Charlotte Wedding Photographer - The Schultzes

It's Finally Here! NEW BLOG!!!

2010-03-15T02:43:00.005-04:00

From here on out, all new posts can be found on our NEW BLOG!

http://www.lovetheschultzes.com/blog/

Jump on over to check it out. :)

Featured: Elizabeth Anne Designs

2010-03-10T14:43:00.002-05:00

Fun stuff! Check out Melissa and Diego's wedding featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs Blog HERE! :)

I'm back....many things to come...promise.

2010-03-08T15:05:00.003-05:00

Well hello there world. :)

I know, I know....it's been two solid weeks of no blogging....more details on that at a later point.

I have a lot of great things to share in the coming weeks - a wedding, an engagement session, an actual engagement, a couple bridal portraits, some life happenings, and....finally....our new blog! Yes, it's true....it's finally happening. Stay tuned.

For now, I leave you with a little preview from the engagement Geoff and I shot a couple of days ago.

Dom and Francois - Married - Baton Rouge Wedding

2010-02-18T11:45:00.006-05:00

The last week of December, we had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Dom and Francois in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We flew in on Monday evening, shot their engagement session on Tuesday morning, the rehearsal dinner on Tuesday night, the wedding on Wednesday, and flew back out on Thursday. And wouldn't you know.....we had beautiful weather the day before and after the wedding....but on Wednesday? It poured for most of the day. POURED.

LOVE this shot Geoff got.

What were they laughing at.....?

Right before the ceremony began, this little dog stopped by for a visit. I was actually pretty worried about the dog, as his owner didn't seem to be anywhere nearby. Luckily, Dom called me over from the limo and said, "Cheyenne, I know you are worried about the dog....I was too the other day when I first saw him.....but he's actually a local dog who has a home and just runs around." I was so relieved to know he had a home. Although, I'll never understand people who allow their dogs to run loose.

One of my favorite shots of all time. :)

We were SO glad the rain quit in time for us to shoot a few portraits outside. It actually, it started flurrying just the tiniest bit - the four of us were pretty excited.

Congratulations Dom and Francois - love you guys.

Winner announced!

2010-02-15T12:18:00.003-05:00

And the winner of last week's contest for a free set of The Love Tees is..........

Corley May!

Catalina and Juan - owners of The Love Tees - chose her answer to be most creative date night using 140 characters:

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"Grab his guitar, your ukelele. Write a love song. Hit the streets & play for change until you can afford dessert."

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Cute, right? :)

For those who didn't win, but would still like to purchase a set with FREE SHIPPING:

1) Go to http://www.thelovetees.com/
2) Click on the Valentine's tab on the top right
3) enter the password "lovetheschultzes"

Thanks for playing. :))))

Contest! Win The Love Tees!

2010-02-10T23:10:00.006-05:00

Remember Catalina and Juan? I believe it was last July that Geoff and I photographed them together. The night before their shoot they made the super cute shirts you see in their pics.

And now....you can get yourself a set too! Check out their site - The Love Tees.

Keep in mind - $2 of every sale will go toward the Haiti relief efforts.

Now here's the fun part. A contest!

Catalina and Juan will be giving away a set of The Love Tees away to one lucky winner. If you want to enter the contest, here's the scoop:

In honor of love, a-la-twitter, you have 140 characters MAX to come up with the best idea for a valentine's day date. Leave your answer in a comment (with your name) in this post between now and Friday at 12:00 noon. Catalina and Juan will pick the most clever and creative answer to determine the winner.

Now go!

2009 Year In Review

2010-02-09T19:44:00.017-05:00

Hi friends. So, I know this has taken me FOREVER long to write and post my 2009 Year In Review and that it almost is silly to do so because we are more than a month out from when the new year hit....but even so, it's important to me that I take the time for this so I can remember where we've been and what 2009 brought us.

Marriage: Year Two. For some reason, to me it seems like Geoff and I have been married for much longer than only two years. I just feel like SO much has happened in a such short period of time. Year two was equally as crazy as the first. We worked a TON, but luckily still managed to make the time to just be together - Fridays Geoff has off from work at Elevation....this became our date day. A big part of year two was getting two more dogs - we adopted Jazzy from a shelter and then found Frank as a stray. However, we are still looking for a permanent home for our sweet Frank. :)

The first day we found Frank.

All five of us.

Clients. Our second full year of business brought us 32 wedding clients - many of which, became friends. :) Yikes, though! Just seeing that number freaks me out...I can't believe we actually made it.

Travel. 2009 brought us to Chicago for Geoff's grandma's 80th birthday, Asheville for our anniversary, California for my high school reunion with my girlfriends (where I got the WORST case of the flu I've ever had...ugh...that was terrible), and Baton Rouge to shoot Francois and Dom's wedding (which is coming to the blog VERY soon!). We also managed a short trip to our favorite place - Savannah - for a motion graphics conference.

Downtown Chicago

Asheville

Me with four of my five best high school girlfriends in San Francisco.

Education. For my educational workshop this year I traveled to New Mexico for The Blend. In addition to learning from The Image is Found, Jose Villa, and Jesh de Rox, I made new friends....which is always good. :)

Intern. We got the most fabulous intern - Erica - to help us during busy season....and to my delight, she became our album designer.

Eye Candy Contest. To spice up things during a slower time, we had a photo contest which the winner received a free session, disc of images, coffee table book, and an iPod with all of their images. It was fun. Super fun.

The winners - Caleb and Melissa

Press. It's been a great time to see our work pop up on so many wedding blogs and a few magazines here and there. Probably our greatest excitement was learning of the news that Jessica and Steve's wedding landed on the cover of Carolina Bride.

Photobooth. We incorporated "The Booth" into our offered services. So so so fun. Best decision we EVER made. Maybe not EVER...but a good decision for sure.

And there you have it. 2009. A great year no doubt....ALL the glory to God...for real.

Featured: Charlotte Wedding Magazine

2010-02-08T13:05:00.003-05:00

This post has been a long time coming. SUCH a long time coming.

Geoff and I were BEYOND thrilled to learn that our work from Amy and John's wedding was to be featured in the premiere issue of Charlotte Wedding Magazine. If you haven't yet seen it, you MUST pick up a copy. It's a great new resource for Charlotte brides.

*Again....apologies for the poor quality - our new scanner truly is crap.

Meet Baby Geoffrey

2010-02-02T12:47:00.003-05:00

Right before Christmas, our best friends had their first baby. We were so excited to head to the hospital to meet Baby Geoffrey. :)

Cutest baby ever, right?

Katie - Bridal Portrait - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2010-02-01T13:26:00.003-05:00

Katie and Luke were married this past Saturday at the very beautiful, but very snowy Fearrington Village. I can't wait to show you their wedding day pictures, but for now, here are some of my favorites from Katie's bridal portrait.

Can I just tell you how much I ADORE her dress? Truly, it's one of my favorites...ever. SO unique. Angelic is a good description of Katie in her dress. Don't you think? :)

Featured: The Knot Magazine

2010-01-26T12:09:00.004-05:00

When I was engaged, I spent an embarrassing amount of money on wedding magazines....it's true. The NC Knot magazine was one of my favorites, mostly because I loved reading the real wedding stories to learn of new venues and vendors. At the time, becoming a professional wedding photographer wasn't on my radar. Funny how quickly life can change so drastically!

Anyway, when we got word that our work was going to be featured in the spring 2010 issue, I was RIDICULOUSLY excited.

Sorry for the crappy quality - our scanner kind of sucks.

Lauren and Jon's Charlotte wedding featured in the "Just Married" section (thanks again to Amy Martin for second shooting for me!):

Natalie and Matt's Raleigh wedding featured in the "Style Stalker" section:

We were also excited to see we were listed in the "Best of NC Photographers":

Great Day, Goals, and Alyse

2010-01-25T11:24:00.005-05:00

Hi friends! Today, I'm feeling great. Mostly because of the weather...the sun is shining bright and the cool wind is beyond refreshing. And I'm sorry, but I've decided that the sound of the tall trees in my backyard blowing is one of the prettiest sounds ever. Puts me in a great mood. :)

Although I didn't blog about my January goals this month, I still wrote them down and I still plan on completing them:

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1. Update website and launch new branding (DONE!)

2. Attend Justin and Mary's Charlotte Spread the Love workshop (DONE!)

3. Finalize new business cards with Erica (DONE!)

4. Get our tax information totally organized (bleh)

5. Update our business license w/ new name (bleh)

6. Take pictures of our best friend's new baby (DONE!)

7. Complete ALL 2009 editing (ALMOST there!)

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I still have plans to blog my year end review from 2009, as well as my 2010 goals - almost ready!

To close, here's a couple shots I grabbed of wedding planner Alyse Woodward for some new promo pics. If you are in the market for a wedding planner - I can't recommend her ENOUGH! At minimum, you should go check out her blog for lots of wedding planning advice/inspiration.

Everyone have a great week! :)

Dom and Francois - Engaged

2010-01-21T12:41:00.007-05:00

It was the late summer/early fall of 2006 that I met Dom. I was newly engaged and had just moved up from Clemson, SC to begin working at Davidson College. Dom was on the student staff in Residence Life - the department that I worked for. As the year went on, the more I got to know her as she often came into my next door co-worker's office to tell us the latest happenings of her social life, as well as tidbits of Francois. And the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. :)

She eventually graduated and went on to medical school in Texas. Around the same time, I left the college to pursue photography full-time. And then, this past summer....I got an email from her telling me that she was engaged to marry Francois and that she wanted Geoff and I to shoot her Baton Rouge, Louisiana wedding in December. And so, we did. :)

Geoff and I flew in two days early so we could shoot their engagement session the day before the wedding in downtown Baton Rouge. Many thanks to Dom's nana and sister for coming along to help with watching Pilot and Putnam (Dom and Francois' pups).

Pilot - their first born. :)

And there's Putnam on the right. Let me tell you, I quickly became infatuated with this animal....he makes the most ridiculous (but adorable) sounds...I guarantee you've never heard a dog make the sounds that Putnam does - he sounded much more like a dinosaur than a dog.

Oh, I LOVE this.

And this would be the moment right after Dom snuck a double wet willy on Francois. Amazing.

Wedding pics coming soon. :)

Featured

2010-01-20T13:21:00.005-05:00

These features were from awhile ago, so you may or may not have seen them already. If you haven't, please go check them out!

Many thanks to Southern Weddings, Every Last Detail, and Unveiled for featuring our work. :)

Part One of Ashley and Jason's wedding featured on the Southern Weddings blog can be found HERE.
Part Two can be found HERE.

Click HERE to see Andrea and Shawn's wedding on Every Last Detail.
You can also click HERE to see Amy and Andrew's engagement.

And finally, to see Holly and Drew's wedding featured on Unveiled, click HERE.

Katie and Luke - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2010-01-18T23:55:00.005-05:00

Katie and Luke's wedding will be our first of 2010 - next weekend they will be getting married at the Fearrington House.

We shot their engagement session last month with their two sweet dogs in Cornelius....luckily, the rain held off for our shoot.

my favorite :)

Charlotte City Club - Trinette and Jason: Married

2010-01-17T23:59:00.011-05:00

To our delight, Trinette and Jason were married at the Charlotte City Club. Have I mentioned how much we love the City Club? :)

The ceremony didn't begin until after the sun had set, so Trinette and Jason decided to see each other beforehand for a "First Look" so we could knock all of their pictures out while still having some natural light. Uptown Charlotte was decorated for Christmas, so we chose the gigantic lit up tree for the spot where they saw each other for the first time. :)

I especially loved Trinette's wedding dress from J Majors, makeup by Kymm from Who's the Fairest, and hair by Jorden at Dolce Lusso. She let her hair down for the reception - let me tell you....Trinette has GORGEOUS hair.

I LOVE this image of Trinette.

Flowers by Party Blooms.

We all know how much I love a candy buffet. :)

LOVE this one of Trinette with her dad. :)

Charlotte DJ Company provided the music for the evening.

Congratulations Trinette and Jason!!

Elevation Church - Uptown Christmas 2009

2010-01-12T00:22:00.011-05:00

This is the first of a few "better late than never" posts, as I'm still playing catch up from 2009. I'm pushing through - it WILL get done. :)

First up - Elevation Church's Uptown Christmas at Belk Theater. The four services were nothing short of amazing - lasers were fired, drums came down from the ceiling, snow fell from above...and lives were changed.

If you weren't able to attend Elevation's Christmas Eve this year, you simply must get yourself to one in 2010.

Over the course of four services, there were 8,000 (!) people in attendance. It was truly an incredible sight to see when looking over the crowd.

Pastor Steven Furtick

The full gallery including images from Sean Lyon can be found HERE.

Great Aunt Stella Center - Lindsey and Alex: Wedding

2010-01-11T01:12:00.011-05:00

Lindsey and Alex were married at the Great Aunt Stella Center in November and with the reception following at the Cedarwood Country Club.

Since the sun had set before the ceremony was over, it was a fun challenge to do their portraits all after dark!

Congratulations, you guys - much love and happiness to you both. :)

LOVE this.

Couldn't decide between this one...

or this one....

Introducing....The Schultzes!

2010-01-04T01:53:00.016-05:00

It's here! It's here!

We're so incredibly excited to share with you this next step that we are taking in our business - a complete overhaul of our brand as you knew it. After many many late nights of brainstorming and after much work by our insanely talented designer - Erica Anne - we have finally landed.

And so, consider it official....what was formerly known as Cheyenne Schultz Photography.....we announce our new business name - The Schultzes.

Now run on over to our website to check it all out! (and P.S.!!! ****YOU'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO CLEAR YOUR CACHE BEFORE YOU VIEW IT - otherwise, you'll likely find traces of CSP):

www.lovetheschultzes.com

Now, for our blog...that's another story. We've been working a TON on it with our designers - Into the Darkroom - but it won't be done for another month or so. For now, we'll continue to use this blog for current work, life updates, etc.

Coming up soon:

- 2009 Year End Review
- 2010 Goals and Priorities
- Best of 2009 Images

- Lindsey and Alex's Wedding Day
- Trinette and Jason's Wedding Day
- Katie and Luke's Engagement Session
- Elevation's Uptown Christmas

New Branding...coming Monday!

2009-12-31T13:13:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the blogging break! Geoff and I are currently in Baton Rouge, LA having shot a wedding here yesterday. We're on our way back home tonight....so, I promise the blogging will pick up again.

After MUCH work, we are excited to finally be launching our new branding....if all goes as we expect it to.....we'll get to share it all this coming Monday. :)

For now, here's a clue as to what you can expect:

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

All I Want For Christmas...

2009-12-25T19:07:00.006-05:00

Christmas has come and gone, but Frank is still wishing to find himself a permanent home.

If you aren't familiar with his story, you can check it out HERE, HERE, and HERE.

We're thinking the best case scenario for Frank would be:

- to have an owner/family who has a heart for rescued dogs (and who loves big dogs - Frank is 55 lbs.)

- to have a home with no cats

- to have a fenced in yard that he could run around in

- bonus points if he would have a brother or sister to play with - he loves other dogs

If you know of anyone that could meet the above criteria, please send them this blog post or have them email me at Cheyenne.Schultz @ gmail dot com

Amy and Andrew - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-12-23T12:15:00.006-05:00

Since Amy and Andrew, I've decided that shooting actual engagements is totally my favorite thing ever to shoot. I've been dying to post these. So, here's how it went down.

Back in August, web/graphic designer and aspiring photographer Andrew contacted me to let me know he was in the beginning stages of planning his proposal to his then girlfriend - Amy - and wanted to book a session to have it photographed. Over the course of the next couple months, we schemed up a great plan for this to happen.

Amy and Andrew are from Raleigh, so the first thing was getting them to Charlotte. Andrew worked it out to be in for a weekend to visit friends, which would be followed by an opportunity for Andrew to come shadow me photographing an engagement session on Monday morning (at least, that's what he told Amy). Once Monday morning rolled around, I picked up the phone to call Andrew and unfold the plan......

Andrew relayed the message to Amy - the engaged couple for the session had cancelled on me because of the weather (lies......all LIES!!! :), but if they wanted, I could go ahead and just photograph the two of them, as Andrew would still be able to learn a lot being in front of the camera. Amy took the bait and the pair headed to meet me.

I started out the shoot like I would any shoot...but talked out loud at what/how I was shooting and why - just to keep Amy on the trail that this was a learning experience for Andrew.

I had told Andrew beforehand what I was going to say that would be the cue for him to drop to his knee......

"One thing I'll do sometimes to encourage interaction is to have the couple face the opposite ways from each other and when I say "go", I'll have them turn around and run toward each other into a hug. So, let's go ahead and do that. Amy, go ahead and face that way, and Andrew, you face the other way."

Amy turned around, Andrew dropped to his knee, and my heart about stopped I was so dang excited!

"Okay, GO! Turn around!"

And this is what she saw. BEST. MOMENT. EVER.

It was pretty freaking awesome. And here is the ring!

From there, we continued on with our session....which truly, was a lot of fun.

One more ring shot...

Their only request was to get a shot of the "i love you" sign that they flash to each other every morning from their opposite cars on their way to work. Cute, if you ask me. :)

Quite often I would drive by the Trader Joe's and see the red carts....and I couldn't WAIT to inact what was in my head for a shot. After spending some time with Andrew and Amy, I knew they would be down for it. :)

Congratulations on your engagement Andrew and Amy and THANK YOU for allowing me to share this awesome moment with you. :)))

The Palmer Building - Melissa and Diego - Part Two

2009-12-21T21:02:00.007-05:00

As promised....part two of Melissa and Diego's wedding! Their wedding is definitely in the top 5 for 2009 - one of the reasons for this was due to the fact that they gave us TWO HOURS for pictures following the ceremony. It was awesome.

Sandro was passed out after the ceremony, but we woke him up for a couple shots with mom and dad before grandma took him home .

The initial plan was to do a send-off at the church, but on the day of the wedding it was discovered that no flowers are allowed to be thrown at the church. So, Melissa and Diego's wedding planner - Alyse - gave us the petals to have a little fun with the bridal party.

LOVE this.

Two seconds after this shot was taken, the bridal party scattered, as they realized they were about to walk straight into a hornets nest....yikes.

We even had time to drive close to uptown for a couple skyline shots.

Again, big shout-out to planner Alyse Woodward and Flowers from the Cellar for the decor concept and design. Perfect for a November wedding.

Catering by Best Impressions
Cake by Decadent Designs
DJ by All the Right Grooves

Love these escort cards. Printed by Three Little Birds.

This shot of Melissa with her mom makes me happy. :)

Last but not least - here is Diego and Geoff.....dancing up some salsa.

Congratulations Melissa and Diego - love you guys.

Palmer Building - Melissa and Diego - Part One

2009-12-21T01:03:00.007-05:00

As I watched Melissa laughing hysterically as Diego spun Geoff around while teaching him to salsa at his wedding reception, I had a moment of pure joy that reminded me how much I really love this job that we have. Not only do we get the chance to photograph people on their best day - their wedding day - but we get to make friends. Melissa and Diego became just that to us.

Their wedding day - November 7th - was all things gorgeous. Ceremony at St. Gabriel's; Reception at The Palmer Building - the weather, the couple, the baby, the decor....everything was gorgeous. Alyse of Alyse Woodward Events blew this one out of the water.

Makeup - Elizabeth Tolley
Hair - Fuze Salon
Flowers - Pam of Flowers from the Cellar
Wedding Planner - Alyse Woodward Events

Melissa and Diego's little boy - Sandro. Adorable, sweet, chunky Sandro. :)

No words for how over-the-top-flipping-beautiful Melissa was on her wedding day.....not one.

When I saw the berries that were incorporated into the bouquets, my jaw dropped. Pam rocked the house for real.

Can you BELIEVE this light we had?! Best light all year.

I melted into a puddle as I shot the look on Diego's face as Melissa walked toward him. Goodness, he loves her.

Tomorrow will feature portraits and reception. Come back to see. :)

Lee Ann and Miguel - Album

2009-12-16T12:46:00.003-05:00

Quick post today just to show Lee Ann and Miguel's albums that recently came in...they turned out BEAUTIFUL - thanks, Finao!

For Lee Ann and Miguel's album, they went for a 12x16 20-spread with a photo upgrade - my favorite - the acrylic. Their backing is a basic black leather.

They also ordered a duplicate for their parents and decided on the 6x8 brownish/grayish leather with a copper imprint. Gorgeous, huh?

Neera and Dave - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-12-15T03:26:00.009-05:00

Neera and Dave drove all the way from Atlanta for their engagement session. We are more than looking forward to their April wedding at the Biltmore in Asheville. They'll be having a traditional Indian ceremony, followed by an American reception.

Love this one....I think it's cute. :)

Small things make me happy....like this....

....and this. :)

The Peninsula Club - Katherine and Ryan - Married

2009-12-14T10:56:00.014-05:00

The morning of October 24th, 2009, Geoff and I met friends for breakfast....and it was POURING down BUCKETS of rain. You can imagine our complete delight to find blue (insanely blue) skies as we drove to The Peninsula Club a few hours later for Katherine and Ryan's outdoor wedding. And the fall leaves????.....SO incredibly vibrant. A perfect fall day for a wedding for sure.

Gorgeous, Katherine. Hair and makeup by Heather from The Look; flowers by Party Blooms.

Katherine and Ryan decided on a "First Look" to see each other before the ceremony, which always helps with the flow of the wedding day and provides us with enough time for pictures. As soon as I saw this hill in front of these crazy skies, I knew it was the spot I wanted to shoot Katherine and Ryan seeing each other for the first time as bride and groom.

See what I mean about the fall color?!

After the family pictures and a few bridal party shots following the ceremony, we had a few minutes to spare to shoot even more pictures of Ryan and Katherine together on the docks.

Usually I have Geoff help me choose when I am between two shots to blog.....but, since he's not here right now, I have to put both. Which do you prefer?

#1

or, #2

Katherine's dress was truly incredible.....her bustle had something like 17 points to it!

Love this shot as Ryan and Katherine enjoy their dinner.

Awesome Bethany of All the Right Grooves DJ'ed the reception.

Congratulations, Katherine and Ryan!!!! :)

Centenary United Methodist Church - Allison and Don - Married

2009-12-09T14:35:00.006-05:00

On October 17th, 2009, Geoff and I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Allison and Don - two of the nicest people ever....seriously. Their ceremony was held at Centenary United Methodist Church (arguably one of the most GORGEOUS churches in North Carolina) and the reception took place at the Hawthorne Inn in Winston-Salem.

I think my most favorite part of the day was during the portraits we took of them after the ceremony - they needed NO coaching when it came to snuggling in tight for pictures.......watching them together, you couldn't deny how much they clearly love each other. :)

Elizabeth Tolley was responsible for the awesome hair and makeup. :)

STUN-NING....right?!

A total favorite - this one's going on the website when it gets updated. :)

Shout-out to this kid really quick - I could have watched him dance all night long....truly, he moves like he is 10 going on 40. Love this shot we caught of him mid-snap.

And this sweet girl was a super close second to the above dancing champion.

We found a few minutes near the end of the reception to sneak out with Allison and Don for just a couple more portraits. :)

Congratulations, Allison and Don and THANK YOU for allowing us to photograph your special day. :)))

Featured

2009-12-08T14:13:00.004-05:00

Recently, we've been given the awesome opportunity to have our work featured on some of my favorite wedding planning inspiration blogs/sites. A HUGE thank you goes out to Green Wedding Shoes, Ruffled, Rock 'n Roll Bride, Unveiled, and The Knot!

Jenn and Brad's Attire on Green Wedding Shoes:

Jenn and Brad's ceremony on Ruffled:

Jenn and Brad's reception on Rock 'n Roll Bride:

Julie and Jason's wedding on Unveiled:

Natasha and Robert's wedding on The Knot:

Rebecca and Thomas - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-12-06T23:44:00.006-05:00

A 2009 goal was to book a wedding in Savannah, GA. While we didn't do anything in particular to pursue achieving this goal, somehow it still happened. Geoff and I LOVE Savannah and are ridiculously excited to shoot Thomas and Rebecca's wedding there in March.

Not only did Thomas and Rebecca drive all the way to Charlotte for their engagement session, but they brought us PRALINES from Savannah Sweets! Totally made my day....actually, made my whole weekend. :)

These shots happened by accident - a car going by just so happened to kick up enough dirt to showcase the insane rays of the sun through this old tree. We were actually on our way to our next location - I screamed to Geoff to pull over....the four of us jumped out, snapped for about 60 seconds, and hopped back in our cars.

Belk Chapel Wedding - Julie and Pat - Married

2009-12-04T01:35:00.011-05:00

We really like Julie and Pat. Two of the nicest, most chill people ever. Made for a very smooth wedding day. Luckily, we had great weather.....until after the ceremony when we were slated to shoot the bridal party and Julie and Pat together...the VERY dark clouds started to roll in giving us very little light to work with. I shot Julie and Patrick's portraits uptown with my ISO up to 2000 - I was glad for my Mark II in that moment....and the street light. :)

Fun fact about this wedding - we actually had an assistant/third shooter come along. Her name was Sallee - and actually - she is my mother. :) Is she a photographer, you ask? Well, no....she's a nurse...but on this day, she was a photographer. In from California for a few days, she begged us to allow her to come along for a wedding. We told her she couldn't come unless she shot, which totally freaked her out. But, armed with a 5D and a 50 1.8 on automatic (and a lesson about how to turn the camera on), she wasn't half bad. :) And really, we appreciated the extra hands to help us with the photobooth and other odds and ends. So, a special thanks to Assistant Sallee. We love you.

Julie and Pat's vendors:

Ceremony: Belk Chapel at Queens University
Reception: The Westin
Hair/Makeup: Kymm of Who's the Fairest
Flowers: The Flower Diva
Cake: Cake Expressions by Lisa
DJ: Bethany of All the Right Grooves

When I pulled Julie's dress out of the bag, I immediately recognized the appliques as Paloma Blanca - the same designer that was my wedding dress! Made me happy. :)

Special thanks to Kymm for wearing big enough hoops that I could shoot through them. :) Love you, girl!

While Patrick and his guys got ready at The Westin, Julie's mom rented out the Claudia Belk room on Queen's campus. I loved this room - huge, tall windows with a whole lotta light let in. I may or may not have moved 75 or so conference chairs out of the way to shoot Julie getting dressed in front of these windows. It was totally worth it. :)

Love this!

Here's a shot that Assistant Sallee grabbed - she's a natural. :)

Perfect, no? :) Congratulations, Julie and Pat!!!

Julie and Pat - The Booth - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-12-03T00:21:00.004-05:00

Geoff and I have a blast getting people to get crazy in "The Booth". In my opinion, it's a great way to get some super fun pictures of your wedding guests. "The Booth" is always a hit - Julie and Pat's wedding reception was no exception. :)

Here We Go Again....

2009-12-01T13:34:00.004-05:00

Let's start with December goals and then I'll give you the update on the Frank saga. So here's what I've got going this month:

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1) Make m&m christmas cookies for Geoff to take into work.

2) Get all of our Christmas shopping done and shipped out by December 17 (we haven't started yet - this could be trouble).

3) Update the website in preparation for the new branding launch next month.

4) Clean my car (yes, I know....it's on here AGAIN).

5) Get our finances in order.

6) Get caught up with all editing. This, my friends, is going to be the end of me. Luckily, I've enlisted the help of a certain someone who lives in this house to help me get through it all. Here's the next few things coming up:

Julie and Pat's wedding
Rebecca and Thomas's engagement session
Allison and Don's wedding

7) Continue making it a priority to read/pray/journal each morning.

8) Figure out whether we want to purchase the 24 1.4 or the 35 1.4 - any recommendations out there between the two?

9) Shoot the roof off of Elevation's Christmas Eve services uptown at Belk Theatre - you do NOT want to miss this - if you are in Charlotte December 23rd or 24th, get yourself to a service....details found HERE.

10) Go into the new year with ZERO emails in my inbox.

11) And lastly, work to find Frank a home.

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Yes, you heard right. Frank is back with us for the time being. The past few days have been a total emotional rollercoaster for me. I've gone from peace to sorrow to relief to stressed (should you want to see a full serving of my dramatics saying goodbye to him over the weekend, you can click HERE - or, just scroll down to the post before last) .....I think I've come full circle and have now landed on peace.

As it turns out, Frank doesn't do so well with cats. He isn't mean to them....he's just super excited about them and chases them. The family that took him has six cats, which over the course of a couple of days, proved to be a big enough problem that they thought it best to return him to us.

At first, feeling like we were back to the drawing board with finding him a home, I was pretty stressed about it. But, overtime, I've refocused and know that this is an opportunity for me to put my trust not in myself but back into God. He is in control and will work it out how and when he sees fit.

So, we are still on the hunt. Best case scenario would probably be an owner/family who has a heart for rescued dogs, loves big dogs, has no cats in the home, and has a yard that Frank could run around in. A couple other sidenotes - he's not "a chewer", he does really well with other dogs (even snippy, nasty little one's like our two girls), and he loves to cuddle and play. I actually think he would do super well with a family with kids.

There you have it - if you could continue to keep your ears out for anyone looking to adopt the nicest, sweetest dog alive, let that would be great. :)

Jen and Brian: Married - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-11-30T14:25:00.006-05:00

Jen and Brian's marriage is inspiring to me - they have been married six years....and still seem to really love AND like each other. :) I always get really excited when married couples inquire about booking a session for just them.

We started our shoot out at the Carolina Aviation Museum, which I'd never been to - super cool place. We had planned to start there to represent the shared love of travel that Jen and Brian have.

We started the shoot while the sun was still pretty high in the sky, so it was a fun little challenge for me to shoot in direct sunlight - something we usually don't do.....

....but, I'm still partial to backlight. :)

ooooo.....yes, I love this.

These next two are my favorites, I think. :)

Sure....why not? :)

We ended the shoot uptown for just a few night shots.

I had fun getting to know you, Jen and Brian - thanks for allowing me to take your picture - here's to another 6 years! :)

Frank Found a Home

2009-11-29T15:51:00.004-05:00

As we saw the stray dog running wilding all too close to I-277, we knew we had to at least try to catch him. As previously mentioned, we always chase after stray dogs, but are never successful in catching them. When we got ahold of the dog, I had no idea what I was about to be in for.

That evening, I didn't know how much time I would waste calling and emailing Charlotte no-kill shelters over the next few days, as it proved to be basically impossible to get him into one.

I didn't know that the dog was completely infested with fleas, not neutered, and would try to pee on everything in and outside of our house - including Jazzy at one point (that was an accident :) ).

And other than mindlessly giving our other two dogs their monthly dose of heart worm preventative, I didn't really know what heart worms were and how much money they would take out of our pockets to get rid of them.

But mostly, I didn't know how much I would come to love this dog and I didn't know how hard it would be to say goodbye to him.

I prayed close to every day for the past month that God would find a safe and loving home that Frank could permanently go to. Actually, I PLEADED with God that we would find a good home for him. And wouldn't you know it? Yesterday, my prayer was answered. And now, while I do feel relief, peace and comfort knowing he is in a great place with a loving family, I am left grieving his loss from our own home and family. Ridiculous, I know. I know that overtime the emptiness I'm feeling right now without having Frank here with us will fade. But for now, my heart just hurts.

So here I am, fighting back tears (although I can't believe I have any left)....but I am thankful.

I am thankful that Frank was brought into our lives and gave us so much joy in the short time he was here.
I am thankful that God blessed us with the resources we needed so he could healthy through proper vet care.
I am thankful for a husband who loved Frank as much as I did and who now lends me his shoulder to cry on when I miss him.
I am thankful for the peace that I have knowing Frank is going to be loved and cared for permanently.

Yesterday I was on facebook and saw this status update from Samantha - the daughter of the family who took Frank:

"My chihuahua has found a new best friend. Cooper+Frank=Best Friends For Life. :))"

This made me happy. Really happy. :)

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The first night we found him.

Frank with Jazzy.

I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures before we took drove him to his new house.

I will miss hugging him like this.

Freedom Park Wedding - Jenn and Brad - Part Two

2009-11-28T11:46:00.006-05:00

As promised, here is part two of Jenn and Brad's wedding day. To see part one, click HERE.

Jenn and Brad had their first dance to "Forever Young" by Alphaville - best song ever. Never have I seen two holding each other closer...seriously.

How fun are these cups?!

Brad and his guys surprised Jenn with a special performance...which was hilarious.

Congratulations Jenn and Brad. We've loved working with you - thanks for everything. :)

Thankful.....very.

2009-11-26T10:29:00.005-05:00

Instead of listing out 20+ things that I am thankful for like I did last Thanksgiving, I think I'll just give you the top four today - some bigger/more important than others.

1. I am thankful for waking up this morning with Geoff and three dogs in my bed. Frank actually sleeps on the floor during the night, but jumped up to say good morning. I have the best family ever.

2. I am thankful for hot tea, chocolate, and the Thanksgiving Day Parade in front of our space heater this morning. Enough said. :)

3. I am thankful for our adopted Thanksgiving family - the Kaczmarski's. My family lives out in California and Geoff's live in Chicago. This is our FIFTH year that they have taken us in. Today I look forward to Mrs. K's stuffed artichokes, meeting the newest member of the family - baby Kaylee, and lounging on their couch (possibly while watching a Christmas movie and/or reading Twilight). To see Mrs. K's fabulous artichokes, check out this post from two years ago, HERE.

4. I am thankful for my job. On Monday I had the opportunity to shoot an actual ENGAGEMENT and was reminded (as tears welled up in my eyes from behind my camera) of what an awesome gift has been given to me that taking pictures of people in their best moments is actually something that I get paid for. Man, I'm grateful.

Can't hardly wait to share a bunch of pics from Amy and Andrew's engagement, but for now, I'll leave you with this one. :)

Freedom Park Wedding - Jenn and Brad - Part One

2009-11-25T11:38:00.008-05:00

You might remember Jenn and Brad from their junkyard engagement session or from her rock quarry bridal portrait (bridal portrait posted here and here). If not, you'll want to go check those out....they are worth it. :)

To date, I'd have to say that Jenn and Brad's portrait sessions and wedding had me the most inspired, the most in my element, the most excited I was to shoot.

Things started off a little crazily when the power at the hotel they were staying at went out at 2am the night before their wedding and didn't come back on until very late morning the next day. If you've been married, you know this is a semi-catastrophe. Okay, maybe that's a tad dramatic, but when you are a bride getting her hair and makeup done with no working outlets....it becomes a big problem. :)

One of the biggest things I was thankful for was the weather. Knowing their plans to wed under a big oak tree in the middle of Freedom Park, we HAD to have a no rain day. And on October 9th, my prayers were answered as we looked out the window to see sunny skies.

Everything about this wedding was just so them.

Brad and Jenn got ready at aloft uptown.

Hair and makeup by the fabulous Elizabeth Tolley....love her. :)

Brad made the boutonniere's - yup, he's awesome. :) And his custom made turquoise jacket....I die. Really.

How much do you LOVE that ring?!

This moment between Jenn and her mom and dad right before leaving the hotel room to head to the ceremony got to me.

Geoff NAILED these shots of Brad and his guys.

I probably don't need to point out that Jenn is quite possibly the most stunning woman I have ever seen. But really, it's her fun personality and sweet demeanor that pushes her totally over the top on stunning.

Shades of gray bridesmaids dresses with a pop of color in Jenn's bouquet (which by the way, was made my her friend - all flowers purchased from one of my favorite places on earth - The Fresh Market).

Their music choices were great (DJ for the ceremony and reception - Bethany of All the Right Grooves) - Brad walked down the aisle to "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers.

The ceremony was just precious - the tears in their eyes while their parents stood by their sides.....an incredible moment that Geoff and I were so thankful to be a part of.

Check back for Part Two to see Jenn and Brad's portraits together, as well as the reception in the Freedom Park amphitheater.

Trinette's Bridals - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-11-23T18:52:00.011-05:00

No need for a whole lot of text for this post other than mentioning that Trinette's portrait ranks in the top three of bridal portraits that we've shot.....everything just came together so perfectly. My jaw is ON THE GROUND over these - Trinette...you blew me away.

Guess who did her hair and makeup? Yes, it was Kymm of Who's the Fairest. :)

I think this one is my favorite...I die over this.

Emily and Michael - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-11-22T21:11:00.013-05:00

Yes, it was a dreary, misty evening...but that surely didn't stop us from meeting Emily and Michael for their engagement session on the first day of November. I know I say this every time, but really, we are BEYOND excited to shoot their Wilmington wedding next May. Emily is as sweet as they come and Michael is pretty much a total crack-up. Plus, with planner Alyse Woodward behind the whole thing, I know it will be fabulous.

Being the day after Halloween, and having our two un-carved pumpkins still, we decided it was fitting to incorporate for a few shots....hence the above shot. :)

Emily brought out her umbrella to shield them from the mist.....and conveniently, it matched her outfit perfectly. :)

Completely adorable, right?

I don't know what it is about this shot, but I 100% LOVE it and will be putting it up in my home. Oh yes, I will.

A fave, fave, FAVORITE.

And THIS, my friends, is going on my website....when I update it. :)

At the tail end of our time in the street (when Emily and Michael were total champions for not looking like the freezing cold that they were), we had a elderly resident from an above condo serenade them with his trumpet...the perfect ending for our session. :)

Christmas Came Early :)

2009-11-20T12:08:00.005-05:00

Geoff and I have been married 2.5 years and we have yet to design and print our own album. And let me tell you, whenever we get one of our client's wedding albums in the mail, I get that much more excited to make ours...finding the time is the problem. Perhaps in January when we slow down we will order ours....fingers crossed. :)

Anyway, I'm excited to show these to you!

Since our work has changed since we ordered our first set of sample albums, we figured a new set was in order. First, we decided to showcase Kristy and Russ's beautiful wedding in a 9x12 silver leather with a cut out photo window on the front.

We also ordered a parent sized sample using Holly and Drew's wedding in a 6x8 aqua colored leather with their names imprinted in silver on the front.

We've also had two client albums come in.....

Brooke and Matt's went with a 15 spread 9x12 with a basic black leather backing to accent their cover cut-out pic.

Lauren and Jon got the big guy - a 20 spread 12x16 with an upgraded acrylic photo cover. I think they accented it perfectly with the brown/gray leather backing.

And for those who might be wondering, we use Finao albums. :)

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone! We'll be shooting our last Saturday wedding of the year tomorrow - I'm dying to post Trinette's uptown theatre bridal portraits next week - you won't want to miss these!

Late Night Epiphanies

2009-11-19T14:17:00.006-05:00

Today was supposed to be a post showing off a bunch of new wedding albums that had recently come in. And while I am excited to show them to you....because they do look amazing....I couldn't pass up the opportunity to write about my husband on this day.....just because. :)

Last night he got home pretty late - it was almost 1:00 in the morning. Even though he had been a slave to his at work computer all night doing some freelance motion graphics work, he wasn't all that tired when he got home.....or maybe that was because I don't know how to set our new security system right and the SCREAMING alarm that went off when he opened the front door woke him up. I don't know. Regardless, we decided we were awake enough to grab ourselves a bowl of Special K red berry cereal and chat for a bit at our dining room table.

As we sat there across from each other - our spoons clinking our bowls - I had a moment. You know what I'm talking about? When a seemingly insignificant activity suddenly becomes an incredible moment in your life that you realize just how dang AWESOME you have it? That was me.

Goodness, I love this guy. And goodness.....I am SO thankful that God has orchestrated my life so perfectly that Geoff was brought to me. And I swear....EVERY day....I am astounded at WHY IN THE WORLD I have been blessed so.

Geoff, thank you for being such a loving, supportive, patient, selfless, serving, funny, sensitive husband - you are beyond precious to me....I love you more than I love See's Krispy Coffee candies.....and that's an awful lot. :)

I 100% meant what I said last night from across the table - you are SUCH a good man. Love you to pieces. :)

Andrea and Shawn - Married - Vanlandingham Estate

2009-11-18T12:44:00.010-05:00

On October 3rd, we declared it as the nicest day of the year. The weather was impeccable. The PERFECT weather for the outdoor wedding of Andrea and Shawn at the gorgeous Vanlandingham Estate. October 3rd also kicked off a very busy month for us - Andrea and Shawn's was the first of five weddings that we shot that month.

Ironically enough, we ran into the parents of the bride and groom we shot almost exactly a year prior - remember Ginger and Dean? It was great to see them again. :)

This wedding was also the first that we were able to see the work of Todd with Crawford and Company firsthand - I was just about drooling over the beautiful florals he created.

Hair/Makeup: Kymm w/ Who's the Fairest
DJ: Split Second Sound
Cake: Decadent Designs
Florist: Crawford and Company

Shawn is a comic book collector, so you can imagine his excitement when he received his wedding gift from Andrea - a wedding comic book.....customized to reflect their wedding. :)

Congratulations, you guys! Here's to a long and happy life together. :)

Whirlwind.....that's just us.

2009-11-17T10:18:00.003-05:00

Hi friends. Can you believe we are almost a week out from Thanksgiving?! I'm going to work super hard this week and really try to knock out a huge chunk of editing so I can actually enjoy a couple days off around Thanksgiving and not feel guilty. :/

Things have been a whirlwind around the Schultz household. In a good way......yet still a whirlwind.

Friday's are typically reserved for date/hangout day, since it is our only day off. We rarely spend time cleaning/getting important things done during this time....but for some reason, the majority of last Friday was spent cleaning and organizing. It felt good to catch up a bit on life stuff. And perhaps we fit in some Baskin Robbins ice cream and a movie (Premonition with Sandra Bullock - good movie in my opinion).

Saturday we got to shoot the wedding of Lindsay and Alex - this wedding was extra special, as they were married at the same place Geoff and I got married 2.5 years ago - The Great Aunt Stella Center. :)

On Sunday, I was out-shot by Geoff at Neera and Dave's engagement session in Belmont. Here's one of his amazing shots:

Yesterday - Monday - was my mother's 50TH birthday! Nothing else to report. Happy Birthday Mustang Sallee!

Today is Tuesday....and it will consist mostly of editing and giving lots of love to sweet Frank. He had his heart worm treatment a week ago and has since had his ups and downs. Today is a bad day.....lots of coughing and hacking....breaks my heart in a million pieces. I've been praying hard that he is relieved of the pain. :( Poor, sweet Frank.

Tomorrow - Wednesday - is going to be ROUGH. Sadly, I have totally and completely fallen off of the train of working out and eating right. But tomorrow, I'm going to my first Body By Buck session with Geoff and a bunch of other Elevation staff and spouses. It will be a miracle if I can make it through the 45 minute session.

And there you go. That's what's been going on the past few days. Also to come......are these:

Jen and Brian

Rebecca and Thomas

Emily and Michael

Melissa and Diego

(and a peek of their details - special post for Alyse) :)

Tomorrow you'll get to feast your eyes on Andrea and Shawn's Vanlandingham Estate wedding. :))))) Happy TUESDAY!

Brooke and Jon - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-11-15T23:48:00.009-05:00

A few weeks ago Brooke and Jon came down to Charlotte from Winston-Salem for the engagement session with us in NoDa. And, despite perhaps a few pre-shoot jitters, no surprise - they rocked it out. :) Can't wait for their April wedding at Graylyn. :)

Doesn't this just make you feel happy inside? Does for me. :)

Brooke and Jon will be incorporating pinwheels into their wedding and thought it would be cute to bring in them in for their session....so glad they did. :) They handmade them - I LOVE.

Gorgeous - Brooke, you are GORGEOUS.

Megan and Patrick - Married: Renaissance North Hills

2009-11-11T12:10:00.011-05:00

Yes, September 26th was a rainy one. Not ideal weather wise, but it didn't stop Megan and Patrick IN THE LEAST from enjoying their wedding day in Raleigh, NC. The pair were married at Hayes Barton Baptist Church and held their reception at the Renaissance North Hills.

Vendors:

Make up - Leslie Craft from Merle Normal
Hair - Cara from Salon Moxie
Flowers - The English Garden
DJ - Bethany from All the Right Grooves
Cake - Tanum Loftin (Patrick's sister-in-law)
Videography - Keith Furr from KA Studios

I'm sure Megan will be horrified at me posting this, but I can't help myself - it just made me laugh. As I was stooped over shooting Megan's shoes, her grandma walked by me, said "I can't resist", and smacked my behind. CRACKED ME UP.

Love this. :)

Patrick had a special surprise for Megan - he played and sang "Angel" by Aerosmith....and it was truly beautiful. In fact, probably my favorite part of their wedding day. I will forever think of Megan and Patrick when I hear that song....seriously.

Congratulations Megan and Patrick - love you guys!

November Goals and Days Like Today

2009-11-10T12:00:00.003-05:00

Besides having dropped Frank off at the vet to receive his second treatment for heart worms....and besides Geoff not being right here next to me....I love days like today.

Raining outside;
sitting in a quiet Panera with a cinnamon crunch bagel and hot tea;
snuggling into my favorite warm vest and scarf;
feeling semi caught up with my email;
finishing up editing the wedding of a super cute couple;
and excited for the pumpkin spice latte I will have later today at Starbucks.

Yes, it's a good day.

Doesn't even matter that it is already November 10th and I haven't blogged my November goals until today. Some of them have even been completed as I type this. Which is a great thing. :)

1. Edit, edit, edit. Have so much to edit this month - you have no idea.

2. Work toward the completion of our NEW BLOG <----------can't WAIT!

3. Order client albums before our album company's cut off date

4. Renew/update privilege license (DONE!)

5. Clean out the inside of my car (still not done from last month :( )

6. Celebrate my mother's 50th birthday

7. Take a load of stuff to goodwill (spring cleaning needs to begin now)

8. Get the extra couch out of the dang living room (DONE!)

9. Set up our home security system (DONE!)

10. Find the time to do a Frank photoshoot

11. Design and order our Christmas cards

12. Brainstorm for a fun project that will premiere following the launch of our new brand

13. Contact accountant (carry over from October - this MUST get done...like, now)

14. Begin re-reading "Redeeming Love" over Thanksgiving break (such an amazing book)

_____________________________________

Panera has become much less quiet in the past 15 minutes - time for Starbucks. :)

Here one more peek at my edit for the super cute couple I spoke of at the beginning of this post - their blog post coming tomorrow. :)

Leslie and Matt - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-11-06T15:55:00.007-05:00

When the weather is a little cooler than to be desired, it's almost better for a shoot. The nip in the air just encourages a couple to grab on that much tighter to one another and snuggle in that much closer. So yes, it was a bit cold for Leslie and Matt's engagement session - but I'd say it worked out to our advantage. :)

Leslie and Matt initially booked us for their August wedding, but then decided to move it up to mid-May....sounds good to me! I'd do it too if it were me - Geoff and I had a thirteen month engagement.....we were really ready to be married about 8 months in. Anyway, we're really looking forward to their wedding out at The Point Club. For now, enjoy their engagement pictures.

Anna and John - Married - Rumbling Bald Resort

2009-11-03T11:16:00.006-05:00

Our drive up to Lake Lure, NC on September 19th, was a dreary one - weather wise, that is. :) We knew Anna and John were planning on having their ceremony outside that day at the Rumbling Bald Resort, so we were REALLY hoping the weather would hold up. Turns out, it had poured buckets that morning at the resort, but by the time we got there, the rain was gone.

The day couldn't have been complete without the fantastic vendors that Anna and John hired:

- Gorgeous flowers by Sweetbrier

- Coordination provided by the fabulous Tara Jordan of Weddings with Tara

- Dylan Skidmore from Blazin Sounds did an awesome job as the DJ

Anna and John decided to see each other before the ceremony for a "First Look" - it was definitely exciting to watch them round the corners of the wooden path and catch sight of each other. I always breathe easier when a bride/groom tells us they want to do a first look - it just helps SO much with the overall flow of a wedding day and gives us the time that we need for pictures without feeling rushed by packing in pictures in between the ceremony and reception.

We didn't get any sun, but even better - we got this amazing fog that hung over the mountains - it was perfect.

In lieu of a basket for the flower girl to hold her petals, Anna found a dishcloth ( I think that's what it was) from Anthropologie and had it sewn to be an apron for her to wear - ummmmmm....adorable, right?!

Best backdrop for a walk down the aisle ever. Can you see the Rumbling Bald workers at the bottom right watching on as Anna and her dad approached the ceremony? :)

A favorite moment from their day was the song choices for the ceremony - John walked in to Johnny Cash's "Walk the Line" and the newly married couple walked....no wait.....scratch that.....DANCED back down the aisle for the recessional to Michael Franti and Spearhead's "Say Hey (I Love You)". They were so full of joy and happiness - it totally made my day.

This shot just might have to find it's way to my wall as a print.....um, yes.

The details of this day were perfect - Anna and John clearly put in a lot of work prior to their day - and I'd say, the hard work paid off. The pair even built, stained, and painted all of the centerpiece boxes for the reception themselves! As soon as I saw those, I wanted them....for my own. :)))

Lucky us - we avoided the rain for all pictures and the ceremony.....but at the reception - the skies opened up and it POURED. And while there were some minor leakage problems with the ceiling, it really cast a romantic feeling over the evening.

Thank you Anna and John for being so fun to work with - we wish you many blessings for a long and happy life together. :)

Meet My Family (well, some of them)

2009-11-02T12:44:00.003-05:00

November goals are coming - soon enough.

For now, and this has been a long time coming, I am sharing some of my own family pictures that Geoff and I took back in AUGUST on our trip to California. "Edit family pictures" was on my list of September goals and October goals. And well, it took me until November 1st to get them done.

Taking these pictures was a rough experience - I was sick with the flu. I was on day three of the horrible sickness, so I was finally able to stand for short periods of time. I am THE most pathetic person you will ever meet when I get sick...so sucking it up to shoot these was quite the feat indeed. :)

My brother and sister-in-law - Joe and Jessica:

My brother, sister-in-law and niece - AJ, Khadijah, and Eulalia:

My brother and his girlfriend - Morgan and Leah:

My youngest brother Brandon (who wanted some pics of himself for facebook :)):

My mother and step-dad - Sallee and Fred:

And here's all of us - not pictured above, my brother Ryan is on the top right (thanks to Leah for taking this shot):

And here I am - in all my glory.....lovely, aren't I?

Featured: Carolina Bride

2009-10-26T21:59:00.004-04:00

We were super excited to hear that Lee Ann and Miguel were to be featured in the current issue of Carolina Bride magazine. And when we saw the layout, my jaw dropped. I love it. :)

Fall Wedding Previews

2009-10-26T21:06:00.008-04:00

We made it through October! After shooting FIVE weddings this month, we're ready to have this weekend off for a little break before we finish off the year. And now, I have a TON of editing to do....here's what's coming up. :)

Anna and John - September 19

Megan and Patrick - September 26

Andrea and Shawn - October 3

Jenn and Brad - October 9

Julie and Pat - October 10

Allison and Don - October 17

Katherine and Ryan - October 24

We also have two more engagement sessions to be featured here - those will be up soon. :)

Leslie and Matt

Brooke and Jon

Help Find Frank a Good Home!

2009-10-26T13:25:00.004-04:00

So, here's the deal. Last night on our way home from an engagement session in NoDa, we spotted a stray dog running around near Davidson Street and I-277. Geoff and I will always try our best to catch a stray we see running around, but have never been successful in actually catching a dog. Last night, however, we were able to get ahold of him and put him in the back of our car.

From there, we took him to our vet to see if he was micro-chipped...no dice. Our options on a Sunday night were few and far between -we didn't want to hand him over to Animal Control, so we decided to have him vaccinated, board him for the night at the vet and then try to get him hooked up with a no-kill shelter/rescue group today. So far, we haven't had any luck. Project Halo seemed like our best bet, but they are already full. Now, I'm getting desperate for him and want for him to find a safe place to stay temporarily until he can be adopted or find him a permanent home now.

We've been calling him Frank (as in, Frank the Tank). Frank is the SWEETEST boy - he smiles a lot and sits and lays down when you prompt him to. The vet gave him a physical last night - they said he seems to be in good physical health - weighing in at 62 pounds.

If anyone is interested in him, please email me at Cheyenne.Schultz@gmail.com - if we don't already know you, we'll ask that references are provided. Thanks so much!

Katie and Kevin - Engagement Session - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-21T23:43:00.005-04:00

I am a klutz. It's true. I've always been amazed at the wedding photographers who can shoot with two camera bodies at the same time - one to shoot, and the other strapped around their shoulder ...switching back and forth when they prefer to use the other lens. I have a hard enough time staying on my own two feet while shooting (or walking for that matter), so the former scenario is just not possible.

When I fell down a grass hill near the end of their engagement session, Katie and Kevin saw first hand how clumsy I can be. And I'm not talking about a little trip.....I mean I FELL DOWN THE HILL....as in slipped, landed on my butt, and slid down. It was a moment in my life that my "cool factor" was off the charts. My mother always told me she should have named me Grace. :/

Anyway, please enjoy the engagement pictures of the ever-cute Katie and Kevin. :)

I so love this. It's a favorite. :)

Dana and Adam - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-20T13:18:00.004-04:00

Seeing as they went out for ice cream for their first date (and from what I've been told, they both LOVE ice cream), I thought it only fitting to kick off Dana and Adam's engagement session with some good old Ben & Jerry's. Perhaps it was a little messy...but worth it if you ask me. :)

Adorable.

They also brought along their sweet boy, Cooper!

Can't wait for next June to shoot the wedding of this sweet couple. :)

Allison - Bridal Portrait - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-19T13:05:00.004-04:00

Allison and Don were married this weekend in Winston-Salem.....now, happy to share her bridal portraits we took on what felt like the hottest day of the year at Vanlandingham Estate. :)

Hair and makeup by the fabulous Elizabeth Tolley. :)

I love these two. :)

Featured: Ruffled & Jenn's Bridals Part Two - Charlotte Wedding Phtoographer

2009-10-16T11:31:00.007-04:00

First things first. If you didn't catch us yesterday on the super cute wedding planning/inspiration Ruffled blog (formerly known as "Vintage Glam") to see part one of Jenn's Bridals featured, (CLICK HERE) you should go see. Thanks so much for the feature, Amanda!

Also, you can see the full post of part one HERE if you missed it.

Secondly, as promised, here are a few more from Jenn's bridal portrait session out at the Rock Quarry of Carrigan Farms.

Hair and makeup by Elizabeth Tolley. :)

Becky and Tim - Married - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-15T17:36:00.005-04:00

When I first arrived to Aloft Hotel in the epicentre of uptown Charlotte, Becky and crew were just arriving. While they settled in, I stole her engagement ring off her finger and took more than a few shots in the hotel lobby. Here are some of my favorites. :) Fun stuff, right?

Becky had her hair done at a salon, but then had the talented makeup artist Katie O'Neil with Makeup Your Face come to the hotel for her makeup.

Geoff met up with Tim and his guys at a cabin they had rented in Huntersville.

Love this shot.

You are FLAWLESS, Becky!

The closer we got to the ceremony, they more the clouds were threatening. However, the rain made sure to stay away the entire day. :)

LOVE this shot of Becky and her dad right before the ceremony.

The ceremony was held at the super quaint and super cute St. Mary's Chapel.

Becky and Tim left it up to Geoff and I where we would take bridal party/couples photos - they said they wanted something fun and different. We went for SouthEnd Charlotte. :)

Reception was held at Birkdale Golf Club in Huntersville.

They had a COOKIE BAR - oh yes, it was awesome. Some of the best chocolate cookies I've had.

Just one more ring shot.

Congratulations Becky and Tim! We wish you only the best! :)

Jenn's Bridals - Part One - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-13T22:02:00.005-04:00

You may remember Jenn from her and her fiance's junkyard engagement session - she is also the force behind Project Evermore that I blogged last Friday.

Jenn's bridals are hands down one of our favorite bridal portrait sessions we've shot to date. For these, we found ourselves out in Mooresville at the amazing rock quarry of Carrigan Farms.

Hair and makeup by the crazy talented Elizabeth Tolley.

Part two of her session will be coming at you later on this week! :)

I DIE every time I look at her dress. She got it at New York Bride Loft, but then had the strap added on.

I love this one - it's a favorite. :)

Melissa and Diego - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-13T02:14:00.004-04:00

After rescheduling TWICE due to poor weather, we finally were able to meet up with Melissa, Diego, and their sweet baby boy Sandro for their engagement session in uptown Charlotte. Can't hardly wait for their November 7th wedding!

Love this. A lot. Took it within seconds of being kicked out of this alley.

Someday, Geoff is going to be a great dad. :)

Grace's Bridals - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-12T15:53:00.003-04:00

I am SUPER excited to be sharing these bridal portraits.....because I. LOVE. THEM.

Grace got married this past Saturday. While we didn't photograph her wedding day, I was glad for the opportunity to do her portraits for her. She let me pick out her location - I chose SouthEnd....I love all of the colors and the wrecked feeling of the spots we ended up at.

Grace saw me eyeing the open back of this semi-truck - I didn't say a word.....I didn't need to...she quickly exclaimed, "I can get up in there if you want!!". Ummmm.....yes, please. :)

One of my favorites. :)

Adorable, no?

Congratulations, Grace!!! :)

Project Evermore Begins Today

2009-10-09T02:22:00.008-04:00

A couple of months ago I got a package in the mail marked "personal and confidential". It actually kind of freaked me out at first, not knowing what it was.

Upon further inspection, I realized....it was from Jenn and Brad...our 10/9/09 couple. 10/9/09 means TODAY. Today, Jenn and Brad are getting married. :)

I was floored at Jenn and Brad's creativity as I read through the dossier and learned of my new name - Photoagent Schultz.

Photoagent Schultz,

We contacted you not to be nice but because we are familiar with your work. We believe a band of thirteen, along with Suspects Jennifer Smith and Bradley Davis, are plotting what we are calling...'Project Evermore.' It is believed their followers could be in the hundreds, up to one hundred and fifty.

We do know for certain they will be meeting Friday, October 9th. We need you there.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

i. Document and photograph the "Suspects.'
ii. Follow all of the 'Suspects.'
iii. Lead them to believe they know you, as you know them.
iiii. Capture them in their most candid of moments.
v. Report to us immediately following with any image documentation we may be interested in.

This if your final chance to withdraw your involvement in 'Project Evermore.' From this moment on you will be referred to as Photoagent Schultz and you will be contacted with further instruction. Good luck and God speed.

Inside each file, I found a profiling for each of Jenn and Brad's bridesmaids and groomsmen. I died at the detail.

Anyway, just wanted to share a glimpse into their wedding day and what is to come. Can't hardly wait to begin shooting. :)

Tara and Mike - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-07T11:44:00.004-04:00

Tara and Mike will be getting married this coming April at Byron's SouthEnd - we haven't shot there since Jessica and Steve's wedding and can't wait to be back!

Until then, please enjoy a few of their engagement session - and I'm sorry, but how CUTE is her dress? I wish it was mine. :)

Love this. :)

October Goals

2009-10-06T11:14:00.005-04:00

Okay, so I know I'm a few days late in blogging my October goals....better late than never, right? :)

Before we get into October's - here's a quick report on what goals were met in September:

1. Have an uptown date night with Geoff
2. Update and renew our equipment/liability insurance
3. Organize our new client folders
4. Get caught up with paying our sales tax
5. Send my grandma a present for her 70th birthday
6. Do something fun for Labor Day
7. Figure out what to do with the excess furniture in our living room
8. Visit the Old Tyme Marketplace

LOVED this place - picked up this super cute container for the kitchen.

9. Network with one new wedding related vendor
10. Take Ellen and Jazzy to the vet

And here's a few pics of my happy, healthy girls.

Here is my listing for October goals:

1. Finish decorating/painting the living room

2. Deep clean of the inside of my car

3. Deep clean my entire house before my mom and step-dad get in from California

4. Edit the pictures we took of my family on our trip to CA

5. Get our Pickpic merchant account set-up

6. Finish new logo/begin new blog

7. Make contact with our accountant to discuss accountant type things

8. Order four client albums currently in production

9. Design and order new parent album sample (DONE!)

10. Get new privilege license

11. Set up an "us" shoot for Geoff and I

12. Have a pumpkin patch trip/carving pumpkins date

13. Make pumpkin bread

14. Develop a list of magazines for submissions and submit some weddings for publication

15. Implement Geoff and Cheyenne "photo challenge" into every wedding/shoot.

Andrea's Bridals - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-04T23:36:00.004-04:00

Hi friends. It's a little late in the day for my post - I had intentions to post this morning, but then got caught up at the gym followed by furiously cleaning my kitchen for my mom and step-dad's arrival this week. They'll be staying with us for a week and I refuse to let them see how filthy my house is.

So, this weekend....Andrea was married. And seriously...it was THE best day of the year to get married. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. And I SO can't wait to share her and Shawn's fall chic wedding at the Vanlandingham Estate.

For her portrait, Andrea decided to go for an urban look since her wedding day photos were going to have a very natural, green feel. She told me she thought it would be neat to contrast feminine bridal with the masculine feel of the buildings, etc....the girl read my mind. :)

Hair and makeup by Kymm of Who's the Fairest. :)

Ever since shooting Mary and Niall there, I've been dying to get back to this spot to shoot a bridal. I LOVE this shot.

LOVING this.

And this one.....is going on the website (when I get around to updating it!).

Allison and Don - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-10-01T13:47:00.004-04:00

Allison initially booked us just for her bridal portraits, but then later secured us to shoot her wedding this October as well. This girl is as nice as they come, so I was thrilled when we were able to work it out.

A couple of weeks ago her and her fiance - Don - came down from Winston-Salem for their engagement session. The shoot began with some dancing in front of this amazing wall we found - country music blaring from a truck parked in the parking lot...turned on ESPECIALLY for us :) .....compliments of a passerby.

We'll see you guys in few weeks...can't wait!!! :)

Could there BE a more appropriate sign? I think not.

LOVE this.

This is a FAVORITE. :)

Angela and Matt - Engaged - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-09-29T00:32:00.005-04:00

When I first met Angela over coffee to talk about her wedding, I knew we would be a good fit for each other. She has great style, is SUPER nice, and was looking for something unique for her wedding photography. Her and her fiance - Matt - are getting married this coming March here in Charlotte at The Palmer Building.

For their engagement session, Angela had the idea to take the light-rail from uptown to SouthEnd and just hop out to shoot along the way. Fun!

Megan's Bridals - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-09-28T11:19:00.003-04:00

As of Saturday, Megan is married. :) Can't wait to share pics, but for now, here are some of my favorites from her bridal portrait.

Megan displayed this shot on a canvas at her reception. It looked incredible.

Katie and Tracy - Engaged Part 2 - Charlotte Wedding Photographer

2009-09-24T12:35:00.004-04:00

After shooting some more casual stuff with Katie and Tracy, they were interested in finishing up our time together with a mini night shoot uptown with a fashion flair. So that's what we did. :)

When I posted Part One of their session yesterday, I forgot to mention the talent behind Katie's hair and makeup. It was by Kymm with Who's the Fairest, of course. :)