Courtney Aliah Photography

Jessie & Joshua’s Villa Wedding

Courtney — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:36:50 +0000

Jessie & Joshua’s wedding was held at Barclay Villa in Angier, NC. If you have never heard of it or visited, you need to check it out at some point. When we arrived on the grounds, we felt like we had been transported to another country. The Villa was once a private residence and has since, been converted to a wedding venue. Combine that with Jessie’s AMAZING planning and design ( handmade & Etsy) and things were beautiful ! After the wedding I told Jessie that I was so impressed with her planning and design ability that she needed to consider a career in wedding planning and design. Lets hope she considers it.

Thank you guys !

Courtney & AJ

Thank you to all the wonderful wedding vendors that helped create a magical day :

Cake : Ashley Cakes

DJ: Triad DJ Service

Catering : Barclay Catering & Events

Becca + Jim = Live.Laugh.Love!

Courtney — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:45:34 +0000

Rebecca (aka Becca) and Jim are a couple that LIVES, LAUGHS and LOVES with total enthusiasm. We have known Becca for a few years and when she contacted us about shooting her wedding , we were honored and STOKED! We knew that it was going to be a rockin’ good time and when I saw the shoes…. I knew it was on !

The day started at the Hilton in downtown Wilmington. The wedding party got ready and then headed to St. Mary’s Catholic Church for the ceremony. Becca’s dad had passed years ago so Becca’s mom had saved items he used as a pilot (his Piedmont Air wings) to pin under her dress on her wedding day. She also had her baby baptismal bonnet as a wrap for her flowers along with her mother’s own Polish rosary beads. Right before we left, her mom gave her a note that she had written to Becca when she was first born. Wow.

The ceremony was lovely. Besides Jim crying, the sweetest part was the iPad a guest had that allowed Jim’s Grandparents to watch the ceremony and be a part of the reception festivities, all the way from Michigan. We love modern technology and the joy it can bring.

Once the ceremony was over and after the family pics, we jumped into golf carts and cruised around downtown for some fun & silly shots that really brought out Becca & Jim’s personalities.

The reception was at St. Thomas Preservation Hall. Upon arrival, the party started and lasted into the night. Lots of Living, Laughter and Love ! At the end of the evening, everyone gave a nod to Becca’s dad with chocolate mustache cheer.

Thank you both for allowing us to be a part of your day. We had a great time !

Here are the other amazing wedding vendors that helped make the day special.

Band – 360 Degrees of Music
Caterer- Drew Loesch
Day of coordinator- Kickstand Events
Florist- Sue Papach
Chair Rentals - A Tent Event
Cake- Taylor Ross “Sweet T’s”
Transportation- Cart Man

Hair and Hair Piece – Jina from Delatesta

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Ashley + David 10.1.11

Courtney — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:45:08 +0000

Ashley and David are one of those couples who you want to be around more often. They LOVE life, each other, their friends and family. Their feelings were evident on their faces their whole wedding day. Ashley had planned a beach wedding and a reception at The Shell Island Resort on Wrightsville Beach, NC but a hurricane a few weeks prior altered her plans a bit. The wedding was still held on the beach in front of Shell Island Resort but because of the damage caused by the storm, the hotel had been shut down. The Hilton Riverside in down town Wilmington stepped up and offered Ashley a banquet room at the last minute due to the hotel remaining closed on her wedding day. Only Ashley and her mom were allowed in the hotel, to dress. We were not even allowed in to snap a few “getting ready shots”.

But despite all the rearranging, Ashley & David kept their huge smiles and the wedding was wonderful and the reception that followed was rockin’ !

Ashely & David, you guys were so much fun to work with! Congratulations on your new life together.

Thank you to all the other wedding vendors who made their wedding day amazing.:

Flowers: A Beautiful Event
Cake: Flower & Flour
Dress: Fountaine Bridals
Hair/makeup: Head to Toe Day Spa
Ceremony decor: Beachside Occasions
Ceremony: Shell Island
Reception: Hilton Wilmington Riverside
DJ/Music: Forever Productions

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Samantha + Zach : A Fearrington Wedding

Courtney — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:10:51 +0000

When Sam contacted us about shooting her wedding at the Fearrington Inn in Chapel Hill NC, we were as excited as she was. Not only was it a beautiful setting but Sam is SO creative that when she started describing her vision, we could hardly wait ! Both Sam and Zach are such sweet people who have a ton of friends and family who were invited to be a part of their wedding celebration. Sam owns a jewelry design company called ReBorn Designs. You can find them at local shops in Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas. It is that design touch that made this wedding so beautiful.

On the day of the wedding things were going along fabulously. Everyone was getting ready on the grounds. The Fearrington Barn was transforming into something you see in a magazine. Food, Cake, Flowers, Band… Photographers, we were all in place. But there was this one little thing called a storm that was bearing down on us that could have caused a bit of a damper. LUCKILY, it poured and STOPPED, right before the wedding was due to start ! At that point everyone relaxed, and we as photographers, knew that the rain had been a gift. It was a gift of color saturation and an AMAZING sunset ! We could not have asked for more.

The ceremony was held under gorgeous tall trees. It as sweet and heartfelt. Once the rings and kisses had been exchanged, it was time to have some fun !

Sam & Zach, thank you so much for having letting us be a part of your celebration !

Courtney & AJ

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Kristen + Alex . Ocean Isle, NC 10.9.11

Courtney — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:00:43 +0000

Kristen and Alex’s romantic Ocean Isle, NC wedding was one of those weddings you knew was rooted in family and friends. They were SO excited to be marrying each other. Their family and friends came from near and far. Both are avid beach goers. They were introduced by their best friends 10 years ago. Their ceremony on the sand was sweet and full of love and laughter. After the kiss, we had some fun on the beach. Kristen’s gown looked so beautiful with the wind and the steps of the boardwalk.

Once beach photos were done, we headed up to The Isles Restaurant for food and dancing ! Hugs and kisses dominated this mostly New York crowd. I love how the Northern folks are so affectionate.

They danced, ate , drank and danced again, until late into the night. So much fun !!

Here are the other wedding professionals that made their day special:

A Beautiful Event

Cakes By The Sea

The Isles Restaurant

Sean from Active DJ Entertainment

Thank you K & A. We had a great time sharing your love.

Courtney & AJ

Lorna + Robert. Cape Fear Botanical Garden 10.8.11

Courtney — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:58:56 +0000

If you haven’t thought of Fayetteville, NC for your wedding, think again ! We were blown away with the beauty of the freshly renovated Cape Fear Botanical Garden, as the setting for Lorna & Bobby’s wedding. There are amazing tall pines, sculptures, ponds, arbors, fountains, a “Great Lawn”. Their new wing named “The Orangery” was breathtaking. We walked into the atrium style building and looked up and saw this stunning wooden ceiling! There is also a preserved older section of the garden that has tobacco barns, a cabin, a small bridge, small walking path garden, and large old trees. This is the section where we shot Lorna’s bridal photos . You can see those on a previous blog. As far as a wedding/reception location, this place had it all !

Lorna and Bobby had it all too They were funny, relaxed & stylish. They made our job easier.

Lorna’s family owns a large plant nursery in Fayetteville and they were involved with the CFBG’s ground renovations. Lorna knew the grounds like the back of her hand so when it came to where she wanted the wedding ceremony to take place, she chose The Great Lawn. Seeing a bride in a wedding dress walk through tall pines with splashes of color was a photographers dream.

Once the ceremony was over, we had fun roaming the grounds , then we headed back to the main building and into The Orangery. The lighting and the way the room had been set up was gorgeous. Mark with Five Star lit the ceiling with images of leaves that were “blowing”. Once family & friends filled the space, we did the toasts and formal dances, then it was PARTY TIME! And party, they did.

We had so much fun guys !! Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your celebration !

Thank you too to the wedding professionals who helped make the day so wonderful

Flowers and Design: Celebrations (Paula Williams Jones)
DJ & Lighting: Five Star Entertainment
Wedding Venue: The Cape Fear Botanical Garden

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Haleigh + Billy. Engagement

Courtney — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:38:48 +0000

We have known Haleigh for a few years professionally because she the Event Coordinator for The Hilton, in downtown Wilmington. When she asked us last year to shoot her wedding, we were honored and excited ! Our warm up shoot was the engagement shoot she wanted us to do, mainly for her fiancee Billy’s sake, not hers Despite the cold day, we had the best time. Haleigh , being her crafty self, brought the props and the bloody marys ! What more could we want. When a bride (or bride to be ) involves herself in designing the shoot , it makes it so much more personal. Haleigh and Billy brought bikes, a Charlie Brown Christmas tree with lights, blankets, paper date cut outs, rope..) We then were able to take these items and incorporate them into the shoot. The result, fun, personalized, beautiful photos.

The shoot was taken at the Trails End dock area. H & B live close by the spot and frequently spend time there. Haleigh also brought the dried Christmas tree sprig that Billy had tied her engagement ring to, the Christmas before. The ring had been his grandmothers. What made it even more special was his grandmother still had the box that came with the ring. Haleigh brought that as well. To see something from so long ago have new life , is pretty neat.

We are super excited to be a part of their wedding in April ! See you guys soon!

Courtney & AJ

www.courtneyaliah.com

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Valerie + Eric 9.17.11 Fayetteville, NC

Courtney — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:32:34 +0000

Valerie & Eric were such a sweet couple. Soft spoken, easy going and funny. By the time the wedding rolled around, we were old friends. We had worked with them on their Engagement photos and Bridal portraits. When we are able to work with a couple that much before the wedding, then at the wedding it is like being part of the family

The wedding was held at the family church and then off to the Metropolitan Room. The Met Room was super cool ! It had been a bank that has been converted into an event space. The architecture has a retro feel. There were amazing sliding “screens” that acted at room dividers. Add some lighting, flowers and a bar, IN THE OLD SAFE, and you have a different, cool spot for a wedding !

Valerie had put so much thought into the elements of her wedding that when I asked about the details of her day, her rely was so informative and heartfelt that I decided to use her own words:

“They are all a part of my “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” I will just tell you the story behind everything I had/wore that day.

I wanted to incorporate all the traditional things into my wedding day but also had several sentimental things that needed to be included as well. My something old(s) were the bible, and bonnet, and my pearls and ring. The bible was given to me by my Maid of Honors’ mother when I was born. It was meant to be carried in my bouquet on my wedding day, but since the style of bouquets have changed drastically since the 80′s, I decided to just use it beforehand The bonnet was given to Eric when he was a baby. It was meant to be a bonnet for the little boy and to then cut the strings off and give to his wife to carry on their wedding day. My pearls are not quite so old, but were given to me by Eric’s parents on our first Christmas together. My Mother-in-law bought them for me because she “thought they would look beautiful with a wedding dress.” On my right hand I wore my Grandmothers engagement ring. She passed away 23 years ago but we were very close and I wanted her to be with me on my special day. This ring was the reason for all of the tears during the reception. Her two sisters and her sister-in-law were there and we all shared a good cry. It meant as much to them as it did to me that she was remembered on my wedding day, even after all this time.
My something new was my dress and earrings, which was my Mother’s gift to me. We did all of the dress and jewlery shopping together, just the two of us.
My something borrowed was the prayer stone. It belongs to my bridesmaid Whitney. She was the one person who was always there for me during the planning process. We shared it all, good and bad, and she always picked me up when I needed it. Whitney was the one person who would call and say “I am so excited! I want to hear everything you have done this week!” The planning process was the most fun for me, but a lot of people forget how excited a bride is, and just doesn’t ask. So for me, that meant the most. When she offered to let me use her prayer stone I knew it would be perfect! We both prayed for my wedding day (put your prayers and worries in the stone) and let God handle the rest. It must have worked because everything went off without a hitch!
My something blue was my shoes and purse! It is my favorite color and I loved that I “matched” my bridesmaids.”

After the reception, the wedding party, some friends and of course us, went the the Sky Lounge @217 Pierro’s, to finish off the night.

Thank you guys for such a wonderful time. We were honored to be a part of your celebration

Here are the fabulous wedding vendors that helped make the day memorable:

Wedding Planner : Jenny Beaver – Just Jenny Designs and Event
She did it all – church decorations, all flowers, all decorations at reception, candy buffet, centerpieces, table decorations, etc.
Cake: Neal Lyman ( family friend)
Church : Village Baptist Church
Reception Venue: The Metropolitan Room
Caterer: Papa Jacks, Owner Tommy Culbreth
DJ: Robert Kitchen DJ Rooster

Afterparty: Sky Lounge @217 Pierro’s

Find us of Facebook at www.facebook.com/courtneyaliah and our website www.courtneyaliah.com

Alyson + Michael 9.10.11 Bald Head Island

Courtney — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:01:07 +0000

Alyson & Michael’s Bald Head Island Wedding on 9-10-11 (how cool is THAT date!) was BEAUTIFUL. Being on Bald Head Island you feel a closeness to those around you. Usually when you are invited to a wedding on the island, it is because you are truly special to the couple and their family. Not just a warm body to fill up an large church. Getting there takes effort ! SO, that said, you could tell the friends and family that were on the wedding journey with Alyson & Michael were a special group.

Alyson had an amazing Vera Wang gown. Everyone got ready at different houses then we did a “First Look” at “Old Baldy”, the lighthouse. Then it was onto the gold carts and over to the Bald Head Island Club. From there the ceremony was lovely and emotional. Once they kissed and sealed the deal we took the formal and fun group shots.

From there we took advantage of the AMAZING sunsets on the island and then headed inside to dance and party until midnight !

Congratulations guys & thank you for including us in your celebration !

Thank you too to the wedding professionals who helped make the day so wonderful

Flowers and Design: Salt Harbor
DJ: Active Entertainment
Wedding Venue: Bald Head Island Club

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www.courtneyaliah.com

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Courtney@courtneyalih.com

910-279-2358

Tiffany + Adam. High Point, NC

Courtney — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:21:26 +0000

Tiffany and Adam are one of those couples that are so cute together ! They are so comfortable with each other and their family and friends that the wedding takes on a whole new vibe. The ceremony was sweet. The toasts were heartfelt, numerous and FUNNY! The venue was very cool. The Lofts at Union Square in High Point, NC was a refreshing change to an urban, warehouse setting. We had a GREAT time ! Many of the family and friends that were at the wedding we had worked with in the past and so it was like a homecoming for us. Thank you Tiffany & Adam ! Hugs.

Also, thank you’s to all the wedding professionals who helped make this day so great! It takes a village
Flowers and Design: Just Priceless
Coordinator: Monica Ross (Reception)
Ceremony Venue: First United Methodist Church, High Point, NC
Reception Venue: The Loft at Union Square
Caterer: Southern Roots
Cakes: Sugar Custom Cakes