The ‘ber months are officially here, as is the pumpkin spice latte! While I’m not totally a pumpkin spice fan, I do love a good iced chai latte with that pumpkin cold foam from Starbucks. It’s like fall in a cup. I am so ready for all the gorgeous fall weddings, but before that let’s dive in to recap this summer.

First Look Outside Odins Owl

Summer was so good to all the weddings this year, but especially to Brittany and Matt. I’m so blessed to have been able to capture their day. I was hired as an associate photographer under Jade Beardslee Photography for part of this day since she was in the hospital (don’t worry, she’s much better now!). I was hired morning of and jumped right into their day without missing a beat. This was my first time working at Odins Owl and it was absolutely stunning. It was perfectly rustic with a touch of elegance.

I made sure to arrive a little extra early so I could touch base with the couple before their day started. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing any shots on their shot list or that something was added last minute since this wasn’t my client. Brittany’s bridesmaids were awesome and brought me up to speed on everything. I started our day with detail photos of the venue and all the decor. Brittany had done all the florals herself and they were absolutely stunning. I loved how colorful everything was and that arch was gorgeous.

It was raining off and on all throughout the day, so we were moving quite a bit for photos. Brittany and Matt had a first look outside. I carry a dozen clear umbrellas in my car for all weddings and sessions because you never know when you’ll need them. I made sure to give Brittany an umbrella so we could do their first look while it was sprinkling outside. Brittany had two wedding dresses- the first she wore for her first look with Matt and the second for the rest of the day. The train on both gowns were stunning.

After the first look, Brittany was escorted to the bridal suite to relax before the ceremony with her dog. Matt and Brittany had their dog be their flower girl and it was so cute! She laid near Brittany most of the day and stayed within the bridal suite the rest of the night. She wore the cutest flower crown and matching pink dress. I wish more dogs were in weddings. I love working with all the dogs!

Outdoor Ceremony in Millington

As guests arrived, the coordinators and I were actually unsure where the ceremony was going to be. Brittany and Matt really wanted the ceremony to be outside, but if it was raining then we needed to stay inside for safety reasons. We were about to call for an indoor ceremony when the sun decided to peek out of the clouds and pause the rain. The rain paused just long enough for the entirety of their ceremony and started pouring down again as guests were walking into the barn. Talk about fantastic timing.

Brittany had her bridesmaids dressed in different colors and it all fit together so well. The girls matched all the florals and looked beautiful walking down the aisle on the arms of the groomsmen. Matt was walked down the aisle by his mother and Brittany by her father.

One of my favorite moments of this day happened early in the ceremony. Their officiant started the ceremony and Matt had said “I do” way too early. Everyone was laughing, including Brittany who had the best reaction to the flub. It truly was a moment they will remember and cherish. My other favorite moment happened right after the ceremony. The rain had briefly paused so we went outside for some family photos. Brittany was sitting next to her grandma and they were talking and laughing. Such a special moment, and I loved the photo I captured of the two of them together.

Wedding Reception in the Barn

Brittany and Matt had their reception in the Odins Owl Barn. We kicked this part of the night off with the bridal party grand entrance and the couple cutting their cake. The wedding cake was so cute. Brittany had made a cake meadow (florals around the entire cake) and the toppers were their pets. It was one of the cutest cakes I’ve taken photos of this year. I’m officially petitioning to make cake meadows a thing for 2025! After cutting the cake, we moved into speeches and then dinner.

Speeches are always such an interesting part of the night. The best speech is short, to the point, but also has some humor in it. You want to avoid inside jokes only a person or two would know, you want to try to be inclusive during the speech or else people will start to tune out. My favorite part of hearing the speeches is learning how the groomsmen or bridesmaids all know each other. Usually they are a sibling or a very close friend. I love hearing the funny stories told and the laughter from guests. If you’re a vendor like me, you most likely don’t know the best man or maid of honor well since we work primarily with the couple. I learn so much about people and their character through these speeches.

After a delicious dinner, the dance floor opened up to the couple for their first dance. Watching the first dance and the parent dances are always emotional for the other parent watching. I love seeing their reaction to watching the dances. The dance floor was packed throughout the remainder of the evening I was there. The music was so good, their DJ played a great mix of oldies with newer pop music thrown in. Guests of all ages had so much fun dancing with each other.

I loved the opportunity to work with Brittany and Matt through Jade’s business. I’ve worked quite a few weddings this year as an associate and I always learn so much from other business owners.