Photo Credit: www.aweddingchapelinlv.com
There are 3 things to consider when setting your wedding date. But first, are you engaged or are you getting married? There’s a huge difference. They both indicate you got ring and were proposed to. But one has a date circled on the calendar. And until you have YOUR DATE, you are only engaged.
So you are engaged and trying to set a wedding date? What to do first? Get a venue?!? Send out “save the date” cards??? Start the guest list?!?! There’s so much to consider. And this is just the beginning. This post is about selecting a date –specifically selecting a date in east Tennessee. This blog is aimed at getting you from engaged to getting married. These are the 3 things to consider when setting your wedding date.
1. Which season?
The most popular seasons in east Tennessee are spring and fall. This is because you can have an outdoor wedding without melting or freezing. But late spring and early fall can produce unseasonably high temps so be careful. Early spring can produce snow, as can late fall. Winter and summer weddings are wonderful for their subtle tones of color. But you need to have AC in the oppressive summer heat. And you'll need heat in winter. Choose wisely.
These are all weddings in east Tennessee from April, August, October and December.
HINT: Talk it over with the important folks - parents, close friends and others who you want to be in the wedding. This discussion is especially helpful if you have relatives with health issues or mobility issues. A really hot or cold day can be very hard for them.
2. Which Saturday?
There are only 52 Saturdays each year. You should consider what else is happening on the particular Saturday you select. The Wedding Report indicates there were 5609 weddings in greater Knoxville in 2015. That’s a little better than 107 weddings each weekend. But some Saturdays are more popular than others.
If you pick a Saturday in the fall when UT has a home game, be prepared for lots of issues. For starters, there aren’t enough hotel rooms from Chattanooga to Johnson City on UT home games for the fans traveling. Your guests will pay premium prices for lodging. And if you select the weekend UT does not play, be ready for every wedding pro to be booked already. Then there’s April, May, June block that is Just as full. See where I’m going?
Holiday weekends seem like they might work better because friends and family may have extra time off. But this is east Tennessee, and the Smoky Mountains are the 2nd most popular place for family vacations after Disney World for folks driving on vacation according to AAA Travel. Nothing is worse than having to wait for guests to arrive that have found themselves stuck in traffic.
All of these are from real weddings!!!
HINT: Check the calendar of tourism sites and social media. And ask wedding pros. When you are visiting venues or screening photographers, ask them. They’ll know for sure.
3. Venue Selection
The last issue may be dictated by your venue. Many couples have their minds set on a particular venue or type of venue. Popular venues are booked well in advance – up to a year or more. If you find the venue you want and it is available on the date you want, BOOK IT. IF you find the venue you want and it is available the weekend before or after, BOOK IT. And if you are having trouble finding venues you like, then set a date and move ahead. If don’t have a particular theme of venue in mind, set a date and move ahead. See where I am going? You need a date set before you can be getting married. Otherwise you are engaged.
HINT: Be true to you and your fiancé. Know what is most important; set priorities. And don’t be afraid to have your wedding on day not called Saturday. Friday weddings and Sunday weddings are really becoming popular for all the reasons listed above. And if you choose a weekday, then none of this matters. On a weekday you can have your wedding without any hiccups regarding availability.
Recap
1. Choose the season.
2. Choose a Saturday in that season.
3. If you have specific venue you want, tell them your preferences.
$100 for you!!!
As always, we are dedicated to helping couples have the best wedding day possible. Mention this blog post at booking and I’ll give you either $100 cash or $100 OFF your final cost.
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That's us just last year at the Pink Bride Show before the flood gates of brides poured in.
Each Christmas season more and more grooms get their brides-to-be a ring and pop the question with all the family around. Smart move. Then, quicker than you can say Happy New Year, there are billboards and social media ads for wedding expos and bridal shows. These shows start in January and run through early spring.
The Pink Bride is growing all over the south. But I think secretly Knoxville is their favorite!
If you live in east Tennessee, The Pink Bride Show is HUGE!!! There are billboards everywhere. And on January 8 there’ll be 800+ brides with full entourage descending upon Knoxville Convention Center. Come early and stay late. And be ready to be overwhelmed – in a good way! Throughout the spring there are several venue open houses and the ever-popular Foothills Bridal Show on February 26th.
The Foothills Bridal Show is another great show!
This blog is dedicated to helping brides, and the few grooms who’ll forego football games on TV, have a better experience at a wedding expo. This post is about saving you time and money! Mostly money. Hint: Read to the end to discover our best offers.
Better get on top of your wedding budget!
1. SAVE MONEY – “Money isn’t the only thing, just they main thing.”
The day of wedding expos will be the day you can save the most money. Period. Savvy wedding pros will have a killer deal THAT DAY! Some may extend it a day or two, maybe a week. But they want you to book with them right away and they’ll give you a real deal to make it happen. Have your priorities set. Start right now thinking about your budget. It’s your guiding priority. And phrases like"not very expensive" or "we can't afford much" are not budgets. Real dollar amounts are a budget. Not more than $100,000 isn't helpful either. Think in terms of a range - $6000 to $9000 is a budget that has meaning. The average wedding in Knoxville, in 2015 was $18952 according to The Wedding Report.
HINT: Don’t get analysis paralysis - can’t make up your mind thinking about everything. If you like a wedding pro hire them. It’s one less thing to get done. Hire as many as you can. You can save more money at the expo than any other day. And if you need a photographer, I know a good one that has 33% OFF on January 8th only!
You can always find us by the Mile Marker Post. Photo Credit: Pink Bride.
Maybe this helps you see us amongst the hustle and bustle.
Another overhead shot. Photo Credit: Pink Bride.
2. MAKE A LIST – Know what you need.
You may not know anything about anything as it pertains to your wedding. And that’s ok until you walk into a wedding expo. There’ll be lights flashing, loud music, fancy dressed people parading around, the smells of the best caterers and wedding professionals at every turn wanting your business. The wedding professionals paid to be there and they need business to make this work. So they’ll want your attention. And the shows spread out all similar professionals. It’s not like grocery shopping where all the soups are next to all the soups. Photographers are never near another photographer; DJs are not near DJs, and so on. It’ll be spread out and somewhat confusing. So if you need a caterer, cake maker, photographer, and DJ, then make that list. Go see those types of wedding pros first.
HINT: Many wedding pros are single person businesses. They can only work one wedding a Saturday. And even if they have staff, your wedding date may be popular. More about your date later. And these pros must fill their calendars. The sooner they fill their calendars the sooner they can relax. This is why many give show deals.
3. REGISTER - Sign up before you go for the best deals & offers!
Register for the shows you want to attend. In east Tennessee, there’s the Foothills Bridal Extravaganza on Feb 26th in addition to the Pink Bride Show. There are lots of Open Houses at various venues too. So get registered! There are tons of prizes and discounts. If you don’t register, you can’t win. Plus you’ll get a list of wedding professionals that will be there.
HINT: Get an email address just for your wedding. This way you can keep all your wedding correspondence in one place. I recommend Gmail because it’s great & FREE.
Best Wedding Expo hack ever - you'll be a genius!!
Another helpful hint – use your mad office skills and make stickers with your name, email, wedding date & phone number. Get several sheets, maybe 60-75 total stickers. Every booth will be giving away a service or product. You’ll be tired of scribbling your info after the 3rd booth you visit. And if the wedding professional can’t read your chicken scratch, you might win but can’t be notified. REGISTER before you attend. MAKE STICKERS.
4. ENTOURAGE - Surround yourself with fun!!!
Bring people that will help you – no “Debbie Downers” allowed. If someone with you is not feeling it or just a negative person, leave her at home. And if there’s someone that’s paying for portions of your wedding, bring them. Most of all bring fun people that are there to help you make good choices. Your attitude sets the tone for how much you’ll get from the show. And if you have a fun entourage, you’ll have fun.
HINT: Wear something that says “BRIDE.” Brides get more attention that anyone else. I say work it for all it’s worth!
Set your wedding date NOW!!!
5. DATE – first thing you must have, after the ring, is a date.
If you just got engaged but haven’t set a date, be prepared to hear, “I’d love to work with you, but I can’t until you set a date.” So right now, figure out a date that works. Sit down. Sort it out. Then celebrate!! Without a date you’re not getting married. Without a date you’re only engaged. That’s fun too. But when you are at a wedding expo you need to be “getting married” with a date. I know it’s harsh. And some of the wedding show promoters would say, “Come on down anyway. Have a look. Learn a little bit.” And they want your entrance fees. But if you don’t have a wedding date, you’re going to be frustrated. And you’ll be treated differently. The first question I ask when greeting guests at wedding shows, “When is your wedding?”
If you have a date – CONGRATS!! YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!!! Get to the expos and get your planning list completed!! And if you need a photographer, I know a good one. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
HINT: Making up a fake date is worse than not having one. Having a month is not any more helpful. Sometime in 2018 isn’t helpful either. The sooner you have a date, the sooner you can plan. And the sooner you can book the services you need. Want to save some real money? Book everything this year for a wedding next year! Prices always go up. So set the date. There were 5,609 weddings in the greater Knoxville area in 2015 according to The Wedding Report. There's only 52 Saturdays in the year. Better pick your date soon or it'll be sold out too!
And if you attend the Pink Bride Show, stop by ands see us. We’ll be offering 33% OFF at the expo. Tell me you read this blog and I’ll give you an additional $100 OFF any photo package or planning package.
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Meredith & Cody looking back at The Barn at High Point Farms where their guests were awaiting their arrival.
This story, for me, started back in the spring (2016). We met Meredith at the Whitestone Country Inn Bridal Show. We had an instant connection. If I remember, she was with her mother. They looked through a couple sample albums from recent weddings. My wife, Allyson, explained the particulars of those weddings. And I shared what makes us unique. Meredith told me she’d be in touch. We hear this often. And it’s a good sign for sure, but often brides will loose track of who they met where. But Meredith filled out an info card so we knew we’d reach out to her soon. And we did.
In a few weeks we met for lunch to discuss their plans. They shared that the venue that selected was The Barn at High Point Farms outside Chattanooga across the Georgia state line. I knew of it and really wanted to shoot there. It's listed as #8 in Country Living's "30 of the Country's Most Beautiful Barns for Weddings." It’s one of those places that photographers loooooove to capture. You’ll understand once you begin to look through the images.
So it was all set. Meredith & Cody chose us. They chose a package that came with an engagement session. Cody asked if I would go to Nashville to photograph a hot air balloon excursion. “YES!!!” I exclaimed. And if you read my blog posts, you already know all about that adventure. But if not, go HERE to read all about it. We captured them in a hot air balloon above rolling farmland outside of Nashville!
Such a fun engagement!!!
But this blog entry is about their wedding day. We arrived that morning to a sweltering, steamy Smoky Mountain July scorcher. But the farm and surrounding landscape was beautiful. The farm was even lovelier than the photos I had viewed. And I heard they had baby goats so I was on a mission to hold a baby goat.
Before I get too far along, I want to thank everyone who participated in the wedding. These things take tons of work from tons of people.
Venue – The Barn at High Point Farms (Margie, David & Jillian)
Flowers - mother of the bride
Hair Stylist - Audra Morgan
Make Up - Paige Goforth
Minister - Tony Madden
Catering - Famous Dave’s Catering
Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches - Cookie Cow
DJ - Fred Watson
Photography – Mile Marker Images (Al & Allyson Harris)
Photo Booth – Mile Marker Images (Mazie Perkie)
Meredith had a special request. She asked if I could take some photos of sunrise on her wedding day. I love this idea. So an hour before first light, I headed out to Racoon Mountain. The overlook there faces east above Chattanooga and Tennessee River Valley. And although there were heavy clouds, we did get a bit of good light right at sunrise.
Sunrise above Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley.
We are from Knoxville. High Point Farms is south of Chattanooga, TN about 20 minutes. That's further than we like to drive after shooting a wedding. Meredith and Cody chose to use some of their studio credits for our lodging expenses. All of our packages come with studio credits. This is an amount of money built in to the package that allows couples to purchase gift prints, archival prints, large canvas prints, albums, our photo booth, a second shooter, etc. Or if we need lodging, the studio credit can be used for this. We found this is a helpful tool for our couples as it helps them not incur “additional charges” that no one likes.
After the sunrise photos and a bit of breakfast, we made our way to High Point Farms. We stowed our gear & took a quick tour of the farm. Margie, owner of the farm, grabbed her golf cart and we got our hands on one of those baby goats!
Super soft and only one day old!
In addition to photographing the venue, when we capture weddings, we always get images of flowers, rings, dress and other artifacts of the day.
The Barn at High Point Farms!!!
Reception area in the barn.
Ceremony Grove adjacent to the barn.
Meredith's shoes & bridal bouquet.
Their wedding bands with 1st Corinthians 13:4.
The wedding gown hung in the opening of the barn (a request from Meredith).
Next we found Meredith and her bridesmaids getting ready in the yellow farmhouse. This charming farmhouse is filled with authentic memorabilia. It is really cozy and creates a playful, fun atmosphere with lots of space for bride, bridesmaids, mothers and flower girls to get ready.
The original farm house is where the bride and bridesmaids get ready.
The natural light in the farm house is perfect for make up & hair.
One quick shot before the bridesmaids dresses and wedding gown are put on.
After a few minutes of meeting the bridesmaids, I left Allyson, my wife and second shooter, with the ladies. I headed over to the small greenhouse shed. This is where to gentlemen get ready. It’s dark and really cool inside – literally cold. And in the July heat they needed the cool.
The groom's house is adorable.
SURPRISE SHOT!!! Meredith learned of this get up when she first saw the photos. And she looooved it!!!
I went back and checked on the ladies. They were finishing up. I prefer to shoot the bride & bridesmaids just as soon as they are ready. The hair, makeup and attire are perfect. Plus it gives them a chance to play dress up, enjoy the glamour and splendor for a few minutes.
On the porch of the of the farm house.
Prayer circle - if you could only here the prayer being offered.
A final moment with mom.
Everyone is perfect!
LET'S DO THIS!
Then came time for Meredith and her father to share a few tender moments. I am always impressed by how much fathers keep it together on wedding day. They are usually the most vulnerable on the inside, but cautious on the outside.
Meredith and her father - must have moment for her.
The next chapter of their wedding day was “First Look Without Looking.” They wanted the time to be near one another for a few moments, but they did not want to see each other until the ceremony. They began with simply hearing each other’s voice. Then they shared a tender reach across the edge of the door.
"I can see her arm!" He's her kind of goofball.
After “first look” we try to give both the bride and groom a little time to regroup and get prepared for the ceremony. And it gives us time to get some photos of guests gathering, signing the registry, and finding their seats. And if there’s way for me to coax the guests into a cheer, I get this shot as sort of a surprise. Plus this gets the guest excited.
Folks finding their seats.
Let's have a cheer for the couple!
And if I need to climb a tree, I will. Because wedding!
Once the guests are seated, the formal seating of grand parents and parents begins. This is followed by the minister and groom. Then the bridesmaids and groomsmen file in. After a punctuated pause and closing of the curtains, the guests are filled with anticipation.
Minister Tony Madden with some last minute instructions. Pay attention and don't be nervous.
Did I mention their dog was part of the ceremony?
All the pretty girls lined up and ready!
The bridal march begins. And you can hear folks humming “Here Comes the Bride.” The curtains are pulled back to reveal Meredith and all her beauty. It was magical!
The afternoon light was perfect!
The ceremony begins with her father passing her to Cody.
The minister, Tony Madden, takes control. Vows are exchanged.
“You may now kiss your bride!”
The formal bridal party exits. And this is known as “There Goes the Bride.” All immediate family joins the bridal party for formal photos and family photos. We start with a group shot and work our way down to specific families and pairings.
All family and the bridal party.
And there's always a moment when it's ok to be silly because the important part is over.
After family photos, we adjourn to a new location for photos of just the bridal party. And the property at The Barn at High Point Farms has plenty of great locations. We headed to the front meadow with High Point Ridge as the backdrop.
One of my favorite images!
After the bridal party photos, we took Mr. and Mrs. Snyder to a new location. These are my favorite photos to shoot. I get the newly weds all to myself. We give them some helpful direction and insure the dress is always perfect too! And we always include the magic of the location. The Barn at High Point Farms has so many beautiful locations. We choose an upper area to put the barn and reception behind and below them. Then we headed to the long hallway of trees where we were joined by animals! And a baby goat!
If you could only hear that little goat . . . just adorable.
THIS - we love this!!!
The next chapter of the day was the formal introduction of the wedding party.
Which leads right into toasts. Then dinner was served and everyone had time to mingle and relax.
CHEERS!!!
DJ Fred Watson was always working the crowd.
After dinner, we moved into the dance hall portion of the barn. This area has tremendous air conditioning. Did I mention it was July? Humid? Hot? The room has great light from the chandelier and strands of twinkle lights.
Epic First Dance - another favorite photo.
The father-daughter dance is magical.
Then the mother-son dance was so tender.
Did I mention the great AC? Seriously, the guests danced and danced and danced. Dancing lasted way into the evening. Fred Watson kept everyone moving and grooving!
Nice work Fred Watson. You made this reception super fun!
After a few slow dances, the guests prepared for the sparkler send off. The outside lights on the barn gave us a nice backdrop of light. The guests lined up and they sent Meredith and Cody off in rustic, romantic style.
All things should close with a great kiss. Meredith & Cody did not disappoint!
So you may be asking, “Is this a typical wedding day?” Regarding the events, yes. Regarding the venue, all the folks that helped, and the amazing family and friends, for the most part this is one was unique in that Meredith and Cody trusted the wedding professionals they hired. And they let us do what we do best. And in the end, that’s what really makes a great wedding. They got to get married and got to enjoy every little moment, and all the big moments too. This blog is only a handful of the photos that make up the full collection. The collection contains 23 galleries and more than 800 photos. If you want to see the complete collection, go HERE.
And you may ask, “How did Meredith and Cody feel about the wedding pros?” Go HERE to read the review they gave us on Wedding Wire.
We love what we do! And we love helping you have the best wedding day possible. Email, call, text or skywrite to see how we can help you. And if you are in the Chattanooga area, we are expanding and growing to work in that area more. Will we be at the Pink Bride Show in Knoxville on Jan 8, 2017 and then in Chattanooga on Jan 29th. Stop by and say, hello."
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A perfect wedding day at the edge of Tellico Lake at Tellico Village Yacht Club.
This story is going to get syrupy and sentimental. You’ve been warned. Sometime back in early spring 2011 I was in a Starbucks. One of the ladies that worked there knew I ran a photo business. She had heard that I was looking for help. She told me of her daughter, Mazie. As you might expect, mom had only high praise for her daughter. I told her to send her daughter to my business. I would hire Mazie on the spot - great attitude and wide-open personality. Plus isn’t Mazie short for “A-mazing”?
As luck would have it I would loose the contract at the location where I had hired Mazie to work. It was quite confrontational for the last 10 months of the contract. Mazie and her co-workers endured much. But Mazie always came in with a great attitude and took great photos in very stressful situations. I could always rely on her. As the final weeks of the contract unfolded, my employees were approached to work for the new business replacing mine. Mazie declined. She had seen the way those employees were treated. And she respected our work relationship of mutual respect. She was loyal. A quality not exhibited much any more.
Fast forward a couple of years. My wedding photo business was growing. I added open air photo booth services. The first person I thought of was Mazie. We had stayed in touch. Somewhere along the way she picked up a job at Starbucks. And in those days I knew most of the staff at the area Starbucks because I drank enough coffee to float a boat. I went and visited her. Told her I needed her help. She was stoked!
Mazie, at a wedding in Johnson City, rounding up kids to get the party started!
Then John would ask her to marry him. Not sure when John entered the picture – pun intended. But they asked me to shoot their engagement photos. And they wanted me to be their wedding photographer. That was more than a year ago. We've shot quite a few weddings that included our photo booth. Mazie never once let me down. It was a Saturday evening gig twice or three times a month. We had fun. But she’s in her mid 20’s. I am certain she’d rather be doing something closer to fun than schlepping around photo gear; especially when it’s hotter than the devil’s armpit.
Mazie & John in front of a coffee shop. Did you expect anything other than a coffee theme?
John and Mazie were married back in mid October at Tellico Villager Yacht Club. And even though it was an all day event, the time flew past. Almost every portion of the day left me weepy and teary-eyed. I don’t have kids of my own. I have stepchildren that I love. I’ve photographed 2 of their weddings. This felt like those weddings. I’d look through the viewfinder so thankful for autofocus. There were several times I was completely crying. Tears streaming down my face. Good thing my camera is big enough to cover most of my face.
Mazie - ALL Mazie, in all her beauty! If you know her then you know this captures her.
John couldn't even see Mazie, but he was overwhelmed with emotion. Not one dry eye in the room.
John and his boys. These guys had fun at every turn. Stay tuned for the one guy who could never hold it.
John and the guys strutting there stuff along the boardwalk at Tellico Village Yacht Club.
Mazie's bridemaids were beautiful and not shy.
Mazie and her father making the long procession. I love how much time the guests had to watch them come in.
Making the turn down the home stretch!
That's Mazie brother killing it on the guitar in the background. Go Squid!!!
The ceremony - perfect weather, beautiful guests, every little thing was just as it should be.
Love how the clouds frame their first kiss!
Yeah boyeeeeeeee!!! WE ARE MARRIED!!!
Love to get a group photo with everyone cheering!
WAIT FOR ME!!! Relax, it's joke. He did this in dozen of photos. It's his thing. And everyone was howling!
First dance and the lighting was perfect!
You better catch that bouquet!
Loooooooove seeing guys fight for the garter!
Full extension to feed cake to that tall groom!
Killer bubble send off!!!
And all this happened on the last day those two would live in Knoxville. John took a promotion on the west coast. They would be driving away the next morning. And so it goes. Here’s to you Mazie and John (me raising an invisible glass to toast them). You made this guy so happy you chose him to capture your moments. As I write these words I miss you terribly. And my eyes are filled with tears of happiness.
My wife Allie, John & Mazie, and me. I cherish this photo.
Oh, and Tellico Village Yacht Club will be using the images from Mazie and John to update their advertising. So if you see an photos of an amazing fall wedding on the pier at Tellico Yacht Club and the groom is twice as tall as the bride, that’s John & Mazie.
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There are a few key components that make this bubble sendoff successful - mostly it's her smile and all the bubbles!
The killer bubble sendoff - from Catherine & Wes’s wedding. They got it perfect so we could capture it in all its glory and splendor. Holy Cross Catholic Church made the perfect backdrop and their guests did their part. All Catherine & Wes had to do was show off their love - and they did!!! Their smartest move was to have the sendoff immediately after the ceremony that included full Catholic mass. This helped with the enthusiasm – guests were ready to celebrate!
This is the beginning of a series of “perfect pieces” of a wedding. And since I am a professional wedding photographer, I base perfection on photographic success. Or, in other words, did we make killer wedding photos for each piece of the wedding? And we strive for 100% photographic success for each portion of the day, especially the parts that are important to you. But what are the important pieces for you and your wedding? Only you can decide. But be mindful that your wedding will be a collection of various pieces from bride prep to flowers to rings to groomsmen, and all the way through the ceremony, reception and a send off. We counsel with brides and grooms to know what parts are more important.
Look at all the bubbles and their colors. Only thing better is her smile!!!
Here’s what made their bubble sendoff perfect – their smiles and love for one another, amazing church façade and doors, no wind, bold colored bridesmaids dresses, timeless dark suits for the gentlemen, enthusiastic guests and shade. Yep, shade. From my experience as a photographer, the best sendoffs happen in shade or shadow. This is pretty much the rule for any midday photos, but especially important for light and heat sensitive soap bubbles. These little transparent rainbow spheres need cool air to thrive. This is key.
All their happiness is being celebrated by the hundreds of bubbles - cool air makes the life of the bubble last!!!
You MUST get the groomsmen FIRED UP!!!
Even the Priests are into blowing bubbles!!!
Bold colored bridesmaid's dresses always help!
Solid formation - straight, even lines of folks on each side with enough for the couple to show off!
Perfection!!! Lots of love, big kiss, even light (shade), plenty of bubbles, bold colors, and excellent backdrop.
Here is the list of components needed for a bubble sendoff:
- Bride and groom that will own this moment!
- Shade or shadow
- 20+ people on each side (tight formation)
- Enough space for the couple to walk down (loose but intimate)
- Bold & uniform colors of the bridesmaids and groomsmen
- Bridesmaids and groomsmen on the end of each side
- Enthusiastic bubble blowers (EVERYONE!!!!)
- No wind or know how to deal with the wind.
- Excellent backdrop
Note: If you remove any one of these components then the recipe will have less success photographically. Right after amazing love & elated joy, you need even light (shade).
The next most important part is wind or how to handle wind. You may need to change the alignment of the sendoff to accommodate the wind. Or you may need to have all the folks on one side be extra enthusiastic.
I could go on and on with the particulars. What’s most important is having great wedding professionals to help you with your day. Hire them and empower them to help you create the very best possible wedding. And when you are ready to hire a wedding photographer, we’d love to share with you our photographic success.
And if you are wondering about other types of sendoffs, ask me. I have captured different types, seen images and heard of other creative types.
Stay tuned for more blog posts on the various pieces of the wedding day and how to get killer photos!
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We had the best time with Heather & Matt at Twin Cedar Farm! We always urge couples to have a wedding THEY want; do what makes sense to them. And this wedding was just that – a wedding that embodied them, their families and their friends. We could not be happier they chose us to capture every little moment of their wedding.
Before I tell their story, I need to thank some folks. Thank you to:
Lindsay Barrows Ruggieri and Custom Love Gifts & Events
April Mcglothin and Twin Cedar Farm
Betsy Lewis Allyson - Memories in A Flash Photo Booths
Brian Graham - Brian Graham DJ
Catering by Buddy’s BBQ
Jennifer Reynolds – Country Cottage (Hair & Make Up)
Wedding gown by Alfred Angelo
Karen Dwyer - The Pour Guys
Cynthia Thompson - Officiant
Chandra Taylor – The Top Tier at Mer Mer’s Bakery (cakes)
And a very special thanks to my wife for all the love and support she gives me.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s back up and start at the beginning. We met at The Pink Bride Show in January. They signed an agreement at the show. We love that! We then met to discuss particulars. When we meet and talk to brides & grooms, we talk about the complete process – not just photographs. I need to know their priorities. I need to know their personalities & style. I look for clues that’ll help me on wedding day. They were so easy going and knew what they wanted. They were focused on making sure each other’s ideas were implemented throughout the day.
Once we sorted out the details, as much as they knew at that time, we agreed to reconvene for engagement photos later in the summer. As luck would have it, rain was forecast for the day of the engagement session. I urged them to go ahead with the shoot. If we get completely rained out, then we’ll reschedule. But who knows, we might get some magic & it may not rain at all.
We were not so fortunate. They rain came. They huddled under an umbrella for 20 minutes or so. It was right then I knew they were going to be a great couple to work with. They just loved on one another and made a little romantic rendezvous under the umbrella. But as quick as the rain came, it left. And it left us with a rainbow! Magic delivered!!!
That’s just the beginning. On wedding day I met Heather and her girls at The Country Cottage. This little joint is owned by the Matron of Honor, Jennifer. And it was like being in the Steel Magnolias beauty shop scene. The ladies all set about having a good gossip session, laughing and loving on one another the way only great friends can.
I then headed to Twin Cedar Farm to capture the venue & grounds. If you’ve been then you know how special it is. If you’ve not been, go! The setting is lovely, their staff is prepared and quick to respond to little issues that pop up. And it’s quite photogenic. Plus the carriage that brings in the bride and takes away the couple is so special. I can’t imagine how that must feel to the bride.
Then we moved through the day. We started with the Matt, his father and his groomsmen.
Allyson, my amazing wife & second shooter, was with the ladies as they put on finishing touches and got the bride into her gown. This is one of the reasons we recommend a second shooter. There are often multiple events happening during the final hour of preparation. Plus, having my wife with the ladies is most helpful as it pertains to partially clothed women. Not to mention, my wife has such a calming presence.
Once Heather was ready, we set up First Look. This little moment is so important. It gave Heather & Matt a private moment. It gave Matt the chance to be the first to see Heather in all her beauty and splendor. Then they had several long embraces and tons of kisses. Make up would need a touch up.
Then it was on to the bride and bridesmaids photos. These ladies were super fun and helped make Heather’s wedding more calm and full of love.
Heather and Matt opted to have all the family photos done BEFORE the wedding. In the warmer months we recommend this, as everyone looks his or her best. Plus the smaller children have a better disposition earlier in the day.
Once the family photos were shot, the guests began to arrive. We love to help distract the guests if we can. So we had them give a huge cheer for Heather & Matt.
Then the bridal procession begins.
At Twin Cedar Farm, the bride being delivered by horse drawn carriage highlights the bridal procession.
The guests turn to watch Heather make her grand entrance.
Now for the main event – the ceremony. And it was beautiful! The light, the sky, gentle breeze, and tons of love!!!
The main event finishes with a big a kiss!!! And a dip for the new Mrs Clinard!!!
Heather and Matt stroll out and past the guests to their waiting horse drawn carriage - very romantic!
Heather and Matt are swept away in the horse drawn carriage while the bridal party and guests head for the reception. This is when we get amazing photos of the bride and groom. We spent about 30 minutes with them. And it was worth every second because we got some killer images of them!
Now it’s off the introduction, “Presenting, for the first time, Mr & Mrs Clinard!!!”
Heather & Matt chose to slide right into their first dance.
Which ended with a Gangnam Style!!!
They also danced with their mothers.
Just as the afternoon light was perfect, we asked all guests to come outside for a group photo. And this is where the amazing ’68 Orange Camaro was super fun! It's east Tennessee, who doesn't want a bright orange hot rod at their wedding?!?!?
The reception was punctuated with cake cutting that served up a heavy dose of cake up the Matt’s nose. Heather really let him have it! I mean she REALLY rubbed it in!
The reception wound down with some fun dancing.
Heather & Matt chose to have a glow stick send off. It’s a little tricky, but more colorful and tons safer than sparklers.
Heather & Matt’s wedding was all about them, their families and their friends. And they made choices that made sense to them. If you could see me know, I am gesturing a toast as I say, “Here’s to Heather & Matt, their hot rod & horse drawn carriage wedding!“ If you want to see the full collection go HERE. Their collection is 26 individual galleries that tell the full story of their wedding.
If you or someone you know is getting married and you are looking for a fearless, tireless, creative and super-fun photographer we'd love to talk about your unique wedding ideas and plans.
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That's me working - looking for shade in 108 temps in June. Your friends will bail when it gets like that.
When I counsel with couples, I ask them to prioritize what is most important for me to capture in my photography. This usually leads us to a place where they begin to squirm about dancing & getting a friend to create a playlist (instead of a DJ). Or maybe they look at their feet as they talk about grandma preparing the cake. I get it. They are on a budget. This is when I ask them to prioritize the full event. What part is most important? If it’s the ceremony, get the minister or officiant that will make the ceremony memorable. If it is dancing and party atmosphere, then hire the best DJ. And if you are on the fence about one part or another, keep prioritizing. “But maybe I can use some of my friends or family” you say. And maybe you can.
That's a Cheryl McMillan Cake - grandma won't make one like Cheryl. If cake is your priority, call Cheryl.
Last fall I wrote a blog about using friends and families for various portions of your wedding. You can read it HERE. I strongly caution you to think long and hard about asking a friend to be a part of any portion of your wedding. Especially if it is an important part. Why? Because they are your FRIEND! Not a wedding professional. They will inevitably being doing something close to nothing just when you need them doing the most. They simply do not know how a wedding works. Only seasoned wedding pros have the skills to handle all the stress and unforeseen obstacles that show up at EVERY wedding. Plus your friends want to be a guest & not working. And they’ll want to socialize because that’s what FRIENDS do. They hang out. They aren’t paying attention. And why should they? They are your friend. See where I’m going? But if you must ask a friend, then draw up a simple contract of their responsibilities and have them sign it. This way you set very clear boundaries. But don’t be surprised if they bow out when you hand them something to sign. Signing something makes it real.
Your brother won't have the gear Jim Ogle does. And your brother hasn't worked a shugabillion weddings - Jim has.
Ok then less friends and more wedding pros. So you ask, “How do I know who to trust and where to go for wedding professionals?” And that’s a great question. You can start with online services like Wedding Wire or Pink Bride. There are others. Those are where we are listed. Mostly because those are the sites where I get the best results. More of my ideal couples use those 2 resources. But once you hire your first wedding professional, ask them for other pros. Go HERE to see the full list of wedding pros I recommend. And I advise you to look past any pro that only provides you with one name per category. This is an indicator they either don’t work with too many other pros or they don’t recognize the value of “shopping” for a great fit. Finding a great fit, is fairly easy. You must simply find trust & comfort. This can come through references, a face-to-face meeting, looking at past weddings they have been a part of, a phone call and even a text conversation. I was hired this past spring after a series of text. That was the way the bride wanted to communicate. Whatever works for you. I wrote another blog about finding a great fit with wedding pros. Check it out HERE.
That's me working again - this time I found the ONLY spot of shade with a great backdrop. It was only 101 that day.
No matter how you plan to plan your wedding (redundancy meant), prioritize first then hire wedding professionals for the parts that are most important. And when you are ready to talk about your wedding photos, come see us. We’ll share all our experience and help you with every little detail we can. If you are ready now, fill out our CONTACT FORM.
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Subtle but LOVE-ly prop - yep, I had to use that pun.
These images are from a recent, super fun engagement session - so much so that we HAD to feature it. This is the photo story of Anna & Casey. They’ll be married next spring. If the wedding has the proportional amount of love as their engagement photos, then it should be spectacular. Oh, and his last name is Love so they added some extra love to a few of the images with props. I don’t mind props. After all we live in a Pinterest world. But for the The Loves, I think their props are perfect!
We prefer to shoot engagement photos for a few reasons. First, is to get to know the couple better. Each person has his or her own body mechanics and movements. And each couple also has unique movements, cadence & rhythm. After moving a couple through a few poses I can anticipate their expressions better. Second, we all get to know each other. They get to know my directional cues and how I work. But most of all we get to know each other. And this is critical. Having spent a couple hours with a couple makes all the difference on wedding day. These are the reasons all our wedding photo packages come with an engagement session.
The following images are only a few of their engagement photos. These are my favorites for various reasons. Mostly I love the way they love on each other. They are kind, tender, sweet & passionate. And the way they look at one another is powerful. And the light was amazing too!
Good looking young couple!
The private farm, with all its fencing, majestic trees, wooded areas and rolling farm land made a perfect setting.
The setting is a private farm out near Jacksboro, TN. The property owner was quite generous and I wish I could convince him to offer his place as a regular wedding venue. He has allowed a few couples to use it – free.
Have a look. Tell us your favorites. I spent a little more time at this shoot than I normally do because the light and sky kept getting better. Plus these two wanted to keep going. As a photographer I chase love and light. For this particular couple, soon to be Mr & Mrs Love, I was literally chasing light, love and The Loves.
The way they look at each other - pure love!
Looks like they love number 7 too.
The pond, rolling hills and amazing trees make this location very special.
Bicycles have old world charm - something about a slower pace.
A walk in the woods is always romantic!
The lens flare makes them radiate love!
One of my favorites!
The love prop is so perfect for these two.
This images tells a story of wonderful time to come.
Warm light, tall grass & young love!
A gentle kiss under a beautiful sunset closes the session.
If you'd like to see their full engagement session, go HERE. Oh, if you are in recently engaged and really want to see if like a photographer, book an engagement session with me. If you love it and want to use me as your wedding photographer, I'll give you $250 credit toward your wedding photo package. And if you don't like me, the shoot, the results or any other little thing, I'll refund your money and you get to keep the images. So there is no risk and you'll be like the Loves, you'll have engagement photos you love.
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Enter Shea & William. I forget where I originally met Shea. But she was at The Pink Show the first weekend in January 2016. She was very much interested in hiring us. She emailed several times with questions. We had a phone call or two. We even met for dinner so I could meet William. Lots of questions & answers were exchanged. They were pretty sure they wanted to hire us, but needed more time to think it over. I get it. This is a one time buying experience. Finally they paid they deposit and we worked out the details. It was mid January 2016. They’d be getting married in February 2017.
Sometime late March I received either a text or phone call with news that they’d need to change their wedding date. Wait . . . what? Change the date? When? Why? William had been selected, at his work, for a promotion and possible relocation in early Fall 2016. The relocation would be on the west coast. They were in scramble mode.
This is when couples often get super stressed at the notion of loosing deposits. Shea & William talked it over and June was the new date. They’d assumed I was booked in June. And I was. No free Saturdays. Shea wanted her brother to perform the ceremony - a top priority. And he was only available one weekend. There were some tense conversations, as Shea & William still wanted me to shoot their engagement photos so they would not loose all the value of the deposit. Somewhere my communication left them feeling like I would not be as enthusiastic shooting their engagement if I wasn’t going to shoot wedding. I am human & I guess I let my disappointment show. They began to retreat. And I understood their feelings.
I loooooove this image from their engagement session.
I don’t recall the exact wording, but at some point they became frustrated and indicated they would prefer I not take their engagement photos & they conceded to loose their deposit too. Not being afraid of conflict & really wanting to find a solution, I reminded them this was not my fault. They changed the date. These are not easy words to say. But those words grounded all of us. It was just what we all needed to get back on track.
I suggested we look at the priorities and look at solutions that would accommodate those priorities. We quickly decided that a Sunday wedding would work. Then we looked at changing the contract. But in the end we had to only change the date. All the particulars of the contract stayed the same. And we had a blast!!!
What follows are some highlights of their day at the Douglass Lake Overlook with Great Smoky Mountains National Park beyond. Thank you Shea & William for working through the conflict. We are grateful for all we learned. Most of all, we are grateful we could capture your amazing wedding!
Love the pride in her mother's face.
Love letters to each other is a touching moment!
Perfect weather - and the lake and mountains are a perfect backdrop.
First look and first little moment together!
Always followed by a kiss.
Here comes the bride!!!
" . . . to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse . . ."
" . . . with this ring, I thee wed . . ."
"You may now kiss your bride!!!"
"YES!!!! We did it!!!"
Close family with Shea & William
Shea at the altar
The rings and their happiness!!!
If you want to see the full set of Shea & William's wedding, go HERE. Thanks again to Shea & William for sticking with me. Thanks for letting us get to know your family and friends a little bit. Thanks for being willing to work through the conflict. Most of all, thanks for loving on each other so wonderfully so we could capture those amazing moments.
We are not perfect, but we are passionate about what we do and how we do it. We'd love to meet you, hear your big plans and who knows, maybe we'll be a great fit for you. Call, email, text or skywrite today!
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Before I get too far along, I want to thank all the wedding professionals who contributed to Jennifer & Deen’s wedding.
Beverages & Beer – Barger’s Beer Truck
Catering - Bradford Catering
DJ- Jim Ogle & Special Notes
Flowers – Swank Floral
Hair & Make Up – Tatyana Wilcox
Lighting – Ogle Entertainment
Men's Formal Wear - Men's Wearhouse
Officiant – Nancy Barger
Photos & Photo Booth – Mile Marker Images
Photos – BSA Photography, Brent Asay
Venue – Hunter Valley Farm, LLC
Wedding Cake – Bradford Catering
Wedding Gown – Alfred Angelo
The following images are only a select few that tell the story of their day. Allyson, Brent, Brittney & I had a blast! The day was hotter than the surface of the sun but we love these kinds of weddings! And when the bride & groom are easy to work with, come from great families and have amazing friends it makes our work seem like not very much work at all.
Jennifer chose Hunter Valley Farms because she wanted horses around her on her wedding day.
Deen having a blast with his brother & 2 best friends from med school.
Deen's family brought all the color & glitz!
We love the color, patterns & textures of their sarees.
Folks watching as the mothers make their way in.
Mother of the bride is all smiles!!!
Mother of the groom shows solemn pride.
Bridesmaids, officiant, groom, and groomsmen all watch as the bride enters!
Deep breath . . . and her we go - HERE COMES THE BRIDE!
Jennifer locks eyes with Deen and offer a huge grin!
Such a perfect day at Hunter Valley Farm!
Deen's smile says it all - love the way he looks at her.
"We are gathered here today . . . "
"You may now kiss your bride!!!"
Not sure who is more relieved. But Jennifer watching Deen smile is such a joy!
Take a moment . . . bask in the glow of each other and a perfect day!
THIS! Just this! Thanks Brent for being right where you needed to be.
Everyone is so beautiful in this image.
The photos immediately after the ceremony are always some of the best.
Everyone starts to find their comfort zone - a little Captain anyone?
First dance is always more romantic in black & white.
There was so much more to their wedding day. The preparation time at two different hotels in downtown Knoxville, a limo ride for the bride and bridesmaids, the amazing venue, the food, drink and reception festivities, and all the love of a perfect wedding day that goes way into the night. From Allie, Brent (Allie's brother who came from New Orleans to learn how we do it here), Brittney and myself, we are thankful for being chosen to capture Jennifer & Deen's wedding. To see more of their day check out the "Sneak Peak" gallery or to see all the galleries of their day, go the their full collection here.
Mr & Mrs Alam, THANK YOU for choosing Mile Marker Images!
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