The last wedding of 2009. It’s been a great year and my wife and I have had the opportunity to work with such amazing couples. What better way to end the year than featuring one of the hottest couples we have photographed. Sarah and Ahmd are both friends of ours and we were delighted when they came to us for their wedding. I don’t think I have ever come across a couple this excited to be in love – they were both gleaming in “their moment” and the smiles lasted all day.

Azab and Sarah decided to have a “first look” and see each other before the wedding ceremony. This was one of my favorite parts of the day as a photographer due to the moment being so naturally amazing. Another awesome thing about the day was the weather. The light outside was absolutely gorgeous and we decided to take advantage of it for as long as we could.

A gorgeous day, a beautiful couple, and an amazing wedding are just some of the things I was busy with this past weekend. Leanne and Mike got married at Atlantic Beach, NC this Saturday – bringing two wonderful families together as one. Mike’s father is a pastor and was the officiant at the wedding – proudly welcoming his new daughter-in-law with nothing but the highest degree of affection. The reception was held at the tented backyard of the Beaufort Grocery Restaurant – an awesome gourmet restaurant near the beach – and the bridals were taken at various locations in Wilmington, NC about a month ago on another gorgeous day.

Most of this wedding was shot by ambient light. Being outdoors and at the beach, I wanted to give a very organic feeling to the whole series and thought that by utilizing only available light, the images feel more natural. The light during the midday ceremony was brutal, so rather than fighting against it, I decided to use all the brightness to my benefit.

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to shoot at one of my favorites venues – Bay 7 at the American Tobacco Campus. I love the feel of the place – urban, classy, and extraordinary. That night, the venue seemed like it was made for Lucia and Josh’s wedding. These two absolutely love each other, love their family and friends, and love having fun. They knew exactly what they wanted at their wedding – a nice time for everyone.

Both Lucia and Josh are very confident individuals, but one thing that really makes them stand out as a couple is how comfortable they are with themselves. They truly are one of the most easy going bride and groom I’ve met this season and their relaxed demeanors helped everything flow so naturally. They had opted to see each other before the ceremony, which was a genius idea as it allowed us to take care of all formal and group shots beforehand – leaving lots of time to chill and have fun after the ceremony.

Here are some of my favorite highlights: