a sucker for love & weddings, so I of course cried as well.

For portrait time, we were given golf carts!! We had a line of golf carts racing down the paths on the golf course, stopping every so often at gorgeous spots to take photo’s. They even gave me 2 whole hours to shoot — now THAT’S my kind of portrait time!! We got some amazingly beautiful shots under this gorgeous willow tree. The sun was peeking through perfectly and we worked that bump into some of the shots! :) During the reception they did a gender reveal with their wedding cake — how unique and fun!?! They cut the cake open, and it was BLUE — these two newlyweds will be welcoming heir baby boy — Tristan Edward Young– into the world before the end of the year :)

The mother/son dance was so very special as well — and SO emotional. Brandon’s mom is in a hospital bed, so during the mother/son dance, Brandon wheeled her in front of a slide show he created for her with photo’s from his childhood with his mom and the song “Mama” by Boyz 2 Men playing in the background. They held hands, he cried, he bent down and held her and I promise you — there wasn’t a dry eye in the place!! I’m used to crying during the ceremony — a few tears of happiness! But I BALLED crying during this part of the wedding and all you could hear in the room was sniffles from everyone else crying too. That moment was everything!! I’m so happy I was chosen to photograph the wedding of these two and hope for a lifetime of health  & happiness for the THREE of them! :) XOXO