Wedding Trend: Great America Carolina Malt

Rustic Wedding. Check. Burlap and Lace. Check. Mason jars filled with glorious alcohol. Check and Check. Yeah..you heard it right; alcohol filled mason jars to complete the whole look.  That's where Great America  Malt comes in.

Shopping in the wine section at Wal-Mart, I found these two babies stacked high right across from the refrigerated beer.  There were flavors such as Apple Pie and Clear (this one).  What attracted me to this? Well, the mason jars of course.  There's nothing like the feeling of sitting on my front porch and throwing back what feels to be moonshine but tastes more like a clean and clear mead.

This would be a great talking piece for any backwoods rustic wedding. There's nothing like "Great America's Apple Pie Malt Substitute Beer! Brewed and bottled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains here in North Carolina." Nothing more rustic than that!

Candace + Gary Wedding at St Mark's Lutheran Church and Trump National Golf Club

They met when they were 13. They married in their 60s with children and grandchildren between them.  This family was a force of love and acceptance. No butterflies. No tension. No crazy wedding trends.  They just wanted to be married and marriage is what they got.  Take a look through my beautiful lens.

NEW Custom Packaging for Blue!!

The devil is in the details.  I say again, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. 

I have always been one for the details.  Symmetry is best friend.  In recent months, I have worked on a design I felt would fit the new image of my business.  When Blue Arden was Ollie Wills Photography, though my business had a name, it didn't have brand.  It did not showcase the things I love which are: antique, vintage, rustic, modern, and simple.  I like bold colors.  I like aged things.  I like new things made to look old and old things made to look new.  That's my SCHTICK.  My brand, instead, was all over the place with constantly changing watermarks, editing styles, and imprints, as I tried to find myself. 

Finally, this year, the name Blue Arden found me and with it came a brand.  What came with it was specificity and direction. What came with it was a THANK YOU NOTE.  I believe my clients should always know how thankful I am for them choosing me.  It is a huge honor to be the number one choice! With that being said, I am proud to introduce what will now come standard with all large packages and weddings. It's so cute, I think I'll make one for myself.

Bridal Trends 2015: Suarez Bakery

Window shopping is a poor girls dream.  Heck: It IS THE BRIDE'S DREAM.  Dreams are made and shattered in the very reflections of the window shopper.  I am a perpetual window shopper.  I like to fill my cart up with everything I see, touch, and feel, then leave the cart.  I'm that annoying shopper that shops short of the cash register then gives you all of those things to re-shelve at the end of the day.  I'm really not a unthoughtful person.  I just like to feel what it feels like because it always eventually comes back around to me.

Today's BRIDAL TREND happens to be the dream all of all for this year's 2015 Bride.  Bridal Trend pick of the week is "Suarez Bakery" of Charlotte, NC.  How do would one describe Suarez? Well, Charlotte Magazine would call it "Guns and Butter."  I would call it Carlos Suarez.  Be sure to read more about the Bakery here. Here are some pictures from my adventures ever so rustic, sleek, wonderful, and whimsical.

Baby Shower: A Party and a Reunion

Pleasantries and great fun from the 40th birthday and Baby Shower of my dear dear friend who I had not seen in over 10 years. Such a joyous reunion and amazing occasion.

"Mini" Mini Family Photo Shoot

As many of you guys know, I have taken a step back from doing so many family portraits to focus my business on wedding, engagement, and couple clientele.  This is not to say that I dislike photographing families, kids, etc.  I absolutely LOVE photographing families.  It's just not something that I can devote as much time to now that my business has begun changing.  With that being said, this weekend, I got the opportunity to do a "Mini" mini Family Shoot: five shots to ten shots, five minutes, five or less people.  Needless to say, it was an awesome time.

BTS ( Behind the Scenes) of the "Styled Vintage Bride" Shoot

Lindsay + David : Couple's Shoot

What are the odds that you shoot a wedding and you meet someone who went to your rival high school that happens to be located over 1000 miles away? Well, if you're me, they are HIGH.  I attended three high schools during my teenage "tenure." One of those high schools were Marshall High located in San Antonio, TX; connection made.  It turns out that David went to MY rival high school in San Antonio!  What a small world it is sometimes.

Now to the couple:  Lindsay and David were an incredible couple to shoot.  Our meeting was quite unique.  I was at a wedding and they asked me if I could do a quick shoot for them because they "never dress up."  I was more than happy to oblige as they were a darn good looking couple!  Lindsay described herself as "the skater" and David "the drummer."  Pretty cool if you ask me! Well, enough of this small talk. Lets get right down to the pictures.