Emmie Tkach & Isaiah Whitley

DANIELLE FLAKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Emmie Tkach + Isaiah Whitley

By Renee Ambroso

As childhood friends, Emmie Tkach and Isaiah Whitley were already part of each other’s lives long before a romantic relationship sparked during their senior year at Davie County High School. After five years of dating, when Isaiah planned a proposal at Emmie’s family lakefront property, she wasn’t surprised, but still elated. When it came to choosing a venue, the couple found their perfect fit in WinMock at Kinderton after one look through the grand white-and-red refurbished barn and outdoor terrace. “It only made sense for us high school sweethearts to get married somewhere that felt like home,” Emmie explains. The elegant venue complemented a fallinspired palette for the wedding, with bridesmaid dresses in dusty rose, and other accents in beige and cream. WinMock helped the couple’s rehearsal dinner take place smoothly despite power being knocked out by a tropical storm and made the big day as worryfree as possible on Oct. 3, 2020. “I truly felt like I didn’t have to lift a finger on our wedding day,” Emmie says. The bride and groom’s large wedding party was captured by Danielle Flake Photography. While guests and close friends surrounded the couple in a bear hug on the dance floor, Danielle caught the moment of joy on a film camera. “To have that picture … is totally priceless,” says Emmie after enduring the stress and uncertainty of planning the nuptials during the pandemic.

“Danielle is so talented! I was drawn to her by the uniqueness of her film photography. Her photos were soft and subdued, yet the colors were vibrant. She was also such a calming presence on the wedding day.”