Kaan and Gulaysem’s City Hall Elopement in Charlotte, NC

Kaan and Gulaysem had their City Hall Elopement in Charlotte, NC before having their big celebration in Virginia the following month with friends and family. Their love story is quite incredible. Both grew up in Turkey and met in Middle School. Kaan told me he’d had a crush on Gulaysem even then, but Gulaysem wasn’t interested. Cut to years later. Kaan has moved to the United States and is working and living in Charlotte, NC. Like many modern love stories, he was browsing Instagram, when he decided to message Gulaysem. They chatted back and forth and quickly realized there were real feelings there. Gulaysem was still living in Turkey, but they made the long distance work, traveling to visit each other every couple of months.

Right before the Covid 19 pandemic hit, Kaan proposed to Gulaysem, not knowing that the next year would be such a defining year. When the world went into lockdown, Gulaysem was in Turkey and Kaan in the US. They spent more than six months unable to see each other. Finally, at the beginning of 2021, Gulaysem was able to travel to the US. They decided they didn’t want to wait any longer to start their lives together.

The very next month, Kaan and Gulaysem exchanged vows in an intimate elopement in the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

A few of Kaan’s coworkers and friends in attendance. It was a perfect, short ceremony. The three of us then spent the afternoon strolling through the downtown area of Monroe for a portrait session. It’s an adorable downtown with historic buildings, restaurants and retail shops. We chatted about life, Covid, their love story, their second wedding in Virginia with friends and family the following month and their upcoming move to DC.

It was a wonderful day filled with love and I wish these two nothing but a beautiful life together. Check out some of my favorite photos from their elopement, below!