Asharae Marie Photography Blog

Paige and Khang got married on the most beautiful day we have had this entire year. Their day was filled with friends and family who stepped in to make sure the wedding came together beautifully. From the stunning cake decorated by her aunt, to the flowers arranged by her sister-in-law, to all the decorations put up by her dad and brother, every part of her wedding was more special because the people that love her and Khang helped to make it happen. Paige even spent weeks handcrafting all the gorgeous details along with some help from her little minions (Tim and I). It’s been so special for us to be involved in Paige and Khang’s wedding since she and I have been friends since childhood. Tim even flew solo photographing their wedding day, since I was a part of the bridal party (didn’t he do an amazing job?!)

Paige and Khang carefully thought about each part of their wedding day – they wanted it to be a sweet representation of their story, so they chose a book theme that ran throughout the decorations. The pinwheels were created from vintage book pages, the succulent planters looked like books, each table had antique books on it, we designed the program to resemble a book – complete with characters, a plot, and a bookmark, and we even made the guestbook out of an old book we found tucked away at a thrift store. It’s titled Stories of Romance from the Age of Chivalry – could it have been any more perfect? I didn’t think so. Before the wedding, Paige and Khang decided to exchange gifts, but without seeing each other. He gave her a lovely journal that he’d written a letter in the front of, and Paige gave Khang a box full of 100 of her favorite memories with him. It was unbelievably adorable.

Enjoy Paige and Khang’s lovely wedding day! Want more? See the rest of the story here.

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Photography: Asharae Marie Photography

Venue: Il Bella Gardens in Albemarle, NC

Coordinator: Kim McIlwaine

Hair: Tara Herring at Salon 2000 in Stanfield, NC

Dress: David’s Bridal

Flowers: Provided by Nature Flower Farm and other vendors at the Charlotte Regional Farmer’s Market and arranged by Jen Daniels and Asharae Kroll with help from family and friends

Decorations: Designed and created by Paige Daniels, Asharae Kroll, & Tim Kroll

Pastor: Taylor Roberts from Vintage 21 in Raleigh, NC

Caterer: Family Catering

As you’ve probably figured out, Tim and I are visual storytellers – we love to tell others’ stories, beginning to end, through photographs. When it comes to weddings, we love to photograph our couple’s rehearsal and rehearsal dinner as often as we’re able. Oftentimes those photos aren’t ones you’ll put in an album to display for all to see, but they’re still ones you’ll cherish. We love giving the gift of beautiful photographs of every part of our couple’s wedding weekend. That’s why every one of our wedding packages feature all day coverage, by two photographers.

Each rehearsal and dinner we’ve photographed has been so different – some couples choose a formal dinner with multiple courses, while others serve barbeque in their backyard. Some simply enjoy a delicious meal while others choose to include a story-telling time where friends and family recount amusing and often poignant stories from the bride and groom’s lives. In Paige and Khang’s case, they chose to honor Khang’s family and his Vietnamese heritage by enjoying authentic Vietnamese dishes at their rehearsal dinner. His sister Nhi hosted their rehearsal dinner at Truc, an incredible restaurant that she and her family own. (If you’re in the Charlotte area, you need to check it out.) We had all sorts of goodness including spring rolls, crab soup, fried rice, quail and lobster. And they even brought out traditional pho for everyone who wanted to try it. Needless to say, the food was incredible. But it wasn’t simply a tasty meal in Paige and Khang’s mind – this was a beautiful way to honor the traditions and the family he grew up in, as well as give the rest of us a taste (literally) of the country he was born in. Thank you, friends, for sharing this day and this meal with us.

Come back soon for Paige & Khang’s wedding day! “Like” our Facebook page, if you haven’t already – You’ll be the first to know once we post their photos!

Last weekend two of our best friends tied the knot here in North Carolina. We could hardly stand allowing someone else to have the privilege of retelling their story through photographs – since I was in the bridal party, Tim took on their wedding day solo. I only grabbed my camera during our time with just the two of them – it’s my favorite part of the day, I couldn’t help myself ;)

Paige and I have been best friends since the first day of fourth grade. We went through all our awkward stages together and arrived on the other side relatively unscathed. Nearly two years ago she was my Maid of Honor, and I just had the privilege of being hers (I refused to call myself a Matron of Honor – it sounded too…matronly).

It’s been beautiful to watch the story of Paige and Khang unfold – they are a complete joy and a blessing to be around. Their wedding reflected every bit of love they have for one another and for the Lord. Enjoy a couple frames of the newlyweds!

“Like” this post at the bottom to share  with family and friends on Facebook! And “like” our Facebook page to be the first to know when the rest of Paige & Khang’s photos are posted!

I will be the first to confess that I’m not terribly good at, nor do I greatly enjoy photographing overly formal family portraits. I honestly get nervous when I have several faces staring back at me, waiting for direction on how they should pose, where they should place their hands, and how they should smile. Formal portraits like that feel terribly contrived to me. I mean, what small child ever sits still in a vest and tie anyway? Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to have those photos to send away on the family Christmas card each year, or to hang over the fireplace. But I wonder if that honestly represents our families? More often than not, family homes aren’t picture perfect. Instead they’re loud, messy, and chaotic, yet full of children whose minds are curious, exploring, and constantly learning. It’s too easy to overlook the beautiful moments and tiny details amidst the overflowing laundry baskets and runny noses. Sometimes we need a reminder to slow down and take notice.

I’ve been considering the idea for quite a while now of offering “day in the life” sessions. Being invited into another’s home to capture their day-to-day experience is an intimate and precious thing. I imagine this most often for families with children – they’re growing and changing so quickly! How special would it be to capture the tiny details and moments of where they are right now? The teeth just starting to come in, the soft fuzz on top of his head, the playful grin.

These two sweet boys make me smile so much. Jordan is funny and smart and has so much to say about everything.  Aiden is sweet and observant and learning quickly. I’ve been looking after them the past couple months while their usual caretaker, their grandmother, goes through cancer treatment. It’s been a joy to see how much they’ve learned and grown since I started in January. Each day is a new adventure for them, there’s something to be learned and gained. Because of these two, I’m growing a deeper appreciation for the beauty in the details. Enjoy a few photos of these precious boys.

If you’re interested in inviting us into your home to beautifully and honestly capture your family story, send us an email! asharae[at]asharaemarie.com

Last month Tim and I had the privilege of attending our friends Lauren and Andrew’s wedding reception. Lauren and I were roommates in college and she was a huge part of my college experience and in helping shape me into who I am now. She is absolutely precious to me and I’m so grateful Tim and I were able to drive to St Louis for the weekend to celebrate with Lauren and her new husband. We only just met Andrew that weekend, but it was immediately apparent that the Lord has placed them together and with good reason. These two had a small family wedding in California back in December but wanted an opportunity to celebrate with their friends back in St Louis as well. Their reception day was incredibly relaxed and we all spent the morning decorating for the party that night. It was such a privilege to be a part of Lauren and Andrew’s weekend. Congratulations friends! We love you two.

Venue: Neo on Locust

Caterer: Calliers

Decorations coordinated by Katelyn Meyer of KM2