S. Carter Studios

We’ve been super busy, as you may have seen on our Facebook fan page, but not too busy to take a little bit of time and share another Hand Picked project with you! I got this idea from a project on my friend Jamie’s site Julia’s Poppies. I LOVE monograms. It’s a little taste I picked up during my time in the South. So, as I was looking to decorate for Spring I came up with this handy little project which I realized would be great for the right wedding too!

Supplies: Monogram letter ($2.50 at ACMoore), ribbon ($1.50 at ACMoore), hot glue gun, one glue stick, recycle fabric (old shirt ruined by a rogue post-it note in this case).

Step 1: Draw two different sized circles on the fabric, these are about an 1.25 in & .75 in. Cut out.

Step 2: Place smaller circles inside larger circles.

Step 3: Pinch together, add glue to desired location on monogram.

Step 4: Place the “point” of the flower into glue, then twist the flower in the glue to desired shape.

Step 5: Cut ribbon to desired length, apply to back of monogram with hot glue.

Step 6: Install! This one lives on our front door and it makes me smile each time I walk in!

One of the questions I got most when I was engaged was, “So, who is taking YOUR pictures?” The simple answer was Kristen! Over the process of my engagement & wedding planning Kristen became a friend as well as a trust photographer. Seriously, she rocked our socks off with a soaking wet engagement session. So fast forward two years and her boyfriend John popped the question (on a beach in St. Croix while singing a song he’d written for her, his future wife!) I was more than thrilled to snap a few photos of her and her husband-to-be and now I’m happy to share them with you!

(this one is Josh’s)

Oh, love. How wonderful. I’ll finish it off with a brief story: after the session we attended their couples shower thrown by Kristen’s aunt. It was really sweet. They played a game where they were both answering the same question. The final question was: In one word, describe your sweetheart. His answer: Mine.

I know it’s been a while since I posted but it’s certainly not because we haven’t been busy. If you like to stay on top of our new content then I would encourage you to become a Facebook Fan, you’ll get a chance to see the latest content first! There are about 8 sessions/weddings on there that have yet to debut here. I know it’s sad but we’re working on it! So, anyway! Let me introduce you to Devin & Katelyn. They are some of the best clients a photographer can dream of. Not only did they really come ready for anything but they trusted me completely and even agreed to a sunrise session! I hadn’t really thought they’d take me up on it when I offered but I am so glad they did. We had a great time wondering around taking beautiful pictures before most people even brush their teeth. We finished our photo date off with breakfast at Market at Main.

Between lots of laughing & comments about hairspray we talked about our families, challenges of married life and what we hoped God would do with our lives. It was like being with old friends! So, please feast your eyes on S. Carter Studios first ever sunrise engagement session! Seriously, leave them some love for being this good looking at 6:30 am.

If you found yourself driving over the overpass into Lynchburg and wondering who those crazy people on the side of the road were taking pictures, well, proudly I’ll answer, it was US. I think they’d agree it was totally worth it.

After a quick outfit change (which was clever to pull off at 7:30 am in Lynchburg) we were back in action at a more relaxed location.

one of my VERY favorites!

Bling, Bling.

We went down by the water and I asked them to just go and have fun, this is what I got in return lol

Take a look at the slideshow for more photos from this awesome session!

Devin & Katelyn – Engagement Session from sabrena deal on Vimeo.

It was such a pleasure to spend time with you guys. Thanks for letting me celebrate with you!

It’s a little ironic that Emily, Sharon and I were dodging raindrops on the day that we took these bridal portraits and that there were plenty of rain drops to be found on her wedding day as well. She was such a lovely bride & I think it could be argued had one of the most beautiful and unique weddings between crazy flash flooding, steady drizzle and one of the most gorgeous sunsets Virginia has to offer. Well, enough about her wedding, here some of her lovely bridal portraits that we kept unwraps until now!

She looks just like a princess waiting for a prince…

just to tease you a little, here’s a preview from her wedding! Unless you’re a Facebook Fan, in which case you would have seen this photo before they’d even left for their honeymoon!

I’ve known Brenton for a while, we marathoned it in his little truck on the way back from Nate and Bekah’s wedding! That was a long but fun trip, plus it ended with fireworks, literally, so how can you beat that. After that I’d see him around, always with this bubbly young lady who I anticipated, after a while, would end up being Mrs. Brenton some time in the future. They got engaged earlier this year and when we started scheduling our engagement mini sessions I was hoping it would work out for us to celebrate their engagement together! Everyone should have engagement photos, or at least that’s my opinion. It was a pleasure to hang out with them on just one of a few weekends before they tie the knot! As it turns out my wonderful intern (though sadly not after tomorrow) Jenny is taking their wedding photos so you can keep your eye on her site for some pictures after they say I do!

He makes her laugh, I believe this was the story about discussing a mammal of the donkey family in 4th grade. I had to laugh at that one too.

Just 5 days until they tie the knot! Best of luck to you both!

Angi grew up in Poplar Bluff, Missouri with her mom, step-dad, three brothers, a sister, and a dog.  Solomon grew up in Nonthaburi, Thailand with his parents, two brothers and a sister. How in the world would these two end up meeting, becoming friends, dating, falling in love and finally preparing to be married? Well, Liberty University played a key roll as did soccer, ministry, thai food, thai language & Global English school. She helped him through heart break and he helped her through a broken toe. The rest is three and a half years of history! Angi and I became true and wonderful friends while she spent the year in Thailand. She was there the day I got engaged and I was so thankful to be there when Solomon popped the question to her! I love how he makes her laugh, how he takes such great care of her & really anyone else who happens to be around him. I love how she makes him feel special, loved and important and how she cooks thanksgiving dinner for him, even in April. They are a pretty good pair if I do say so myself, so Josh and I couldn’t help but go all out on their engagement photos! This is a long one so buckle up, but enjoy photos from their 3 part engagement session!

Part 1: Cute & casual

Part 2: Ode to soccer roots

Part 3: Cuddly & Cozy Picnic…inspired by one of their favorite and frequent dates

a plate full of this month’s DIY, button flowers!

We waited a long time for this bling!

Can’t you just imagine how great looking their kids are going to be? Seriously.

That’s all for now but it’s surely not the last you’ll see of these two as we prepare for their end of July wedding!

I did this one a while ago but hadn’t had much time to post about it! This was part of the decorations for Angi’s bridal shower (a post to come on that soon).

Ingredients:

Fabric – A sheet found at Goodwill for $2.00

Permanent Double Sided Tape – Kroger – $3.75 , Scissors, Pencil

Tin Cans – Collected from dinner preperations over the span of a few weeks

Total: $5.75 (for up to 20 cans) Time: About 10 minutes per can, faster as you get used to it

Step 1: Select which part of the fabric you’d like to show on the can and mark off the width of the can on the opposite side of the sheet, in pencil. [Tip: I started with the side of the sheet which already had a hem to save time later]. When measuring make two lines, one is the edge of the can and then create a line about 3/4″ further than that line where you’ll cut the fabric. Roll the can up to determine where the end of the material should be to cover it and add 3/4″ on both sides of that measurement as well.

Step 2: Cut the pattern out & place can on top. Mark the bottom and top edges of the can on the border where you’ll create a fold.

Step 3: Place double sided top along the inside edge of your new line. I used 1″ strips separated by about 1/2″. Then fold the extra material over the top of the tape.

Step 4: Repeat as needed on all sides. so that fabric will not fray around the edges.

Step 5: Use double sided tape to apply one edge directly to the can.

Step 6: Use double sided tape to apply the other end which competes the can.

I created nine of these to use at Angi’s bridal shower. We put water in them and lit floating candles on top. Since then I’ve put them around my house with little daisies for spring decorations. We plan to use them as wedding decorations as well!

Really, it’s hard to imagine many better ways to enjoy a Saturday morning than skipping around a beautiful park with three lovely little girls! Oh, and their fun and cute parents too! That’s what I did this Saturday with the Wilsons! Enjoy a few photos from their family session!

Meet: Joanna, the oldest.

Naomi, the second oldest

and Gracie, the youngest.

‘

I love sisters. My sister and I are pretty close and these girls seem to be too!

We had a great time, and even let mom and dad in on some of the photos too.

Thank you Wilson family for letting us be a part of your lives!

In January, I made a list of things I wanted to do this year. One of those things was to be a second shooter at a wedding. Oddly enough, other than one wedding a couple years ago where I was a 3rd shooter, I’d never watched someone lead a wedding! Thanks to Kristen for providing a great opportunity for me to do so! As it turned out it was the 50th wedding that I have been a part of capturing! This wedding was an Orthodox Jewish wedding and I LOVED the rich history and traditions that were incorporated. I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of something so joyful! I hope you enjoy some of the photos and experience!

I loved that my job was to get details, like this monogram on the grooms shirt!

After the marriage contract was read he raised a white handkerchief  in the air to signify that he accepted the terms.

Then he was carried, like a sweet super hero, to see his bride for the first time in 3 days.

She whispered prayers to him.

She carried a book of prayers that was also carried by her Grandmother and All 3 of her great aunts. She got teary eyed as she explained to me that they all had long and happy marriages and she hoped that she and Gerald would too.

I also remembered, after months and months without warm weather, that I really love outdoor weddings!

The wine used for the blessings.

After the ceremony the bride and groom are whisked into a room where they spend 10 minutes of uninterrupted alone time together. Gerald gave her a beautiful sapphire engagement ring to compliment the simple band he gave her during the ceremony.

I can’t help but think he looks just like Michael Scott in this picture. Anyone?

She had the best facial expressions all day long!

and boy oh boy was there celebration and dancing!

Instead of traditional cake they had an ice cream cake and a sundae bar!

With the same cake topper that grandma used.

Lots of hugs and just like that. They were off!

Happy Monday everyone! We’re excited to share our first Wedding Photo Booth slide show! Enjoy some crazy fun pictures from James and Johnna’s photo booth!

S. Carter Studios Platnium Photo Booth: James & Johnna’s Wedding from sabrena deal on Vimeo.

To view more photos from this booth or to make a purchase click here! If you purchase in the next three days you can use the code: TheHumphreys to get a discount!

« Older Entries