For this feature, wedding photographer Drew Stevens shares how a lifelong passion for storytelling evolved into a career dedicated to capturing some of life’s most meaningful moments. From learning traditional film photography in high school to documenting authentic love stories across southeastern North Carolina, their approach blends artistry, emotion, and intentionality.

Beauty Crew Mobile was born from something simple and meaningful: friendship, trust, and a shared love for being part of life’s most important moments. Co-owners Shelly She and Lindsay Webb first found themselves working with many of the same brides, happily saying “yes” to being part of their wedding days.

Set along the scenic banks of the Cape Fear River, The Cove Riverwalk Villas offers a wedding weekend experience that feels both elevated and deeply personal. This boutique collection of luxury houseboats reimagines accommodations for modern celebrations, inviting guests to slow down, reconnect, and fully immerse themselves in the magic of Wilmington’s waterfront charm.

As part of our wedding editorial series, we spoke with Ben Adams, the creative force behind Storyteller Adams, about building a photography experience rooted in emotion, connection, and storytelling. Based in Wilmington, Ben approaches weddings with a deeply human perspective, focusing less on perfectly posed moments and more on the relationships, emotions, and fleeting interactions that make each celebration unforgettable.

Set between the ocean and the Intracoastal marsh at Wrightsville Beach, Sea Tranquility offers a refined yet relaxed setting for couples looking to turn their wedding into a full coastal weekend experience. Designed with gathering in mind, the luxury waterfront home blends expansive indoor-outdoor living with elevated coastal design, creating an atmosphere that feels both intimate and effortlessly welcoming. From rehearsal dinners and welcome parties to post-wedding brunches

Set along the shores of Wrightsville Beach, Lumina offers couples a rare blend of refined coastal elegance and relaxed oceanfront living—an immersive setting where wedding weekends unfold effortlessly from start to finish. In conversation with General Manager Brian Elliott, we explored how this distinctive vision comes to life and how the property is thoughtfully designed to host celebrations that feel both elevated and unhurried.

Cara Press is the founder of Impressive Events, a wedding planning and floral design company rooted in hospitality, creativity, and intentional guest experience. With a background that spans nearly every corner of the service industry—from bartending and banquet work to hospitality management and special events—Cara brings a deeply practical understanding of how to create seamless, meaningful celebrations.

Within the heart of Wilmington, The City Club of Wilmington offers a wedding experience where timeless Southern charm meets elevated, full-service luxury. In conversation with General Manager Bryan Chappell, it’s clear that every element of the venue is thoughtfully designed to create celebrations that feel both seamless and deeply personal.

From his earliest days in a high school darkroom to his studies in documentary filmmaking at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, Will Fryer’s path into wedding photography and videography has always been rooted in storytelling. What began as a hands-on introduction to image-making quickly grew into a deeper fascination with how moments can be preserved, shaped, and re-experienced through both still and moving images.

With a legacy rooted in Wilmington since 1931, Verzaal’s Florist has long been a trusted name in the community—now thoughtfully led by husband-and-wife team Brandon and Brittney Wells Brown. Together, they continue to evolve the family-owned business into a full-service floral and event design company, blending tradition with a fresh, intentional approach to wedding design.

Set within one of Wilmington’s most architecturally striking historic buildings, St. Thomas Preservation Hall is a venue where preservation and celebration exist in careful balance. With soaring ceilings, original structural details, and a design ethos rooted in honoring the past while embracing modern events, it has quickly become a sought-after setting for couples looking for something both atmospheric and deeply personal.

For Lauren Schulz, the path to bridal hairstyling wasn’t exactly linear—but it was always quietly taking shape. From childhood afternoons spent braiding teammates’ hair and experimenting with dolls, to initially pursuing degrees in Chemistry and Marine Biology, her journey reflects both curiosity and creativity. It wasn’t until after graduation, when she began reevaluating what truly fulfilled her, that she returned to that early passion and committed to hairstyling.

Brittany Castillo’s path to wedding photography began in 2010 in a small coastal village in Costa Rica, where she first documented surf culture, nature, and life by the ocean.

Set along the shoreline of Carolina Beach, Kindred is a venue shaped as much by its history as by its coastal surroundings. Once a long-standing community gathering place where generations marked life’s most meaningful moments, the building has been thoughtfully reimagined into a modern wedding and events space that still carries the imprint of its past. Original architectural details sit alongside a bright, coastal-chic design, creating a setting that feels both timeless.

Tucked just minutes from the coast in Wilmington, Canterbury Stables is a wedding venue that feels worlds away—where coastal air meets the quiet romance of a historic horse farm. With its centuries-old live oak, sweeping pastoral landscape, and refined equestrian aesthetic, the property offers a setting that is both transportive and deeply rooted in legacy. Here, timeless charm and modern sophistication exist in perfect balance, creating an atmosphere of unhurried luxury.

Mackenzie Ottinger of Sounds of Shutter, is a wedding and lifestyle photographer with a heartfelt, documentary approach to storytelling.

In conversation with photographer Meagan Forbes, we explore the story behind her decade-long journey in wedding photography and the passion that first sparked it all.

Long before she was orchestrating elegant wedding weekends and seamless celebrations, Jihan Francois was assigning roles, drafting order forms, and mapping out growth plans for a childhood friendship bracelet business. For the founder of Amani Affairs, planning has never been a learned skill—it’s been an instinct.