A Nashville Country Chic Wedding

Let me introduce you to Todd and Kristie Shafer....

 Todd and Kristie were married October 9, 2010 in downtown Nashville on the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge.  I must admit that their wedding goes up there on my top 3 list.  I have never met a bride and groom that were as laid back and fun as Kristie and Todd.  If any bride should take a lesson from this wedding, it is that they planned their wedding for their family and friends to enjoy and have fun, and they did not worry about the small stuff.  At the end of this post there are some Q&A from Kristie that might help you with planning your wedding.  Alright, let's get to the pictures!



I have seen more wedding dresses than I can count, and when I saw Kristie's dress for the first time my initial thought was "pretty".  However, when she added the belt to her dress the thought that came to mind was "stunning".  You will see what I mean when you see her bridals below!

  

The beautiful flowers were designed by the talented Hilary Robson with http://www.brocadenashville.com/

Kristie's and Todd's theme for their wedding was country chic. A native of South Dakota, Kristie has grone to  love everything about Nashville, from the honky tonks to the tourist landmarks.  So pretty much every detail of their wedding was planned on that theme...including the pictures :)

Kristie told me before the wedding that she wanted her pictures to be fun more than anything.  She wanted to have her pictures taken in front of the Ryman, on Broadway, and possibly  in a display window at a boot shop.  Although we couldn't get inside a display window, the nice guys at Trail West allowed us to shoot inside the shop and let Kristie pick out a pair of boots to get her photos taken in.  They even helped Kristie get them on!  Another must on Kristie's list was to have a few photos taken inside Nashvile landmark, Tootsie's.  Everyone was so welcoming, and they even allowed her to get on stage with the band!

Kristie and Todd opted for the "First Glance" rather than waiting to have their pictures taken after the wedding.  They met at Hilton Park with the Country Music Hall of Fame as their backdrop.

The middle picture below is what Kristie and Todd like to call their "Signature Pose", so of course they HAD to have one taken of it on their wedding day!

May favorite part of Kristie's and Todd's ceremony wasn't a certain detail or a particular moment, it was the closeness that was shared by their friends and family.  Todd's dad was the officiant for the ceremony, which I think made the day even more special.

  When it came to the reception Kristie and Todd said that tradition was out.  They did not want a first dance or a bouquet/garter toss, and the cake was no exception.  Instead of traditional wedding cake, they asked their parents to make their favorite desserts, which is carrot cake for Todd and pumpkin bars for Kristie.  The cards in front of the desserts were adorable and described who's favorite dessert it was and that is was a "specialty" of their mothers.

Another great idea they had wasto forego the standard photo signature board that guests typically sign, and instead blew up their wedding invitation on a board with a sign that read "Autograph".  Instead of using candy or bubbles as wedding favosr, Kristie chose bottle koozies with a country/western theme that matched the style of their invitation.  And what is a country wedding without Jack Daniels?  The signature drink of the night was fruit tea and Jack Daniels served in mason jars.  In my opinion it was a perfect touch!

For Kristie and Todd's reception backdrop....it doesn't get much better than this in Nashville.

The pictures below do not need an explanation  It is pretty clear that everyone had a great time!  Scroll to the bottom for Kristie's take on the wedding!

Questions:

  1.  What was your wedding theme? 

We were going for a modern theme with southern flair. We had alot of people travel to Nashville for the wedding and wanted to make sure that it incorporated a southern feel, but make it modern at the same time. I think the food and view gave it the southern, Nashville vibe and the venue gave it the modern vibe.

 2.  What was the most important thing to you about your wedding? 

We wanted the ceremony to feel personal and friendly, not structured and formal. It was important for both Todd and I for the reception to feel like a party. We wanted our friends and family to have fun, but most importantly this was our wedding so we wanted to enjoy it - and we like a good party. Reflecting back on it, it was such a beautiful night (the weather, view, lighting were perfect) so the atmosphere ended up taking center stage. It was the most beautiful night of my life.

3.  What was your favorite thing about your wedding?

I'd go with the venue.It was such a unique setting -even the band and caterer seemed excited about it. It wasn't the easiest process to rent, but it was
worth it in the end.

4. What was your favorite part of the entire day and why?

My favorite part of the day was when we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Todd and Kristie Shafer! It's what the day was all about! I was so happy at that point in time - you can see it on my face in the pics. See image 1607 - you captured it!

5. Why did you pick a band instead of a DJ?

We knew from the very beginning that we wanted a band - this was one of the first things we booked. We wanted a band because it's more unique than a DJ and guaranteed a party vibe. Plus, Nashville is Music City USA and we have so many talented musicians here. We knew how great, quirky, fantastic Bueller was since we'd seen them play a show.

6. Is there anything you would have done differently?

Hmmmm....eloped? But seriously, I can't think of one thing we should have done differently. I guess it's similar to how a parent feels about their children...they think they're perfect!

A side note from Kristie:  I hear from people all the time that the pics that you took were the
most beautiful wedding photos they've ever seen! You did such an
amazing job capturing our wedding. Thank you!!!!!

Thanks so much Kristie and Todd  for allowing me to capture your day!  You guys are the best!

Shanna

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An Oh So Sweet Engagement- Zach & Jana

Finally another blog! I am thrilled to share Zach & Jana's engagement session with you for two reasons: First, I absolutely love how the pictures turned out. Second, I am going to use their engagement session for FAQ that I receive from most of my clients before their session. Some of the most frequent questions brides ask me about their engagement sessions are what to wear, how many outfits to change into, and where to take their pictures. Here we go...
Outfits: I usually say to have at least two changes. As far as the actual clothing, I only have one rule: No really bright tops. Why you ask? The color can reflect off of your clothing and on to your face. The last thing anyone wants is a hot pink reflection on their face for their engagement photos.

It is also a good idea to limit crazy patterns or only one person wear patterns. It can be a little too distracting if both people are wearing really loud patterns. For the girls, I would suggest a skirt or a dress for one of the locations (and for those of you who follow, I am in love with really bright heels for the shoes!).

Location: I would first suggest a place that has some kind of meaning. For example, where you first met, first date, and/or where he proposed. Of course, this may not always work, but don’t worry! You do not have to do this. It is just a suggestion. If you are like most brides, you have not a clue where you want your engagement session. Not a problem. I have you covered :)

Now back to Zach & Jana. When it came time to working out the details of Zach & Jana's session, they were insistent on doing something completely different. Of course, as soon as they said that, I was like a little school girl jumping up and down. Our first stop was Sylvan Park. I love all of the contrasting colors, from the greens and yellows in the house to their outfits -- not to mention the red shoes! :)

The next stop was also in Nashville. For the life of me I can't exactly remember where. I knew I should have put it in my GPS! The great thing about this location is the graffiti train carts and a railroad tracks. I would say that my favorite shots of the day were in front of the graffiti train cart -- loved all the color! Not to mention the railroad shots of Zach holding Jana's shoes. Kind of makes me :)

One of our final stops was Ben & Jerry's. Yes, the ice cream shop. This is where Zach & Jana had their first date. Zach shared with me that Jana doesn't really like to share her ice cream, as you can see below.

This is the perfect example for doing something fun and meaningful with your engagement session.

Here are a few other pictures that are my favorites from Zach & Jana's session. Stayed tuned for their wedding coming up in June. I know its going to be fabulous!

A Downtown Engagment- Allan & Erika

Hey guys! I just want to show off a few pictures of an engagement session I did on Saturday with Allan & Erika. For those of you who keep up, you know I love the colored heels in my pictures, so it goes without saying that I fell in love with Erika's shoes!

Hope you enjoy the pictures. Check back in June for their wedding pictures, which will take place in Jamaica!!! I can't wait! It is going to be so gorgeous!

Mr. & Mrs. Swan

Wow! Has it really been that long since I have last blogged!? In my defense, I did say that I was the worst blogger ever! I promise to do better in 2010! With that said, let me introduce to you Mr. & Mrs. Swan!

I blogged about Vincent and Ashiya's engagement session a while back and now I have their wedding to share with you!

Vincent and Ashiya were married at the historical Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett. As a photographer I love this chapel for all of its natural light and the contrasting colors of the stone.


One trend that brides have picked up on very quickly is the different colored wedding shoe! Gone are the days of the plain white or ivory heal! Bring in the red, purple, greens, and blues! Ashiya chose a bright purple heel to match her bridesmaids dresses. I can not tell you enough how much I love a bride in a colored heel!

One of my favorite shots of the day was capturing Vincent when he saw his bride for the first time, it was so sweet.

After the wedding we headed over to the reception site at the beautiful Hutton Hotel. The Hutton's Vista ballroom is perfect for wedding receptions for its large capacity and the view of Nashville's skyline.

Vincent and Ashiya had cupcakes sent from Atlanta for their wedding reception topped with the initial S. They also had a rent-a-cake customized with two swans.

(For more information on renting a cake visit www.cakesbyshara.net)

Below are a few more pictures from Mr. & Mrs. Swan's wedding day. Thank you Vincent and Ashiya for allowing me to capture your awesome wedding (and your purple shoes :) )

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Shehane

Hello everybody! As promised I am actually keeping up with my blog and posting new events! Although I do not think I will be an everyday blogger, I will do my best to send updates once a week.

Here is a wedding that I shot in March at Opryland Hotel in the Delta Pavilion area. What a gorgeous venue first of all! Second, I loved loved loved my couple, Jeff and Laura. Their wedding was very laid back yet intimate with close friends and family. Congratulations Laura & Jeff!

Here are a view pictures from their wedding day. Enjoy!

So I had to put this picture up because the girls got stuck inside Old Hickory Steakhouse right before the ceremony because guest started showing up and they didn't want anyone to see them. We basically hung out here and took fun photos and goofed off until the ceremony began.

I love this picture because he was actually playing the piano for her.... I thinking he was singing too but I can't remember. Either way it was super sweet.



The reception was held in the fabulous Opryland Magnolia ballroom. A photographers dream reception venue. Absolutely beautiful!