Many thanks to the volunteers who made this event possible.  If you were part of this experience and see yourself in any of pictures, I would be happy to send you a copy.  Just contact me at eleroy@ec.rr.com.  Prints are also available for the Fort Macon buffs out there.  Just let me know you’re interested.

You can click on the slide show below, or you can watch the high-resolution, full-screen version at http://video214.com/play/KtuzkolFB2huHAbgs61oeQ/s/dark.

The print, titled “Silk Cascade,” featured the back of her amazing gown, which she discovered at Tre Bella Bridal in Durham, NC.  The designer was Manuel Mota.  I must admit, it is one of the most spectacular wedding gowns I have ever photographed.

Before traveling to the coast of NC for her session, Lydia was adamant about having her hair done by Brian Nunes of Blo Salon in Raleigh, NC.  Her efforts paid off with an amazing, tussled up-do which added to the Victorian feel of the image.  Playing on the dress and hairstyle,  I felt that the best artistic treatment for the image would be an aged, vintage look with muted colors.

Thank you, Lydia, for being such an elegant and graceful model.  The session was so fun as she and I played and experimented with some dramatic fashion looks.  It was not a typical bridal portrait session, but Lydia is not the typical bride, and that style fit her perfectly!

This final image is the perfect end for this story. Thomas’s mom had to refill the bath several times before the water finally was clean!

Whether you hire a professional or do this yourself, I think this is a must-do celebration for your one-year-old.

For the full story of their wonderful wedding, be sure to watch this slide show full screen. I especially love the chalk board messages at the end.

Here are some of my favorite images from the wedding:

Sadly, David had to deploy to Afghanistan just days after the wedding. Please keep all of our amazing military families in your prayers. They really sacrifice a lot for our freedoms.

Click here to view the embedded video.

1.  She asked the guests to wear pink or red to the party.  Even though that doesn’t seem like a big idea, it got everyone excited about what they would wear, and it was fun to see the colors everywhere during the party.  I thought that added a lot of ambiance, and it didn’t cost the hostess anything.

2.  Besides an amazing spread of food, she served champagne with a splash of cranberry juice for color.  She added heart-shaped ice cubes that had a raspberry frozen in the middle.  She also painted hearts on the glasses and that was our take away gift from the party.  I still use it and think of her!  NOTE:  This would be an awesome cocktail at an engagement party as well.

3.  All guests were asked to bring a pair of earrings wrapped as a present.  Once we finished snacking and talking, we drew numbers, and starting with #1, each person got to choose a mystery present from the pile.  The next number could get a new mystery present, or she could “steal” a pair of earrings that had already been opened.  In that case, the person stolen from could steal from someone else or pick a new mystery present.  Once a pair of earrings was stolen the third time, it was no longer eligible.  This created a great source of entertainment for us all, and we got to take away a great pair of earrings.  I still remember the party every time I wear them.  NOTE: This became an annual event, and each year the mystery item changed.  One year, we brought scarves, and you should have seen how creative some people were.

I put together this collage of some of the Valentine Party ideas I have mentioned:

This cheesecake was fantastic and was made by a baker in the Emerald Isle/Swansboro area.  She makes all types of gourmet cheesecakes.  Comment below or email me (eleroy@ec.rr.com) if you would like her contact information.

Next, we went to the Oceanana Pier in Atlantic Beach to get a little bit of the beachy look of the Crystal Coast. Oliver, their dog, especially enjoyed this part of the session and tried his hardest to go swimming. I love the pictures where he is tugging Lindsay, and Dan has to link hands with her to keep her from getting pulled into the waves.

Finally, we went to Fort Macon, where we aimed to use the rustic brick of the fort to come up with an image they could use on their Christmas/Save the Date card. The red really pops in these images. The final Christmas card was very clever. On the front, it said, “Christmas bells are ringing,” and then on the inside it said, “and so are wedding bells.” They had attached a save-the-date magnet on the inside of the card.

Finally, at sunset we got real creative and did a cool silhouette and a nice off-camera flash shot that really brought out the beautiful clouds of the evening.

If you would like to see the full session, check out this fun video slide show that truly captures their relationship. I can’t wait for the wedding!

Please visit Ellen LeRoy Photography’s website to see more images in Ellen’s engagement portfolio.

Note to Fellow Photogs: If you have any questions about the lighting or techniques I used in these images, please make a comment, and I will be happy to answer it.

And here is the an excerpt from her card:

Note for Photographers:  To achieve the aged look of the picture on the card, I took the original image to black and white, added a brown sepia toning for warmth, and then brought back the color in certain areas.  I brought a lot of the red back in the clothing to coordinate with the card border.  I then added a texture from an old book page and used a vintage card template.

You can see more sample of bridal portraits by Ellen LeRoy Photography in this gallery.