Annie & Yuriy were married last month in the pergola at one of my favourite places to shoot: Duke Gardens. It was a lovely Saturday in early September and, for me as a Duke Gardens wedding photographer as well as all the guests in their formal attire, the weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony. Annie & Yuriy’s family hail from China and Ukraine respectively, so there was a traditional element to this wedding that brought in some of the customs from both cultures. Annie was also really interested in dedicating a good amount of the day to portraits both before and after the ceremony, so we got the opportunity to walk around the gardens with the bridal party before the ceremony before spending some one-on-one time with the couple as the sun went down.
From there, it was over to the WaDuke for the reception, which was expertly DJ’d by DJ Ryan Levin with DJ Rang. Annie & Yuriy had also worked hard on a beautifully choreographed first dance that featured both a waltz and a tango and wowed everyone in the room. You might remember the photo of the impromptu rehearsal we made in the arcades at Duke Chapel during their engagement shoot back in the summer. Well, they certainly didn’t disappoint; it was absolutely amazing!
With so many great images, it was tough narrowing things down for the blog, but here are just a few of my faves from the big day. Big congrats to Annie & Yuriy! I wish you guys all the very best for a long and happy marriage!
Ceremony: Duke Gardens, Durham, NC | Reception: Washington Duke Inn, Durham, NC | Dress: Penelope by BHLDN | Florist: Event Flouret, Carrboro, NC | Cake: Guglhupf, Durham, NC | Hair & Make-Up: Wavelengths Salon, Durham, NC | Bride’s Make-Up: Impact Artistry, Durham, NC | DJ: DJ Rang, Raleigh, NC | Videographer: Sugar Shack Films, Oak Ridge, NC | Assistant Photographer: Erin Costa, Wilmington, NC
