Summer is in full swing over here in Northeast Tennessee and I am absolutely loving it! It has me reminiscing back on this beautiful styled shoot that I was able to organize with some of the best wedding vendors here in Johnson City, Tennessee!

Full transparency— last year, I felt myself feeling quite burnt out. It comes and goes in waves and usually when creatives are stressed out or doing things repetitively. To help fight the burnout and increase creativity, photographers will often try to get out of their normal rhythm and will shoot something for themselves or start personal projects. For me, I had never set up my own styled shoot— I had only attended ones organized and created by others. This was definitely a bit out of my comfort zone, but was such a fun experience!

I’m a little late on blogging my behind-the-scenes photos from 2019, but I’m hoping that this blog brings some smiles, laughs, and uplifts your day just a little. Huge thanks to call of my couples, second shooters, fellow wedding vendors, and my amazing friends and family who made 2019 one hell of a year.

Today on the blog, we’re moving away from recent sessions and weddings and chatting about a super important wedding topic- DAY OF TIMELINES!

One thing that I love to include in all of my wedding packages — no matter if it’s a shorter elopement or a full-day celebration— is offering to assist in creating a day-of timeline for each couple. I know that usually this is the first time a couple has planned a wedding and understand that it can be tricky to put together a schedule for everyone to know where to be and when, coordinate where the photographer should be, and just how the day is going to go in general! When I help my couples create a timeline, I try to make things easy for everyone and try to keep their ideas and wishes in mind.

It all can be overwhelming, but it’s a super important part of the day, and here’s why!

I kicked off the year with Ashley and Logan’s engagement session, and let me say- we started with a bang! I’ve wanted to shoot on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few years now, and when I first pitched a list of locations to Ashley, I was silently hoping they’d pick the parkway. Needless to say, they made my parkway dreams come true! We had a blast laughing and hiking up to the view! I just love how these two make each other smile and laugh constantly. They are absolutely perfect for each other and it’s so easy to see just how much they care one another.

Day-of timelines are pretty important for planning your wedding day, and that includes deciding on having a first look or a more traditional timeline. From a photographer’s perspective, and having been a bride myself, I am personally a huge fan of first looks! My husband and I decided to do a first look for our own wedding and it was the best decision. We have never regretted it! With wedding season around the corner, I thought I’d share my top 5 reasons to why you should consider having a first look on your wedding day!

I’m a part of a wonderful local networking group full of creative entrepreneurs called TuesdaysTogether! Thanks to our community, I was lucky to meet Tricia Mosier of Elizabeth Dean Styled Events, who invited me to take part in a one-of-a-kind styled shoot that she was putting together! We all gathered at the beautiful Homestead on the Holston, a historic cabin venue with lots of land next to the north fork of the Holston River, and photographed the set ups that Tricia had designed— a “Notebook” canoe, a picnic blanket dinner, a bridal chair, and a bohemian tee pee complete with hanging cake display! Definitely a shoot for the record books and one you won’t want to miss!

Last year, I had so much fun putting together my first behind-the-scenes blog (you can see that here) that I made more of a conscious effort to get more content this year! I am so thankful to have had amazing second shooters who caught some funny (and embarrassing) moments throughout the year of me doing what I do! I love sharing the not-so-glamorous side of wedding photography- it’s not all rainbows and butterflies on a wedding day! Enjoy this brief inside look of what it’s like to be a wedding photographer in Northeast Tennessee!

Luke and Caroline were married at the Camp at Buffalo Mountain in beautiful Jonesborough, Tennessee! These two said their vows inside of the camp’s cozy Allison Lodge, complete with candlelight and warm fire in the fireplace. After becoming husband and wife, we took portraits around the camp’s cabins and creek, and hurried back for drinks and bbq dinner. After a fun introduction, including their ‘secret’ handshake, Luke and Caroline danced the night away with family and friends.

Stacy and Jason came all of the way from Michigan to get married in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee. They rented a huge cabin at Parkside Resort for their family and friends to stay, and to hold their intimate ceremony! After a super sweet first look, we drove to the Magnolia Venue for more breathtaking views. We arrived back just in time for family portraits and their ceremony on the back porch, overlooking the Smokies.

Kaity and Kyle drove from Middle Tennessee to meet up with me at one of my favorite mountain locations- The Beauty Spot. Located in the heart of the Unaka Mountains, the Beauty Spot always lives up to it’s name and this night was no exception! When we first arrived, the sun was out, but dark clouds loomed over the mountains headed our way. We shot for a while, always keeping an eye on the clouds. Eventually, the clouds passed right over the Beauty Spot, but thankfully not even a drop of rain fell! We finished the evening laughing, getting to know each other, sharing stories and enjoying a bright pink sunset on the bald.