After two weekends off my fall wedding season kicked off with an absolutely gorgeous wedding by the water with Mary and Ryan. When Mary had originally reached out to me and told me about this new wedding venue, River Dunes Weddings, I was so excited to see it. I had no idea I would be walking into such a cute location! It looked like a movie set! There was a harbor club, marina, rentals for the girls to get ready in, cottages for the bridal party to hang out in, and the sweetest chapel for their ceremony. It was perfect!

Mary and Ryan chose the absolute best people to share their day with. I was laughing so hard with the guys – from Mary’s brother Will grabbing a fishing pole from a boat that pulled into the marina during photos to them having the BEST vision for a photo on the bikes that came with the cottages. It may be my favorite groomsmen photo ever!! The bridesmaids were so incredibly helpful, always making sure Mary had everything she needed. I loved having them around because they always made sure I was taken care of to, even if that wasn’t necessary.

I was absolutely obsessed with Mary’s wedding dress – classic and sophisticated, just like her. Paired with her big Hollywood curls, she was stunning!!! They chose to do a first look to have a private moment with each other before the ceremony, which let us have extra time during the cocktail hour for them to sneak away for a private drink before going into the reception. I loved that they prioritized spending time with each other, which can be hard to find on the wedding day – BUT don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have time!!

When we got to the reception, the party was on!!! After a full night of dancing and living it up, we packed up and headed home…but I saw that Mary and Ryan ended the night by diving into the pool in their full wedding dress with their bridal party. Man, I wish I had been there for that!!!! SO fun!!!

Mary and Ryan, thank you for trusting me to capture your most special memories. I hope your day was everything you wanted and more!!! It was absolutely breath-taking! Enjoy your honeymoon!!!!

Thank you to the wedding vendors who made this day beautiful:

VENUE: River Dunes Weddings
COORDINATION: Robin with River Dunes Weddings
FLORALS: Robin with River Dunes Weddings
HAIR AND MAKEUP: Dalisay Hair Salon and Bridal Suite
DJ: Generations Moblie DJ Service
WEDDING DRESS: Coastal Knot Raleigh
SHOES: Jewel Badgley Mischka
BRIDESMAIDS DRESSES: Azazie
GROOMSMEN SUITS: Menquin
INVITATIONS: Shutterfly
DESSERTS: Robin with River Dunes Weddings
CATERING: The Flame