These two had the sweetest and most perfect Sunday wedding in September. Taylor is in the military so they had to work with his schedule to pick their date. It was a warm day with a light breeze— my favorite! We started the day with a sweet first look by the creek and a few portraits, then made our way to their creekside ceremony. Callie and Taylor invited their closest family and friends, which made for it to be such an intimate celebration!

Shay and David became husband and wife at one of East Tennessee’s most unique venues— The Millstone! The Millstone is an old grist flour mill that has been transformed into a stunning wedding venue. The reception space is enclosed by repurposed glass windows, too, giving it a rustic, almost greenhouse, feel! David and Shay celebrated with their family, friends, and ring bearer golden retriever, Murphy, who most definitely stole the show! Talk about the most perfect Tennessee wedding day!

Morgan and Clint's wedding day at The Lake House was nothing short of breathtaking!

We lucked out with such a mild, Fall day-- it was sunny, with a slight breeze, and a touch of fall foliage! The sun drenched everything and made it so beautiful and golden! These two had previously told me that they both had fond memories of visiting the lake with their friends and family and that's part of the reason why they decided to have their ceremony lakeside! After exchanging vows and rings, and officially becoming husband and wife, Morgan and Clint exited their ceremony with confetti poppers! We then spent the golden afternoon taking portraits by the lake and headed to the reception. Morgan and Clint danced with their guests on the outdoor patio while the sun set over the lake!

Emily and Christian's wedding day was nothing short of beautiful.

These two became husband and wife on the most perfect September day-- it was partly sunny and in the 70s with a breeze that reminded us that Fall is just around the corner. When I first arrived at the Waterstone venue, I saw both Emily and Christian while they were getting ready and asked how they were. They both responded with the biggest smiles and said, "Getting a little nervous, but excited!"

Happiness just radiated between these two and their families throughout the day. We were all in tears watching Emily read Christian's letter and then again when he first saw her walk down the aisle. It's obvious from their smiles just how much these two love and adore each other.

April showers bring May flowers, and boy did April bring the rain to us! The night before the wedding, rain pushed into our area and was supposed to continue the whole day on Saturday. Knowing this, we packed and prepared accordingly with rain jackets and umbrellas in tow. When we arrived, the mountains were super misty and the clouds were hanging above, but Kendra and James were in the best spirits despite the weather. After we photographed the dress and invitation, the rain let up and gave us the perfect backdrop for a mountain wedding! We continued the day with a super sweet first look with vows, a trip to a local park with the bridal party for portraits by the lake, and then a beautiful ceremony under the covered patio (thank goodness for the backup plan)!

Sarah and Brandon’s wedding day is one that I keep close to my heart!

Sarah is the sister to my good friend, Elizabeth, who I’ve known since middle school! Elizabeth and her now-husband, Jeff, eloped in Las Vegas the year before and flew me out to capture their day with their family. I’ve met Sarah before the elopement but was able to hang out with her and Brandon more in Vegas. When we left, she said, “I’ll contact you about our wedding in May!” Of course, I was ecstatic. When we got back, we planned their May wedding and set it on the calendar. Little did we know that Covid would soon hit and change everything about 2020’s spring season.

Thankfully, Sarah and Brandon were able to reschedule for October and they had the most beautiful day!

Ever since I got into wedding photography, I’ve always been told that the very most stressful part of the day would be family formal portraits. I think that is simply because, from a couple’s perspective, you’re trying to round up family members and hope everyone cooperates, and as a photographer, you’re trying to photograph a whole group of people that you’ve mostly never met before and are trying to keep them happy before they head to the reception! It can definitely be a little stressful, but if both the couple and photographer prepare, it really can go more smoothly than expected!

Here are 5 tips that I’ve learned through the years and shooting weddings that help make family formal portraits run smoothly!

Eric and Kelsey are married!

Even though their original plans had changed a few times thanks to Covid, these two were finally able to become husband and wife on Labor Day weekend in September! Since Kelsey and Eric are from Ohio, they chose Sugar Hollow Retreat because they offer weekend packages with lodging on-site, so it made traveling a little bit easier for their families! They also loved the relaxing atmosphere and outdoor retreat feel of the venue, which made their wedding weekend feel more like a vacation in the mountains than a traditional wedding day and allows for more time spent with friends and family! Sugar Hollow is also dog-friendly, which was an added bonus for these two dog lovers!

Coco and Sam were married on one of the most beautiful Summer days at one of my favorite venues in East Tennessee, The Waterstone! It might have been slightly warm and humid, but at least we made it through without any rain— and I’ll take that! They had originally planned to get married the first week of June, but like many couples, had to reschedule to late July thanks to the Covid pandemic and state regulations. Thankfully, orders lifted little by little and along with precautions, we were all able to gather and celebrate their amazing day!

This day and this couple. I have been dreaming about Ashley and Logan’s wedding day since I met Ashley for coffee and it was truly magical! Logan and Ashley became husband and wife at one of the newest venues in our area— the Waterstone Venue! Even though it was mid-September, their day was partly sunny and almost 90 degrees! The day was humid and hazy, but that didn’t keep Ashley and Logan from having the most amazing wedding day!