This epic wedding photo from an epic wedding celebration story is # 4 in our studio countdown of epic photos by Steve Exum. It features a shot of Shawn Daelemans and Nick Hardy of Tracy’s Landing, Maryland getting married on a North Carolina Beach in October 2016. Every wedding photographer loves a beach wedding. The landscape is beautiful in every direction and no matter the time of day or even the weather conditions, the beach is always beautiful. Combine a beautiful spot that with a fun loving wedding party and a bride that truly appreciates pushing the creative envelope, you have a formula for an epic wedding. I made this shot of Nick & Shawn kissing under incredible cloud formations at sunset barefoot in the sand. I new this decisive moment would make my top 10 when I pressed the shutter. I’m going to retell their epic story because it began with fireball shots and ended with canon-balls into the pool. So here goes … Nick married Shawn in front of Southern Comfort’s ocean front beach house in Ocean Isle, NC. Shawn and Nick booked their wedding with me months prior and when Shawn shared a collection of Pinterest wedding images that featured jumping groomsman, a bride in tug of war with the groom and many other spicy fun photos, I knew I had a bride with spirit. Shawn warned me to expect a rowdy group of friends, family, and wedding party. My second shooter, Alex Tricoli, and I arrived early to find Nick and his groomsmen doing fireball shots while ironing white shirts, khaki pants, and trying to tie sea green neck ties. Immediately, they tempted Alex with a fireball shot. Maybe rowdy was an understatement. While Alex documented groomsmen antics, I made photos of Shawn and her bridesmaids applying make-up and having their hair styled. Shawn looked stunning with flowers in her long brown hair, styled to one side. Her bridesmaids were equally equally beautiful in their sea green dresses, artfully applied make up by Natalie, and their manicured toes prepared for a barefoot beach ceremony. Our formula for a great wedding celebration was just getting started. Shawn’s dad, Greg Daelemans, walked hand in hand with his daughter under picture perfect skies. Our groom Nick, showing his sensitive side, wiped a couple of tears as Shawn and her dad walked down the sandy aisle to join him. It’s the partiers that are also the most sentimental. After reading personally written vows, trading rings, and sealing the deal with an epically long kiss, Greg Daelemans’ daughter became Nick Hardy’s wife. Now the real party could begin. FYI, a wedding reception without liquor, beer, or wine equals a very short party. This was definitely not the case for Nick and Shawn, thankfully. I have shot hundreds of weddings and I can tell you the level of passion and energy on their dance floor, with tunes spun by Butch Barnes, fell within my top 10 all time favorite weddings. Even the guests at the rental beach house next door were dancing outside on their deck. The hardcore partying climaxed when father of the groom, Jim Hardy, cannonballed into the pool followed by his sons, Nick and Marshall, and a half a dozen friends. Nick and Shawn danced one last song followed by a wildly popular presentation of photos by Alex and me set to music and projected onto a big screen. The “official” party was over. As Alex and I were packing up gear the bride and groom invited us to stay for a beer and enjoy post wedding “fellowship” until 1 a.m. THAT, my friends, was a recipe for a perfect epic wedding. For more information about our wedding photography contact our studio at http://www.exumphoto.com/wedding-photography/
