This shoot was so much fun! I’ve driven by this mini-golf course for years and thought it would be so much fun to shoot there someday.. over time I forgot about it.. until I received an email from Tasha with the idea to shoot there! My excitement went from 0-10 in seconds. I got even more excited when I drove up on the place and realized it’s been a while since these larger than life characters had received a good paint job. The more run down, the better. It just adds to the humor! We had as much fun laughing at the creatures around the next corner as we did the actual shooting! Spiders, cave-men, king-kong, pirates.. they were all there in attendance! So much fun. Our next stop was the beautiful concord park. I really got to test out some new techniques I’ve been learning from Jose Villa’s new book Fine Art Wedding Photography..  metering for the shadows, hunting perfect light and freedom of the “non-posed” couple. I learned so much and simply adore the product. I can’t wait to shoot the wedding of this sweet sweet couple in a few months. Their love is so many years strong and their love is deep. This makes my job so much more fun. Check it out!!

i am ONE picky girl when it comes to the products i want to provide my Lori Hensley brides… before i finally decided on an album company i had to touch them, feel them, pick them up, throw them around a bit [okay, maybe no throwing occurred].. but they definitely were put through the test. i had heard great things about the company i love today, Renaissance Albums, but i had to see for myself before the GO button was pushed. needless to say.. once i got a hold of them.. they blew me away and 2 years later they are still my album provider of choice. there is an audible squeal coming from my front porch when i see one has been delivered and this happened just last week. i thought i’d take you through the process to see what the finished product and all the excitement is all about! take a peek!

this particular delivery brought 2 albums.. one for a bride and one for my office.. the difference is the cover material 1] silk + 2] leather. i adore both!

So I spent some time last week taking some frames of a wedding album that came in the mail for a client and while shooting my sweet boxers came to hang out with me.. I had totally forgotten the pictures I took of them till I was just going through the album images.. they were so precious I just HAD to share.. David just walked into the room, saw the shots and said “that’s cute as crap” and I agree..

meet Marley + Luci

This wedding was perfect.. everything from the decor, the colors, the dress, the suits, the people.. even the timing of the rain.. perfect. I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Krishna + Chad in Chattanooga last week and feel very lucky to have done so. The location was absolutely breathtaking! My second shooter, Amanda, and I drove up and I think there was a literal GASP! The place, Fairyland Club, looked like a castle and the view was one for the books. See for yourself!!

p.s. This uber fabulous event was planned + designed by the awesome FOXY EVENTS! You can contact them by clicking this link –> CLICK HERE

Joy, joy. This post gives me such great joy for so many reasons. The biggest is I get to introduce one my favorite people. I met Danielle last fall while helping with the super amazing high school ministry Young Life. I wasn’t able to help with YL very long, but the short time I was a part of it.. these people changed my life.. or kick started this incredible journey I’ve been on with God for the last 8 months.. that has turned into the most beautiful time in my life. Danielle was a big part of that.. along with the rest of the GHS team. Their love and hunger for Jesus and to spread his story encouraged me and woke me up to something I had missed since college. I am incredibly indebted to these folks and couldn’t be more proud to call them friends. The handful of meaningful conversations I’ve had with this girl are worth more than gold. So, you can imagine.. when she asked me to be her wedding photographer. I absolutely flipped.

Now I’ve told you what a super-awesome girl Danielle is.. I must say Peyton is just as cool! These two have such a sweet romance and friendship. They love to laugh, love to play and love Jesus.. I seriously think this is the absolute key to a great marriage. I’m so so so lucky/blessed to know first hand about amazing marriages because I seriously wake up to it every day. It’s laughing, playing, never taking yourself too seriously, cherishing and perusing God together that has made it so awesome. Danielle + Peyton will know exactly what this looks like and the excitement it brings.. I have no doubt! Meet my friends….

oh.. and the last shot is of me and my cutie-petootie hubby.. well.. our footwear.

Oh my goodness.. I’m absolutely convinced there is no more refreshing place to be than out of doors.. especially in the woods, away from the hussle and bussle. The smell of fresh air, the feeling of the warm sun.. it clears the mind of everything! My sweet hubby David and I absolutely adore the outdoors.. it’s the perfect get away. When we’ve been couped up in the house for more than 2 weeks we get the strong itch to get out and play. Things have been extra crazy busy these days.. so this weekend’s trip could NOT have come at a better time! It was perfect!! Every once in a while, while hiking, we would catch a glimpse of each other and just smile, huge, ear to ear.
The best part of this little adventure was we didn’t make it alone. My mom is NOT the outdoor loving type, like a her daughter. She would much prefer a day of shopping to a day of hiking. This is why I was so proud of her for pulling herself up by her boot straps and agreeing to David, Larry [my stepdad], and my pleading to make the journey! She loved every minute of it and as did I. We adored being able to share something so special to us.. with her. Oh, and an adventure it was!!

Leconte Lodge is amazing. Once you’ve hiked the 5 miles to the top of Mt. Leconte, you’ll find about 10 cabins nestled in the woods with the most amazing view of the valley. The Lodge itself is full of folks at around 6pm for one of the best dinners you’ve ever had. People from all over the place, chat, laugh and tell stories to totally strangers. It’s beautiful. One of the COOLEST things we witnessed was the full table beside us. I met the ladies of the table later and she explained to me that every year her family has a reunion at the top of the mountain. The group was about 15 people strong with grandparents down to the babies of the family. Yes, a couple hiked the treck with their little one and we can’t WAIT to do with same. We decided right then and there we were going to do the same thing. One day we will be the grandparents looking around the table at our kids and grandkids.. telling stories, laughing, loving. We can’t wait. I’m so grateful for that vision

I could literally write about this for days.. but my favorite moment, by far, I must share [and is included in the images below].. right before we start the trail, mom reaches into her pants pocket and about 30 seconds later pulls out a handful of cosmetics. 2 lipstick colors and 2 matching liplines. The woman won’t leave the house without it. I love it, respect it and adore it. What an awesome weekend with awesome memories and stories to tell. Can’t wait to go back!!

Yay for Katie + Mike! I’m super excited about shooting this couple’s wedding THIS weekend! They are barrels of fun. I always suggest bringing props to the engagement session.. and I always encourage creativity and cleverness. I was so pumped when Katie started pulling some ADORABLE stuff out of her car for the shoot.. 10 minutes later we had it all set up and it was a vintage “styled” shoot! Way to go Katie! This girl has done her research on wedding blogs and had some incredible ideas. If you find yourself in Krutch Park, in the middle of downtown, anytime soon.. you may find little remnants of our shoot.. cute little cardboard hearts hanging over the pond. We left them there to brighten someone’s day and hopefully it has. Well, without further adieu.. here’s Katie and Mike!

I am soooooo excited to post these images! Why? This is my family! Well, one of them.. and a future one of them. Gabe is my cousin.. and Raysha is my soon to be cousin and I could NOT be more excited to call her that. What a sweetheart. When I see Gabe or even just a picture of him or his sister [Amber].. so many memories flood my mind. Every year my grandmom loaded us cousins into the car and drove us to good ol’ Myrtle Beach. This took place for about 5-6 years [i'm pretty sure] and each year has it’s own set of hilarious stories.. [which we recounted as we drove around Cades Cove for this shoot]. Oh, the memories. I love these two and am so honored to be able to shoot their love and their wedding next spring.

Again, this session was shoot in the stunning Cades Cove portion of the Great Smokey Mountains [one of my very favorite places on earth]. I doubt these images will bring you as much joy as they bring me.. because they are a part of my heart.. but here’s to hoping!

Holy moly! You’re about to see one AWESOME wedding, hosted by an incredibly AWESOME couple at one of the most SUPER COOL locations in these parts! I’m so excited about posting this wedding.. 1. Because I think the images just speak to my style and inspiration was at an all time HIGH with the surroundings and all the details 2. Because I’ve officially unleashed my branding! Over the last month or so I’ve been slowly releasing little sneaks here and there.. today.. it has arrived! I’m so stinkin thrilled with Kate Moore Creative and her genius. I checked out the proof for my information magazine today and I literally teared up. I can’t believe I’m doing what I’ve always dreamed of doing. Good grief, I’m just beside myself. I’m so undeserving of all I have and can only give thanks and praise and credit to God. Oh, so thankful! Wow.. tangent.. back to the pictures..

Shala + Brandon, you created such a perfect day and I’m so thrilled I was able to get to know you guys and your sweet sweet friends through the process. I’m not kidding about the bridal fashion shoot with all the girls! Lots of fun to come!!

A big ol’ hug and thank you to my sweet friend Ashley for letting take some practice newborn pictures of her new bundle.. little Emily. Oh, she’s so precious. It’s so fun to see someone who you’ve basically grown up with.. become a mother. I love hearing about all the ins and outs of new motherhood and look forward to the day, in the coming years, when David and I become parents ourselves. We dream about it often and talk about what kind of parents we want to be [and don't want to be.. hehe].. but mostly about what our children will be like… will they fall in love with music and dream about nothing more than the piano.. or will they be oober creative artists who want nothing more than to move to a big city [oh how we hope they do, so we can come visit fun places]! We can’t wait to find out.

On the note of newborn sessions.. I’m trying to develop the kind of style I want to go for with these.. my favorite aspects of people to photograph are the relationships.. so I want to focus on the love between parents and baby.. it’s fun playing around and one day when I know what direction I want to go with this I’ll announce the offering of a newborn session.. for now there is a really awesome newborn photographer I recommend to everyone! If you are in need of one.. send me an email and I’ll send you on your way!! Until then… enjoy sweet little Emily!