What a lovely spring wedding at The Upchurch venue for Morgan and Zach! The light and weather were amazing! I loved all of the special touches that Morgan made for their special day. She and Zach were well organized and their wedding went so smoothly! There were many moments that truly made their wedding day unique!
When I arrived at their wedding venue, Morgan had all of her bridal details arranged neatly in a box for me. I was able to pick some extra flowers from the florist to use with her flat lay images. Their invitation suite was simple but so pretty. While Morgan was getting ready, she gave her mom a sweet gift. She later had a first look with her dad and gave him a gift as well. Morgan and Zach didn’t do a first look, but instead had a “first touch” and exchanged gifts. They also toasted a glass of champagne around the corner so they wouldn’t see each other.
The ceremony was held outside, complete with gorgeous florals and a large floral display for the ceremony area. Morgan and Zach also had flower petals down the aisle. Lots of happy tears were shared as Morgan walked with her dad down the aisle. Zach wiped away some tears as he watched her walk closer to him. At one point during the ceremony, the officiant asked them to take a moment, turn and look at everyone in the audience to soak it all in. After Morgan and Zach exchanged their own wedding vows, they walked back down the aisle hand in hand to flower petals being thrown!
During cocktail hour, the guests played a fun crossword game with questions about the couple that Morgan made herself! This idea was such a fun and unique to keep their guests entertained. They also had playing cards with their engagement photos printed on them! We immediately shot the bridal party and family formals after the ceremony.
For Morgan and Zach’s couple portraits, we started in front of the house and then moved to an area outside in front of some trees. I can’t get over how beautiful these were, especially their veil shots! They made my job so easy! When the reception began, Zach and Morgan started things off with a choreographed first dance. They took dance lessons to prepare. This was such a fun bonding experience for them!
This wedding venue is absolutely one of my favorites! It’s owned by another photographer in the area. The Upchurch has neutral-colored walls on the inside and lots of natural lighting – perfect for clean white images! Morgan made all the decor herself and even make the seating chart. She is so talented!
After speeches and first dances, Zach and Morgan cut their cake! To open up the dance floor to everyone, the bride and groom gathered their guests together for one big group photo. Since they didn’t have a planned exit, everyone just kept having a good time and dancing! Congratulations Morgan and Zach! Thank you for trusting me to capture your spring wedding at The Upchurch venue! I’m almost booked for 2023! If you’re getting engaged soon, now is the time to contact me about your date!
Wedding Vendors
Venue: The Upchurch
Planner: Lanier and Company
Florist: English Garden Raleigh
DJ: Dow Oak Events
Hair & Makeup: Pinup Studio
Rentals: Curated Events Raleigh
Catering/Bar: Rocky Top Catering
Cake: Sugar Euphoria
