Author archives: Nancy Ray

Joelle and Justin Fearrington Film Wedding

by Nancy Ray in Weddings
Joelle and Justin Fearrington Film Wedding
This wedding will always hold such a special place in my heart. Not only do I adore this couple, their love for Chapel Hill and Harry Potter, their quirky senses of humor and their amazing hair… but this was my last wedding before I went on maternity leave! It was quite the hot July day, and I was 37 weeks pregnant. But goodness I’m so grateful It was Joelle and Justi[...]

Jamie Hopkins Merrimon Wynne Film Bridal Session

by Nancy Ray in Bridals
Jamie Hopkins Merrimon Wynne Film Bridal Session
I was fully expecting to cry when I saw Jamie for the first time. She was one of our first interns, and she has become so close to our team over the years. (You can’t help but become close to someone who will drive 10 hours in the car with you in one day to shoot a bridal session in Charleston!) When she called me about shooting her wedding, I was so thrilled. When[...]

Welcome Lyndon Ray: A Legacy Film

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Welcome Lyndon Ray: A Legacy Film
It's not lost on me that having these moments captured is a rare treasure. I can only imagine watching this film again when the girls are older, full of shared memories and the close bond that only sisters share. The fact that Milly almost always said "baby sister" when we asked "What is in mama's belly?" is the sweetest, because it's like she knew when all of us didn[...]

Wheaton Family Raleigh, NC Film Session

by Nancy Ray in Families
Wheaton Family Raleigh, NC Film Session
Goodness do I love this little family! Chris and Toni are dear friends of ours, and they are incredible videographers (check out their work, but grab a tissue first: Heart Stone Films and Portico Pictures)! I photographed their sweet maternity session, the birth of their baby boy Elijah, and his newborn session, and to see them now makes me all kinds of happy. Fir[...]

Highlands Babymoon

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Highlands Babymoon
Our babymoon before Milly was so sweet, and I’ll be honest - it was quite the trip! I laugh because it was before we had a kid, so it was more on the extravagant side - 5 days in California with all the adventures. This babymoon was no less special, but was a very typical “2nd baby” babymoon. We lumped it together with a wedding weekend and mother’s day weekend - [...]

Tidwell Family Raleigh, NC Film Session

by Nancy Ray in Families
Tidwell Family Raleigh, NC Film Session
Stephanie, the beautiful mama in these photographs, has been the brilliant designer behind my home’s refresh. Not only that, but she is a lifelong friend of mine - we grew up going on vacations together since our parents were in business together. I have been so inspired by this woman and her family. She’s the kind of person you are just drawn to because of her joy, h[...]

Whitney and Nick Beaufort, NC Film Maternity Session

by Nancy Ray in Families
Whitney and Nick Beaufort, NC Film Maternity Session
This maternity session brings me all the feels. I’ve photographed Whitney and Nick’s engagement session, Whit’s bridal session, their wedding day, and their anniversary session. I’ve been following along with this sweet pregnancy, and I wish I could grab you by the face right now and say these words: Miracles HAPPEN. Whitney had cervical cancer and beat it. S[...]

Camping 2017

by Nancy Ray in The Rays
Camping 2017
5 years! We’ve been camping with these sweet friends of ours for 5 years now. And to celebrate, Emily and John had T-shirts made! Yes I’m pregnant, but when she gave them to us I totally burst into tears. You can re-live some of our camping experiences here: Hanging Rock Blue Bear Wilmington Blue Bear Stone Mountain This 5th year was one for the books. Firs[...]