The Sutherland Wedding Photos, Wake Forest • Rachel + David

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Two truly awesome California transplants deeply in love and enamored with one other, a kick-ass team and one stunning venue pretty much sum up Rachel and David’s day. I was particularly excited about their spring wedding at The Sutherland for all of the above and then some! (Because their wedding party, family and friends were sincerely great to be around.) I was so fortunate to be recommended to the bride and groom by A Southern Soiree – a planning team that’s careful to pair vendors with couples based on their personalities, style and artistic desires.

We were a great fit from the start knowing immediately Rachel and I jived well, having a few meetings with her, in particular, in the course of wedding planning. David, Rachel and I enjoyed an afternoon in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina during their vibrant engagement session (one of my all-time favorite sessions) where they braved mosquitoes like champs in the name of capturing stellar photos beside incredibly colorful murals, where we roamed back alleys of side-streets to explore cool architecture and all-around got to know each other. The result left me in awe of how photogenic these two are, how a softness about Rachel’s gaze and glowing smile makes David blush, and how their personal style and love shines through imagery. It most definitely left me anxious for the arrival of their April wedding date!

The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom picture with a lace Pronovias gown and classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A picture of the bride's green and white bouquet by Eclectic Sage in her lace long-sleeve Pronovias gown.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A detail picture of the bride and groom's white gold wedding rings on top of vintage books.
The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A detail picture of the bride's creative rabbit flat shoes.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A picture of the bride's lace long-sleeve Pronovias gown. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the bride getting ready in her lace gown a shabby chic bridal suite.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the bride and mother hugging in her bridal suite.
The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of a special lace dress hidden detail - a religious good luck charm placed inside the gown.

The Sutherland is an impressive southern home from the late nineteenth century, whose character is still very much in tact. I was careful to notice all of Rachel and David’s favorite things about the location – from the masculine groom’s getting ready location cabin to the books in the library, a favorite room of Rachel’s, whose vintage books I utilized to photograph their rings on. Rachel, her bridesmaids and mothers prepared upstairs in the main house. Rachel’s mom, Liz, put the finishing touch on her gown – a religious charm for good luck and protection – just before Rachel got into her gorgeous lace illusion neck long-sleeve Pronovias gown. Her mother and Maid of Honor, Jessica, helped secure each button down the length of her back and near her wrists with care. A true highlight was Rachel’s rabbit embroidered flat shoes! I LOVE any unexpected detail like this and I was all about photographing her unique footwear that I know she was super excited about sharing with me. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Detail picture of white and green ranunculus and eucalyptus boutonnieres by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the groomsmen getting ready in a rustic wooden cabin.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Detail picture of a white and green ranunculus, silver brunia and eucalyptus groom boutonniere by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the creative groomsmen gift: custom engraved whisky scotch bottles. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the groom getting ready in a rustic cabin. Planning by A Southern Soiree.

Not too far away David and his groomsmen were putting finishing touches on their day-of looks including sleek black ties and matching suit jackets, complete with a lot of laughs from the unusual “we’re being photographed and videotaped” situation they found themselves in! There were a lot of smiles in that little cabin! Also – can we please pause to appreciate the killer gift David had custom designed for his best friends?! I’ve never seen engraved Scotch bottles before. It was such a unique idea! The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the classic white southern manor home. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the bride in her long-sleeve, illusion neck, lace Pronovias gown with green and white bouquet by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree.

I was so excited to take this stunning bride and her bridesmaids outside to begin photographing them. The color palette of the day was neutral black, white and grey with green floral accents – from two tones of bridesmaids dresses, to the men in classic black, to their marble black-and-white invitation. Eclectic Sage did a beautiful job of complimenting it all with attractive bouquets and boutonnieres.

The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the modern black and white marble wedding invitation. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Picture of the groom in a classic black suit and skinny tie, and white and green boutonniere by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Detail picture of the bridesmaids gowns in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Vogue-like bridal party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridesmaids party in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bridal party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridesmaids party in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A fun groomsmen candid picture with the wedding party in classic black suits. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Vogue-like bridal party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridesmaids party in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A fun groomsmen candid picture with the wedding party in classic black suits.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Candid bridal party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridesmaids party in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Back vogue-like bridal party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridesmaids party in various shades of grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree.
The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A bridesmaid in grey chiffon gown with green and white bouquet by Eclectic Sage.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A picture of the Maid of Honor bridesmaid in grey chiffon gown and bride in lace Pronovias with green and white bouquet by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Mirror ceremony program signage by ThemeWorks and planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A simple outdoor ceremony in front of a rustic barn. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A simple outdoor ceremony in front of a rustic barn. Planning by A Southern Soiree.

They opted to set up The Sutherland in a special way most couples do not, making their wedding extraordinary. They said “I do” in front of about 80 guests and opted for the groom’s suite cabin as a backdrop, with twinkle lights adorning nearby trees that truly lit up as the sun continued to set throughout the evening. As guests moved to the venue’s exterior patio to sip cocktails and enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres like mini chicken and waffles by Rocky Top Catering, Rachel, David and I, along with their videography team, were able to capture their first special moments as husband and wife. For a moment they exchanged vow booklets as well, just the two of them, keeping their truly sentimental expressions only between them.  The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. The bride in a long-sleeve lace Pronovias gown and groom in black suit, privately share a kiss in front of hanging twinkle lights in this creative picture.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. A detail picture of the bride and groom's white gold wedding rings on top of vintage books.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. The bride in a long-sleeve lace Pronovias gown and groom in black suit, exchange vows privately. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Vogue like wedding party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridal party in grey gowns. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Vogue like wedding party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and groom in a classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom picture with a lace Pronovias gown and classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom picture with a lace Pronovias gown and classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. The bride in a long-sleeve lace Pronovias gown and groom in black suit, privately share a kiss in front of hanging twinkle lights in this creative picture.mikkelpaige-the_sutherland_wedding_photos-wake_forest_nc-40 The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom picture with a lace Pronovias gown and classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree. Green and white floral bouquet by Eclectic Sage.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom picture with a lace Pronovias gown and classic black tuxedo. Planning by A Southern Soiree. Green and white floral bouquet by Eclectic Sage.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Wedding party picture with the bride in lace Pronovias and bridal party in grey gowns.

I am so pleased we were able to sneak in photos by the pink spring Dogwood blossoms before they walked over to join their cocktail hour for a few minutes prior to guests being guided into the walled garden area, where the reception was setup. I love how the lace linens on the cocktail high-top tables were reminiscent of Rachel’s gown detail.

The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Bride and groom candid photo as they pass their southern home venue and go to their outdoor cocktail hour.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Cocktail hour on the patio with lace linens. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. The bride and groom walk into their outdoor patio cocktail hour.

I am SWOONING over this reception image! A long dais of special grey and white farm tables from Cottage Luxe formed the center aisle of the dinner area with a long garland of eucalyptus leaves down its center. Geometric gold and glass candle holders dotted the table along with gold mercury glass. Stunning wood flower boxes housed floral centerpieces that echoed the wedding party bouquets. Woven wooden chargers were set underneath scalloped white salad plates, topped with grey napkins and a personalized thank you note from the bride and groom. Another favorite feature of the day was their wedding program and table seating assignments, all hand lettered on striking mirror frames.

The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Rectangular reception farm tables in the walled garden by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders, eucalyptus leaf garland and wooden chargers. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Mirror reception seating by ThemeWorks and planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders, eucalyptus leaf garland and wooden chargers. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders, eucalyptus leaf garland and wooden chargers. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders, eucalyptus leaf garland and wooden chargers. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with eucalyptus leaf garland and wooden chargers. A custom thank you note from the couple rests on top of the plates. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Outdoor reception in the walled garden with market lights. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. White tiered buttercream cake with gold leaf and cascading white roses and greenery by Ashley Cakes NC. Planning by A Southern Soiree.

Isn’t their cake simply elegant?! Ashley Cakes NC did a fabulous job, as always! It had just the right amount of gold leaf organically added to its buttercream frosted exterior and the flowers were so perfectly placed. I also must note their table numbers because I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s such a small detail that makes a BIG difference. The numbers matched their wedding stationery suite so well.

The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with wooden flower boxes by Eclectic Sage. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders and eucalyptus leaf garland. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe, with gold geometric candle holders and market lights. Planning by A Southern Soiree.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Table numbers to match marble invitation suites. Planning by A Southern Soiree. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Eucalyptus garland detail by Eclectic Sage on grey and white farm tables by Cottage Luxe.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Eucalyptus flower chair detail for the bride and groom. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Outdoor reception in the walled garden with market lights.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Guests enjoy dinner at farm tables by Cottage Luxe with eucalyptus garland. The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Avocado and salad bar by Rocky Top Catering.The Sutherland Wedding Photos by Mikkel Paige Photography. Night picture of the reception space with farm tables and market lights.

The dinner was delightful (any reception with an avocado bar and not one, but two salad options and a taco bar to name just two of the highlights is great by me) and as the sun set and market lights lit up the space we were treated to multiple heartfelt speeches, excellent dancing songs, and of course delicious dessert.

I really can’t say enough about the team that made this all possible (again, a special nod and thank you to Megan and Gina at A Southern Soiree) and how fortunate I feel to have been such an integral part of capturing it all during a truly memorable time in Rachel and David’s lives. Congratulations!

Wedding Planner: A Southern Soiree / Venue: The Sutherland / Florist: Eclectic Sage / Rental furniture: Cottage Luxe / DJ: Bunn DJ Company / Videographer: Thomas Blake Films / Officiant: Perry Hardison / Lighting and mirror signage: ThemeWorks / Transportation: Carolina Livery and White Horse Transportation/ Hair and Makeup: The Makeup Culture / Cake: Ashley Cakes NC / Wedding gown: Nitsa’s Apparel, designer Pronovias / Rings: Diamonds Direct and Finks / Bridesmaids dresses: Bella Bridesmaid, designer Bill Levkoff / Tuxedo: Men’s Wearhouse / Shoes: Irregular Choice / Catering: Rocky Top Catering / Linens: CE Rental / Day-of stationery: PaperBuzz / Invitation design: Etsy / Invitation printing: Alphagraphics

Interested in having Mikkel Paige capture your day? Contact us! And if you’re craving more from their wedding head over to Instagram and Facebook!

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What a gorgeous event! I LOVE the unique setup A Southern Soiree designed for the ceremony in front of the cabin and the farm tables in the Walled Garden for the reception. Everyone involved did beautiful work and your photos captured it perfectly, Mikkel!

Thank you, Erin!!! <3

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The Bradford NC Photos captured by Mikkel Paige Photography. This North Carolina Raleigh event venue has beautiful gardens and is perfect for outdoor or indoor ceremonies and receptions. Design by @vivalevent with a green, black and peach palette. Hair and makeup by Silverceiling Beauty. #mikkelpaige #brideandgroom #Raleighweddingphotographer #raleighweddingvenues
Groom and bride walking away from the camera at Huntington's Harbor Club at Prime.