married | joseph+chika | greensboro wedding photographer

The day following their Nigerian wedding celebration, Joseph and Chika's friends and family gathered at St. Mary's Church in Greensboro to watch them say "I do" in a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony. It was a perfect day, filled with beautiful weather, a truly stunning couple, and lots of joy.

The day began with the bridal party getting ready at the Greensboro Marriott Downtown...

"What?! There's another flower girl?!" Her expression is absolutely priceless!

I love this shot of Chika with all of her girls as they were getting ready for the ceremony. They were such a fun group of ladies to be around!

Isn't Chika the most gorgeous bride you've ever seen? True beauty.

... and Joseph was looking pretty dapper himself...

After a little rain, we were able to sneak outside for just a few minutes to get these photos of the bride and groom, and they're some of my favorites from the day...

After photos and cocktail hour, Joseph and Chika, along with their families and bridal party, made their grand entrance into the ballroom...

Chika was so composed the entire day until this moment of the father/daughter dance...

I love catching moments like this one here. The bride's sister and maid of honor, Kelechi, was overcome with emotion as her other sister, Chinyere, sang the bride and groom's first dance song.

I love how all of Chika's sister were so involved and each had unique roles in the wedding day ... Ezinne performed a traditional dance during part of the reception.

Joseph's removal of Chika's garter resulted in some of my favorite images of the night... Chika had the garter stuffed with various gifts, including one of her Carolina Panthers TopCats pom-poms. As you can see, Joseph was quite amused!

For the final portion of the evening, Joseph and Chika changed into their traditional Nigerian apparel to dance the night away with their friends and family...

See more from Chika and Joseph's wedding in their photo slideshow:

Joseph+Chika :: Thank you so much for allowing us to be a small part of your beautiful celebration! We wish you all the very best that life and love have to offer!

Ceremony Venue :: St. Mary's Catholic Church of Greensboro
Reception Venue :: Greensboro Marriott Downtown
Event Planner :: Behind the Scenes, Inc.
Videographer :: Matrixx Productions
DJ :: DJ Onz
MC :: BJ Da Storyteller
Makeup Artist :: Doll Faces by Lauretta
Hair Stylist :: Curls by Christina
Wedding Gown :: Impression Bridal
Bridesmaids' Dresses: JJ's House
Men's Attire :: next
Florist :: Designs North
Caterer :: Healthy Zone Catering of Raleigh
Cake Artist :: Glorious Gourmet Creations
Stationer :: a2z Wedding Cards
Photographer :: Glessner Photography

Engaged? Contact us today to reserve your wedding date.

All images ©2014 Glessner Photography. Please do not save, copy, edit, or use in any way without Glessner Photography's express written permission. Violators may be prosecuted.

traditional nigerian wedding | joseph+chika | greensboro wedding photographer

Last weekend, we had the honor of photographing Joseph and Chika's wedding celebration, which began on Friday with a Nigerian wedding ceremony. This being our first traditional African wedding, we weren't really sure what to expect, but we were greeted by a lovely, vibrant celebration filled with cultural traditions, colorful attire, and plenty of dancing. Joseph and Chika and their loved ones certainly know how to have fun, and we had a great time capturing such a beautiful event!

Friday evening, friends and family gathered at Revolution Mills Studios to begin the celebration...

After both the bride and groom's family made their entrances, all were welcomed to the event with a ceremonial breaking of the kola nut. 

Meanwhile, the bride prepared for her first of three appearances throughout the night...

The guests of honor are showered with money as they dance the night away...

During this portion of the ceremony, the bride's father provides her with a cup of wine, and she must find her groom amidst the guests and offer the wine to him to drink. 

Chika looked lovely alongside her fellow Carolina Panthers TopCats alumnae...

Aren't they a gorgeous couple?!

Watch out for Part 2 of Joseph+Chika's beautiful wedding weekend coming soon. Like us on Facebook to get the latest updates!

Venue :: Revolution Mill Studios
Event Planner :: Behind the Scenes, Inc.
Videographer :: Matrixx Productions
DJ :: DJ Onz
Makeup Artist :: Doll Faces by Lauretta
Hair Stylist :: Curls by Christina
Shoes :: Stuart Weitzman
Photographer :: Glessner Photography

Engaged? Contact us today to reserve your wedding date.

All images ©2014 Glessner Photography. Please do not save, copy, edit, or use in any way without Glessner Photography's express written permission. Violators may be prosecuted.

kerri leigh weddings + events :: high point branding consultant

This week, my friends, is a great week because it's website launch week for the new Kerri Leigh Weddings + Events!

I met Kerri last fall when we worked together on Becky and Ryan's wedding at Old Salem, and I was so excited when she came to me a few months ago, ready for a new look and feel for her event planning business. We set out to create a brand that was reflective of Kerri and her style, starting with a big, scary decision to change the name of her business (you may remember her as A-List Events).

We were on a massive time crunch, with Kerri expecting a little one in just a matter of days now, and because we're maybe just a little bit crazy, we decided to add a styled shoot to the mix, in addition to the branding, design, and website creation. After tons of emails, several phone calls, and lots of Starbucks, I'm so excited to reveal the all new online home of Kerri Leigh Weddings + Events ...

Be sure to visit Kerri's website, read her very first blog post, and check out her new branded social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, too - you'll want to be sure to follow her on those sites to watch out for photos and a HUGE GIVEAWAY from our recent inspiration shoot, coming soon!

For more information on marketing and branding services, contact Elizabeth today. Availability is limited.