Whitestone Country Inn Wedding - Whitney + Joshua
We absolutely love shooting at the Whitestone Country Inn, a gorgeous venue along Watts Bar Lake in Kingston, Tennessee. Even more than this beautiful location, we are always thrilled to work with amazing couples, and Whitney and Josh are no exception.
When we met Whitney at the bridal suite under the chapel at the Whitestone, she was sitting on the floor eating strawberries; we knew immediately that this was going to be a super relaxed day, and she did not disappoint. We loved how carefree and easygoing Whitney was throughout the day, and this is one of our most important lessons we want brides to embrace. Don't stress, and the day will be perfect.
Whitney and Josh did not want to see each other prior to the ceremony, but they did want to share an intimate minute alone. More and more couples are choosing to do just want they did with a hidden first touch around the chapel doors. We captured the moments as the two held hands and as Josh rubbed Whitney's belly and talked to their baby girl. (We were thrilled to take shots of the wedding but to also incorporate some perfect maternity photos for the couple as well). Josh prayed with his soon to be wife (and little one), and we were moved consistently throughout day at the respect these two showed for one another and how frequently they mentioned being blessed to have each other.
Whitney made a grand entrance to the ceremony with her father in a horse drawn carriage reminiscent of Cinderella's, and the couple actually took a ride after their nuptials together as the newly named Mr. and Mrs. The wedding was a truly sentimental one as Josh' grandfather, a long time minister, performed the ceremony and joined the two in matrimony.
The reception inside the Lion and Lamb's facility on the grounds included father/daughter and mother/son dances and lovely speeches as a tribute to the bride and groom. Josh even performed with his frat brothers and the guests looked on with delight. The couple prepared us early in the day for how delicious their cakes were (and they weren't lying), but we especially loved the groom's cake with a "hooked" topper to pay homage to Josh's favorite hobby, fishing.
We truly cannot say enough about this couple, and even though we met them on their wedding day, we felt like we had known them for a long time. We were so happy to be part of this occasion, and we hope you feel like you were there too with this glimpse of their big day.
Venue & Catering: Whitestone Country Inn | Floral: Lisa Foster Floral Design | DJ: Kalen White | Dress: Moonlight Bridal | Cake: Magpies | Grooms Cake: Deb's Special Events | Tux/Suits: Men's Wearhouse | Bridesmaids/Flowergirl: David's Bridal | Jewelry & Ring: Rone Regency Jewelers | Silk Flowers: Benita Walsh | Hair: Kim King - Sola Salon | Makeup: Amanda Farmer - MAC
Spout Spring Estates Vineyard Wedding - Tabitha & John
A gorgeous mountain view, a beautiful ceremony beneath a tree, and a sweet family (oh, and fire, did we mention fire?) made John and Tabitha's vineyard wedding so special and memorable.
A hidden gem in Blaine, Tennessee, Spout Spring Estates Vineyard was the setting for the couple's ceremony and reception. The venue includes a beautiful stone pathway leading to a huge covered porch surrounding a log cabin and wine shop, but it is the natural scenery- rows of grapes, lush greenery, and a mountain backdrop- that truly took our breath away.
We loved John's reaction to seeing Tabitha during their first look, as the two hugged, kissed, danced, and cried together. Their precious daughter, Rose, was looking on from the balcony where we snapped some shots as well through the cast iron railing. (Speaking of cute kids...did you see their ring bearer?) This cutie was a huge part of their day, being escorted in a wagon during the ceremony and dancing with mom and dad at the reception, but some truly sweet moments occurred prior to the ceremony when Tabitha helped dress Rose just as her mom did for her earlier in the day.
A monogrammed pillow, rustic mailbox, and their favors- beer that they personally brewed and bottled- added special touches to the décor, and we loved the elegant pops of purple in many of the details to tie everything together. John and Tabitha were all about sharing their joy with their guests, and they provided entertainment in the form of a fire dancer and essentially a huge torch for their guests to set afire. They even shared a tequila shot to honor Tabitha's father, which was a profoundly sentimental moment for all involved.
We took John and Tabitha out into the vineyard during sunset to have some time alone, and these couple's photos are some of our favorites. We strolled through the rows of grapes with them and captured some special moments as John escorted Tabitha back to their guests through the green field.
We were happy to shoot this vineyard wedding, and we feel so blessed to have shared in this couple's joy. Congratulations to John and Tabitha, again!
We loved working with these amazing vendors: Venue- Spout Spring Estates Vineyard | Catering and Cake- Rothchild Catering and Event Rentals | Dress- David's Bridal | Hair- Salon Zeal | Makeup- Bangs and Blush | Suits- Men's Wearhouse | Floral- Flowers by Sarah
The Quarry at Ijams & Downtown Knoxville Engagement - Kari & Ben
Three words: beauty, beard, and bikes.
Kari and Ben's engagement session at Ijams and around Market Square in Knoxville was all about these three B's. We absolutely love this couple's energy, and their love for each other clearly radiates through these photos.
Kari is a natural beauty with a gorgeous smile that lights up the room, and we adored her choice of a red sundress for the more rustic photos at the Quarry. Ben was looking quite dapper as well with the always classic choice of a bow tie. Their styling was perfect! The first thing we noticed about Ben when we met him was that amazing beard; we were glad to highlight this feature in all its glory in these photos. The incorporation of the two vintage-inspired bikes allowed the two to share some really playful moments with each other and for us to capture some candid images of the two truly being themselves.
Enjoy these memories made with Ben and Kari. We are so excited to share these today, and we are looking forward to their October wedding in downtown Knoxville.
