This is my favorite post ALL YEAR LONG!  My second annual Bride and Groom Superlatives!! Check out 2016- HERE! I literally think about this post while I’m photographing every wedding and what superlative they would get.  I am SO thankful to work with such amazing people.  I realized something unique this year- I spend more time with the bride and the groom than anyone else is with them the entire day.  I may even spend more time with the bride than she does with her groom, that’s just crazy to think about!  I leave every wedding feeling like I was A- a guest by the way I am always treated, B- have two new best friends because we just spent the best day of their life together and C- so emotional and thankful for this opportunity to do what I love.  THANK YOU doesn’t begin to describe how I feel.  Disclaimer before we get into the superlatives- this obviously is not the most important picture of the day, so you get to see me at the end of the night, usually covered in sweat, ew I know gross!  Also- yes, when I find a dress that works, I wear it um maybe three weekends in a row….haha! Also- I couldn’t pick just one superlative for each wedding so there is a superlative AND a runner up for each couple!  Click on their names to see the post all about their wedding.  Drum roll please…

Ryan + Erica // Best Surrounding Team // Runner Up Superlative: Best Surprise First Look   Ryan and Erica were my first wedding of the year and they got married at the beautiful Mankin Mansion.  These two win best surrounding team because their family and friends were AMAZING.  They had people come to their wedding from ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  They also had SO many family members attend and be apart of their day.  Ryan and Erica- you two are so loved and it was so evident that your wedding was so special to so many people.  I was honored to be apart of your day and get to meet so many different people.  Hands down your surprise first look was one for the books.  We truly captured Ryan’s emotions when he first saw you and had time to take lots of pictures before the ceremony started.  I will never forget the joy and friendship that surrounded your day! 

Jim + Erin // Most Relaxed // Runner Up Superlative: Best Singing Duo Jim and Erin were SO great to photograph and spend the day with.  You two were so relaxed and your main concern of the day was serving your guests and getting married.  I appreciated your calmness and it created an environment where everyone could relax and have a good time.  I mean, Erin had, at times, 20-30 bugs in her dress and she still stayed relaxed, what?!  I can’t write about your wedding without talking about the connection you two had on the dance floor.  Watching you guys light up and run and find each other when certain songs came on was seriously THE BEST.  Erin- your family huddle and family song was the coolest thing I think I’ve ever seen at a wedding.  You two need to start your own music group, I would be your biggest fan!

JC + Shanna // Most Welcoming // Runner up Superlative: Best Perseverance The first thought I had when I left JC and Shanna’s wedding was “I want to hang out with them when they get back from their honeymoon.”  I honestly felt like I left this wedding with two friends.  You two were so incredibly welcoming and treated me like I was one of your guests.  Every decision you guys made at your wedding was to make sure each and every person felt comfortable and had a good time.  This was so appreciated by all!! Not to mention, your wedding day was over 100 degrees outside!!! You persevered through the hottest day we had all year.  Despite the heat, you got to get married outside by the water and you still looked flawless in your pictures!  Thanks for putting others first and being so welcoming to everyone, including myself…now to make that drink happen!  

Blake + Ashlee // Best Reception // Runner up Superlative: Most Joy Wow…Blake and Ashlee’s wedding was seriously SO MUCH FUN.  Every aspect of the day was a good time.  The reception started by guests indulging in a queso, guac, salsa bar outside and a canoe full of beer.  Then, there was a wood fired pizza food truck, everyone LOVED this!  The night ended with some of the best dance moves I have ever seen at a wedding.  There may have even been some clothing taken off by Mr. Blake himself and an outfit change.  I’ve never seen a dance floor stay alive ALL NIGHT LONG.  Ashlee & Blake- you two have some friends and family that truly know how to have a good time.  I can’t talk about everyone having a good time without mentioning the joy the two of you experienced all day.  Each shot I took, your face is radiating with JOY!  Thank you for letting me be apart of one of the most fun and joyful days I have ever experienced.

Taylor + Katie // Most Sentimental // Runner up Superlative: Most Unique Taylor and Katie’s wedding was such a special one for me since I know these two so well!  They win the superlative for most sentimental for many reasons.  First of all, both of their bridal parties were loaded with family members!  This made for some emotional speeches, toasts, and first dances.  I will never forget Katie’s dad giving a very heart felt speech about his baby girl growing up and meeting Taylor.  I also can’t help but comment on how unique this wedding was.  It was at the beautiful Pharsalia flower farm.  Katie and all of her bridesmaids picked their bouquets and flower crowns and they looked STUNNING.  They also had a wooden cross that washed up on a family beach trip that they got married by, how cool?!  They had a apple cider donut truck show up just when guests were ready for a dessert.  Dancing through the night in the mountains made this wedding by far the most unique wedding I have ever photographed!  

Matt + Karen // Best Planned/Theme Wedding // Runner up Superlative: Best Daddy Daughter Dance The winner of this superlative was a little obvious but there is more to it- Karen, being a wedding planner herself, had an AMAZING day planned out to celebrate the love between her and Matt.  Her wedding was southern themed, think magnolia leaves everywhere, the venue being the southern plantation where the first Thanksgiving was held, and each guest left with a bag of grits, it was perfect in everyday.  Because their wedding was so well planned, Karen and Matt got to experience the things that really mattered.  You could tell they were stress free and could truly enjoy each other and their family and friends.  I had tears in my eyes multiple times at this wedding- including a daddy daughter dance that Karen shared with her dad, sister, and stepdad.  The real tears came though when Matt took his mom’s hand and led her to the dance floor.  I left this wedding thinking, how did I get to photograph something so amazing?  The details and love between these two were one of a kind!   

Aaron + Kelly // Best Team // Runner up Superlative: Most Elegant  Kelly and Aaron are seriously a dynamic duo!!!  These two go all the way back to their high school days at Deep Run together.  There is something about getting married to someone that you’ve known since you were basically a child.  You could tell the bond between these two was so strong!  I loved how close knit each of their families were as well.  You could tell these two are starting a legacy!!  Not to mention, they were surrounded by so many friends from high school and on that would attest that these two have an unbreakable bond.  Their entrance and first dance were so much fun to watch and they even made it around to almost every single guest to say hi, that’s impressive!  They also had their wedding at a beautiful church in the west end, Kelly looked like a princess! You two have are full of elegance, grace, and joy!   

To see last years superlatives, click here- 2016

Thank you guys for such an INCREDIBLE year!!! Looking forward to 2018 with Christina, David, Kelsey, Nick, Amanda, Josh, Bailey, David, MJ, Lauren, Liz, and Chris…and maybe you!!

Ashley