This wedding was so fantastic! From the beginning I knew it wasn’t going to be your typical wedding. Jackee asked me to shoot her wedding because she wanted as many friends and family involved in her big day as possible. I had photographed her family before and we have been in touch ever since so this made sense for her! She told me that they are planning a Gatsby-themed wedding on the top floor ballroom at an old historic building in downtown Raleigh that the couple actually met at. That in itself is the cutest thing ever. How many people can get married at the same location where they met? She also told me that it will be a later wedding, therefore there will only be a desert bar, no sit-down meal. Oh, well, dessert will be just fine! Especially the smorgasborg that Rocky Top Catering provided!

This was also the very first wedding I have shot without a second shooter. I figured it would be fine since it was a smaller event and a smaller space but having wedding coordinator Nicole from Vision Events really made my work a lot easier. She and her assistant worked so well together and kept everything so smooth and even helped me out when I needed it!

So I drive up to Raleigh and check in to my hotel room that she had blocked off for me and I was handed the sweetest welcome bag ever! And I mean sweet! It had all sweet things that are southern or from North Carolina such as a bottle of Cheerwine (no it’s not wine, it’s like a cherry cola!), a can of local beer, Moonpies and Krispy Kreme donut holes!

Over to the venue I went and headed to the 11th floor where everyone was getting ready. The Capital Club building used to be a gentleman’s club way back in the day, I’m guessing the 1920s but is now a restaurant on the first floor (where Adam and Jackee met) offices in the middle floors and the 11th and 12th floors are for events. It didn’t take long for the girls to be ready, surprisingly. We took her “getting ready” pictures and since she had so much time left over, she just took her dress off again and waited in her robe until time got closer! How is that possible? I’m almost jealous over that! Adam, on the other hand was a little more rushed. He was in charge of blowing up ALL of the balloons that were needed for the night.

Once the ceremony was beginning, their three daughters rode the elevator from the 11th floor to the 12th floor each holding a bunch of balloons. They walked down the aisle, placed them at the altar then then took their place at the mics. Jackee’s daughter JoJo played the guitar and then her, Regan and Riley all sang an amazing acoustic version of “Swept Away” by The Avett Brothers while Jackee walked down the aisle. The ceremony was very sweet and intimate, the pictures afterwards were so much fun to do and the reception was a blast! I had to remind myself not to get carried away with dancing along while trying to take pictures!

Well, I think I’ve said enough. I’ll let these beautiful images speak for themselves!