Category Archives: the wedding!

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celan & yves are married!

June 17, 2011 – 10:24 am

there is no denying several things about celan & yves’s wedding:

1. it was overflowing with love

2. it was very personally inspired

3. it was the work of an artist

having met celan & yves at heather & matt’s wedding, we had some idea of what awaited us on celan & yves’s wedding day but nothing could really prepare us for the beautiful day we experienced! i have to begin this story by telling you that celan is a painter- an inspired, passionate, fascinating painter. she weaves stunningly rich narratives into a single canvas- something that, as a photographer of life, i value so much. so while i have so much respect for celan, i will also allow myself to feel a certain kinship to her, to the way she sees the world, internalizes it, and then re-shares it in such a beautiful way. so, all of this to say, her wedding day was so special and matt & i really enjoyed allowing ourselves to be swept up and inspired by their love.

my day with celan and her best friends started with a burst of color! all around me were beautiful dresses (celan told her bridesmaids to wear whatever they liked) and overflowing buckets of bright flowers. soon enough every surface of the room was covered in blooms as celan and her ladies created their own bouquets from whatever flowers each girl liked best. while everything coordinated, no two bouquets were alike. each bridesmaid’s personal style and taste shined through- such a wonderful idea!

meanwhile, yves and the guys played a little bocce. and goofed off. it’s always so fun to me to see my images come together with matt’s when we sort them by time- the girls are almost always in the midst of finishing touches while the guys are relaxing in tee shirts playing sports or lounging with a beer. i guess we all prepare differently! ;)

i LOVE this next shot matt took- such an awesome version of a ‘groomsmen portrait:’

now, back to the lovely ladies! i love these images of celan tying ribbon on her bouquet. she is just so engaged in the moment with her best friends- not even one sweet moment slipped past her- she lived in every second! love her style:

celan & yves were married in the historic seney-stovall chapel in athens, ga:

after yves danced an awesome little jig down the asile, he & celan had a quiet moment alone to absorb everything before we started couple portraits around the lovely town of athens and the university:

celan & yves chose to hold their reception at the ga museum of art- could there have been a more perfect venue? for the first part of the evening, all of the galleries were open for the guests to enjoy and explore. celan & yves made a point to take time to enjoy the art together and we were happy to follow them and capture the love they share. but first, a peek into their first dance!

after the galleries closed, everyone reassembled for a time of toasting followed by dancing, celebrating and all types of fun! :)

***please click here to see celan & yves’s slideshow***

celan & yves, thank you so so much for trusting us to capture such a beautiful day! we wish you guys a marriage full of fun and happiness!

By katealtmix | Tagged , , , | Comments (6)

caitlin & nelson are married!

June 7, 2011 – 5:50 am

caitlin & nelson are one of those couples that really just FIT. they have so much in common- shared loves, temperaments, joys & passions. i’ve always questioned the confidence with which people say, ‘opposites attract’ because sometimes, being similar is just so perfect. like caitlin & nelson! of course i don’t know them as well as some of their friends (who may very well be giggling at my assessment, fair enough ;)), but after spending their full wedding day so closely capturing their every moment, i can’t help but be drawn to their similarities. wedding days can bring a different kind of pressure and stress into a relationship that has never existed there before and each couple handles this differently. in the case of caitlin & nelson, there was a moment where all of that just…vanished. it was the moment when they first saw one another the afternoon of their wedding- just an hour or two before their ceremony was set to start. the second their eyes met, all of the hustle and bustle of the day just, melted, away. it says so much about their connection that all it took, for both of them, was just that first glance- then everything was okay. and by ‘okay,’ i really mean, ‘perfect.’ because, seeing the two of them together on their wedding day was just a beautiful picture of two people completely meant for one another. i feel lucky to know them.

take a moment to absorb how fabulous this dress is:

that’s right- perfectly placed ruffles, romantic blush tones, modern but timeless- i could go on!

…and the most wonderful compliment to caitlin’s stunning features and soft curls:

meanwhile, nelson finished his final preparations before he started helping to tie each groomsmen’s bow-tie. later, matt mentioned to me that bow-ties always seems to stump the gents- until nelson mentioned off-hand that it was the same knot as tying your shoe. and then matt had a bit of an epiphany and will probably now be roped into tying groomsmen’s bow-ties in the future. ;) but still, great to know!

i admit, that is me in these next two. but sometimes you do what you have to in order to get the exact shot you imagine. and in the case of this reflection shot, i couldn’t avoid being in the frame. but even still, i really love how these came out!

caitlin’s position in this next shot just blows me away- it’s a completely natural moment as she walked to meet nelson in the japanese garden of the atlanta botanical gardens. their following ‘first look’ was the moment i talked so much about in the beginning of this post- just so wonderful:

after some portraits, caitlin and her dad took a few moments to practice their father/daughter dance. it was beautifully choreographed and they are both so graceful but what i liked most was that they made time for this practice dance. it was such a special time for them, together, with very few people around to see. they seem to have a great relationship:

caitlin & nelson’s ceremony was held in the rose garden- the perfect backdrop:

just after the ceremony, caitlin & nelson stole away for a few moments to absorb the beginning of their new life together, as well as enjoy a sampling of their menu from sun in my belly catering.

meanwhile, their guests mingled in the gardens, enjoying cocktails, the spring blooms and one another while the reception was getting the finishing touches. here are just a few details of caitlin’s clean, green and pink palette:

dinner was followed by a time of witty, sweet and insightful toasting.

***please click here to see caitlin & nelson’s slideshow***

caitlin & nelson, it was wonderful to spend a day capturing the beautiful relationship you guys share. we hope you enjoyed your quick break and we can’t wait to see images from your upcoming trip to italy! evviva gli sposi!

By katealtmix | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

tiffani & michael are married!

May 27, 2011 – 1:45 pm

last week, tiffani & michael made the trip to atlanta from their home in texas to get married surrounded by all of their family and friends. it was a sweet time of reunion for many, followed by an awesome evening of celebration of tiffani & michael! we found ourselves swept up in the excitement of it all and we had such a great time capturing the day. when we arrived at the renaissance, tiffani was in the very final stages of preparation before meeting up with michael, her love, to begin photos together. her dazzling smile stretched across her face as her dress was carefully laced- it was so clear that she couldn’t wait to marry michael!

i love these coinciding shots that matt captured of tiffani & michael separately walking to their predetermined ‘first look’ location:

tiffani & michael shared a few quiet moments together, catching one another up on the happenings of their morning apart. then michael pulled out her engagement ring- which he had taken to have cleaned- and placed it on her finger. after that final quiet, intimate moment, they both turned to us, ready to start their photos. this whole scene lasted just a minute but it struck me as so thoughtful and meaningful that michael had taken it upon himself to have tiffani’s ring cleaned for their wedding day- and then also that he so carefully placed it on her finger. it seemed to symbolize to them both that the day had officially begun. i loved it.

in case you missed it mentioned in their photobooth post, tiffani & michael are dentists. that is why this next outtake of them checking one another’s teeth cracked us up!

after a quick trip to piedmont park, it was off to st. elias antiochian orthodox:

a little last minute dress steaming- tiffani’s family and bridesmaids were so helpful and encouraging to her all day:

michael, waiting for the ceremony to start:

even though i didn’t know exactly what was going on during their ceremony, i couldn’t help but feel an overall sense of awe as the priest chanted and led them though such old, beautiful traditions:

on to the reception at the lovely renaissance:

during one of the toasts, a close family member challenged tiffani & michael to drink, together, from this special cup. the legend goes a goldsmith was challenged by the father of the girl he loved to build a cup that two people could drink from at the same time in order to marry his daughter. he came up with a chalice with a split in the handle which suspended a cup on a swivel- and tiffani & michael didn’t spill a drop:

***please click here to see tiffani & michael’s slideshow***

tiffani & michael, thank you guys so much for asking us to be part of such an awesome day! we wish you guys the very best!

By katealtmix | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

katie & ryan are married!

May 18, 2011 – 8:26 am

i’ve talked about this before but when we first met katie i immediately liked her- her obvious excitement and impressive organization struck me first, immediately followed by the realization that she’s one of those girls that you can’t help but admire. she’s naturally beautiful (it would make anyone crazy to know the amount of makeup she wore on her wedding day- close to NONE.), quick witted and kind. she is just so down to earth and inclusive- always looking out for others and caring for them, even when they least expect it- like on HER wedding day. i spent the morning of katie & ryan’s wedding capturing her as she complimented her bridesmaids as they finished up their own hair and makeup and talked with them about their own lives as if it was just any other day. if katie felt any nerves she certainly didn’t show it as she lounged in a perfectly casual oxford and sandals and chatted away- making sure everyone was enjoying her wedding morning. as the day went on i realized a couple more details about katie- one i suspected already- she has impeccable taste in fashion and two, she seriously knows how to let loose and have fun. all in all, it was the perfect day to be a photographer!

you guys, THIS DRESS! simply amazing. i love how the ruffles seem almost casual as they flip and curl in every direction. and then there’s the overall silhouette- so chic:

ryan! so dapper in his own tailored tux. classy:

katie & ryan decided to have their first look at their ceremony site- but to reverse the roles! so katie waited in the front as ryan walked in from the back, such a sweet moment:

this church is very special to katie and her family- her mom and dad were married here and so was her sister! so, taking pictures inside the sanctuary was a must:

after a little break (where katie changed back into her oxford to relax-good call), it was time for the ceremony to start:

we stayed after the ceremony for a few family portraits in the sanctuary and, as the families were gathering, matt grabbed this shot of the newlyweds having their own sweet moment in the midst of the post ceremony excitement:

from the church we headed to the tellus science museum for their reception. when we arrived, the sun was low and the grounds of the museum were washed in gold- we were so glad katie & ryan were willing to take some extra time for a few more couple photos:

then it was on to the reception!

i love this image from the garter toss- as much as we love our lights, sometimes shooting ambient is just so beautiful:

katie enjoyed the first half of the reception in her wedding dress before changing into another, more casual but equally fabulous dress before the real dance party kicked in.

***please click here to see katie & ryan’s slideshow***

katie & ryan, love you guys. and congratulations! thank you so much for letting us be a part of your wedding- we so enjoyed capturing you guys!

By katealtmix | Tagged , , | Comments (8)

kristy & christian are married!

May 4, 2011 – 7:24 am

on july 30th, 2009 we closed on our first house. we signed one thousand papers and drove away with a little envelope of keys. we let ourselves into our new home, sat in the middle of the dining room floor for a while…and then opened a lovely bottle of wine our neighbors brought over to us. don’t tell any of the others, but, those neighbors are still our favorites! over the last couple of years that we’ve had the pleasure of living next door to kristy & christian they’ve inspired us in many ways, made us laugh so often and shared everything from house tips to tools. they’re like the neighbors people have in movies- only in real life. so, when christian asked us to keep an eye on their place while he whisked kristy away to paris to propose, we crossed our fingers that we’d be able to capture what was sure to be a unique, sweet wedding. well, lucky us! here it is!

kristy & christian planned an intimate celebration at one of our favorite restaurants in atlanta- jct. as guests arrived they were led to the beautiful indoor/outdoor bar where they were greeted with adorably prepared snacks and drinks. as all of their closest family and friends talked, laughed and caught up, kristy & christian finished up their final wedding preparations at a salon nearby. the relaxed atmosphere kristy & christian so wanted for their wedding day was easily achieved as the guests lounged and enjoyed one another’s company- the warm afternoon sun was just the perfect finishing touch:

when the time came, guests settled into their seats in the courtyard as bagpipes began to play and christian & his son, tanner, led the casual procession of the wedding party to the ceremony site:

there was so much laughter and many outbursts of cheering during their ceremony- it was impossible not to see how perfect these two are for one another. and they did something we’ve never seen before- they wrote one another’s vows. and they didn’t see them before they read them to each other at the ceremony! how much TRUST does that take!? i really really loved it. both kristy & christian are so clever and witty and yet so passionate and in love- the vows could not have been more perfectly fitting.

just look at these two! [sidenote, don't you love kristy's dress?!]

following their quick ceremony was a classic seated dinner. kristy & christian split their time between chatting with their guests and enjoying their seats at their own table, surrounded by their families. there were many toasts, hugs and congratulations all around:

i love this next little series of tanner talking with kristy, just so sweet:

as the evening grew later, guests moved outside to enjoy the band that had been providing the background music throughout dinner. they kicked things up a little bit and the dancing began:

this next shot of christian’s parents just makes my heart melt:

***please click here to see kristy & christian’s slideshow***

kristy & christian, congratulations! we are so happy for you guys! thank you so so much for trusting us to capture such an incredible day. we miss you in the ‘hood but we’re glad to hear you’re loving your new place. i’m sure we’ll see you around someday soon!

By katealtmix | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)