Hope and I met in college, as well as have several mutual friends in common. So when we reconnected at the prospect of me capturing her wedding I was thrilled!! I met up with Hope and Chad for their engagement session, part of which we captured at the Pinnacles where they had their first date. As the wedding day approached the weather forecast looming overhead put a damper in their original plans. So instead of a private family farm the location was shifted to Bible Baptist church in Mount Vernon, Ky. It turned out being more beautiful than I could’ve imagined!! This wedding day was small and intimate yet classy and timeless at the same time with a neutral color palette.
When I arrived I gathered Hope’s details and began photographing her elegant touches amidst subtle pops of champagne and ivory. Hope was somehow a combination of chill, yet organized as a bride throughout the day. After I finished her details she literally offered me her Marc Jacobs perfume because she wouldn’t use it, I mean how amazing is she?! She was also planning a reception dress change so we captured both. Her first dress was a sleek silky dress that was very flattering and she had a sweet moment with her momma helping her zip up the dress. Next it was time for Chad’s getting ready moment! He seemed excited, yet mirrored Hope’s chill go with the flow persona. His mom helped with his boutonniere, a custom one made from a fishing hook. Family and people were such an integral part of this day, as it appeared to be a most important value to the couple. After a few finishing touches, it was time to prepare Chad for the first look.
The first look took place behind the church, which was set high on a hill overlooking the Kentucky scenery. This spot in particular had a pretty overarching tree with the horizon line in the distance. It made the perfect spot for Hope and Chad to share a sweet moment and then go into portraits from there. They had shared private vows earlier that day. One plus of having an intimate day with a toned back guest list and no bridal party is getting to really soak in every moment together in my opinion. Hope and Chad did just that. Their lighthearted, playful and loving way of interacting with each other was the sweetest.
The ceremony took place outside the front of the stone textured church with a beautiful towering steeple that reached towards the clouds. The rain never fell and Hope got to have the outdoor ceremony she’d dreamed of! The ceremony featured the cutest ring bearer!! To end this portion of the day and celebrate finally being husband and wife, a butterfly release has been planned. Guests released their butterflies as Hope and Chad walked down the aisle as husband and wife. While it took some coaxing we managed to get a hint of some orange wings from the butterflies floating around!
After some family photos and portraits it was time for the reception and I loved the atmosphere of this particular one, from the people being the priority to the ice cream truck outside..it was definitely memorable! Not to mention the endless soundtrack of Taylor Swift instrumentals playing in the background to my amusement. That’s not even the best part! Throughout the whole evening, Hope made a point to talk to almost every guest wanting to hear about their lives and what they’ve been up to– literally on her own wedding day. If that doesn’t scream the MOST intentional and thoughtful bride ever, I don’t know what does! We snuck away for portraits, this time accompanied by more butterflies! This was a more intimate release so we got to have a little more fun and time with these beauties! We ended the night with Chad and Hope enjoying their own Moody Cows ice cream from the truck, which was complete with a custom menu and flavors named after them. It was definitely a hit of the night!
