REAL PHOTOS OF REAL LOVE STORIES. It’s your wedding — it should reflect your real life, in whatever way feels authentic to you. And if your authentic self doesn’t feel comfortable being the center of attention, or is awkward in front of the camera, that’s ok, too. Because that’s what you have me for.
Serving All of North Carolina
My favorite part of being a wedding vendor is getting to meet and experience all kinds of people and relationships. I love creating a comfortable and laidback space for couples to be themselves, to capture what makes them amazing and beautiful and then to show them. Every single couple I’ve photographed stays with me in my heart, and I’m always better for having met them.
“In an industry where the culture makes you feel like you always have to do more and where pinterest can be a dangerous place, Raven is a breath of fresh air. Not once did we ever feel like what we were doing or what we wanted wasn’t “good enough”. She was so down to earth and it felt like we were hanging out with an old friend whenever we were taking pictures. My husband is extremely nervous when taking pictures, but you would have no idea in any of our engagement or wedding photos. Raven was absolutely spectacular and we feel like we won the lottery that we found her. She is very talented and somehow is able to capture the essence of you and your significant other. Every photo set I see from her just continues to reinforce that fact. We are so in love with our wedding photos and are so thankful that we got to work with her. Seriously, talk to Raven, you won’t regret putting your photos into her hands.”
A: Raven Shutley, Owner + Photographer
I got my first wedding photography gig off of Craigslist. It was a second marriage for two 70-year-olds. They only had five guests. It was a Thursday afternoon. There was no white dress. No cake. No pomp. No circumstance. Next-to-no budget (I think I got paid around $100). It was the best wedding I’ve ever been to. And the one that changed my mind about weddings altogether. Before that day, I swore to myself I would never become a wedding photographer. All those cheesy shove-cake-on-your-face moments and family portraits filled with fake smiles? Hell no, not for me. But that wedding… It showed me that a wedding can be whatever you want it to be. That it doesn’t matter how old you are, what size you wear, what abilities you have, which God you worship (or don’t)… weddings are a celebration of two people finding each other in this wild world. And that celebration should represent your love in whatever way you want it to. “Tradition” and “normal” and “should”? Fuck ‘em. I wanna help you do this thing your way. And I’m honored that you’d trust me with your love story.
Q: What does it mean to elope?
A: Eloping is putting what’s important first and foremost, it’s building a wedding and a marriage with intentionality first, it’s building an awesome day
A: I recently photographed the elopement of a couple in their 50’s who married on their back porch and wandered through their yard with me. They danced, played with the dog, had cake and champagne, and showed me the woodworking workshop where the groom makes all kinds of amazing pieces including the working device he built to use in his proposal to the bride. It was chock full of meaning and so special.
A: Honestly, any detail that is important to the couple. As someone who was an English major and grew up a theatre kid, items with meaning make my heart beat faster.
