March 23, 2023

North Carolina Wedding on Bald Head Island

From the moment that Allie and Nick inquired, it was a match-made in heaven. Nick’s sister is the very talented Ally Jacalone Photo, who second shoots most weddings with me in CA! So when she recommended me it was a done deal. Allie & Nick flew me across the country to Bald Head Island, North Carolina just a short ferry ride from Wilmington. From the moment I got off the ferry and saw the magic of this place, I just knew that their wedding day would be straight out of a Nicholas Sparks’ novel.

North Carolina Wedding on Bald Head Island

We kicked off the weekend with a welcome party for the ages. We had fun appetizers, good drinks, and a low country boil that made my life complete. The views of Bald Head Island Lighthouse, the marshes, and the beautiful waterfront town were stunning, and Allie & Nick’s siblings gave the most incredible toasts. After the dinner, everyone headed to take over the local dive bar and do a little karaoke, and I documented all the fun on 35mm film.

The most important thing to Allie & Nick was to design their day feel like a party from start to finish. Being surrounded by their closest loved ones and soaking in every moment was what they looked forward to the most, so being able to capture those small glimpses of their relationships was beyond special. The squeezes, hugs, and laughter that emanated throughout the day was so easy to capture and translate through photos.

Bald Head Island, North Carolina is a gorgeous private island that’s only accessible by ferry. There are no cars, only golf carts, and it truly is a slice of paradise. I spent the days leading up to the day driving around and exploring all the little alcoves & magical beaches on the island and it truly feels like a dreamland. Allie and her family have been visiting BHI every summer since she was little, and her parents recently purchased a gorgeous home on the island, so it became the perfect backdrop for the weekend. Allie got ready in the house with her girls, drinking champagne and filling the house with the sound of laughter and music. The wedding ceremony & reception were held at a beautiful park that butted up to Allie’s parents home. It was so easy to move around the spaces and made it easy to end the night with a little after party at the house that lasted wayyyy into the night 🙂

From the moment that I arrived you could tell how much time and attention to detail went into planning this day. Their ceremony was pure perfection with florals to die for, thanks to Kickstand Events. Allie and Nick chose to have their friends and family read some of their favorite quotes during their ceremony, which I thought was such a meaningful touch, and day became night after a beautiful cocktail hour on the lawn. The Sauv-blanc flowed and the tented reception was complete with a live band that played all of the classics! It was pure perfection.

I’ll never forget how downright magical this weekend was. I drove around the island feeling so incredibly lucky to experience such incredible stories in the places that play a part in making my couples who they are. I really believe the location and intention put into a wedding is just as important as the wedding day itself, and Allie & Nick were such a beautiful testament to that. Their love for each other and their people is palpable and I’m lucky to have experienced such a small extension of that.