Maria & Russell | Charlotte, NC destination wedding | Levine Museum of the New South – Developer and Photographer

Maria and Russell have been all over my blog. Since getting engaged last fall, I’ve photographed them at Roosevelt Island, where Russell proposed, and they were super-awesome in my promotional video. But that was all in preparation for their ridiculously cool, family-filled, bangin’ destination wedding at Charlotte’s Levine Museum of the New South. As always, Russell was super-hip and Maria was stunning.

wedding photographer Amber Wilkie

Their wedding favors pretty much say it all.

fortune cookie wedding favors

They both got ready in separate rooms at the Charlotte Marriott City Center.

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Then we all headed a couple blocks over to the Levine Museum of the New South. Though Maria and Russell both live in Northern Virginia, they met in Charlotte, and so chose to do a Charlotte destination wedding. The Levine museum was so cool, as you will see in a second.

bride puts on garter at levine museum putting on the wedding dress at levine museum of the new south

Meanwhile, the boys “invented” a new game that involved throwing bottle caps and, naturally, drinking beers.

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Toldja it was a cool museum. There were a whole bunch of these little sets throughout the museum – a tiny church, even a “watching TV” mini set.

I found out the flower girl was crying because she wanted to walk down the aisle with Maria, not by herself.

flower girl crying during wedding reception bride processional at levine museum of the new south

Ah, technology.

everybody with cellphones at levine museum of the new south beautiful destination wedding in charlotte, nc

Huge props to Megan Noonan, who came all the way down from Woodbridge for this wedding. This photo below is hers and I love how her flash on the skylight caused all these crazy reflections.

levine museum of the new south destination wedding

Doin’ it big.

dip first kiss at levine museum of the new south destination wedding destination wedding photojournalism

Then I got to grab the two of them for some more portraits inside the museum. They had an entire “back” of the bus mini-set.

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The gentlest cake smash ever.

smashing cupcakes during levine museum of the new south destination wedding

Maria’s grandfather has played harmonica at many family celebrations over the years, and he serenaded Maria and Russell for their wedding.

grandfather plays harmonica at levine museum of the new south first dance at levine museum of the new south

Yes, that is Maria’s mom.

mother of the bride goes for the bouquet throwing the bouquet at levine museum of the new south getting the garter at levine museum of the new south wedding garter toss at levine museum of the new south wedding signing paperwork at the levine museum of the new south destination wedding dancing with the flowergirl at destination wedding dance party at charlotte destination wedding dancing at levine museum of the new south wedding dance circle at levine museum of the new south wedding dancing at wedding reception in levine museum of the new south bride and her mom dancing at wedding reception relatives get down at levine museum of the new south wedding bride and groom at the end of the levine museum of the new south destination wedding