Love Stories — Kimberly Cauble Photography Blog

Canaan & Kyle's Vineyard Wedding | Dugaren Vineyard

It’s no secret that I love color. When my children or students ask me what my favorite color is, I have a hard time answering, because I love them all! Canaan & Kyle’s Dugaren Vineyard wedding was so full of color, I could not help but feature it. Just a little over an hour away from my home, Dugaren has a beautifully crafted building with both indoor and covered outdoor areas, a big open vineyard surrounded by beautiful trees, and the most amazing bridal AND groom suites! And on June 8, the weather was warm, but not too hot, and sunny…a perfect summer day.

Love Stories, Photography, WeddingsKimberly CaubleSeptember 30, 2024Dugaren VineyardsDugaren VineyardComment

Jaycie & Brooks | A Beaufort Engagement Session

We began this Beaufort engagement session by wandering down Bay Street, across to The Lewis Reeve Sams House (currently for sale!) and Steven Elliot Park with the cannon across from Woods Memorial Bridge. Then we headed back through Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, and finally, we headed across the bridge and ended the evening at sunset amongst the oaks and along the Beaufort River at Whitehall Park. It was a bit breezy (par for the course along the coast), but thankfully, it wasn’t a million degrees! It was a beautiful evening for an epic Lowcountry sunset engagement with a gorgeous couple…what photographer could ask for more?

Catie & Kishon's Dairy Barn Wedding

Catie & Kishon got married in the loft of the Dairy Barn at Anne Springs Close Greenway in Fort Mill. Her soon-to-be brother-in-law officiated the ceremony. One of the biggest surprises of the ceremony was the song that Catie chose to walk down the aisle with her dad to; it was her mom and dad’s wedding song. Surrounded by family and friends, their day was perfect…the weather could not have been more beautiful, and there was the most dreamy sunset before their reception began.

Love Stories, WeddingsKimberly CaubleApril 21, 2024Dairy BarnComment

Some of my Favorite Wedding Venues in the Charlotte, NC/York County SC Area | Kimberly Cauble Photography

If you’re a couple who has recently gotten engaged and begun planning your wedding, you know that one of the most important things is finding your venue, which will also dictate your date and other vendors! There are so many things to consider when choosing a venue: your vision, the size of your wedding and the number of guests, whether or not you’re set on getting married in a church, whether or not you want an all-inclusive venue, and of course, your budget. Luckily, if you are in the Charlotte, NC/York County, SC area, you have a plethora of wedding and event venues that suit every wedding vision imaginable to choose from!

What to Look for in a Wedding Photographer

So you’ve just gotten engaged and are in the beginning phases of planning your wedding…congratulations! What an exciting time! After that initial excitement, however, it can become overwhelming when you start thinking about all the vendors you will need and all the choices and decisions you will have to make. At the top of your list should be your photographer, because after all, your photographer will be tasked with capturing all the beauty and special moments of your big day. You want to make sure you pick one with the skills, vision, and style who will document your memories perfectly. So take a deep breath… and let me share some steps that might help you find the perfect wedding photographer!

Engagements, Love Stories, Photography, Photography Education, WeddingsKimberly CaubleFebruary 2, 2024Comment

Dancing the Night Away at Loray Mill: Amanda & David's Wedding

Loray Mills is an exquisite venue with multiple spaces, and their ceremony was held in a beautifully lit space just adjacent to their reception hall, which was decorated to the nines! As Amanda and David read their vows to each other, both laughter and happy tears ensued, and when they were pronounced husband and wife, they literally jumped into the air and didn’t come down from the clouds for the rest of the day! They leaped into their reception with such energy, danced and sang their way through the first dance, and then continued the celebration with their friends and family until their exit—during a summer thunderstorm! All their dancing and energy in the clouds had to be released in some way!

Engagements, Love Stories, Photography, WeddingsKimberly CaubleJanuary 23, 2024Loray Mill Event VenueComment

Olivia & Jonathan's Fairytale Wedding at Castle Ladyhawke | Kimberly Cauble Photography

And then venue…oh, this venue! When I visited Castle Ladyhawke the first time for Olivia’s bridal portrait session, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are so many rooms and nooks and crannies for amazing photos, including a library, 3-room bridal suite, knights’ chambers for the groom, grand staircase, carriage house, garden shed, and a hidden room behind a bookcase just for vendors! We had so much fun creating Olivia’s portraits, and I could not wait to get back up there for the wedding!

How to Dress for your Engagement Session

You’re engaged. And just like Buddy the Elf, you want to scream to the world, “I'm in love! I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!” How do you do that? Engagement Photos.

I love engagement sessions. As a photographer, it gives me a chance to break the ice with my brides and grooms, get to know them, try a variety poses to find the ones that suit them best, and help them relax in front of the camera. It really makes the photography on a wedding day a lot easier, because we have already gotten comfortable with each other!

But what do you wear? Here are some things to think about as you plan…

What to Wear, Engagements, Love Stories, PortraitsKimberly CaubleMay 3, 2022Kimberly Cauble PhotographyComment

Sarah & Austin's Wedding | Winthrop University, July 10, 2021

Sarah and Austin chose Winthrop University (Tuttle and McBryde Halls) as their venue, and it was absolutely gorgeous on the day of their wedding. The natural light and space in both locations is a photographer’s dream! The Fresh Blossom created exquisite floral arrangements and bouquets, and Sarah even arranged a special kids’ table at the reception, complete with custom coloring book, crayons, card games, and treats for the children in attendance. The weather was sunny yet not too miserably hot, especially during mid-summer in the Deep South!

Jasmine & Brandon's Rock Springs Wedding | Greenville, NC, July 17, 2021

Jasmine and Brandon chose the Rock Springs Center in Greenville, NC as their venue, a beautiful event center with multiple ballrooms in the middle of sprawling fields with a pond, gazebo, and the most beautiful Crepe Myrtle trees lining their drive, which were in full bloom in mid-July! I don’t usually travel so far to photograph a wedding, but Greenville, NC is actually where I was born, so I thought it might be neat to go back to my birthplace. And I am so glad I did! Jasmine and Brandon’s families and friends were a joy to be around. They laughed, cried happy tears, hugged, and DANCED!

“Love is the Flower You’ve Got to Let Grow”

Back in the Fall of 2015, I had the honor of photographing the wedding of Kaylan and John Petty. Little did I know that there was a seed planted that day that would end up blossoming into a romance between Kaylan’s maid of honor, Samantha, and one of John’s groomsmen, Blake! A little over 5 years later, these two lovebirds were married themselves in an open field on a beautiful Spring day, surrounded by family, friends, and flowers gathered from both their families’ yards. It was such a beautiful day!

This wedding was truly a DIY wedding, with so many services and details provided by dear friends and family of the bride and groom. Everything, from the flowers to the catering, had special meaning to Samantha and Blake.

Love Stories, Photography, Portraits, WeddingsKimberly CaubleJune 24, 2021The Cabins at Kings MountainComment

How to Dress for Spring Portraits

Spring one of my busiest times of year as a photographer, and senior, engagement, and family portraits are a huge reason. Read the tips below to help you plan your outfits for your portrait session, and then take a look at some of my favorite Spring portrait color palettes from some of my previous sessions!

Children, Families, Love Stories, Portraits, Senior Grads, What to WearKimberly CaubleMarch 20, 2021Spring Portraits, what to wearComment

Wedding Tips from a Photographer

After 10+ years shooting weddings, I’ve learned a lot about the flow of the day and things that can make or break a wedding. It’s such an important day, and your photographs will be cherished memories, so you want to make sure you plan for them! Here is a list of many tips I have learned through the years for all my future brides as they prepare for their big days.

Tynaiza & Devin Jump the Broom | The Barn at Cranberry Creek

When I arrived to The Barn at Cranberry Creek, ready to begin the day, Tynaiza and her ladies were having the best time in the bridal suite as their hair and makeup were completed. There was so much laughter and joking around, and everyone seemed so relaxed—there was no stress allowed at this wedding! The rest of the day followed suit, as Devin and his guys arrived and gifts were exchanged. And their gifts to each other were most impressive! Tynaiza gave Devin a Movado watch, and Devin gave Tynaiza the sweetest photo album he designed of their lives together and a spectacular pair of Jordans. It wasn’t surprising that his groomsmen were also decked out in different pairs of Jordan and Lebron shoes. (Apparently Devin has quite the obsession with shoes!) And then the ceremony began. One of the most special and symbolic parts of their ceremony was when Tynaiza and Devin “jumped the broom.” This tradition began during the pre-Civil War era to symbolize the union between and a man and woman and is still a popular tradition within the African-American community.

Maura & Robert's Intimate Mountaintop Wedding | NC Wedding Photographer

I didn’t meet Maura until the day of, but I immediately fell in love with her and Robert and their families. They were some of the kindest, friendliest people I met and welcomed me as one of the family into the AirBnB they had rented for their big weekend. And this AirBnB was the perfect location for an afternoon, mountaintop wedding! The inside was bright and airy, and the porch had just the right amount of space for the 14 people in attendance to sit or stand and a gorgeous view of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Emily & Austin's Wedding | Charlotte Wedding Photographer

Emily and Austin were married at Grace Church in Harrisburg, Emily’s home church, and their officiant was a close family friend and the church’s associate pastor. His entire family helped with the wedding, including his daughter, who played the harp during the ceremony! One of the most beautiful details of their ceremony was a cross covered in gorgeous flowers. I remember Emily’s dad telling us that he didn’t want it to look too pretty—the cross itself was not a pretty thing. He knows his theology! But what happened on the cross was beautiful and represents the sacrificial love of Christ, and I loved that it was a centerpiece to Emily and Austin’s wedding ceremony. The ceremony was appropriately full of music, from the harpist to the songs that the wedding party and guests joined in singing together. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, there were many friends and family members who were able to attend.

Maggie & Zach's Christmas Wedding at Pecan Ridge | Clover Wedding Photographer

A brand-new, family owned barn. Christmas trees and poinsettias. A surprise visit from the Grinch, and a sentimental gift that beats all gifts. Maggie and Zach’s wedding was one of the most memorable weddings I have ever photographed, for so many reasons!

Bridget & Daniel's 1932 Barn Wedding, a.k.a. “The One Where Bridget Gets Married” | Charlotte Wedding Photographer

From all the “Friends” nods to the Hot Sauce Band’s fantastic covers of 90s music at the reception, this was a wedding that had a ton of personal touches and even more fun! Bridget even wore a gorgeous two-piece dress that had a removable skirt, making dancing at her reception a breeze! And there was a LOT of dancing! Her SIX flowergirls almost stole the show all day long and danced the night away until they dropped.

Love Stories, WeddingsKimberly CaubleFebruary 10, 20201932 BarnCharlotte Wedding Photographer, 1932 BarnComment

Jessica & Mitchell's Walnut Grove Garden Wedding | SC Wedding Photographer

Jessica and Mitchell got married on a perfect, crisp Fall day in October under a grove of beautiful trees at Walnut Grove Farm & Garden Center. Their friends and families, spread out across the Carolinas, Florida, and up North all converged near Spartanburg, SC for a truly fantastic celebration! What struck me most were the obvious close friendships that both the bride and groom had with their wedding party and guests. The photographs show just how close everyone was and how much they all cherished being a part of Jessica and Mitchell’s big day. There is so much laughter and joy!

Love Knows No Age | Clover Wedding Photographer

Mary and Kenneth Love were married at Bowling Green Presbyterian Church on the afternoon of June 22, 2019. Just before the ceremony, a strong storm blew through and knocked out the power to the church, but they were able to get a few lights on in the sanctuary and reception hall, and that’s all that was needed! It was one of the sweetest weddings I have ever been a part of, with mostly family as guests. Mary carried some flowers atop her Bible, and Kenneth wore a coordinating boutonniere. Ken’s daughter sang “O Perfect Love” beautifully. In fact, they didn’t really need many details because everywhere I looked, there were references to “Love.” ❤️ It couldn’t have been more perfect!