What do you get when you have a cool bride and finely bearded groom, an epic whiskey bar and a decked out classic El Camino? A fantastic wedding day!

There was barely a dry eye amongst their guests or any of the hotels guests for that matter, who had gathered by the pool and outside their rooms to watch this gorgeous Umstead Hotel and Spa wedding.

The last wedding of the year, much like the first wedding of the year, really sets a tone. But unlike the first wedding of the year, the last one has multiple other weddings to fight over in my head. I've heard great speeches, seen beautiful first dances, laughed with some awesome families, shot in some exciting venues, witnessed first kisses that could make your knees weak and like Anthony Bourdain I'm always " hungry for more."

I feel honored to photograph every wedding that I am at, but this was something special. Having that bit of history with Stephanie made that day and that ceremony that much more special to me. To see her and Andrew make each other laugh. To see them play with their little boy and the love they share for him. To see their first dance. And to see them spend time with their family and friends. It was awesome.

When I first met Sydney and Hunter, I knew that wedding photography was important to them. This was not just a checked box on a long list of wedding to-do's for them. It was important to find the right photographer, not just for photographic work but also for the relationship. Not only could I appreciate that, that is part of my creed as a photographer.