A Celebration of Family!

As we look back, it’s so hard to believe that only 4 years ago we launched Refuge Photography – on a prayer and a credit card. Only 4 years ago, we had a prayer that God would use us to love and serve couples through a business idea we had. And while we were still waking up early each morning to head into our classrooms to teach, it was apparent that God was paving a path for other plans. If you know the Refuge Team, you know that we believe that life and love are a celebration – and each moment of building Refuge has been just that. It’s been a challenging yet clear, stretching yet growing, and hard yet rewarding celebration of life and love! It’s been celebrating small moments and successes that have led us exactly where we are today – with the same heart to love, serve, and celebrate others! Because Refuge is so much more than beautiful imagery. Beautiful imagery is a given with Refuge – it’s what we’ve taught our incredible team, and photographers all over the nation to do. With Refuge, our hearts desire is to create beautiful experiences that leave our couples feeling such a sense of peace, steadiness, and joy – to create a place of Refuge for them. With Refuge, we believe in building relationships that last far beyond your wedding – we believe in creating family! As our team has grown throughout the years, the goal has remained the same – love, serve, and celebrate! We hosted our entire Refuge team here in 30A last week and it was such a celebration of the family! But not only were we celebrating the Refuge family, we were celebrating part of the Refuge Bride Family!

As the Refuge Team has grown – so have the number of Refuge Brides. And when both worlds collide – we’ll just say there’s a lot of confetti!🎉

As the laughter of the bridesmaids filled the room, you could feel the joy that was present. It was so real, so genuine. As the day continued on moment by moment it was so clear that a relationship was being made. And on that chilly November day in 2018, we met Miranda!

From 12 to 212

Miranda was a bridesmaid in only the 12th wedding that we had ever captured. And while Miranda was in only the 12th, it’s so neat that on Miranda’s wedding day Refuge has served 212 amazing brides! Several months after being a bridesmaid, Miranda was graduating from college and we captured her graduate session! Since that day, our relationship with Miranda has continued to grow. We’ve watched Miranda go from a bridesmaid to graduate, to a refuge for us as we moved to 30a, to entering our home and working for Refuge alongside us, and now to being a Refuge Bride! Miranda even walked with us through the design center of where we’re currently building our first home here in 30A! There’s been too many Starbucks trips to count, chicken nuggies consumed, days where we talked about life more than we worked, laughed until we cried, made fun of Anna’s intense work mode, and we simply did life together! And day by day, Miranda became like family to us. She celebrates couples and families here on 30a by creating beautiful experiences and capturing beautiful portraits of their memories as a Refuge Photographer! And while Miranda is an amazing woman alone, when she’s with Nathan – they light up the room with such a special love! 

Family, Friends, & Full Bellies

Nathan’s family is the family of 30A and if 30A had a royal family like England, the Corchis family would no doubt be that family! If you’ve visited 30A, you know how just amazing Amigos and Amici are – and it shouldn’t surprise you to know that Nathan’s family is the brilliant minds behind these restaurants and Corchis Hospitality Group! And if you’re traveling to 30A for the first time – walk don’t run to eat at both of these restaurants where you’ll celebrate family, friends, and full bellies! The Corchis family is an inspiring example of what building family and relationships look like and we have loved getting to know this amazing family. Quite frankly, they are like family to us and the hospitality that they’ve shown us means more than we will be able to put into words.  

Miranda and Nathan, capturing your love has been an absolute honor and we are so excited to watch your marriage and love grow! We love you both, we’re cheering for you, and always remember that we’re here to be a Refuge for you! We would relive y’all’s day every weekend if we could, just to see the genuine joy that you encompassed and the love that surrounded you – but since a re-do every weekend prob isn’t realistic (haha) we are so thankful we were able to capture these special moments to always be able to look back on and relive y’all’s BEST DAY EVER! We hope you are all filled with joy and love as you scroll through our favorite moments of this beautiful 30A Refuge Wedding day – but warning – if you’re anything like us there’s absolutely NO WAY to pick a fave. From the details to THAT SEND OFF and every.single.moment. in between we only have seven words to leave you with: I DON’T THINK YOU UNDERSTAND, WE’RE OBSESSED.

Love and Big Hugs,

Anna and Ryan

 

Photography: Refuge by Anna & Ryan

Rings- @tiffanyandco 

Gown Designer and Bridal Shop:  @justinalexander @beablissbride

Groom attire: @richards_bespoke

 Bride/Bridal Hair: @jillianmuah

 Bride/Bridal Makeup: @jillianmuah

 Florist: @fishersflowers30a

Venue: Watersound Origins

Wedding Planner: @peachandpearlevents

DJ / Singer: @davidpossomusic

Cake: @sweethenrietta

Sweets: @blackbearbreadco

Catering: @amici30a @amigos30a

Invitations: @hazelandgrayco

If you can’t get enough of this wedding, check out a beautiful wedding at the Seaside Chapel!