Tellico Village Yacht Club Wedding | Molly & Zach

This wedding. Its been one year since I shot this incredible fall wedding at Tellico Village Yacht Club on the Little Tennessee River and these two amazing souls became husband and wife. This wedding has stuck with me for the last year. There have been times in my photography career when certain clients, certain weddings, certain days just stick with me a little bit more. This is for sure one.

Molly and Zach were a unique couple for me. I had never met them before their rehearsal dinner. Crazy! Totally not my normal cup of tea, but Angie Froemel of Absolute Wedding Perfection was their day of coordinator and when Angie is on board…so am I! 😉 Molly and I totally hit it off over our phone call and I knew we’d be the perfect fit! Two cross country moves (she and Zach moved from Austin to Atlanta and I moved from Knoxville to San Francisco) added some extra adventures to our schedules but everything was set and I couldn’t wait to head back home to East Tennessee for their wedding. I was SO nervous for this wedding. Sure, I always have little butterflies before a wedding; its exciting, there’s pressure and I want this to be my clients’ best day ever! But for Molly & Zach…I had dragons in my tummy…not butterflies. I arrived on the wedding day to a little bit of a stressful morning. Let me be the first (really, no, not the first, but let me add to the list) that wedding days are not rosey, sunshine filled, on-time days. They are crazy, hectic, smeared makeup, lost boutineers, missing groomsmen, etc. They are crazy…but come one…that’s what makes them pretty spectacular and memorable! Molly & Zach’s day was actually going very smoothly…there was just something different in the air that I couldn’t put my finger on. Details were photographed, and I had some spare time so I went to photograph Zach. Zach is quiet, I am not…and I think he has a striking resemblance to Tom Hanks although that was disputed. 😉 I remember walking back to the bridal suite and saying to Brandi (my second shooter) “Oh no. He hates me. We totally don’t click. My dragons just started breathing fire in my tummy.” I was terrified…its no lie. But I needed to suck it up and continue with the day. I’d work on Zach, I told myself. I ran back upstairs and began to photograph Molly putting on her finishing touches. At one point, Molly had a very serious expression and she seemed like a thousand miles away. I pulled my camera away from my face and said, “Molly,  you’re getting married today.” That’s it. The day completely changed. I’ve never seen light come out of someone like that before.

Once we were ready for the first look, the day was set. Even when the day turned a little brisk and windy, I simply had Zach wrap up Molly to keep her warm and those may be some of my all time favorite images. The feeling that was missing in the day, the air that didn’t feel quite right, all came together once Molly and Zach had their first look and I’ve never been a part of a more magical wedding day! 

Ps., after reading Zach’s first look impression, I realized it wasn’t me. Whew!

Let me also state that Molly has incredible style! Her Nicole Miller dress is probably one of my favorite to date. Coupled with her personalized jewelry and Kate Spade bracelets this girl just oozed style. I remember styling her details and thinking to myself, the black, gold, cream, and white just screams Chanel. It kinda made Molly giggle when I told her, but it was so classy and elegant.

 See what I mean…glowing!

Such a sweet Father/Daughter first look! There was not a dry eye in the room.

 To read about why this First Look was so special, please go check out Molly & Zach’s section of my First Look Series. And see what I mean about Tom Hanks..no? Just handsome!

My second shooter Brandi Major absolutely was amazing! She captured some dreamy and beautiful photos that are some of my favorites!

Molly and her father, Mark’s, dance was incredibly emotional! Mark sang to Molly as they danced and I was behind the camera just wiping tears away so I could attempt to see what I was doing. I remember Molly’s maid-of-honor saying during her speech that Molly’s best friend was in fact her mother, so it was only fitting that Mom joined Dad and daughter out on the floor for a moment together.

Then Zach pulled his mama out on the floor for a very fun and vivacious number! I just LOVE how they captured their personalities and relationship in their dances!!!

This adorable little group of ladies in their sweaters were…wedding crashers! I just died when I saw them creeping down the stairs from dinner upstairs at the club and casually strolling out onto the dance floor! They had a fun little dance that they said “Made their night!” Loved it!

 

Molly and Zach, I know the first year of your marriage has been magical, and I hope that the next 60 are even more so! Thank you two for trusting me to capture your special day! 😀

Smiles,
Kayla F

Vendors:

Reception Venue, Caterer, Bar: Tellico Village Yacht Club

Ceremony Venue: St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church

Wedding Coordinator: Angie Froemel, Absolute Wedding Perfection

Florist: Echelon Florist

Hair: MOPS Hair Designers

Makeup: Suzanne Clayton Makeup Artist
Dress: Nicole Miller from Unbridaled in Austin, TX
Garter: Southern Ever After (Etsy)
Invitations: Paper Source
Save the Dates: CardCandy by Reginald Whicker (Etsy)
Bridesmaid Dresses: Vera Wang for David’s Bridal
Bridesmaid Sashes: Lovelikestyle (Etsy)
Groom & Groomsmen Suites: Vera Wang for Men’s Warehouse
Guest Book Poster Tree: HarveyGrey (Etsy)
Bridesmaid/Bride Robes: JustCottons (Etsy) 

Table Numbers: ilLUMIEnate (Etsy)

Wedding Programs: Simply Modern Design (Etsy)

Elizabeth & John | Married

“They are your perfect couple.” I couldn’t agree more with this statement made by my amazing second shooter Brandi for Elizabeth & John’s wedding. There was such an effortless to E&J’s big day and I am just beyond excited that they asked me to document and be a part of their day! It just so happens that Elizabeth and I went to high school together (and she so happened to get married on the day of our 10 year reunion…eek!) so when she reached out to me and told me about John, I was SO excited to meet him! 

Their engagement session was amazing and I knew that their wedding day would be even more spectacular! From Elizabeth’s Etsy made dress to the small hand-sewn handkerchief that John carried, they had the most adorable and meaningful little tokens. One of my favorite moments of the day was when John handed me a letter that he wrote to Elizabeth and asked me to deliver it about 5 minutes before the ceremony. Hands down, seeing Elizabeth’s reaction and knowing how these two are with each other, I could only imagine the funny, silly, romantic and true words he wrote to her before they became husband and wife.

Extra time for photos around sunset was like being in a candy store! Elizabeth & John really wanted to spend time with each other and having these few extra moments was SO worth it! 

Thank you SO so much Elizabeth & John for running around a mountain with me and asking me to be a part of your big day! Your love and kindness towards each other and your family and friends is absolutely infectious!! 

Smiles,

Kayla F

Vendors:

Videographer- Jason Russell

Wedding Dress – Katie Jean on Etsy

Hair – Lashes and Lace by Haley

Bridal accessories – Charming Charlie’s & Target

Groom & Groomsmen Tuxes – Savvi Formalwear

Groomsmen accessories – My Personal Memories (pocketwatch) & Peachwik (wood cuff links)

Bridesmaid Dresses – David’s Bridal

Bridesmaids’ Necklaces – Lana0Crystal 

Guest Favors – American Meadows seeds

Invitations – Wedding Paper Divas

Programs – Designed & assembled by bride’s family 🙂

Wedding rings – Markman’s Jewelers & Lamon’s Jewelers

Officiant – Matt Drane (campus pastor at Chi Alpha- University of Memphis)

Guestbook – Peachwik 

Venue – Bluff Mountain Inn

Barbara & Danny | Married

February 12, 2013. That is when this incredible lady emailed me about an engagement session for her and her soon-to-be husband. She was referred by some of my ALL time favorite clients…so they HAD to be awesome…right?!! Omgsh…I couldn’t be more right! I immediately fell in love with Barbara & Danny. They weren’t from Knoxville, but they decided to make it their home. They were quiet, they were new, but they were so much of what I was looking for! I remember leaving their engagement session and thinking to myself, “I hope they choose me!”. I was a lucky girl…because they did!

Fast forward to June of 2014. Barbara is a rock. Let me just say this girl had her entire wedding planned within a month. No lie. She is a wedding force to be reckoned with. I have clients that I check in on a good amount to make sure everything is well, they aren’t feeling overwhelmed and they know I am there for any questions that they may have. I was the same way with Barbara, but there was a different feeling to our chats. I knew she had everything together, she just wanted to make sure that what she had already put together was perfect..and it was, it SO was!!!

So without further adieu, here is the amazing day of Barbara & Danny! There was prep, there was love, there was the most incredible light you’ve ever seen…and it was all for them. June 8, 2014 was the most perfect of all days!

I also have to add that my amazing second shooter Anna Hedges of Anna Hedges Photography absolutely rocked my socks off! She’s the bomb…look her up! 😀

Venue: Dara’s Garden

Videography: Silverleaf Cinemas

Florals: Lisa Foster Floral Design

DJ & Entertainment: Ogle Entertainment w/ Special Notes

Event Coordinator: Peggy Love

Catering: Rothchild Catering

Hair & Makeup: Southern Belle Beauty

Bridal Gown: Alfred Angelo

Bridesmaid Dresses: Alfred Angelo

Groom & Groomsmen Suits: Express

dana & michael {the day}

Their emotions were captivating. I knew I was going to FALL in love with Dana and Michael’s big day from the get-go. Dana has probably the biggest heart of anyone I know and Michael is right there with her to match her every step! They are perfect for each other! And their day went by so smoothly; there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the weather was incredible, the flowers were so colorful and every single one of their guests was there to have the best time! This was my first wedding out at the beautiful Dara’s Garden in Maryville and I loved every second of it! Its a lovely venue and it was definitely Dana’s ideal choice for her big day!

Dana is a book lover like none other and used books as inspiration for their big day and helped showcase the natural beauty of Dara’s Garden! Dana’s beautiful bouquet was dreamed up by Echelon Florist as Dana said she wanted a “happy and colorful” bouquet. I think they nailed it! There are many things I love about this wedding, but by far my favorite part was watching Dana and Michael together. You can tell these two are just absolutely smitten with each other! I could have taken pictures of them all day…and I’m sure they would have loved to canoodled the whole time! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 Thank you, thank you Dana & Michael for asking me to be a part of your incredible day! 

Smiles,

Kayla F

Molly and Zach {first look}

The last wedding of 2013. Wow. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about this wedding as I STILL haven’t shared the actual wedding post (I’m horrible…I know). But Molly and Zach’s writings below sum it up completely. I’m not going to lie…Zach’s account is my favorite in this series. Once you read it, you’ll totally see why!

I also want to take a minute and thank my second shooter Brandi of Brandi Major Photography.  She blew me away, especially during the First Look.

Molly:

“Our wedding day was jam-packed and we had worked out the photography timing with Kayla down to the minute but I’m so glad we included a first look. I had always wanted one as a special moment for Zach and I before all the craziness of the day. To be honest, I was nervous before it and felt a little pressure to have this big reveal with tears and all sorts of emotions flying around (Pinterest really sets the bar high!). 

Kayla found the perfect spot for it on the dock at the Tellico Yacht Club amongst the weeping willow trees. Walking up to Zach, I had butterflies but the moment he turned around, they melted away. 

The first look brought the whole day back to reality for me. The day was about us…not the flowers or the decorations or who was seated where…but about us joining our lives and our families together. It provided us a unique moment together and produced some of my favorite pictures of our entire wedding day! Zach standing in his Vera Wang suit while the weeping willows blows around him…I mean, come on!”

Zach:
“So to understand how I felt for the first look you have to understand a little about me. I’m a shy quite guy from a small town in the Midwest, with a massive social anxiety problem. I’m the kid in school that would sweat all day in class praying the teacher wouldn’t call on me. Not because I didnt know the answer, because the thought of me talking in front of 12 kids freaked me out. So this whole wedding thing? I’m a hot mess.

I think it all hit me the night before at the wedding rehearsal at the church. This is real. Panic attack, immense. Outside I was cool and calm, even though father said I looked ill. Inside, I was a pinball machine of emotions. To say I didn’t sleep well that night and almost OD’d on pepto bismol would be an understatement.

So today’s the day, picture time, yay! And by yay, I mean boo 100 times. I’m as photogenic as Mona Lisa. But Kayla and her energy were amazing. She almost, almost made me forget I was about to stand up in front of 100 people and get married.

After a bunch of solos and a bad Tom Hanks reference later it’s time for the first look. I turn around and there she is. She looks beautiful. Stunning. Amazing. I think some guys will tell you when getting married there life flashes before there eyes, usually in a light hearted joking manner but mine did. Flashbacks of seeing her the first time when we were 15, movie dates, concerts, ball games, Chicago, Austin, everything ran through my head. I turned around to the love of my life, my best friend, and for the first time in days, I felt a sense of calm, relief. Now my wife was disappointed(she wanted me to cry) but I couldn’t. I was to calm and happy. I felt home and knew that for the rest of my life, this feeling will never go away.”

I can’t wait to share their entire day and to give a back story. Their wedding was unique (for me) and it taught me SO much!!! Not only was it a stunning day, but when I can grow and learn from my couples…that is pretty awesome!

There’s one last post for this series (a late/surprise submission) and I can’t wait to share it! You might be seeing one of these faces again! 🙂

Smiles,
Kayla F

the first look {mine and my love}

The First Look. I am asked by many, many of my clients what a first look is or what all it entails. Many think that it’s just a photographer’s joy because of the timeline, and although it is lovely to help the day progress smoother, it’s by no means solely for the photographer. Instead of telling you why I, as a photographer, think that the First Look is a wonderful part of the day to consider, I want to share my feelings on the First Look as a bride. I also reached out to a few of my 2013 clients and asked them to share their thoughts and feelings on their first look…before and after their big day. Their responses will be a small series for this week!

May 4, 2013 was and will always be the best day of my life. It’s the day that I promised myself to my best friend and a day when we were surrounded by every single person that we love dearly, whether they were there physically, or only in spirit. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to experience a first look with Rob. Not because I was a photographer (well, not entirely) but because I had been a part of many weddings previously hearing the bride and many times, the groom, stating how they “just wanted to see him/her”. Rob is my best friend. He calms me when I’m anxious, nervous or scared. He brings out my silliness and continues to push me in how I think and act. He is my balance. On the biggest and most important day of my life, I wanted to spend it with him! Our ceremony was scheduled for 6:30PM and I didn’t want to go all day without seeing him. I would honestly be a wreck and probably wouldn’t have been able to walk down the aisle. It wasn’t an easy sell. Rob was pretty adamant about not doing a First Look. I bribed him, telling him I’d give him the music, food, cake, alcohol, first dance, ANYTHING as long as I could do the First Look. After so much hesitancy, he knew how much it meant to me and he agreed.

I don’t know if I’ve ever been more on time for anything in my life. Well, we might have been late, but who is looking at a clock on their wedding day? I can remember walking down the hallway of the house and seeing him in the window leading out of the front door. I took a small minute, closed my eyes and reminded myself what today was about. He and I. Our love and our lives together. I’m a moosh ball. I cry at absolutely everything, but I had an overwhelming calm in that moment. The tears I had in my eyes were excitement and happiness and I couldn’t wait to walk out those doors. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves (as I have rambled way too much already). Can I say that the first look was the best decision we made for our wedding? After our photographer, yes. Easily. I think the photos speak volumes for that moment. 

{From Rob}

When Kayla initially told me about the first look, I was 100% against it. For a bride, at least it seemed to me, there are a lot of different things they imagine for their wedding day; their dress, the venue, the details, etc. For me, the one thing I had ever really imagined for my wedding day was watching my bride walk down the aisle and seeing her for the first time. The anticipation, the excitement, all of it.

After some convincing, and seeing how important it was to Kayla, I gave in and I’m very happy I did. Not only was the first look far more intimate than a traditional walk-down-the-aisle-look could be, it also allowed me to spend a majority of the day with my soon-to-be wife! That was hands down the best part. We didn’t have to wait all day to see each other and got to spend more of our special day together. We even snuck in a shot before the ceremony! 🙂

In the end, I cherish the time I spent with Kayla before the ceremony as much if not more than the ceremony itself.

{All photos are copyrighted to Jennie Andrews Photography…the best photographer ever!}

I can’t wait to share the thoughts of a few of my other couples over the next couple of days! There are some amazing memories!

Smiles,

Kayla F

callie & matt {the day} | San Francisco Wedding Photographer

These two have incredible hearts! It always amazes me how I continue to have the sweetest, caring, laid back and humble clients again and again. Callie and Matt were absolutely no exception! Their day was incredibly beautiful; from the weather, to the decor, to their friends, families and guests, the day was full of love and so much support!

Twin Cedar Farms in Maryville, TN was such a beautiful backdrop for their September wedding! And Callie’s dress…I’m a little bit obsessed. 🙂

I also want to give a lovely hug and shout out to my amazing second shooter for this wedding! Jenn Brown with Jenn Brown Photo absolutely rocked and was 8 months preggo…She’s a champ!

 

 

Probably some of the best expressions for a first look! So perfect! 😀

 

 

Best first kiss ever! I love how Matt pulls Callie in, he once again gets covered in lipstick, and Callie takes her hanky and cleans him up. So tender!

 Callie and Matt absolutely made my day when they let me sneak them away from their reception for about 5 minutes for some beautiful soft light pictures. The sun was at its peak earlier in the day during their pictures, and I really wanted to capture the softness as the sun was setting over the mountains. East TN continues to amaze me with its natural beauty. The mountains, the sun, the trees…I honestly love and miss it so much! These are so of my absolute favorite from the day! 😀

 

Callie and Matt, I couldn’t have asked for two more caring and amazing clients! The love that you have for each other absolutely radiated that day and looking back on these images just brought me the same happiness that I experienced then. Thank you for asking me to be a part of your big day!

Smiles,

Kayla F

abby & andrew {the big day} | san francisco wedding photographer

I am absolutely SO incredibly excited to share this adorable and super lovely, intimate wedding that I had the pleasure of shooting this summer. Abby and Andrew are perfect. Perfect for each other in a way that when you sit down with them, its immediately evident. 

When I met Abby & Andrew last year, (omgsh…its already last year) Abby began to tell me about her and Andrew’s big day and I was just in LOVE! One of the first things she told me about (and she was SO giddy about) was that her dress was being custom made! Ahhh! Colleen at White Bridal Orchid was working on this incredible gem for Abby and it turned out perfect. Perfect length, perfect amount of whimsical, just perfect everything!

I absolutely LOVED this part of the day! Abby was putting on her final touches and then her girlfriends all broke out into “Chapel of Love”. It was one of the absolute cutest moments I’ve gotten to capture!

Eeek! I love the excitement from Abby! Andrew was soooo excited to see her and kept rubbing his hands together! It was so sweet! The rain might have come right at the moment of them seeing each other, but it didn’t change anything!

This was my first Jewish ceremony to be a part of. Abby and Andrew told me a lot about what would happen so that I would be prepared, especially since it isn’t similar to a traditional Christian ceremony. I loved that Abby and Andrew would see each other before the ceremony and THAT is tradition! There are SO many intentional and beautiful rituals in Jewish ceremonies. To hear Rabi explain their duties and commitments to each other and then, them sign their promise to withhold these (the Ketubah) was something incredibly amazing to be a part of.

Since the Ketubah is a gift from the groom to his bride, the Rabi asked for Andrew to present it to Abby. Again, the symbolism is just beautiful!

One of the pictures that Abby wanted (and who can blame her), was the picture of Andrew seeing her come down the aisle with her parents. I love this little series.

There really is so much symbolism to the ceremony. I love that both parents bring their child down the aisle and then enter the Chuppah separately from the bride and groom. The bride comes and meets her groom and they enter together. I get chill bumps every time I think about it!

 

 

The last images I was able to take where of Abby & Andrews grandparents dancing. Seriously…how adorable is this?!?!?

Abby and Andrew, I seriously cannot tell you two enough how much I LOVED your day! There was SO much love and excitement and I am so honored to have been a part of it! 

Smiles,

Kayla F

 Wedding Day Magic

Dress: White Orchid Bridal
Flowers: Sevier Blumen
Catering and cake: Carles-Witt Events
Wedding planner: Julie Carles, Carles-Witt Events

Ketubah: KetubahStudio (Etsy shop)

Bride’s ring: Blair House Estate Jewlery

Groom’s ring: MaggiDesigns (Etsy shop)

shayna & cody {the day} part 2

This.wedding.rocks! In case you haven’t taken a seen Part 1, you can check that out here!
I loved this wedding for so many reasons! Not only are Shayna and Cody the sweetest and just plain fun, but their wedding was SO laid back! Shayna wanted to only concentrate on her and Cody pre-ceremony! Having the bridal party and pictures right after the ceremony let us have PLENTY of time for the first look and bride and groom portraits. I almost want to suggest this to all of my couples! 🙂

And all the kiddos at the wedding were so cute!!! And Mr. Turtle…was totally the additional guest that didn’t RSVP but just showed up! 

They’re married!!!!! 

These next two images are two of my FAVORITE!!! There’s something magical about black and white…it makes me crazy happy! 

These may be the most emotional parent dance photos I’ve taken in a while! I just sat there crying behind my camera with everyone else!

Loved my second shooter Liz with Elizabeth Nord Photography!!! She was so amazing and a few of these images are her eye! 😀

They’re awesome impromptu sunflower seed exit!! Seriously, how cute are they!?

Shayna and Cody!!! You know how much I just love you two and your wedding day!!! It was the perfect brunch wedding and everything you wanted!!! So happy you asked me to share it with you and your amazing friends and family! 

Smiles,

Kayla F