"I fell in love with her courage, her sincerity, and her flaming self respect. And it’s these things I’d believe in, even if the whole world indulged in wild suspicions that she wasn’t all she should be. I love her and it is the beginning of everything." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

A few years ago I got a call from one of my closest friends in this industry (Amy Bates) asking me to be a part of a wedding in Fayetteville for a sweet couple that she was working with. If you've been around Amy (or her counterpart Amanda) you know that I agreed without a seconds hesitation. When we pulled in on a Saturday morning a few months later to be a part of that wedding I had no idea just how much that couple would mean to me. If you've been following me for a while you'll remember the Ed Sheeran wedding. Him being there left a big impression on everybody but truth be told with or without Ed there, this wedding was absolutely stunning and Katy + Wes will go down without a doubt as one of my very favorite couples ever. Fast forward a few years and Katy's absolutely beautiful maid of honor has a shiny new ring on her finger.

To say I was flattered with Carolyn called is a huge understatement. Her and Dalton have a kind of refined style about them that really it is a compliment to be behind the camera. I've had a chance to get to know them pretty well over the last year including an engagement shoot packed full of some of the most recognized images I've ever shot. What's amazing to me is that for all of the times we've talked about this wedding and all of the effort that everybody has put into making it special and unique (a huge shout out to Amanda with Bates-Reed Brides for all of her hard work on this one) nobody has been the slightest bit stressed out for a second. This wedding was intended from the get go to be a fun celebration of Carolyn + Dalton's relationship and it accomplished that over and over and over. From the moment I started shooting hair and makeup along side Max to the few minutes spent with Carolyn + Dalton in their get away car with sparklers burning out in the background as they took the time to hug and thank us for being a part of their wedding day (which still blows me away) this entire day was amazing. No stress, no tension, no anxiety - just two amazingly kind people committing their lives to each other with a chapel full of guests all anxious and excited to witness it.

The design and decor at this wedding was flawless but from the moment the first beat came on the dancefloor was packed. DJ Brock always does an incredible job, and though Amanda, Brock and I all laugh about how much fun we have working together I can definitely say that Brock's ability to find the right genre of music to get the party moving never ceases to amaze me. The secret ingredient at this wedding was 90's hiphop and as we all danced the night away to JaRule, JayZ, and Nelly I had the rare opportunity to enjoy the reception myself for a bit. It was a beautiful day from start to finish but watching the stories lay out in front of us along side Dalton's way of scooping up Carolyn and making her feel like the very center of the room was by far the highlight. This group of friends is absolutely amazing and I'm blown away by the love and care they have for us as a part of the crew.

A huge thank you to Carolyn + Dalton, along with both amazing families, for letting us be a part of such a special night. These photos tell the real stories, but I'm so honored to have been a part of the action. -Miles