Gorgeous, Fun, and Intimate Bridal Photos at The Clothmill | Hillsborough, NC | Nicole

bridal portraits

Dec 2

I absolutely love photographing bridal sessions.

What is a bridal session, you ask? Get your hair and make up done, maybe get a bouquet from your florist and get into your wedding dress so you can make some gorgeous, fun and intimate bridal photos! And while it is certainly something that is more common here in the south, it's a tradition I really like.

Wedding days can be hectic, usually held very tightly to a schedule. So we do the best we can with the time we have, but as most, if not all brides, have spent a ton of time choosing just the right dress, it's a great opportunity to slow down and give the dress the respect it deserves. So when Nicole contacted me to ask if we could photograph a bridal session, I was ecstatic!

With no schedule and the good folks at The Clothmill giving us carte-blanche to do what we wanted within their space, we prepped for a great afternoon. Nicole and her mom, Fara, showed up all ready and looking stunning and I showed up with some bubbly and snacks...because treat yo'self! Am I right? That and an old friend used to tell me that you can't say bubbles without smiling, which he was right about, so we used that to our favor too!

Besides the time we are given and the relaxed nature of the session, I truly enjoy that mom's are usually there to share in the experience, because I get to see a dynamic that most other vendors on the wedding day only get to see a snippet of, and here I get two full and private hours with these great people. Getting to hear what moms have to say and even more so to see how they look at the daughters, it's so heartwarming, and Fara was so present during our session. At a few points she needed to take a moment to collect herself and I asked her what she was seeing, and she told me that she was seeing Nicole as the beautiful woman that she has become. Now, I also knew that behind that she was seeing every moment from even pre-birth to this moment right here, that she was remembering every little conversation they have had over the years, all of the laughs they have shared and all of the moments that she was simply proud just to be her mom.

And these are the moments that make me fall in love, not just with the couples I work with, but their families too. They let me in a little further, and that trust means the world to me. Because in the end, this wedding (which is happening as we speak, right about now, Nicole is walking down the aisle towards Shane in a moment she will always remember), these photos are not just about something as simple as a wedding or a photograph, it's about lineage, family, memories, growth, and love.

So before I go ahead and get myself all emotional, here are a few of my favorites from Nicole's bridal session. Enjoy!