Nicole & Stephen met on Match.com; Stephen had actually forgotten to cancel his subscription the month Nicole signed up. Stephen winked at Nicole, Nicole winked back at him, and then Stephen sent Nicole a message. They proceeded to talk for two weeks before Nicole finally agreed to an in person date at Chilis on August 20th, 2008. Stephen & Nicole only dated for 4 months before Stephen proposed. They both just knew it was right. He proposed on Dec 15, 2008.
Stephen recreated their 1st date, taking Nicole back to Chilis, where they sat in the same booth they did on their first date. Then Stephen & Nicole went to the fountains at the Stonecrest shopping center where they had talked for 2 hours the night of their first date. Stephen made Nicole sit in the same place (even though it was wet from rain), and placed Nicole’s purse between them like she had on the first date. Next thing Nicole knew, Stephen is telling her how much he loved her, and how two days before when Stephen saw Nicole at the finish line of his first half marathon, he knew she was the one for him. Stephen had Nicole close her eyes while he got down on one knee, and when he told Nicole she could open her eyes, he had the ring out and asked her to marry him.
Their engagement lasted 2.5 years so that Nicole could travel to Boone, NC, and obtain her Master’s degree. The hardest thing Nicole said she ever had to do was plan a wedding while writing a Thesis, and living 2 hours away from Stephen.
Stephen & Nicole decided on going with the color purple for their wedding because it has been Nicole’s favorite color forever. They both love fairy tales and the butterfly theme they chose fit with the feel they were wanting. Stephen & Nicole said they chose to hold their wedding and reception in the same location, Victorian Villa Bed & Breakfast on Lake Wylie for multiple reasons. Nicole said the first was the most obvious. It was absolutely beautiful. She loved every aspect of their venue and couldn’t find a single thing she and Stephen didn’t love about it. The second reason was the owners. They were wonderful to work with and made planning and coordinating easy. And the third reason was the package deal. Stephen & Nicole loved the package prices offered with so much included: rooms, food, DJ. It helped make planning so simple.
Nicole & Stephen’s favorite image from their wedding day is the two of them in the gazebo with the sunset in the background. Nicole said it’s non-traditional, and very romantic. Nicole & Stephen said there isn’t one photo they didn’t like from their wedding day. Here is their favorite image:
Stephen & Nicole were married August 6th, 2011. Here are some images from their wedding day:
So, I need to explain this image, Nicole’s gift to Stephen was a Boudoir session and resulting book that we did a few months earlier in my studio. He was impressed!
This image is when Nicole found out that Stephen had arranged for them to have dinner in the Cinderella castle at Disney in Orlando.
Nicole’s Dad having her help with reading his toast, he said he couldn’t see it. Her Dad was a very funny character!
Stephen surprised Nicole with a mini trip to Disney in Florida before their cruise for their honeymoon. Nicole said they had dinner in the castle at Disney where Nicole was treated like a princess. They are now living happily ever after in Charlotte NC.
4 Responses
Ann,
These photos are absolutely amazing. You captured everything, and every spare moment I get, I love looking through them and reliving the whole day. You helped make it special, and gave me a life time of memories to look back on. Thank you so much for preserving our wedding day for years to come. No one else could have captured the beauty of our wedding as well as you did. And I can’t seem to thank you enough. Words really can not do justice to the feelings of gratitude and pleasure I feel when I look at our photos. You are an amazing photographer, and we plan to use you to capture all of our lives special moments for years to come. Thank you so much.
It was a pleasure to work with both you and Stephen on your wedding day. I loved getting to know both of you and your families and friends. I still chuckle every time I think of Stephen trying to negotiate paying me in pennies. I finally gave in and told him he could. I half expected a wheel-barrel full of pennies on your wedding day for payment! 🙂
I stumbled upon Ann’s site and all through word of mouth and once we met her Nicole and I felt at ease with her instantly. Ann drove to Boone NC to do the engagement photos at no additional cost.
Ann was nothing short of a pleasure to work with from beginning to end and we have also become friends.
Anns work is amazing and she works with the most upmost professionalism and makes it a point to work closely with the Bride and Groom to make their day special.
I know that when we have children Ann will be the family photographer.
Stephen – you and Nicole were wonderful to work with. We had a lot of laughter over the 1 + year of getting to know each other. I am looking forward to doing your family portraits over the years and watching your family grow!