Post-wedding bridal | JM Carr Photography

It started with a haircut. Jessica is a hair stylist at the fabulous Mantra Salon. Most women, especially those with crazy hair like mine, understand how important it is to find a hair stylist with whom you can mesh. I’m not sure if men form the same bonds, but maybe they should… Chris got far more than he bargained for when he went in for a haircut — he found his future bride.

Jess first contacted me about photography services online, but we talked details while she gave my sad locks some pampering. She told me about Chris, and somehow it came up that he is a Cupid Shuffle fan of the highest order. Well, I’m pretty much the president of that fan club, so I knew we would hit it off just fine.

Photographing Jessica and Chris for their engagement session was a blast, and I loved seeing them interact. They have a completely intoxicating love for each other, and they have entire nonverbal conversations — one look, and they know exactly what the other needs.

As it got closer to the couple’s New Year’s Eve wedding at One Ocean, I think everyone was sad to hear that Jacksonville Beach was nixing their fireworks display. Not to fear, though – there were definite sparks flying as Chris and Jessica said “I Do,” and it had absolutely nothing to do with their sparkler exit! Their candle-lit ceremony was beautiful and sweet, with the sound of the ocean as a backdrop to their commitments to each other. The reception did not disappoint, with plenty of bling, and — of course — the Cupid Shuffle. A fabulous crowd of dancers of every age rang in the new year together while wishing the new Mr. and Mrs. many happy years to come.

On a personal note, this was the first wedding for which my wonderful husband served as my second shooter (thusfar I have gone without). I’m not sure how the grueling work of a wedding day lived up to what he had envisioned, but I can say that he did a great job of helping out, and he produced some great images, too! We will see how eager he is to help me the next time around…!

Enjoy these images of Jessica and Chris’s wedding, and check out facebook for a few more!

Jacksonville Wedding Photography This gorgeous wedding came together with the help of plenty of vendors, including some local to the Jacksonville area:

Decorations/Theme: Linda Odom and Tara Simmons of Tales of the South
Hair/Makeup: Mantra Salon
Jewelry: Hot Pink, Orange Park Mall
Cupcakes: Sweet by Holly
DJ: Kelly Meiller (email me for contact information)
Officiant: Kathy Sheddan (email me for contact information)

Elaine and Jason are dear friends of mine and my husband that were married back in April in a gorgeous, detail-rich shinding that was without a doubt one of the best I’ve seen — as guest OR photographer! The only thing that was missing from the day were photos that truly captured the love and personality of this pair. We discussed logistics for a couple of weeks, and this weekend we finally made it to Cumberland Island for a photo shoot. It was approximately 3 million degrees, but somehow these guys made it look like a spring day. They are fabulous!

As a note for brides interested in the “trash,” the dress idea, this session brings up two good points. The first is that your dress doesn’t have to be trashed at all! The dress Elaine wore got a little wet and sandy, but a quick google search will help you find simple ways to wash your wedding dress yourself to get rid of any salt or sand, and it will be as good as new! The other point for brides is that you don’t have to wear the dress! Elaine’s daughter is in love with her mother’s dress (you would be too!), and despite the comments that the dress wouldn’t be ruined, she wasn’t a fan of the idea. So to make everyone happy, Elaine actually went and found a dress on sale that was a similar cut and shape to the one she wore! She got the best of both worlds — a trash the dress session AND an un-touched bridal gown to pass on to her daughter. So if you are interested in a session like hers, think outside the box!

Okay, on to the good stuff!