Harley's Haven Wedding | Smithfield Wedding Photographer | Eric + Kaleigh

Harley's Haven Wedding | Smithfield Wedding Photographer | Eric + Kaleigh

It never ceases to amaze me that, over and over again, two people love each other enough to choose the other for the rest of their lives. This means choosing that person in the best times and the worst, in times when you like them and all those times you don't. It means choosing to hold their hand through the storms of life, even if sometimes the storms make their way into your very own house. Eric and Kaleigh have been together long enough to weather many storms together and when they finally stood in front of each other at the aisle, they knew what it meant to commit their lives to each other.

From start to finish the wedding day felt effortless, like it was meant to be all along. Kaleigh and her ladies laughed their way through the morning, punctuated by more serious moments as she took it all in - the moments before she officially became his wife. Eric swore until the day before their wedding that he wouldn't cry, but when he finally saw his bride walking down the aisle he couldn't hold back the tears. From goofy inside jokes to wrinkle-your-nose kind of laughter, the moments Eric and Kaleigh spent together were truly the most memorable part...

Cedar Room Charleston Wedding | Charleston Wedding Photographer | Heath + Kate

Cedar Room Charleston Wedding | Charleston Wedding Photographer | Heath + Kate

The word that most comes to mind when I see Heath and Kate together is joyful. I remembered from their engagement session that they couldn't stop laughing together, and their wedding day only heightened their happiness. Full of energy and excitement at what was to come, the two were all nerves before their first look because they just couldn't WAIT to see each other! The reaction was beautiful, and each interaction from then on was a reminder of the love they have built through their relationship and the beautiful marriage that is sure to follow.

As far as location, Heath and Kate could NOT have picked a more gorgeous place than his home, quaint Charleston, to get married. From a first look near the Charleston Battery right by the water to a gorgeous navy and gold reception at The Cedar Room in the heart of downtown, every detail screamed elegant, Southern charm. Wine colored anemones and lush cascading greenery made me fall in love with Kate's bouquet, and classy tuxes paired perfectly with the towering trees in the background of all their pictures...

Kiln Creek Golf Club Wedding | Newport News Wedding Photographer | Rob + Lauren

Kiln Creek Golf Club Wedding | Newport News Wedding Photographer | Rob + Lauren

Rob and Lauren's wedding day was years in the making, with a relationship that begin as 'just friends' and slowly continued to grow until the day he finally asked her to be his future bride. She said yes and they began to plan a winter wedding (I was a January bride, too!) followed by a warm Jamaican getaway.

What they didn't plan was an unfortunate accident a few weeks before their special day that left Lauren with a broken ankle and several changes in store. Shoes changed from Badgley Mischkas to sparkly Kate Spades. Bridesmaids spent hours bedazzling the boot she would wear for the reception. Thankfully, though, two things would stay the same: Lauren would be able to walk down the aisle, and at the end Rob would be waiting for her. With those details firmly in place, she met the day with a smile and didn't let her circumstances take away from the most special day of her life...