Lauren and Jeff were married at Saint Gabriel Catholic Church on a spectacular fall day in Charlotte.

The bride looked amazing in her white silk dress from Ines Di Santo.

Adding to the day were beautiful flowers from The Blossom Shop and an incredible cake from Haines Barksdale of For Goodness Cakes. The staff at Charlotte Country Club did their usual superb job and Big Ray and the Kool Kats kept the party going all night long.

Thanks to Adam Coker for his photography help and it was great to work with makeup artist Adrian Howe of the Beauty Sophisticate and videographer Amanda Pagano of Isabel’s Corner.

Congratulations all!

Lauren and Jeff

The bride arrives at Saint Gabriel Catholic Church

Ready for the guests

Waiting with the bridesmaids

A portrait before the ceremony

Beautiful

Sharp-dressed men - Jeff and his father

Lauren shares her excitement with her grandmother

Waiting

Making an entrance

Checking the time

Quick kiss

Jeff waits for his bride

During the ceremony

Unity

Happy bride

Honoring the Virgin Mary

Joyful

Lauren with her mother Mary Helen

Picture perfect

Arriving at Charlotte Country Club

The wedding party

Lauren and Jeff enjoy a gorgeous fall afternoon

Lost in the moment

Classic

So happy

Heading back to the reception

One more of the bride

Time to celebrate

Setting at Charlotte Country Club

Details

Cool cake

Lauren got emotional during her father's speech in this image from Adam

But he soon had her laughing again

First dance

They capped the beautifully choreographed first dance with a lift and a spin

Jeff's brother dances with his mother

Dancing with brother Will

Lauren's father Bill, far right, and his brothers with their interpretation of "Soul Man"

The crowd approves

The bridesmaids get into the act

Cake and a kiss

And they danced into the night

Having spent many years as a newspaper photographer, I always enjoy catching up with fellow journalists.

I first met Melissa when she interned at The Charlotte Observer when I was a staff photographer there. Fast forward several years and I’m now working full-time in our photography business and Melissa is a newspaper photojournalist in South Carolina and she’s engaged to Dan, a television journalist working in West Virginia.

I was excited to get a chance to work with them and we had a great time doing their engagement photographs. We did some shots in Freedom Park and then moved to The Green uptown for some fun images there.

Looking forward to working with them again at their wedding next year.

Melissa and Dan framed by a Niki de Saint Phalle sculpture in Charlotte

Posing near The Green

Melissa and Dan

Another fun spot at The Green

Kiss

Happy couple

We did some shots at Freedom Park too

Pausing in the park

Fun moment

We had a picture-perfect fall day for Vanessa and Josh’s engagement session at Freedom Park in Charlotte.

The leaves haven’t quite turned yet but the crisp air, warmed by plentiful sunshine made for ideal conditions.

Vanessa is a very close friend of my niece Melissa (Missy to our family), and it was great getting to know her and Josh a bit better.

I’m really looking forward to working with them again at their wedding in Charlotte in May.

Vanessa and Josh on a sun-splashed afternoon in Freedom Park

Vanessa and Josh

In the shade

Family portrait with Myra

Enjoying the moment

Closeup

Kiss

Happy couple

Beautiful day for a walk