Real Weddings, Advice, & Inspiration

Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!

This styled shoot was produced during a workshop in Asheville, North Carolina.

For this styled shoot my goal was to take two models into an environment that was aesthetically less than ideal, and create a stylish, artistic vibe that captured a diverse couple. The two locations were a tennis court and an old archery range surrounded by burlap drapes.

I wanted Jasmine and Chris to give off a hip, casual, urban vibe while simulating a comfortable connection between the two models so I asked them to wear black to give off that feeling and energy. I envisioned this mixing well with the unique, unorthodox setting.

During the shoot I wanted Jasmine to represent the traditional "male" role which was a challenge but because of the height difference in both the models it ended up working out through experimenting with switching the "norms" of how a male/female couple should interact.

I chose to capture this shoot using two different formats: film and digital. I felt this would add to the different urban feel that I was going for.

Words and photos by Mark Maya.

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple obscured by burlap drapes and holding hands

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple laughing and hugging behind burlap

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot embrace behind burlap drapes

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple's embrace shot from neck down

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot holding hands behind drapes

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple looking into distance

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot chris posing in front of plain wall

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot portrait shot of chris

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot portrait shot of jasmine in front of burlap

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot portrait shot of jasmine

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple's shoes as they walk

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot embrace in front of exterior wall

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple laughing

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot embrace with jasmine looking at camera

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple's arms around each other

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot jasmine standing in front of chris, who is leaning against wall

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot chris reaching for jasmine's hand

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple standing shot from mid-thigh down to shoes

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot lightly holding hands

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot embrace, edited with polaroid frame around photo

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple sitting , chris's arm around jasmine, polaroid edit

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot chris's head on jasmine's shoulder, polaroid edit

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot embrace, polaroid edit

Durham North Carolina Styled Shoot couple leaning against wall, focus on hands, polaroid edit

Models | Jasmine Ciera Vines | Chris Weller

MARK MAYA

Hi there, I’m Mark. I offer creative, honest wedding photography for unique couples. I'm not the type of person who stresses over the small details like shots lists, other guests getting in my way or things having to be perfect. I trust myself and my clients in the moment to make thoughtful, healthy choices so we can celebrate together with family and friends. I trust myself to capture your day in an emotional, authentic fashion and I trust my clients to allow me to do so as well.