This year has really brought out some wonderful things despite what you hear in the news.  One wonderful thing was the intimate wedding.  So, when Cayce and I started to talk about her wedding being at her parent’s home in Milton, Tennessee, I knew it was going to be special.

Bridal Portrait Session

One thing that was very important to her was to have a bridal portrait session before her wedding day so that she could display that portrait during the wedding, so I went out to her house about a month before the big day.  It was great because Cayce and her mother Camilla could go over the plans for the day as well as scout out locations nearby for the bride & groom portraits.  I was thrilled when she wanted to add her pup Winston in a few of her photos.  I’m always pro-dog when it comes to portraits!

The Wedding Day

When the big day finally came, Bart and I arrived a little early like usual.  Everyone was still running about putting the finishing touches to the day.  The ceremony space was set up in the front yard, which overlooked rolling hills and was truly breathtaking.

The reception space was under a tent in the backyard, where her father built a dance floor.  Cayce was upstairs in the house getting her hair and make-up done by her stylist.  Her bridesmaids were so helpful in finding the special items she wanted to be photographed.

Getting Ready & Details

Groomsmen were arriving as I was finishing up details.  Soon it was time for their portraits, so we made sure to shoot away from Cayce’s eyes since they chose to not do a first look.  Lee’s groomsmen party was made up of friends and family.  Lee’s daughter, Niviah,  was included in the portraits even though she was a bridesmaid, but that made it even more special.

Before we knew it, guests were arriving, and it was time for Cayce to get dressed with her mother.  The most special part of the day is that Cayce was wearing her mother’s dress, re-designed her specifications.  I was able to be there when she did have a first look with her dad as she came down the stairs and he looked up at his little girl.

The ceremony started at the perfect time of day, about two hours before sunset.  Typically, Septembers are hot, but there was a cool snap, and the weather was very pleasant.  Cayce’s dad walked her out of the house through the front door.  They stopped on the stairs to ring the family’s heirloom dinner bell before walking down the aisle.  The couple exchanged vows in front of their dearest family and friends as a few tears were shed.  They shared their first kiss as man and wife, walked down the aisle to hide as guests moved on to the back yard for cocktail hour.

The Ceremony

We started with family portraits, followed by the wedding party and the bridesmaids’ portraits.  Once those were done, Cayce, Lee, Bart, and I piled up in Cayce’s truck to drive to the locations we had spotted at her bridal portrait session.  We were fighting the sun setting, so we had to shoot fast.  Both Cayce & Lee were so easy-going and cooperative to move from location to location as we used every minute of sunlight left.

Bride & Groom Portraits

The Reception

We then went back to her parent’s house and the couple was introduced into the reception.  Guests enjoyed a buffet dinner from Sammy B’s and cocktails as they watched Cayce & Lee be toasted.  Cayce joined Lee on the dance floor for their first dance, followed by the father-daughter dance. A second father-daughter dance commenced when Lee danced with his daughter Niviah. They cut their cake together and dancing commenced as they cued up their own playlist.