Morning yoga, afternoon cabanas by the pool, evening dinner cruises. Kat & Thomas truly designed a weekend FULL of spending time with their people. (And rightly so!! This day was a long time coming).

Narrowing images down was nearly impossible but here are a handful of favorite moments on film and digital from a weekend we’ll all surely never forget

The post Coeur D’Alene Resort Wedding – Kat & Thomas – Coeur D’Alene, Idaho appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

The energy, joy, creativity, intention, and fun they brought to each moment was almost too much to take in.

Their story, in short:

– Marc meets Casey in Manhattan
– Both knew within 30 min that each other was the one
– Casey (and her dog) say “yes” to Marc (and his dog) and begin planning a wedding in Upstate NY
– Rather than rent a venue, they decide to BUY and BUILD OUT a camp of their own (?)
– Casey & Marc spend a year+ preparing and finally host their wedding at their very own camp, Grateful Woods

Here are our favorite images of their love, their community, their home, and a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Want to see more weddings like this Grateful Woods Wedding? Check out Stan & Kassie’s Camp Wandawega Wedding or Sarah & Casey’s Sugarboo Farms Wedding.

The post Grateful Woods Wedding – Casey & Marc – Kerhonkson, NY appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

It’s a hard truth to accept, but one we know to be true.

When we think of Haley & Doug’s wedding, we think of this quote. A wedding that was challenged from all sides by a global pandemic, freak lightning storms, brush fires, last-minute emergency surgeries, and countless restrictions imposed on their plans. Everything they thought their wedding would be… was not… yet, it was more.

We can’t discount the stress the unexpected added to the planning of this day for Haley & Doug – it was a lot – but in the midst of these challenges, we witnessed incredible beauty unfold.

• A father in 8/10 pain refusing pain killers after an emergency surgery so he could leave the hospital to be there for his daughter, walk her down the aisle, and speak truth over her marriage.

• Family and friends cautiously battling the unknowns amidst a global pandemic to travel and celebrate Haley & Doug’s marriage (after already postponing their wedding once due to the pandemic).

• A freak lighting storm in the Carmel Valley (quite unheard of) the night before the wedding that started brush fires just over the ridge of the venue reminding all of us how fragile our time and resources are on this earth.

• Venue restrictions that forced a 300 count guest list to less than 100… a task we’d wish on no couple…but one that magnified the people who have made the greatest impact, who have shaped character and story, and who will stand by their marriage.

Vows “through thick and thin” began on this day – a beautiful picture of what lies ahead. Love, sacrifice, pain, hope, and joy.

Not too long after her wedding, Haley shared this sentiment with her Instagram…

“What a wild and staggering gift it is to be MARRIED. When you see the countless photos I’m sure to share, let it be a reminder that in all we weather in this world, we can raise a cup to heaven and praise Him whose name is Faithful and True, our heavenly Bridegroom who one day we will see face to face.

Our wedding story and this life have much in common – but they will have much more in common too on that redeeming day to come. Now, as we enjoy the wonder of marriage, still we look forward, ‘filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy’ – sure of a wedding feast yet to come. And what a wedding it will be!”

How could we summarize it better?

Haley & Doug, you two are a gift and we are utterly amazed at the honor it was to have witnessed and documented this moment in your story.

Thank you for sharing your hearts, your joy, your sorrow, and your hope for what’s to come.

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I remember him as a bright light – a vagabond full of sincere joy, possibility, and leaning into a life that was marked by “jumping off cliffs that seemed a little too high.” I’ve known him to swim in freezing cold waters in February, hike the Appalachian and John Muir Trails, live in a 1983 Westfalia with 2 other guys, and drink down 3 milkshakes no matter the consequences.

Kern lit me up and though our distant proximity limited our friendship, I’ve truly grown to love and respect his relentless effort to squeeze the juice out of life.

After a few years of not seeing Kern, we met Mikaela. She was a quiet soul, a talented artist, and appreciator of (what translated as) a slower pace of life – the outdoors, Mary Oliver, the delicacy of a flower, and the open road. We spent a year sharing workspace at WELD and came to truly enjoy the friendship formed between the three of us.

But then, one March day right as spring set in in Nashville, Mikaela left in van (named Fran) and headed West. And just like we had watched Kern years before, she adventured (solo) across our fine United States. From the Shenandoah Valley to Bryce Canyon, Mik kept our wanderlust tank full and inspired so many of her friends.

It would be a few years before we were in touch again. We knew Mik had found a home on the West coast and began to see images of our past mutuals starting to cross over. I remember one day looking at Jen asking, “did you see Mikaela Hamilton & Kern Ducote were hiking together today? Do you think they’re together?!”

It made perfect sense and Kern lit us up, yet again, with the news that they “were going steady.”

Two incredible souls, two colorful stories, colliding on West Coast.

We crossed our fingers we’d have the opportunity to document this day and are so grateful to be sharing this Hill Country Wedding outside Austin, TX with all of you. This day was beautiful. Filled with intention. More celebration than we knew how to capture. And a big love that you’ll feel in their vows (highly encourage you to listen in the slideshow below).

May we all learn from Mik & Kern, who have shown so many of us what it looks like to take risks, to drink life in slowly, and to “jump off cliffs that seem a little too high.”

Mik & Kern kindly asked us to shoot some film alongside our digital bodies! Here are a few of our favorites shot on Ilford black and white film on a Leica M2 & Pentax 67.

The post Hill Country Wedding – Mikaela & Kern – Austin, TX appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

We were graced with an incredible spring day and Kelsey & Dexter just blew us away with their ability to completely light up a room. Their friends, families, and even their dog, Elton, just carried this light hearted joy that made their wedding feel full of life and sincere celebration.

One of Dexter’s friends said it best, “Dexter might be the only person I know who walks into every room thinking he’s a celebrity.”

It’s true.  You genuinely feel Dexter’s huge energy and Kelsey so wonderfully completes his presence with warming welcome and an equally bright smile.

We are honored to have captured the moments from this day and are so proud of the images made! We especially loved the newlywed session (right after the ceremony) when Kelsey & Dexter celebrated and screamed to the oncoming traffic below Cordelle’s infamous interstate bridge.

HUGE thanks to Ashley (Posh Occasions) at The Cordelle for helping this day run so smoothly, Sarah Seven & Ted Baker for creating incredible attire, Tom Kats for always nailing the food, and Jamal with AperitifNashville for running the best mobile cocktail bar in Nashville.

Want to see more weddings like this one? Check out Jared & Shelby’s Nashville Wedding or Michael & Thalia’s Long Island Wedding!

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This is your day to get creative, think outside the box, and invite your closest loved ones into a celebration of what makes you and your fiance so unique.

Hayley & Tim took this mindset and ran with it in such a fun way that had every guest leaving their The Green Building Wedding in Gowanus feeling like they knew a little more about the two of them.

Hayley (who loves magic… and we mean, LOVES magic) hired a freaking MAGICIAN (Gary Ferrar) to officiate their wedding to incorporate some fun into their ceremony. Gary even hung out after the wedding and entertained guest during cocktail hour with his mind blowing and effortless tricks – everyone ate it up.

Furthermore…they tipped their hats to their favorite sitcom, Arrested Development with an “Unlimited Juice” sign at the bar, served gourmet pizza from their favorite New York pizza spot (Roberta’s — if you don’t know about it, treat yo-self), and one of our favorites… a dessert waffle food truck in lieu of a traditional cake.

Fun, creativity, personality, and heart were no doubt at the top of the priority list for these two and it made their day so special and so memorable.

Here’s a handful of our favorite images!

Want to see more weddings like this one?  Check out Jared & Shelby’s Nashville Wedding at the Cordelle or Andy & June’s Wedding at Brooklyn’s 501 Union!

The post The Green Building Wedding – Brooklyn, New York – Hayley & Tim appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

When our couples choose to get married at places of historical significance (plantations, mansions, family farms, etc.), our senses become heightened… just realizing that so many stories could be told about the events that took place at those grounds and the Ford Plantation was no exception.

This home and surrounding acreage is beautiful and rich with history – early english colonists, rice farms, Henry Ford, Vanderbilt… Rockefellers. The list goes on.

It’s not just our curiosity about how many stories this place holds, but knowing that we had the honor of telling just one of them.

A story about two hearts who found one another at a festival, grew their love through college years among the live oaks that lined these streets, and sealed their marriage among their closest family and friends on a perfect October evening for a Ford Plantation Wedding.

Nearly 300 years of stories on these grounds…and these images tell the story of one them – souls, friendships, memories, toasts, and celebrations of two families joining together and creating legacy in the heart of Savannah.

Congratulations Bre & Billy!

Want to see more weddings like this?  Check out Annika & Andrew at the beautiful Fountain Point Resort or Chris & Cassidy at the Riverwood Mansion in Nashville, TN!

The post Ford Plantation Wedding – Savannah Georgia – Bre & Billy appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

In the days leading up to Michaella & Zac’s wedding, every single weather app was in agreement –  100% chance of rain. You’d think with plans for an outdoor wedding that might add some worry, but not with these two.

While scouting locations that morning we found ourselves on top of Sunset Rock wrapped in fog and knew we had to set up the first look here. Without surprise, Michaella and Zac responded with such joy knowing full well that it meant standing in the rain, dampening fresh hair, dirtying a clean dress, and and kicking mud on their shoes… all before the ceremony.

These two embraced and welcomed every drop of rain and every mud puddle and never for one second doubted the beauty that became their wedding day. And if it couldn’t get any better… their people embraced it all the same. Endless umbrellas, navigating a flooding backyard, celebrating, and dancing in the rain.

This day was an embodiment of love, community, and celebration. It was ditching creature comforts and leaning into the present, it was allowing the unexpected to flow over every minute of the day, and to truly embrace what it meant to stand beside someone on a day that will never happen again and say, “I do, forever.”

Michaella and Zac, you two and an inspiration. Keep your fire burning friends.

Want to see more weddings like this Highlands North Carolina Wedding? Check out Kailey & Robert’s Cozy Fall Wedding or Jared & Shelby’s Nashville Wedding at the Cordelle!

The post Highlands North Carolina Wedding – Michaella & Zac appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

“Man…she’s amazing,” he said.

He stared at the wrapped gift and exhaled as if he wanted to feel every ounce of the moment – love, anticipation, excitement, gratitude, and readiness.

The moment embodied so much of what we love and respect about Chris – someone who moves through life with such intentionality, a man whose heart seems effortlessly grounded to truth, and who shares a zest for life that inspires so many.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, Chris meets her. A girl bright with energy, creativity, enthusiasm, and an endearing goofiness that perfectly compliments Chris’ ever present joy.

But the best part about these two is that their God given gifts aren’t reflected back onto themselves, but onto their Maker – they overflow onto their family, their friends, and celebrate life with creativity and a genuine love that’s so fierce it seems tangible.

And on this day – everyone felt it, everyone celebrated it, and everyone participated in the union of two incredible souls who committed their lives and hearts to the mystery and beauty of marriage.

The post Nashville Riverwood Mansion Wedding appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

Then Mike said this,  “The most memorable moment of my life was when I knew and realized that Erin had the same unconditional love for me that I had for her.  What an amazing feeling, to be so in love with someone, that you’d think no one could understand, then to feel it right back.”

And so there we were…huddled over a $30 cheese plate with tears running down our cheeks knowing that in 9 short months we’d be celebrating with two people full of big love and endless adventure.

We’re blessed to connect with new souls every year but it never ceases to amaze us that strangers so willingly share their hearts and their love with us.

We’re proud of this Wren’s Nest fall wedding, but these images aren’t a product of our talent. These are moments that tell the story of two people who are fearless in sharing their love and courageous in admiring the present.  We were just proud to be there.

The post Wren’s Nest Fall Wedding – Erin & Mike – Nashville, TN appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

When Lauren & Christian first reached out with their elopement idea we thought for sure it wouldn’t work out; matching schedules, adding flights, and traveling to this magical place wasn’t going to be an easy feat.

But just when we thought we were laying the dream to rest, we got an email.

“Brad & jen… we looked around for a closer wedding photographer, but there was no competition. We kept going back to your photos and getting sucked into looking at them all over again. We’re in. Let us know what’s next!”

This wasn’t our first time to the redwoods nor the lighthouse. In fact we had seen one the best sunset of our lives 4 years earlier at Point Cabrillo but this time was different.

It felt quieter.

As if the redwoods, who had seen more sunrises and sunsets then all of us combined, were listening as Christian and Lauren made forever promises.  The trees moved and breathed and allowed the sun show it’s face and hide again behind the branches. This was a sacred space and watching two people become one among giants really woke us up.

We were witnessing history in the midst of creation’s history. Trees that were weathered and wise from years of growth in the sun and the rain.  We didn’t speak much. We just listened and let these two souls soak in their promises and the beginning of something much, much bigger than them.

This is a day we will never forget.

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From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Kara & PJ! We loved this day so, so much!!

Forever grateful for the Cedarwood Weddings team for creating such a beautiful backdrop for this day, Designs in Paper for nailing the paper goods, Chef Christopher filling our bellies with top notch food, and Cardboard Films for always being the most kind and intuitive video team.

The post Fall Cedarwood Wedding – Nashville, TN – Kara & PJ appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

The incredible amount of work, growth, vulnerability, and trust that exists in their relationship; the undeniable characteristics that were continually echoed by family & friends as they shared about Jay & Sarah’s impact on their lives — their kind & welcoming nature, their ability to create a safe space for others, their willingness to step into the hard & messy parts of life with vulnerability & grace, and of course, Sarah’s love of ice cream; and most profoundly, the way that they’ve allowed the reality and inevitability of death to impact their lives in a such a way that causes them to live more awake, here & now.

Listen to some of their vows they wrote for one another:

“I promise to honor your emotions, cherish your sensitivity, and meet your vulnerabilities with loving-kindness.

I will remain committed to our mutual flourishing, supporting you as you continue to grow, learn, evolve, and change.

And allowing myself the space to do the same.

I promise to be your partner and walk this sacred, hard, and holy path together, until the way we die.”

One of our favorite moments of the day — During the speeches at Ruby Nashville, as Jay & Sarah were thanking everyone, they paused – they looked around and we visibly watched them take time to look at the face of every individual there. And then Sarah brought the weight of the moment home by saying, “when we were planning, we realized that the only other time that all of these people will be in the same room is at one of our funerals.”

It’s not often that we’ve seen death weave itself into the heart of a wedding, in fact that feels weird to write, but the beauty with which these two soberly approach their love, relationship, and life through the lens of the inevitable is a needed reality and we were so grateful to have gleaned from the wisdom these two shared with their community through their relationship.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you Jay & Sarah.

Want to see more weddings like this one? Check out Alex & Leah’s summer wedding in Evansville, IN, or Kristen & Kyle’s teary eyed vows from East Tennessee!

The post Ruby Wedding – Nashville, TN – Jay & Sarah appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

Witnessing these moments was such a gift and we just loved leaning into this time with Jon and Sara talking about parenting, living intentional lives, and celebrating the warmth of their home as they prepared for their sweet little girl.

These are some of our favorite images from our time together.

The post In Home Maternity Session – Nashville, TN – Family Photos appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

Before you fast scroll through the images below, we’d invite you to pause with us to watch and listen to the slideshow!

We were incredibly moved by Alex, Leah, and their families and we thought there was no better way to share their story than with the help of those closest to them.

So…

Turn your volume up, grab a tissue, and experience their incredible classic outdoor wedding in Evansville, Indiana full of faith, joy, love, and thanksgiving.

If you’d like to see more weddings like this one, check out Kelsey & Dexter’s Cordelle Wedding or Laura & Peter’s Iowa City Wedding

The post Classic Outdoor Wedding – Leah & Alex – Evansville, IN appeared first on Brad & Jen | Nashville Wedding Photographers.

Needless to say, when Maggie (also a wedding photographer) asked us to join her and John here for their Highlands wedding we were, again, counting our lucky stars and so excited to get back.

Then, as if shooting in the Highlands wasn’t enough, John & Maggie blew us away with their relationship sharing so vulnerably how much love, admiration, and respect they had for one another. I won’t do justice to sharing in my own words so we’ll give you a glimpse through John’s words about Maggie…

“Maggie has this uncanny ability to play hard to get, even though she’s already agreed to marry me. It’s pretty incredible. I think what draws me to her is that I don’t think I’m ever going to fully understand or ascertain her, which is great, and simultaneously dumb that we sometimes go into relationships trying to ‘conquer’ the other person. Maggie is unconquerable. And that’s not to say she’s stubborn or isn’t fully committed to me, I think she’s both of those things. But even more so, I think she understands that relationships and love and marriage is the tale of two people journeying together, not a journey of one person to the other. Maggie is so great at reminding me that we’ve both invited each other along on our journeys, and that I’m not, and she’s not an end to the journey. She’s so wise. I think a lot of this stems from our Faiths (we both try and follow Jesus pretty passionately) and the realization that no matter how important we are to one another, we’ll never be the most important thing in each other’s lives. We will always have our higher callings and purposes that hopefully we help each other fulfill. And Mags is great at reminding me of that.”

This struck us so profoundly. Two hearts with a greater vision for their marriage outside of themselves, journeying through life together (as a team) and through their faith, making a greater impact on the world. Good grief, what an inspiration.

John & Maggie, THANK YOU for inviting us into a brief moment in your story. We were both so honored to have witnessed your love for one another, your respect of your families, and your connections with your friends. This is a day we’ll never forget.

—-

Want to see more weddings like this one? Check out Zac & Michaella’s Highlands Wedding or Emily & Lucas’ Smoky Mountain Elopement!

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