Intimate Lost River Cave Wedding

Let's talk about Lost River Cave. First of all, what a hidden gem! I didn't know about it until Michele & Cody reached out to me last year and I definitely should have known about it much sooner. With that in mind— if anyone reading this knows about any other magical spots that you haven't shared with me please message me so this won't happen again! Now that we have that out of the way... Lost River Cave was the perfect location for Michele & Cody's woodsy wedding. They love all things outdoors (kayaking, hiking, and backpacking are their jam) so it only makes sense to get married at a spot that reflects that. They fell in love with Lost River after exploring the area on a date and knew right away that's where they would like to get married one day.

Their wedding day felt adventurous, magical, and intimate. There were all kinds of details I really enjoyed (specifically that Michele wore her mother's veil and their geode cake involved rock candy) but the ceremony itself was the element that really stood out to me. They each wrote their own heartfelt vows. As they shared their promises with one another the sun got lower and lower and the evening songbirds began singing. It was a really special moment— I would be surprised if there were any dry eyes by the end of the ceremony.

After dinner, friends and family joined Michele and Cody on the dance floor. As the dancing heated up and the valley cooled down a mist rose from the cave into the starlit woods. It was a beautiful way to end a beautiful day.

If you are looking for more woodsy wedding goodness Jessica & Brian's treehouse elopement would fit the bill as would Angela & Jonathan's Blackacre wedding. 

Michele & Cody’s wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks.

Venue: Lost River Cave // Florals: Deemers Floral // Caterer: Mission Catering // DJ: Michael Hale // Hair & Make-Up: Alissa Esters

Romantic Summer Wedding at Blackacre

I've known Angela for over 15 years now, but we first got to really know each other in high school through our mutual passion for photography. As adults, we've taught many of the same photography classes at local non-profits and have shared some favorite historic processes. I have always loved and admired her work, so when she asked me to photograph her wedding (and to bring along some film!) I was beyond thrilled.

Blackacre was the perfect venue for Angela & Jon as their education center, community gardens, and artist residency programs all reflect important aspects of their lives. Both are teachers with JCPS and Angela is an amazing artist as well, so having those things highlighted in the venue was really wonderful. You might notice a subtle Twin Peaks theme running throughout the day— the table numbers were locations from the series and their wish you were here wall included an image of Laura Palmer. 

A few other details of note: Angela's longtime friend Brad made the cake and it was topped with Angela's grandparent's wedding topper, one of the groomsmen couldn't be physically present so they made a life-size cardboard cut-out of him, and the signature cocktails were created to reflect their passions (the stumbling jogger and the fumbling photographer respectively.) 

If you are wanting to see more from Blackacre Erin & Andrew's wedding was gorgeous. If you need more Twin Peaks in your life Lauren & Joey's in-home engagement session is the way to go. If you just want more Angela & Jon then check out their badass Portland engagement session. 

Angela & Jon’s wedding was featured in Bridal Musings.

Venue: Blackacre Conservancy // Wedding Coordinator: Emily Gaddie // Bouquets & Flower Crowns: State & Arrow Design Co.  // Centerpieces & Boutonnieres: Inflora Collective  // Caterer: MozzaPi // DJ: HAY DJ // Hair: Chelsea Ramey with DC Studio // Make-Up: Joanne Wolf // Cake: Brad Shader // Pops: Steel City Pops // Dress: BHLDN

Intimate Tree House Elopement

So I'm going to go ahead and start this by saying that I LOVE ELOPEMENTS. (side note: are you eloping? Please holler at me!) Now that we have that part out of the way... It was a rainy drive down to Nashville for Jessica and Brian's tree house elopement, but it was the kind of rain that felt cozy and special (not the kind of rain that made the drive terrible). The Airbnb was gorgeous — I can't imagine a better space for their day. 

The three of us hung out and chatted as they got ready together and it wasn't too long before their officiant arrived. The rain had stopped, so we walked over to a little garden space and the ceremony was underway. It was the most intimate experience I've ever had on a wedding day — we were all relaxed and able to be fully present in the moment. They read their own vows that were equal parts meaningful, sweet, and funny. After we shared hugs and congratulations, we set out to wander the hiking trails behind the tree house until it began to drizzle again. Coffee and cake started sounding better by the minute, so we went into the city to a sweet little coffee shop, checked out some murals, and explored the area before saying goodbye. The next day, back in Louisville, their family and friends came out to celebrate with them in a giant backyard party — complete with bonfire, of course!

I can't begin to say how thankful I am that I got to be part of this day — I loved the whole experience and I felt honored they trusted me enough (and felt comfortable enough with me!) to have me join them and document their marriage. Side note: Jessica and Brian found me in the most random way— through a Buzzfeed article on brides with glasses. As they were looking at my website they realized I was also from Louisville and soon we realized we even had mutual friends. It was totally meant to be! 

Looking for some more woodsy wedding inspiration? Check out Kate & Rob's Louisville cabin wedding or Dana & Patrick's boho Santa Barbara History Museum nuptials. Also StyleBlueprint featured this wedding, so if you'd like to hear more about their day you can check out the feature here!

Venue: The Fox House Nashville //  Florist: Blooms by Essential Details // Jeweler: Clater Jewelers // Bride’s attire: Jenny Yoo, via BHLDN and Nordstrom // Hair: Blowout Co. // Groom’s suit: Topman // Groom’s shirt and tie: Banana Republic

Featured on StyleBlueprint.