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.

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!

Styled shoots are truly some of my favorite events to photograph! It’s a great time to get creative without the stress of a wedding day timeline. Melissa Baskette, of Melissa’s Vintage Details, invited a few photographers (including myself) out to the Millstone venue in Limestone, Tennessee to photograph a styled shoot solely dedicated to details! I love photographing couples, don’t get me wrong, but it was also super nice to have a whole shoot focused and dedicated to decor and details so that I could really hone in on those skills! Melissa had multiple setups with many amazing vendors that collaborated on each one.

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!

Northeast Tennessee is not only home to beautiful mountains and breathtaking lakes, but also some of the most gorgeous and unique wedding venues that are perfect for adventurous couples and outdoors lovers!

I’ve compiled a list of my top favorite wedding venues (in no particular order) here in northeast Tennessee that are great for adventurous brides and grooms who are looking for a place to say their vows.