Tomme Hilton Gallery » Weddings

Renate & Brian, TIED THE KNOT

Tomme — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:20:27 +0000

The past few weeks have been one rocky road! After an extremely busy June, I am now coming down to some meditation time. That is, if it exists. So, now I am finding a little bit of time to blog about our June weddings! First up on the June list:

RENATE & BRAIN

Married on June 5th! (wow, it’s been that long… eeekk!)

If you don’t remember Renate and Brian, check out their engagement photos… they were awesome! Despite the rain… We made it happen! AND, not to forget her bridals!! Sigh. Love, love, love them! She is the reason I can’t stand bridals! They turn out so great… yet ‘you’ cannot post them until AFTER the wedding! Ugh… the beauty of secrets right?

Renate and Brian’s wedding day started out with no parking at the hotel, wind that made your hair a whirlwind and humidity that that made you question if it was sweat or not. Ahem, It was a wonderful day to get married… ON THE BEACH! But let me just say… Renate and Brain… YOU ROCKED IT! They were amazing. And let me drag them EVERYWHERE to get that extra shot… or as I call it, the ‘One more’ shot!

Take a look at their wedding photos. Let us know what you think!

{Guest Blog} Lindsey and Daniel

Tomme — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:47:57 +0000

Remember Lindsey and Daniel? I cannot emphasize enough… Their wedding was such a great wedding! Lindsey gave us the pleasure of writing a post for our {Guest Blog}. Read about their experience with Tomme Hilton Gallery.

…

Our wedding was March 27, 2010 at The Woodlands Inn and Resort in Summerville, SC.

When we got engaged and sat down to do some “budget planning,” one of the first questions our parents asked us was very simple….what is most important to you? Our answer was PHOTOGRAPHER. We wanted a fun photographer and photographs that we would always cherish.

Fast forward several months later and while in a tuxedo shop I noticed some framed artwork that was just amazing. I got the photographers card and thus began to “stalk” her. Tomme’s work was exactly what we wanted…fun, romantic, and different. I never even contacted another photographer because I felt so confident in her work.

We first met Tomme when we shot our engagement photos and both Daniel and I were so nervous and excited at the same time. But the moment she told Daniel he reminded her of Justin Timberlake, he was SOLD : ) She was everything I had ever wished in a photographer: easy going, hilarious, and creative.

I got to hang with her again for my bridal portraits and we had the best time. So good in fact that I was yawning from exhaustion : )

The entire wedding morning all I was thinking was “when is Tomme getting here?” I felt the day would be complete when I would see her and her camera. She didn’t disappoint. Along with Erica and Jim, they dealt with a CRAZY set of friends and family and even brought fun props for the reception. [Check out our wedding photos, posted by Tomme.]

Of the many things we will remember from this wedding experience, Tomme Hilton and her photos are by far the most special. We hope to work with her again in the future.

Lindsey and Daniel Phillips

Greenville, SC
…

Thank you Lindsey and Daniel for such a wonderful experience! Best of luck and Enjoy married life! And once the ‘beebees’ start… you just keep us in mind!

xo.

Lindsey & Daniel

Tomme — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:44:43 +0000

Are so adorable together. During our engagements, lots of giggling and stolen kisses stole the scene.

Our big day took place at The Woodlands. The coordinator, Dale Wherry made sure the day went as planned. It was a GORGEOUS day out. These girls with these Spring weddings have really lucked out with this amazing weather.

I just love clicking with clients right off the bat. Lindsey is the sweetest, kindest and most gracious person you could ever meet. I’m lucky to have met her and Daniel and hopefully you will get to see their story and family unfold before our eyes.

There was not a single dry eye in the house when her and her pops had their first dance. HOLY MOLY! I need dry eyes to see through my viewfinder in the camera and that was not an easy task for any of us.

Daniel happens to be a Carolina fan and Lindsey, on the other hand – Clemson. I love when he found out she had the Clemson garter. His face is pretty priceless.

Enjoy! Until next time. xo

Jennifer & Eric

Tomme — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:04:58 +0000

Got married March 20th, 2010. The ceremony was greeted by warm smiles and warm breezes held at St.Stephens church downtown. Planning was impeccable by Stacey at Red Letter Events. What a great job she did! The wedding was timed perfectly and the weather couldn’t have been ANY NICER. She couldn’t order up a better day from the Gods! Jennifer must have made some back handed deal for the day she ended up with. Catering was done by Granville’s and super delish.

Congrats you two!

Candice & Erich {LasVegas Lovers}

Tomme — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 02:54:49 +0000

First, Let me refresh your memory of Candice and Erich. They were the AWESOME under water shoot I did!! Remember now?

Well, As all weddings tend to never really go as quite as planned, enter Candice and Erich who were to originally nab their nuptials in April. But, Erich, who was working in Cuba got detained and Castro declared… ‘Wedding or not! You’re staying!’ Dictatorship. Get it? ((fizzle!?))

Ok, that part was a little made up. Erich did have a minor set-back with work and after all the invites and STDs {save.the.dates} went in the mail… they had to move their wedding date in rather short notice. Cuba did let him out. And. Therefore, they did have their wedding. {Sigh of relief.}

Candice being a wedding designer for YOJ nailed the details – duh – and of course picked amazing vendors to work with.

Ahem, including thine self. Chest gets a little broader and head gets a little larger.

The wonderful location and catering was done by Granville’s. This spot was really cute and quaint and had such an intimate feel. Candice’s guest list was diminished b.c of the date change. BUT, the location was perfect for the number of guests. It felt like old, close friends having the time of their lives. And trust me, THEY DID! Let’s just say that since there wasn’t much room for the photobooth… the props were STILL used… as… outfits for the evening! Laugh. There was lots of dancing with our props that made for hilarious post processing. Bringing out the props illuminates crazy personalities!

Cakes were made by Molly at D’LISH whom always does a knock out job. I overheard Molly telling someone that since Candice had to do all the planning last minute – gave Molly a very vague description of the wedding – I believe the words were vintage and urban — Molly just took those key words and designed the cake. Not just designed that cake, but made edible art pieces. BaddaBING! I didn’t get to taste it but it looked really moist and well, D’LISH! Candice never saw the cake until her wedding day. That’s trust! She was more than tickled when she saw it.

None the less, Candice beamed the entire day. But, who wouldn’t on their wedding day? Not too many times would I turn her way without there being a big infectious smile all over her face.

After all the dancing and laughing were over… the newlyweds left for LasVegas!! Spend that money, honey!

But knowing these two, the honeymoon is FAR from over!

Congrats you two!

Until next time.

xo,

Tomme.

Belated Bridals

Tomme — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:01:05 +0000

As anyone can imagine, keeping a groom in the dark about bridal attire before the big day is a request some brides have – well, I say that haphazardly. Sometimes brides and grooms see each other before the ceremony to share a few intimate moments alone – with a unobtrusive photographer though who sometimes has a pretty obtrusive lens. Hey, what can I say? {{ I like the big one the best}}!! Needless to say, I get really EXCITED b/c I come back from these really kick ass bridal sessions, then just have to keep them hidden instead of post them–that’s really TOUGHH for me. Sooo…. I’m going to post some of the taboo bridals that I’ve been suppressing …… finally busting out at the seams.

chronicles. of. life.

Tomme — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:31:47 +0000

If you do not know me, I am Erica Billingsley, Tomme’s assistant. I have been working with her since JUNE and love it! Absolutely love it! But besides all that… this post is about My Chronicle of Life with Tomme. So brace yourselves… as this is a L-O-N-G post about each stage of my life with her.

{Stage 1} engaged.

I got engaged in August of 2007. I had seen Tomme’s work before hand and set her website aside for when I become engaged. Photography was the only thing I wanted to spend money on. It is my most important feature of my life. Not as a skill. No No… That, I am still learning. But more because of the moment each photograph holds. Photographs are irreplaceable. And I LOVE to look back on moments and remember that ‘special day’.

I met Tomme and knew right away that I wanted to sign her. I didn’t even have to meet with any other photographer… just her. So, I signed with her and Tomme did my engagement photos that November.

{Stage 2} bridals.

I had thoroughly analyzed her work before I chose her… knowing she would produce wonderful unique images. BUT, in order for them to be as AWESOME as I wanted… I knew I had to get dirty… And I did.

For my bridals, I was in a field with grass, crickets, spiders (yuck) and mesquites (i think i ended up with 14 bites)… then I rolled around in the middle of a road… Dont worry ladies… the dirt comes out!

{Stage 3} the wedding.

Once your wedding day arrives, there is nothing to do but put your faith in your photographer. It is ALL in their hands. Because THEY ARE THE REASON YOU REMEMBER YOUR WEDDING.

{Stage 4} maternity.

My husband and I found out shortly after our wedding that we were expecting. SURPRISE to us! And of course the first thing I did was contact Tomme. DUH! Its another big moment in my life. You think I dont want me captured when I am 30+ lbs over weight! Many think not… but to be honest… Tomme made me feel like a SEXY pregnant woman. Let’s just say I walked away from this shoot feeling more confident than I did the entire pregnancy! Come on, any woman who gains 30+ lbs doesn’t feel ‘sexy’ or ‘pretty’… EVEN IF THEY ARE PREGNANT! I walked away feeling like a MODEL!

{Stage 5} baby.

And then came baby… HOUSTON! A couple weeks ago Tomme and I scheduled for her to come and shoot my baby, Houston‘s newborn photos. Sigh. Didn’t work as planned. Let’s just say Newborn photography has a different skill… PATIENCE! and more PATIENCE! and then waiting. This was our first attempt at ‘Newborn’ photography. And well… ahem, yea.

Although, I wouldn’t say it was a complete failure. Our first mistake was trying to shoot his photos during the main time Matt and I keep him awake… Oh well… But, as always, Tomme still got some great shots in between the crying…

Tomme and I called it a night. So the next day I started thinking… since I had started shooting with Tomme in October (2009), my confidence was not quite up there… I still get a little jittery before I shoot. So, I knew I had to grow a pair of… you know… and try to shoot on my own. SO, I tackled this shoot myself. AHHH. Dont worry, I did good! So good, I impressed myself! And Tomme!

{Stage 6} Family

My family (entire family) is having a photos session with Tomme this spring! So, I will be sure to post them soon!

Thanks for staying with me and reading my chronicles of life. I think its very important to develop a relationship with your photographer. Because, they are the ones that help you remember the important moments in your life. Before I was Tomme’s assistant, I told myself I would use her for every important moment in my life. Because the first time I met her, she was not just a photographer, she became a friend.

Do you have a VD story?

Tomme — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:51:42 +0000

No No No.. we aren’t really concerned about that one scary call you got from the clinic. This is VALENTINES DAY!! The best Valentine Day Story wins a free SESSION of your choice (value 400.00) Just for being you, in a creative, cuter, wittier way in written form. Did he make you heart shaped pancakes for breakfast? Did she wait on you hand and foot all day long? What did someone do special for you for Valentines day? It doesn’t have to be couples related. Get creative. For all the free world to vote on and will decide if you are indeed, WORTHY of a *FREE* photo session! WE know you are.. but you gotta prove it.

There are some rules! *YAWN* They aren’t crazy rules tho. These are easy rules to ensure that everyone gets the best possible shot at a win. There are no rules for the stories you submit, but for the sake of internet space please keep it concise instead of a timeless classic novel. Your stories will be posted so make sure you edit correctly. Spelling and grammar should be legible and correct. Your stories will be posted as-is.

But let’s look at the ways you become eligible to WIN!!

Submit all stories to: gallery.tommehilton@gmail.com. Entry deadline is February 28, 2010 at midnight.

All entries will be posted and voted on by your friends/family and anyone exposed to this contest. Start spreading your VD germs!

Good luck, writers! xo

{M & M} not the candy.

Tomme — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:44:08 +0000

I met Morgan at her brother Brice’s wedding May of 2007.
They are all quite a good looking family.

Morgan is an artist in Charlotte. She also works at this super chic store there. We did some really cool bridal shots in the store. She also has a pretty entertaining blog. The blog entries are pretty funny. I think you will enjoy following her. And someone needs to talk her into getting some of her artwork on here! I keep looking for paintings/images and find myself continuously searching. Check her out: http://morganelvington.wordpress.com

Morgan and Michael were one of the top contender couples on my facebook ‘Best Engagement Photo’ Contest. AND it was a SUPER close race. They kept me on the edge of my seat the entire race.

The wedding was like a homecoming for me. Seeing so many familiar faces and open, warm smiles. It’s so much more fun when you are doing the electric slide amongst friends instead of strangers. (You don’t get as many.. ‘Why is your photographer so weird’ looks when they already KNOW you are). And just so you know, I can do a mean ‘Thriller’ too.

Let’s just say, M&M’s wedding was a blast!!

Until next time. xo

THE VUE from here.

Tomme — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:26:56 +0000

As you figured, the wedding of Robyn and Matt – all the way from New Jersey got married at The Vue here in Charleston. Now, normally the weather here is somewhat mild in January…well, in comparison to NJ this time of the year. I have to laugh b/c it was one of THE coldest days (only to soon be figured out as one of the coldest Charleston stretches in decades). So Robyn had on her beautiful strapless and then we dodged being outside as much as possible. Being indoors the entire time can be somewhat limiting but I think we did great despite.

This is Robyn’s sister helping her get ready. I love the expression on Marissa’s face. So proud of her sister!

Let’s not forget Matt. He looked pretty dapper as well. My guess is he was looking out that window grateful he was indoors instead of in the blistery cold.

We did get some alone time together before the ceremony. I love this shot.

The chandellier over this cake just gives it this really romantic, feminine touch. Those little details make such an impact. See.

We had our ceremony and the reception at the Vue so there wasn’t much outdoor time necessary. The decor inside was actually beautiful. They decorated the windows with beading that really did find glamour that danced in the lights.

Again, as I go through some of these. I realize I have so many good images to choose from and this makes it hard for me to be selective in choosing images and not be over zealous and posting chronically instead of selectively.

How awesome was this light. I literally only got this because it was FROM the limo to the Vue. So thankfully I was able to utilize that little bit of outdoor time to catch the sun coming down. This looks like the hollywood strip behind her.

The KISS!

Look at that skyline back there. I loved that!

And I love this one. This is prob one of my favorite send off pics. I placed lighting behind them because it was really dark and I wanted to emphasize the faces of the senders. I think it just adds a special element I prob couldn’t have gotten otherwise.

And since this obviously could be full of pics and post, I will end here.

Congrats Robyn and Matt, who went to Thailand for their honeymoon.

Enjoy your new life as Mister and Mrs.