COURTNEY AND CORY | A BRIGHT AND TROPICAL WILD DUNES RESORT WEDDING

It didn’t matter. I was prepared to have them move the entire thing indoors if we needed to. All that mattered was that I got to marry Cory. Talk about a bride who gets it. This is basically what Courtney said to me in so many words when I mentioned to her how lucky we got with the weather considering the day before the forecast was calling for all day rain at Wild Dunes in Isle of Palms. But that didn’t matter to her. All that mattered was that at the end of the day she was going to be married to the man she loved. The one she met at the pool during the summer in between years at USC. The one who would take turns buying each other’s favorites candy for the other. The one that later in the day she would look over and laugh at as he danced his way down the aisle after being announced for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Helms. That is what mattered.

Later in the day when listening to the speeches given about both Courtney and Cory it was obvious to me that they’re incredibly loved by everyone around them. But it was something Courtney’s father said in his speech at the reception that stopped me in my tracks and made me think about how I could only be so lucky if one day Tyler and I are saying the same thing about our boys. He was remarking about how everyone kept asking if he was surprised that Courtney was getting married. And while there were many moments in his life that Courtney had surprised him, this was not one of them. Instead, because of the remarkable woman Courtney had grown up to become, he not only expected this of her, but trusted in her 100% that she would make a decision about marrying such a good man as Cory. This not only spoke volumes of Courtney, but also of her new husband, and it really was just such a special moment to witness.

I am not kidding when I say this entire family just radiated love and joy on Courtney and Cory’s wedding day. They were just so warm and incredibly welcoming that I felt like I hit the jackpot getting to shoot this wedding. When I was leaving for the night I went to find Mrs. McKeag, the gorgeous mother of the bride, to thank her for such a lovely day. She grabbed my hand and thanked me for everything I had done and let me know that if I ever needed a place to stay in California should I ever find myself back out that way for vacation that their home was an open door to me. I mean. Come on. You can not get sweeter, and it’s no doubt that the bride was just the most laid back and down to earth bride I have ever had the privilege of shooting.

Courtney and Cory, I loved your day. I loved your embroidered converse. I loved your pineapple reception shirts. I loved your vows to each other. I love the way you dance and sang to the processional music right after walking back down the aisle. I loved that your wedding party, although filled with massive men (some of whom make a living tackling other people) were just about the most polite and easiest people to shoot ever. I loved that you were married by an old family friend. I loved that your insane florals were also done by a family friend. I loved that you trekked yourselves out the beach at sunset when you could have been eating and drinking for just a few more photos. And I loved that along the way even though you were congratulated approximately 1,000 times by hotel guests, you smiled and thanked every single one like it was the first. To say I loved everything about your day is an understatement. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it and thank you for being you.

Thank you to the creative team:

VENUE: WILD DUNES RESORT PLANNER: DIRECT MY DAY CHARLESTON HAIR AND MAKEUP: LASHES AND LACECAKE: SWEET RHI FLORALS: BLOMMA FLOWER FARM MUSIC: ASCEND ENTERTAINMENT VIDEOGRAPHY: HALEY SIRISKY VIDEOGRAPHY INVITATIONS: AERIALIST PRINT BRIDE’S DRESS: BHLDN BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: SHOW ME YOUR MUMU