S. Carter Studios

Being around Sam is like being around family. She has this great way of making everyone around her feel comfortable. I think she gets it from her family who treated me the same as I met many of them who I’d heard about so many years before. God brought her a match who cares about family just as much as she does. Jonathan adores her and everyone knows it. Their wedding was a simple affair to celebrate their commitment and their friends and family. They pulled it off perfectly!

I love her expression in this picture. He was so nervous and she was cool as a cucumber…until he started to cry and then it was over for her too.

I have to stop for a minute and brag on my husband Josh for taking the next four pictures. He’s really talented, don’t you think?

He does such a great job with the guys!

Now, about this reception. It took place on a river bank in the backyard of a little log cabin looking structure. It was a beautiful venue and allowed for great photos!

Hellllloo contrast! My pose with Josh’s shot Winning combination!

I love this photo below which made the one after possible. A quick flick

to the dress and then the spinning could commence.

At their engagement session, Sam described the reception to me as a family reunion style get together. They really nailed it! Nobody was in a rush to leave this reception! There was something for everyone including trips out on the river in canoes the bride and groom provided!

The bridesmaids and other guests changed into custom t-shirts printed for the event!

Nope, your eyes do not deceive you. That’s the bride teaching people how to pick crabs, while in her wedding dress!

This is a series of photos taken as the DJ shared their love story with the guests. They filled out questionnaires before the event and he wove them together. It was great to hear about their engagement which included a scavenger hunt around the city they met in.

Almost nothing sweeter than a dad singing to his daughter during their dance.

Several games of spades broke out with the decks of cards Jonathan and Sam had made as favors for their guests.

Just a few awesome detail shots on the way out!

You pulled it off guys! What a fantastic, relaxing wedding to be a part of! Thank you!

Amy and Adriel aren’t from South Carolina but Amy’s family has been going to Myrtle Beach every summer for as long as most of them can remember. She’s the youngest of four with three older brothers and wanted a wedding that was uniquely hers. As her nieces told me, “This is a very Aunt Amy wedding.” And boy does she have a few nieces, God has blessed their family with 6 wonderful little girls and one little boy! The wedding was a family affair and it was a great adventure to be a part of.

Amy and Adriel had a rich history of friendship, having known each other since they were in high school youth group and all parents and friends involved were glad when they began “dating” and got engaged just a few months later. I loved the trip to Myrtle Beach and many thanks to Amy who took such great care of me, even providing me with an escort for the weekend! I know you’re probably thinking, South Carolina in August? We prayed for a breeze the night after we sweated through the rehearsal and God responded with a gusty breeze courtesy of Hurricane Bill which amazingly didn’t result in rain. Don’t get me wrong, it was HOT but the outside ceremony went off without a hitch at the beautiful Cooper House. Enjoy some photos from their wedding!

I love this picture of Amy, especially since she was so nervous before seeing her groom. As soon as she saw him, the anxiety began to melt away. His hugs and kisses were enough to calm her nerves and the rest of the day went by with an easy, happy smile on her face.

Just had to sneak in this picture of Adriel’s mom pinning his boutonniere. She has a smile that lights up the room!

I was thrilled when Amy and Adriel opted for a First Look. It allowed for such a great vantage point at the top of the steps.

I think this could be my favorite shot from the day. It’s just so South Carolina.

Amy made sure to let me know that there would be children involved in the bridal party and I couldn’t have been happier with how wonderful they were! They didn’t know me but did a fantastic job of listening and staying still, looking at the camera. I would happily photograph them any day!

So many cute kids it was hard to resist!

I like the fuziness of this shot for some reason. It just makes the tree seem old and wise as it looks down on the ceremony. Or maybe, I’m just feeling a little “artsy.”

A few detail shots before we wrap things up!

Their reception was at the same location in an old building that used to be a general store. Very unique and it matched the wedding perfectly!

I was referred to Amy by Jen of Matt and Jen and can’t wait to travel to Connecticut with Josh for their wedding in less than 50 days! The newlyweds passed on the garter and bouquet to them instead of a traditional toss.

They signed the marriage certificates and were off to St. Lucia! Hope you have a great time. See you in October!

You know that feeling when you’re strolling around the boardwalk of a beach and you see an older couple ahead of you holding hands? It’s the feeling in the air of a deep, gentle love that is less about how fun and fantastic things can be and more about the joy of sharing your life with someone else. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to take pictures at a wedding where it was that kind of love the bride and groom shared. I know what you’re thinking, wait, how is that possible when the bride and groom are in their twenties? I thought that too but it’s undeniable. The way he held her hand. The way she glanced at him. Their serious, contemplative faces as they said their vows and the relief in their shoulders after they had been pronounced husband and wife. God has given them a sweet, weathered kind of love that most couples take decades to develop. Congratulations Dan and Michelle!

i know what you’re probably thinking. The shot below is a very traditional shot. It doesn’t seem very S. Carter Studios but it is perfectly Dan and Michelle. Simple, beautiful and timeless.

Dan was so nervous as the ceremony grew near. I hope you can catch a glimpse of his intensity in this photo, it wasn’t marrying Michelle that made him nervous but the anticipation was hard to bear!

I love seeing my couples incorporate their engagement photos into their wedding!

The ceremony and reception took place at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, MD. It was a breathtaking location. I think I could have shot there all day!

I love summer weddings and how they somehow usually involve water!

A glimpse of Michelle looking over her shoulder at her husband of just a few hours!

They danced their first dance to a song that Dan wrote for them! It was absolutely lovely.

A note about their cake: it was made by bridesmaid Carrie and groomsman Ben. It was absolutely beautiful and very unique!

I have to share this picture of my little protégé. I’m not talking about Jenny (our intern who you’ll hear more about soon) but Dan’s nephew who followed me around for half an hour with his disposable camera taking pictures when I took pictures. It was very flattering!

If Josh thought our wedding had paparazzi, he should have seen theirs!

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your wedding!

Ardi and Tiffany’s was a first for us in many ways. It was the first wedding Josh and I had done as husband and wife. The first wedding with Josh as an official second shooter. The first wedding in Virginia Beach. The first wedding where the groom twittered at the reception. It was also the first wedding with such international exposure! Ardi’s family is from Albania and many of his family members weren’t able to attend so they streamed the wedding live to Ablania [and a few other countries] where the celebration was no doubt just as jubilant as it was at the actual location! We hadn’t had the chance to meet with Ardi or Tiffany before the wedding but they have a way of welcoming people that eased us right in to their wedding! After being engaged since December 2007 [please note that he asked her to marry him on the top of a castle wall in Albania] these two were ready to be Mr and Mrs. There were so many amazing things about this day, I can’t even begin to tell you all of them. Enjoy a pictoral play by play!

Tiffany was so calm, probably in part due to the fact that she had two huge windows looking out to the Ocean while she was getting ready.

I mean really, how CUTE is she!

I loved saying hello again to the bold, bright beautiful colors of summer!

I’ve been waiting a while for the chance at this shot. I think it turned out pretty nicely. Her dress was beautifully ornate!

Their wedding was bursting at the seams with beautiful details. I knew as soon as I saw these that everyone would be calling their wedding “The Starfish Wedding.” They popped so well on the guys shirts!

We waited upstairs while the boys took their pictures. I couldn’t be more proud of Josh for grabbing this shot! Probably my all time favorite groomsmen photo!!

Another beautiful detail was the inclusion of sticks like this one which were used to line the aisle on the beach! They doubled as the bells guests rang at the reception when they wanted the bride and groom to kiss AND as the ribbons being waved when they made their big exit!

There ceremony was perfect…

They said traditional vows and even wrote a few of their own

Probably the biggest jump shot ever attempted, not half bad!

Cue beautiful blue tones and dramatic shadows at just the right time…

They have a photo of them kissing in the Mediterranean Sea from the same trip they were on when he proposed and now one from their wedding in the Atlantic ocean.

A few more quiet moments and then…THE RECEPTION.

Let’s just preface this by saying a few things.

Ardi has incredible stamina. I have never seen a groom dance so much and so fervently!

Albanians KNOW how to celebrate.

When you add a couple hundred friends and family members to excited newlyweds, wine and food, you’ve got one of the most fun receptions a pair photographers could as for!

In Albania they have this tradition where they circle the bride and groom and dance while showering them with cash. SERIOUSLY!

Instead of a cake, they had a tower with probably 8 types of the teeny tiniest little cupcakes you’ve ever seen. I think I tasted almost all of them. They were delicious!

The party lasted until 11:30. Josh and I were spent and happy. Thanks so much for inviting us to be a part of your wedding! One last delicious photo as you guys spend the next week preparing for your beach honeymoon!

On the second wedding weekend of the summer, I traveled through the haze and into Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to the wedding of Dayton and Rebekah. I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful location and family to share the experience with. Dayton and Rebekah were a pleasure to work with and I sincerely enjoyed the time spent with the Holland and Marshall families!