Guys! It’s officially one week from when I get to do this whole wedding thing that I’ve documented for 8 years! Wow! It’s hard to wrap my brain around!
I just had to post a wedding blog today, and what better wedding to share with you all than that of Samantha & James…actually they go by Sammy & Jamie and this should be your first hint of how awesome these two are! Their entire wedding was bursting with incredible moments! I seriously had the most difficult time choosing my favorites to share.
They both got ready & were married in Fairmont United Methodist Church where Jamie’s family have been long time members. Churches don’t always offer the nicest getting ready spots for brides & grooms so it makes me have to think outside the box. Luckily this church had a fantastic ( I have a strange definition of fantastic) basement meeting area with beautiful light streaming in through the windows. We shuffled some things around and it make for the perfect getting ready spot for Sammy.
I’m so glad these two chose to do a first look because it was so unexpected for all of us. Both Sammy & Jamie are super goofy and they didn’t think they would cry. However, when Jamie turned around to see his Love he couldn’t stop himself. It was one of the most beautiful first looks I’ve yet to photograph despite what Jamie may think…;)
Then you gotta love the “surprise” first kiss at the ceremony. Even though Jamie told Sammy that he would dip her, she apparently never fully believed him, so when he did she was completely shocked! They walked down the isle laughing and it was so perfect!
AAAND during their NC State University Club reception Jamie surprised Sammy with this hilarious lip sync video of all the places he had been that year. It was brilliant, hilarious, and so thoughtful. Still one of my favorite things I’ve witnessed at a wedding to date!
The day continued with moments like all of these, some incredibly sweet and beautiful, others where you just wanted to laugh and laugh until tears leaked out. It was such a perfect reflection of Sammy & Jamie’s personalities and I had so much fun documenting it all! Thank you to both Sammy & Jamie for choosing me for this fantastic day! I love you both!
XOXOXO,
Mabyn
– Tell me a bit about the planning process for your wedding:
Jamie’s mom and I did all of the planning and decorations. It was a lot of work and research but completely worth it. Jamie really liked the University Club because it was where we met (nc state) and he liked the style inside. We chose neutral colors because we wanted a vintage, antique feel.
– What was the most memorable moment(s) of your day?
The most memorable moment of the day for me was seeing Jamie at the Rose garden (first look). That was the first (and only) time I’ve seen him cry. Other memorable moments were the sand ceremony (it was funny because I dumped my whole jar of sand into the container and Jamie didn’t pour any of his -I guess that will be a metaphor for our marriage lol ;)) and the video that Jamie made for me completely took my breath away. The video was a complete surprise and it showed me that even when he is on the other side of the world he’s thinking about me!
– Funniest memory from your wedding day?
The funniest memory from the wedding day (and it still makes me laugh) is your and Amy’s face after getting the note at the church about the boundaries and telling me and me asking who gave the note to you. I almost had a heart attack but lucky for us we had you guys and you handled it!
– If you had to do it all over again would you change anything?
If I had to do it all over again I probably would have liked to eat a piece of our cake ;). We were so busy dancing (Eric was absolutely amazing) that we barely ate anything! And I would want to do it all over again because we had so much fun!
– Any advice for future bride & grooms?
If I could give any advice to future couples it would be to remember why you are planning a wedding. Remember that the memory of the small details will fade but the person that you are sharing the day with is the most important. And to always have fun! It will all come together in the end and will be the best day of your life!
– What was your biggest fear before hiring me? Did it come true, and if not, what happened instead?
I didn’t have any fear hiring you! After we met with you I knew that you would were the best photographer for us! We love your creativity and personality. We hope that you will work with us in the future for our other life changing events!
– What, specifically, was your favorite part of working with Mabyn Ludke Photography and why?
Our favorite part about working with you was that you always like to have fun! You see the good in every situation and you’re optimistic about everything. Also, your creativity and energy brought out the best and fun sides of us and you can see that in all our pictures!
– If you were to recommend Mabyn Ludke Photography to your best friend, what would you say?
If I were to recommend you to a friend I would say that they should hire you to do both engagement pictures and wedding photography! We wish we had found you sooner so we could share more of our moments with you!
Hair: Ulta // Makeup artist: Deanna Altobelli // Dress designer and store location: Catherine Deane, Washington DC // Jewelry: Lightyears and Jared (rings) // Accessories: flower crown Mews Designs // Shoes: Nina // Bridesmaids dresses: Annabelle dress by Jenny Yoo // Grooms attire: Men’s Wearhouse // Ceremony venue: Fairmont United Methodist Church // Reception venue: NC State University Club
Addition photo venues: Raleigh Rose Garden and NC State University // Florist: Mews Designs // Dj: Eric Mills (stylus LLC) // Caterer: NC State University Club // Cake: Sweet Memories Bakery // Invitations and stationary: wedding paper divas
