• Welcome!

    Luster Studios is my personal portfolio where I share weddings, special events, engagement sessions and portraits. My origins stem from a fine arts degree in photography and computer graphics. My "style" is a perfect blend of creative ideas driven by a relaxed attitude and a fun yet thoughtful personality.

    Through a combination of posing and photojournalism I strive to capture planned and spontaneous moments that will later help you relive how you were feeling at that exact moment. I'm based in North Carolina and often travel to destination locations. I look forward to getting to know what inspires you both creatively and personally.

    - Craig Carpenter

Highgrove Estate Wedding & Reception (Bridget + Thomas)

Bridget was one of my most excited brides about her wedding photography and had booked me over a year and a half ago. She and Thomas were married at Highgrove Estate and I must say… she could write a book on how to plan the perfect wedding. Every single detail had it’s place and her hard work and planning paid off to create a unique, fun, and elegant event! I’ve never been to a wedding where they had mimosa’s! I must admit that I was just as excited as her the night before and barely got a good night of sleep. We both arrived at 6:15am. :)

Although it usually takes me at least a week or two before I’m able to post any image teasers from any wedding, I made a promise to Bridget to get a few images up before her honeymoon so that she could enjoy them while she was kicking back in Aruba with her new husband. I’ll be updating this post as I have more time to thoroughly go through all of the images. I’m sure it will end up being one of my longest blog posts to date…

Congratulations you two… and promise me to PLEASE stay off the computer a little bit and relax. THAT is what I’m asking in exchange for these teaser pics…The wedding planning is officially over. Woohoo! Leave the hard work up to me now… :)

Hair/Makeup – Elizabeth Tolley
Flowers (Bouquets) – Fresh Affairs
Flowers (Centerpieces) – Fifty Flowers
Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes
DJ – All the Right Grooves


wedding makeup
wedding jewelery
wedding dress shoes
wedding highgrove stairs
wedding highgrove
groomsmen ring bearer
groom wedding
wedding bouquet
flower girl bouquet
flower girl wedding
wedding first kiss
wedding group photo
couple wedding fun formal
wedding flip flops
bride groom cutting cake
reception groom
wedding brothers dance
wedding reception dance
bridal portrait
wedding couple first dance

4 comments

Bridget K. - July 8, 2009 - 7:36 pm

Craig!! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU once again for everything that you did to capture our day. I will truly cherish the photos you took for a very long time. We have gotten so many compliments on them, and you were truly a standout amongst all of my wonderful vendors. Everyone says it, but all of you helped make it one of the best days of our lives. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!

Hair/Makeup – Elizabeth Tolley
Flowers (Bouquets) – Fresh Affairs
Flowers (Centerpieces) – fiftyflowers.com
Cake – Cinda’s Creative Cakes
DJ – All the Right Grooves (Bethany)

Katherine B. - May 29, 2009 - 10:21 pm

These are absolutely beautiful!! Bridget definitely had a reason for being excited to see these!!! ;) It is awesome to see all of her hard and tedious planning all come together, the wedding turned out gorgeous! So much attention to detail, just so elegant…Congrats to she and Thomas!! :)

Melissa - May 29, 2009 - 4:44 pm

LOVE them!! I love the one with Bridget and Thomas walking on the grounds of High Grove and the one of B on the stairs…goregous!!! haha look at the one of me laughing at Molly, she was absolutely adorable! Can’t wait to see the rest. Congrats to Thomas and Bridget and enjoy your honeymoon to Aruba! :)

Aeriel (monstorb) - May 29, 2009 - 4:30 pm

These look great! The whole day (esp. Ms. Bridgette) looks amazing!

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