nancy & matt {hitched}

i LOVE this gal.  A few of you reading this probably know her too.  She's my colleague and (more importantly) friend Nancy from Hunter Valley and I was so honored when she asked me to shoot her wedding last fall.  

They had a way cool wedding that was both laid back (only about 15 guests at the actual ceremony) and a BLAST (family and friends showed up for the rockin' afterparty!!

The day started off with a tea for all of the ladies in the group...


 

So, not only did I have an amazing time shooting this wedding, but so did Kayla.  Her dream in life came true when I said... Ok... you have all the time you want to just walk around and get some great property/detail shots.  She came back with these beauties (including the stunning pics of the horses).

 

 

 

Nancy's design company Swank did all of the design... including these rad tables as well as her bouquet...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wishin' on bones...

I cannot explain in words how lucky I feel to have gotten to shoot this wedding.  Hold on to your seats and grab a big ole cup o' joe, because I think this is the longest blog post I've ever done!  How do you narrow it down when everywhere you aim your camera is another amazing detail - puppies, horses, a gorgeous farm, crazy-beautiful flowers- another funny incident or another super sweet moment??  Well, you just don't.  I simply love this family so much and Sara and Jake are two of the most gracious people I've ever worked with.  They deserved the perfect day, and I have to say, it was pretty darn close to that!  So sit back, relax and enjoy the story of Sara and Jake...

I'm starting out with some pics from the rehearsal dinner... notice the finery they are sporting!  Jake and Sara asked folks to wear something they'd NEVER consider wearing to a wedding.  There was everything from PJs to Prom dresses...  And their sweet families toasted them until the whole room was just one big blubbery mess.  LOVE.

 

These next are a mix of the rehearsal and the morning of the wedding.  Notice the wishbone flag... more about that later...

 

 

oh, Lordy.  Those of you who really know me know I CANNOT resist doggies... much less puppies.  Sara's sis had just gotten this sweet baby and he showed up in {probably WAY TOO MANY} of the wedding pics...

 There is just something about being able to get ready at home.  Sara and her sis getting ready in their own bathroom with family wedding pics just outside the door.  Gotta love that.

Ok... gonna jump back a little here... these next few are from a bridal session we did at the farm a few weeks before the wedding...

And back to wedding day.  The boutonniere (and rest of the flowers) are by Samantha at Mulberries.  Girlfriend ROCKED it!!!!   Sara wanted cotton, so Hope (from Simply Southern Catering) brought her bags of it back from some family in Georgia (or was it Alabama - sorry if I messed that up Hope). 

 Sweet, sweet, sweet first look.  Holy moly, the way Jake looks at her is enough to send anyone into heart palpitations. 

ok... so, I think it may be time to share the story of the wishbone.  Back years and years ago, when Sara and Jake were not even really old enough to think about things like serious dating, they had a bit of a crush on one another.  Working at a camp, they were on the dishline together (how romantic, right?!?) and a wishbone showed up on a plate.  They each grabbed a side (see photo below for the reenactment) and Jake ended up with the bigger side.  It wasn't until years later that Jake got his wish of a date with Sara.  Little did he know, Sara had wished for the same. 

The reenactment was true to the original outcome...  hehehe.

Oh, my.  gotta love a bride who doesn't take herself too seriously.  ;)

Seriously, are these not the coolest flowers ever?  OMG.  I died a little.

Ok... so,  the ceremony.  I'm gonna put my photographer's high-hat for just a second...  I LOVE a ceremony where I have the ability to move around...  With the barn behind them, I could hide in the shadows while getting really unique shots and the ability to move around on both sides let me get soooo many great shots!! It doesn't hurt that they were so precious and full of love and emotion and even some laughter. 

Samantha did all of these too...  gah.  Amazing.  And the ladies at Enchanted Details worked soooo hard to make it all come together. 

I've never seen a cooler cake (or cakes). By sugarbuzz Bakers.

The food (Simply Southern catering) was delicious!!!  She made homemade pies with fresh peaches...  insanely delicious!  I'm pestering Hope to make me one!!!

Some of my favorite reception shots...  they had a Square Dance caller!  What a great idea for getting everyone involved.  Loved it.

And....  the "get-a-way..." which consisted of being pushed down the hill by the crowd when the car wouldn't start in the uber-cold weather.  Gah, what a send off!!  it was perfect!

Sara and Jake (and your families)  thank you, thank you, thank you for having me...  its weddings like yours that helps me keep huge amounts of passion for my job season after season. xoxo  -j

{jenna and bradley}

Jenna and Bradley tied the knot back on May 8 at Dara's Garden.  My favorite ladies at One Enchanted Evening were responsible for all the lovely pink and grey details...  

I am because you are.  Big grin!

 The shoes! I couldn't resist. The bridesmaids' shoes were so sweet and precious compared to Jenna's studded pumps. So many brides hide tennis shoes, flip-flops or cowboy boots under their dresses, but not Jenna.. this girl was ALL about designer bling!

Is this girl gorgeous or WHAT???  Those EYES!  And her heart is just as big as her beauty!  Bradley's one lucky groom I have to say...

Love that little touch of Robin's egg blue on the barn wall.  

 

But Bradley isn't so bad himself!!  :)

Since the bride and groom didn't want to see each other before the ceremony, I used the old "reach around the door trick". It definitely got Jenna all teared up... hehe! I love the sense of mystery and anticipation captured in this moment.

 

 

 

Jenna and her dad are super close, and had the SWEETEST moment when they first saw each other...  NO TEARS!!!

'walking back down the aisle' pics have ALWAYS been some of my favorites!  This one is  right up there.  ;)

 You know how much I love solar flare. THIS is pure magic. It looks like a movie set.

 

Notice anything different??  Jenna changed dresses for the reception - a trend I've seen more and more lately.  Jenna's second dress was handmade locally and pattered off of the gown Portia De Rossi wore when she married Ellen Degeneres.  It was so beautiful on Jenna!!

I love how the colors in the barn wall play off of his grey suit and her pink dress.

 

 

 

 

and finally... On to the good stuff!!!  Dancin', cake eatin', bouquet tossin', laughin', cryin', sparklin' and just having a grand old time!

Thanks sooooo much Jenna and Bradley for sharing it with me.  xoxoxo

{paula and drew}

Paula and Drew are a truly rare couple. Married on April 23, 2011, at RT Lodge in Maryville, they were unbelieveably relaxed, a characteristic I attribute to getting married later in life and focusing on making their guests feel comfortable and happy and loved. That's how they made me feel, and I was practically stranger! Paula is an interior designer for Bennett Galleries, and her creative touch was on every bit of the rehearsal dinner and wedding—from the attendants' silk dresses ordered from Etsy to the handmade guest badges celebrating each person's individual personality and connection to the bride and groom. Drew is a pediatric dentist, which explained the toothbrushes and dental floss that accompanied a help-yourself candy smorgasbord. I also loved the way the young people in their lives—son, daughter, nieces, nephews, friends' children—played important roles in the event. It truly felt like a celebration of life and family. Pretty appropriate for a beautiful Easter weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this wedding, I think all brides and grooms should high-five their guests on their way back down the aisle!

 

 


 

 

 

Thank you, Paula and Drew!

{phot on the farm}

Spring is the perfect time for the kind of sweet country wedding Rachele and Larry planned on March 12. Although the weather forecast called for 100 percent chance of rain, miracle of wedding miracles, it only a sprinkled enough to shed a little luck on their special day at Sampson's Hollow in Walland, Tennessee.

I've known Rachele for a long time. Back in my retail days as a manager at American Eagle, I hired this 17-year-old girl...and now she's a bride! It was fantastic to be involved in her wedding day! {We won't talk about how old it made me feel!}

For Phot Tuesday, here's a peek at this lovely couple's misty day. Don't you love how the yellow blossoms just pop? So fresh!