KPO Photo at the Carolina Inn Bridal Fair

This past Sunday I spent the day at the Carolina Inn catching up with some of my favorite wedding professionals and meeting with a lot of folks with wedding fever. The Carolina Inn Bridal Fair is the only show we do each year because it is truly a site to behold. The already stunning hotel is decorated to the hilt and top wedding professionals in the area bring their best work to inspire people who are planning a wedding for 2010 or 2011. Here are some of my favorite images from the show.

On the left is the Old Well Ballroom and on the right is a stunning table designed by La Fete Weddings.

After the forced postponement due to the snow storm, it was great to see the show so busy! This was the view from the Chancellor’s Ballroom.

On the left are flowers from Tre Bella and on the right is a table by An Elegant Affair. I saw a lot of kelly green, black and white and fun lighting. So different from the brown and blue craze of the past few years!

On the left is a floral design that mimics a wedding cake by Purple Puddle. On the right is a tea table designed by Floral Dimensions.

And, finally the KPO Photo table at the show. See you again next year! Thanks to Bea Miller of Floral Dimensions for the flowers. And a HUGE thanks to Julie McCay and Ashleigh Collins and their team at The Carolina Inn who do an incredible job year after year!

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The Devil is in the Details

Lauren Murphy and Eric Dixon had each been at Duke for more than 3 years before they were introduced. Perhaps Eric had stood behind her in line at Chick-fil-A, maybe Lauren had sat across from him on the East-West bus, but who can know if such coincidental encounters ever occurred? It seems the fates were taking their time to draw the two together.

But on a chilly Halloween night in 2003 Eric and Lauren found each other. Lauren, dressed as a stunning Genie, and Eric, in a less-than-fearsome child-sized Gladiator costume, were both invited to the same Halloween gathering. In their remaining semester at Duke, Lauren and Eric were inseparable. They enjoyed every minute of each other’s company, and they did all they could to make up for both the years it had taken them to meet and the short time they had remaining. Shortly after they graduated, they reluctantly parted ways.

Lauren returned to Washington DC to begin her career at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and later made the move to New York City to work with the Whitney Museum of American Art. Eric returned to California to ski and toy with the idea of writing, and later spent time in Europe working with the Center for International Environmental Law. While geographical distance kept them apart, they never stayed out of touch for long, and each always remained in the other’s thoughts.

After Eric was admitted to UCLA School of Law, the two decided that 3000 miles wasn’t enough to keep them apart. Through the constant connection of cell phones, and flexible sharing of travel duties, Lauren and Eric nurtured the bi-costal romance that still thrives today.

On October 10, 2009 they made their union official. They were married at 6 p.m. at The Duke Chapel followed by a beautiful reception at The Carolina Inn. I think their story is told best in the SLIDESHOW below. We have also posted a larger selection of their wedding photos in their GALLERY. It is from this gallery that you can purchase prints and other products.

Here is what Lauren had to say about her photos, “Everyone LOVES the slideshow and just thinks the images are stunning. There are SO many to choose from but I think my favorite is the kiss on Chapel Drive. It turned out perfectly!!”

Wedding Vendors:
Floral Design: Fresh Affairs
Reception Venue: The Carolina Inn
Reception Musicians: Deanna Jones Orchestra
Cake Design: Sweet Memories
Videographer: Reel Life

Listen to the Music

This blog post is about the May 30th, 2009 wedding of Laura Lengowski to David Olson. I ask my clients to fill out a planning form so that we can record their wedding story as fully informed storytellers. The form covers everything from the schedule to the wedding party to my favorite section called, “Details About You.” Laura said of her relationship with David, “David and I share a love of music, art and food. Our Midwest upbringings are also something that makes us similar. We value honest and genuine interactions with people….I really feel I am marrying my best friend, one who helps me to be my best and I do the same for him. We are a great match.” Congratulations to Laura and David!
See their GALLERY to view images and purchase prints.
See a SLIDESHOW of the best images set to music.

Laura is a professional musician. After she got her dress on she was very interested in listening to the string quartet in the sanctuary. I love the look on her face as she truly enjoys the moment and the music.


Sometimes the best “portraits” of a couple take place when they aren’t looking.

Laura and David spent a lot of time preparing for their first dance. They absolutely wowed the crowd as they danced to the song Exactly Like You. Thieir dance instructor’s name is Richard Badu. According to Laura, “He’s just downright fabulous and I’d love for other people to know about him too.”


List of Vendors:
Ceremony Venue: St. Thomas More Church
Flowers: Tre Bella
Reception Music: Travis Sullivan and Jazz Quartet
Cake: Sugarland
Reception Venue: The Carolina Inn
Dress: Victorian Rose Bridal
Wedding Planner: Kate Foster Productions

After Laura and David saw the photos Laura was kind enough to write. She said:

Hi Kristin,

The pictures are just fabulous! Thank you so much! I showed them to my dad and he joked, in his wry way, that we could find 2 or 3 good ones and then laughed heartily. He said it will be hard to find a “best of” in this collection. Very pleased.

David saw some of them, and will see more when he wakes up from mono. Poor thing. He smiled upon seeing them.

I had this feeling that night that things were moving along so fast, and a small pin prick of anxiety that I didn’t have enough time for all those conversation, hugs, and pictures with people that I may want, but anesthetized myself with the fact that I must remain in the moment and let things unfold as they would. Going through these pictures not only gives me a longterm memory of things I was present for, but reaches far beyond to groups of people I didn’t really see or talk to, seeing their smiling faces as they met, talked, and danced. Thank you for this gift to me.

Gerard Hall’s Last Wedding

On May 2nd, 2009 Becky Smock married Patrick Woodruff. A love of competitive swimming and the groom’s wise sister brought them together at UNC-Chapel Hill 6 years ago. And this weekend it became official. They were wed in Gerard Hall in the heart of the Carolina campus. Apparently this was the last wedding ceremony to held at this beautiful, old, recently renovated building. They held their reception at the Carolina Inn. Thanks so much for a wonderful night! The gallery of their best wedding day images, as well as a fun slideshow is located HERE.

The amazing cake was by The Art of Cake and the dress was a Vera Wang from Alexia’s.

A note from Becky’s mom, Ellen:
Kristin

Just wanted to tell you how much i enjoyed and appreciated your work at Becky’s wedding. You and Sarah were delightful — so organized yet relaxed and fun. I truly forgot you were there taking pictures during the ceremony and reception. And Len and I really had fun with you taking those sneak peaks at the newly married couple as they walked from Gerrard Hall to the Carolina Inn.

I got your note with the “first picture” and have not stopped looking at it. I cannot wait to see the rest and try to relive what was a happy, fun and special wedding.

Thanks again to you and Sarah!

Ellen Gilinsky Smock

A note from Becky, the beautiful bride:

Kristin,
I love the pictures!!! You guys did such a great job of capturing every moment and looking through them really made me feel like I was relieving the whole evening! Thank you so much for all of your work and making us such a lasting memory of the perfect evening!

List of wedding vendors:
Paper goods: Daisy Notes and Paper
Wedding dress: Alexia’s
Venue: The Carolina Inn
Flowers: Ninth Street Flowers
Cake: The Art of Cake
Minister: Kayelily Middleton
Wedding Planer: Stocum Consulting
DJ: Joe Bunn DJ Company

Party like it’s 2009!

The January 2nd, 2009 wedding of Kristin Becker and Chris Racine was an incredible way to start the new year. The Carolina Inn was still decorated for the holidays and the wedding party formals and details really tied it all together. The couple were married in the Chancellor’s Ballroom and had their reception in the Old Well Room. The flowers were by Twigs and Sprigs and the reception music was by DJ Joe Bunn. The wedding planner was Sally from An Elegant Affair. Everyone danced as if their lives depended on it until midnight. What fun!