I still remember the day Sydney called me to chat about her wedding. She and her soon to be husband would be traveling several hours to come to the smoky mountains to get married. She told me her Venue, The Barn event center of the smokies, gave her my info and we were at the top of their list or photographer referrals. From the start Sydney and hit it off over the phone. We talked budget, ideas, and more. She had such a sweet spirit from the start. When the wedding day came, she said she felt comfortable with me just by our phone conversation. Many of my brides book us from miles away. Through personal referrals, social media portfolio, and getting to know each other over the phone, I am never worried about if we will mesh or not once they book us. As much as I love the meetings over coffee and engagement sessions that come with local brides, I have found that a lot of my favorite weddings have been couples I have not met till the day of the wedding. All this to say, don’t ever be afraid to book your photographer out of state, or have them come to you. If you love their work, see they have good reviews or referrals, notice they have plenty of wedding experience, and love their personality and your phone conversation, go for it! I truly believe that fate brings you together. Also meaning, you should hire me for your beach or canyon or Colorado mountain wedding, HINT! We have also done that many times and it’s worked out beautifully. You sometimes will find a discount for asking around and having someone come to you, or finding a local established photographer with a venue. Which is the case for this wedding. I ended up giving a small discount as a thank you for booking us, the recommended photographer for this venue. Yay!
And this venue is great! Jordan and I have shot here 4 times now, and have gotten to know the owner and staff and are very impressed with their hospitality. We love their hearts….And their food! They are one of the best! They made Sydney and Adam’s day amazing.
After a few getting ready details, Adam and Sydney decided to do a first look, which is always our favorite.
We then took bride and groom shots at different areas on site. Sydney and Adam giggled and laughed the whole time, making our job effortless. I love that they were both up for fun shots throughout the day. We took photos both before and after the ceremony, giving them two different looks and breaking it up so the day went smoothly.
After bride and groom photos we took some wedding party and family photos, then photographed the ceremony. In between these shots, we got to know the family and venue owners a little better. The father of the bride talked to us about his family, faith, and what he saw in us. How we were fun and filled with joy. Little does he know how much that meant to me. To share what he sees in us and only confirm this bride and groom were meant to be photographed by us. It truly was a joy to be there that day.
After the ceremony the bride and groom and family had a lovely dinner, cake, and then more photos. One thing that stuck out to me about this venue, is the owner himself was serving food. This speaks volumes about them!
So many sweet moments. So many photos I could share. I definitely think Adam and Sydney did an excellent job planning their wedding. But I think they did even better at showing how their love for each other and God shone even brighter. They were so relaxed and fun. Sydney shared they were on a budget, and with some help from friends, pieced it all together beautifully. The white flowers are silk, with real greenery in between. When done right, this can be a great option for some! Her makeup was done by a friend, and the cake florals were also self pieced by a friend. So simple and tasteful.
Everything was beautiful this day. From the weather to the details. It was a small, but beautiful, fun, and intimate wedding. It was such a pleasure to photograph here again, and to meet and photograph this couple!
This is my favorite shot of the day…..Adam and Sydney, Thank you for indulging me in my vision for this shot and laying in the grass!! And a huge shout out to my partner in crime, second shooter, and bag carrier who took this shot. Jordan, you rock and are seriously talented!
Since your wedding was around St Patrick’s day, here is an Irish blessing for you and yours! “May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rain falls soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.”
We wish you all the happiness in the world! Many blessings on your marriage!
Love,
Hannah Joy