Earlier this year I received a message from a bride to be. She lived in Ohio and had already had engagement photos taken, but wanted the right person to capture her fairytale wedding in the Great Smokey Mountains here in East Tennessee. Needless to say, the pressure was on! I was honored that she contacted me. She believed I could deliver exactly what she wanted.
September 3 (Labor Day) rolls around and I am pumped. Its wedding day! I love shooting in the mountains. And this location, Spence Cabin, was absolutely beautiful! The cabin had everything needed and nothing more. The ceremony site was small and intimate. It was made of stone and right on the river. It was something out of a movie. I arrived early (as I always do) and got a feel for the area and planned my shots. When the Kayla and Brandon arrived (bride and groom), they went to their separate rooms and the day began. Kayla was breathtaking! Her dress was the things dreams are made of. After we got a few snaps of her getting ready, I went to see Brandon. After talking with him for a few minutes, he informed me that they were doing a unity sand ceremony. To put a special twist on it, he went down to the river and got a handful of smooth river stones and used them as the foundation.
Cue the violin! Emma’s playing is paired beautifully with the sound of rushing water as the bridesmaids make their way down the aisle. The bride is still tucked away behind a tree with her dad at her side. The pastor motions for the congregation to stand and Emma starts to play. Kayla radiantly floats down the stone passageway and Brandon is mesmerized. The ceremony is sweet and even has a gospel presentation at the end before the pastor pronounced Kayla and Brandon husband and wife.
The rest of the evening is what you would expect. There were family photos, food, cake and lots of stories being told around tables. Before I had to scurry off, I did have the privilege of taking these two lovebirds into the woods for their couple portraits. We were not permitted much time as we were fighting the rain and the departure of key guests. But what time I did get to spend with them was fun, adventurous and exciting. These two have such a bright future and I cannot wait for their next trip to Tennessee!
leave a comment