The wind was whipping, the sun was shining, and it was a gorgeous day at the Flyway Lodge on Knotts Island, North Carolina. I had the blessing of being invited to second shoot alongside Meredith Ryncarz of Meredith Ryncarz Photography for the most amazing (and my first) styled shoot.  I am beyond grateful for being included on this special day. The entire day was absolutely incredible. Everything about the day went smoothly at this gorgeous, rustic venue. The day passed quickly as we photographed the wedding details, the pre-shoot preparation, and the most adorable couple.
Why was this day so incredible? Well, for one, I had the opportunity to serve alongside many talented vendors. These professionals all came together for a common goal and were phenomenal as they perfectly executed each detail of their job. (See vendor list at the end of this blog post.) Everything about this styled shoot communicated not only professionalism, but also the respect each vendor had for the others.
Another reason that the day was so incredible was because of the venue.  Aside from the stunningly gorgeous view of the Currituck Sound, the Flyway Lodge on Knotts Island, North Carolina has two other features that were especially intriguing to me: the history and the rustic charm.
In 1920 The original owners of the property, New York Tribune and New York Herald Tribune publishers Ogden Mills and Helen Rogers Reid, built the original lodge and barn to host retreats and for waterfowl hunting. Unfortunately on Christmas Eve in 1958 the original lodge caught fire and was destroyed. The original U shaped barn, built in 1920, was unscathed and still stands today. In 1959-60, the original owner’s son, Ogden Rogers Reid and his wife Mary Louise Reid had the lodge rebuilt exactly like the original structure.   Herbert Hoover, Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower were some of the notable visitors at the Flyway Lodge. The Reids hosted other political figures there as well.  {Source:  http://flywaylodge.com/history/ }
The Flyway Lodge has quaint rustic charm, complete with rough textures and beautiful colors. The U shaped farm building, which was originally used for housing servants, vehicles, farm animals, and machinery, provides a charming backdrop for outdoor weddings and events. It’s rough, grey wood plank siding is a perfect match with elegant floral arrangements and flowing bridal gowns.
Vendors:
Venue: The Flyway Lodge
Hair Artist: Derek Hedgepeth of Farmhouse Salon @farmhousesalonRVA
Makeup Artist: Kirsty Wingfield of Richmond Makeup Artist @RichmondMakeupArtistKirstyWingfield
Bridal Attire: Â Studio I Do Bridals VB @studioidobridals
Cake: Kadi Bakes  @kadibakes
Catering: Â Sweetwater Cuisine @sweetwater_cuisine
Florist: Â I Do Weddings With Love @idoweddingflowers4you
Styling and Rentals: Chic Unique Vintage Rentals @chicuniquerentals
Invitation Suite: Â Lauren Perry Studio @laurenperrystudio
Coordinator:  Misty Saves the Day  @mistysavesthedayonline
Lead Photographer:  Meredith Ryncarz Photography @MeredithRyncarzPhotography     (Second Shooter: Belle Eve Photography @BelleEvePhotography)
Videographer: Brian Charles Films @briancharlesfilms
Models: Â Allison Dowdey and Brian Ceballos