I’ll confess I was a bit worried on Saturday that the wind and brisk temperature might force us to reschedule the shoot, but fortunately CariAnn and Scott are an outdoorsy couple who were enthusiastic about getting some portraits made. CariAnn and Scott wanted some of these photographs to include their four-legged family members, and I was happy to accommodate that wish (I love dogs!).

We enjoyed great light, and had a lot of fun shooting in Franklin and then later in downtown Nashville. Thanks for making me your engagement photographer guys!

The day started out cloudy and cold, and I remember thinking to myself what a shame it was that we wouldn’t have any sunlight to pull out the beautiful fall colors in the trees on the Riley family farm. I needn’t have worried. Just a while before the ceremony, the clouds fled the sky to reveal a perfect autumn day here in Middle Tennessee.

A wedding photographer couldn’t ask for a more wonderful family with which to work. Jennifer’s parents are the kindest and most hospitable hosts one could hope to meet… and this day was also their wedding anniversary. Ron toasted both his daughter and new son-in-law, but also his amazing wife… and not a dry eye was left in the tent (as documented in Daniel’s moving photo).

The second-to-last image of Jennifer and Josh under the stars outside the tent was a fun (and technically tricky) way to document the night-time scene, while creating a romantic portrait of the newlyweds.

Vendor List Forthcoming!

If you would like to register to see the entire gallery of images once I have them edited, please click on the link here:
Jennifer & Josh’s Pictage Gallery

images by Evan Baines and Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

beautiful stars out in the TN countryside…

the last dance…

Courtney and Mike were married at Saint Philip’s Catholic Church in Franklin, and held their reception at The Factory. Daniel and I began the day documenting the wedding preparations inside the Journey Church in building 8 of the Factory. The rain outside and the soft lighting inside gave a very tranquil feel to the preparations. The rain broke just as we departed for the church, only a few blocks away, and soon after a beam of sunlight broke through the window of the bridal room, brightening everyone’s spirits. My favorite shot of the day is of the little flower girl playing in the curtains, bathed in light, with Courtney looking on. I loved the bright, clean feel of the church, and worked to reflect that in my ceremony images. Because we were running tight on time with the Saturday PM mass fast approaching, we opted instead to shoot the group photos across from the Factory in a field, which enabled us to feature the newly-minted azure skies.

The reception was casual and fun, with my favorite moment occurring when Courtney’s father stepped up to ensure that no “funny business” went on while Mike retrieved her garter in preparation for its flight. In the photo, you can see Courtney’s mother in the background laughing riotously.

We closed the night with some atmospheric romantic portraits outside at the Factory. Mike: you’ve come a long way from the guy I first met who wasn’t thrilled to have his picture taken. I’m happy to refer you to some of the talent agencies here in town if you’d like.

I can’t say enough good things about Daniel’s work throughout the day: he’s not a second shooter, but rather an additional primary wedding photographer as far as I’m concerned. This small sample should give you a feel for just how great of a photographer he is!

Thank you to all of the vendors whose hard work helped the day to go so smoothly!

Caterer: Classic Caterering by Julie
Cake: Two Chicks and Some Flour
Video: Sarah Allen Media Productions
Limo: Spring Hill Limo Services
DJ: Cale Carver
Dress: The White Room
Linens: Southern Events
Tux: Street Tuxedos
Flowers: Belles & Buttercups

You can register to see the entire gallery and order prints when I finish editing everything! Click here!

selecting songs for the playlist

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

she got the bouquet WAY up there…

Elizabeth and Bill were married this past weekend at a beautiful ceremony in Our Savior Lutheran Church here in Nashville, TN. I couldn’t have asked for a couple with more sincerity and chemistry. The reception was held at fabulous Belmont Mansion, which also made my photographic job easier.

If you are interested in being notified when the entirety of this wedding is edited and released for viewing and ordering (a few more weeks!), please follow this link and sign up for Elizabeth & Bill’s online gallery:

http://www.pictage.com/700719

Thanks for looking!

So I’ve gotta say I was a bit offended when the best man accused me of pandering, because I was wearing my Boston Red Sox cufflinks to the wedding. I’ll have you know that I’ve been a Sox fan since my college days up at Bentley in Waltham, MA! I figured that Raina & Jeff would think it was cool, but I certainly didn’t buy them just to impress a set of clients!

(kidding)

Anyway… You may notice a decidedly Fenway-centric theme running through this set. That is entirely intentional.

I think that two of the most meaningful images for me are the two shots up in the stairwell, taken just after the ceremony. Raina & Jeff had just run up there to stay out of side while the crowds subsided, and those photographs are unscripted and genuine. Another poignant moment occured during Raina’s sister’s toast: Raina’s expression listening to her sister speak is priceless.

As usual, thanks to Kristin Carolan for doing such an amazing job organizing and coordinating!

Wedding Planner: Kristin Carolan of Simply Stunning Events
Wedding Venue: Belmont Heights Baptist Church
Reception Venue: The Country Music Hall of Fame
Catering: SoBro Catering
Florals: Fresh by Carry Ann
Cake: Cakes by Shara
DJ: Brent Cantrell with Cosmo Creations
Videographer: Realize Studios

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

I was thrilled to photograph Jenny & Tim’s beautiful wedding this past Saturday. You couldn’t ask for a more friendly or sincere group of people. The feel of the wedding was simple, classic, and vintage. The intimate ceremony was held in Owen’s Chapel Church of Christ in Brentwood, erected back in the 1800′s, and the reception was at Traveler’s Rest Plantation. Tim is a photographer himself, and both he and Jenny had a specific vision for their wedding photography: classic & elegant photojournalism and editorial portraiture.

Kristin Carolan did a superb job coordinating all of the details, and all the other vendors did a great job as well!

Thanks for making me a part of your day guys! It was brutal trying to whittle this set down to this few images!

Wedding Planner: Kristin Carolan of Simply Stunning Events
Ceremony Venue: Owen’s Chapel Church of Christ
Reception Venue: Traveler’s Rest Plantation
Catering: Menu Maker Catering (Mary Weary)
Florals: Rachel Short Designs
Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting
Cake: Maples Wedding Cakes
Videographer: Realize Studios
Makeup: Lisa Johnson
Keyboardist: Kevin Reeves
Ceremony Musician: Andrea Carroll (Violinist)

Accolade of Excellence, 2009 WPPI First-Half 8×10″ Print Competition

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

this little fellow was very impressed by my camera’s 10 frames-per-second

Wow, its been a busy few weeks and its not getting any slower! I apologize to y’all if my emails and phone calls aren’t as super-prompt as I usually try to be. I was away in the early part of this week up in Chicago shooting a wedding with my good friend Sam Hassas, which also gave me the opportunity to spend some quality time with my brother and sister-in-law. For those of you who don’t know Sam, he’s a brilliant wedding photographer based in San Jose, and I’ve had the privilege of shooting with him twice in the past year.

Anyway, a few months back we took Lisa to Union Station in downtown Nashville to create some stylish bridal portraits. Unfortunately, the Mexican resort where Lisa got married didn’t allow outside photographers, but I’ll be photographing her state-side reception in a few weeks up in Indianapolis. Now that Lisa is safely married, I’m able to post these portraits of which I’m quite proud. The folks over at Hair Mafia did a great job on her hair and makeup, which really makes a huge difference!

We’ve had a dicey run with weather here in the Nashville area lately, and last Saturday was no exception. We were fortunate, however, that other than a few sprinkles the rain held off for Tanya & Aaron’s beautiful outdoor wedding on the family farm in Franklin. I think one of the most touching moments for me was when Tanya walked from the house to the ceremony with her daughter, and Aaron went out to meet the two ladies at the end of the aisle. The trio walked down the aisle together, as a new family. It was a wonderful symbolic gesture, and really tells the story of this great group of people. Note that my associate Daniel went skeet shooting with the guys in the morning, thus the weapons in the shot of Aaron and his father.

Thanks to all the vendors whose hard work made the day go off without a hitch!

Wedding Planner: Marcia Husband
Floral Stylings: Knestrick by Design
Tents/Party Rentals: Liberty Party Rental
Wedding Cake: Publix of Franklin
Event Lighting: Tech Works
Ceremony Music: The Marty Crum Quartet
Reception Music: The Clarence Dobbins Revue
Catering: Namie Mason
Limo: Valet Parking Management & Transportation

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

image by Daniel Shaw

Damp weather couldn’t dampen our spirits on Saturday as Daniele and André tied the knot at St. Henry’s church. As a photographer, I look at situations like rain as an opportunity for interesting and unique images. The 5th shot in this set is one of my favorite pieces of photojournalism this year: Daniele being helped into the church by the chauffeur holding an umbrella, while her father holds the door.

I also feel like this is an excellent opportunity to give a shout out to my good friend Dave Nuding with Nashville’s Blue Tone Music group. Having a good band or DJ at your reception can really make an impact on how your party runs, and the Blue Tones are among the very best I’ve seen. I’ve known Dave for a while through TWESA, where he coordinated our spring Habitat for Humanity build, but this was my first time actually working with him. The Blue Tones have a well-deserved reputation for excellence.

Among the emotional high-points of the day were almost certainly the serenades: Daniele and her father are both supremely talented musicians. First, Mr. Caroleo grabbed a guitar and performed a beautiful rendition of “Always” for his daughter, and then she took the stage in turn and captivated the entire hall with her amazing voice, styling the classic “My Romance” for André. The pair capped off their performances for the evening with a stunning version of “Unforgettable.”

Thanks to Daniele and André for making me a part of their day, to Amber Housley for her help and excellent job coordinating the occasion, and to all the other vendors who made the day such a success!

Wedding Venue: St. Henry Catholic Church
Reception Venue: The University Club of Nashville
Wedding Coordinator: A Delightful Day Event Planning
Floral Design: Rhonda Patton Designs
Cake: Maples Wedding Cakes
Band: The Blue Tones
Stationary & Paper Details: Sweet Life Designs
Lighting: Nashville Event Lighting
Ceremony Musicians: Nashville Chamber Players
Limousine: Matchless Limousine
Guest Transportation: Anchor Tours

Courtney & George were married yesterday in a lovely ceremony at the West End Church of Christ. Now that they’re safely married, I can finally post Courtney’s stunning bridal images. She’s got a beautiful classic style, which I worked to augment with some vintage-inspired shots. The color images utilize a treatment inspired by the carbro-color shots of the 1940′s. I was thrilled to receive two major awards for my work in this set!

Bridal Gown by The White Room in Lebanon, TN, with vintage gloves.

Accolade of Excellence, WPPI First-Half 2009 International Print Competition