Courtney Aliah Photography

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

Find us of Facebook !

www.courtneyaliah.com

www.courtneyaliahblog.com

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

Andrea. Boudoir

Courtney — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:56:38 +0000

I was able to work with the coolest group of girls (and a 1961 Convertible Corvette) that wanted to do a boudior shoot and of course I said… YES ! They were doing it for various reasons – marriage, divorce, self. Regardless these ladies rocked it. A little music and beverage and good female encouragement and friendship, drove this shoot over the top !

Andrea was beautiful and easy to photograph. I was able to shoot is with a good friend and fellow photographer Sara Morris. Andrea was at ease and ready to knock our socks off. Here is a sampling… Let’s do it again !

Jess + Ryan + The Sunset = Part 2

Courtney — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:36:14 +0000

The fun with Jess & Ryan was upped a notch when they got into their wedding clothes and got into the water. Us too ! Ryan built a fire which set the mood. From there, we let the waves & sunset dictate and had a blast !!

Jess + Ryan + Guitar = Part 1

Courtney — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:18:45 +0000

Jess & Ryan are such a cool , fun couple. They wanted to do a two part Trash the Dress after their wedding. We were jazzed that not only did they want to Trash the Dress but it was TWO PARTS.

For the first part we hung out on the beach below the Fort Fisher Aquarium. There was music, guitars (Ryan’s guitar was his wedding gift) and a good vibe. Plus love & laughter. Good times!

The second part…. it’s to come !

Kim + Eric. Wilmington, NC

Courtney — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:11:51 +0000

Kim & Eric were the sweetest couple. They were quite and shy at times but there was love & laughter through out the day. Social Butterfly Events worked their magic on St. Thomas Preservation Hall. The ceremony was held first, then we went out on the town while SBE and Verzaal’s Florist put the finishing touches on the room.

There was photo booth fun with the CAPture It! screen. Middle of the Island served their usual yummy Southern cuisine. Once the party was over we got to escape again with Kim & Eric and head over to the Railroad Museum area. Of course they left in style in the beautiful Rolls Royce from Azalea Limo.

Kim & Eric- best wishes for a wonderful future. We loved being part of your day !

Mignon + Omar|Grandover |6.18.11

Courtney — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:58:36 +0000

Wow talk about a neglected blog. The wheels fell off I do believe BUT we are back on it with a vengeance! The best way to lead off from our blog hiatus is an amazing wedding with two amazing people. Typically the photographer writes about the blog. In this case, the bride did. Mignon and Omar are such interesting people that when I asked Mignon to provide me with some information on her wedding, she did and I couldn’t have done it better myself (no, really, I couldn’t). Thank you Mignon.

Here is what she had to say and it is a great read and explains why we love them.

“So, I started working on information for your blog, and may have written more than you need! Please feel free to take whatever works for you and fit it towards your personal blog style. Omar is better at this than me, but he has an American music group in Djibouti this week, so I took a jab!

HIM – Cuban born, lover of comic books, motorcycles and history. Scored a perfect score on his verbal SAT and regularly runs in triathlons, took the Foreign Service exam to try his luck at Diplomacy.
HER- Southern bell from North Carolina, prom queen, college cheerleader, and Spanish major. Got a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, but still admits to being afraid of the dark, took the Foreign Service exam after working in Latin America.

Mignon and Omar Cardentey are U.S. Diplomats. Their backgrounds couldn’t be more different, but their future couldn’t be more perfect.
Both met in Washington, DC during preparations for assignments in Central and East Africa. In French language training, the two began to form a connection which led them down the isle on June 18, 2011.

As Diplomats, Mignon and Omar serve in American embassies and promote U.S. culture and foreign policy abroad. Currently, they meet across the African continent every three months for dates in Kenya, South Africa, Djibouti, and Cameroon until their next assignment together.

Omar proposed on the steps of the Eiffel tower on September 6, 2010. From that magic moment, they planned their wedding in Greensboro, NC, at the Grandover Resort for over 160 guests from New York to Miami including friends from south of the border.

They both found Courtney and AJ on The Knot.com. They sent an email requesting Courtney’s availability and her quick response was, “We are available on June 18. The world is your oyster!” At that moment, they knew they had found the perfect photographers!

The travel theme flowed throughout their wedding. Guests were sent passport invitations by a creative UK company called Wedding Invitation Designer. Their planners were the amazing duo, Brooke Csuka and Anna Smith, from Nouvelle Soiree in Winston-Salem, NC. Wedding favors were the couple’s favorite country recipes and handmade passport masks from Cameroon. The masks were used in Central Africa by various tribes to provide identification during travel and represented professions such as the Healer, the Musician, and the Story teller.

During the ceremony the couple recited personal vows and included a reading of their favorite scripture in Spanish.

The colors were classic black and white. The groomsmen wore Casablanca white jacket tuxedos with Batman cuff links while the bridesmaids wore off the shoulder black gowns with pearls, red lipstick, and for a little something extra, red pumps!

Mignon and Omar also included some history in their special day. June 18, was not only the date the couple passed their French Exams at the Foreign Service Institute one year prior, but it was also the wedding anniversary of the bride’s parents. Their four layer wedding cake from Maxie B’s was decorated in black ribbons and white pearl icing and accented with the wedding topper used by her parents 34 years ago.

White hydrangeas by Green Bee Florist filled the reception tables named after the 18 countries both the bride and the groom had visited, while guests danced to Motown and Salsa from DJ Tracey Snipes. The evening was perfect, and ended in a sparkler exit by the newly crowned Mr. and Mrs. Cardentey.

Today both agree that Courtney and AJ were one of the best decisions they made during their wedding planning, and can’t praise them enough for their style, creativity, and talent!”