This sweet couple was supposed to have their intimate wedding in 30a in a little white chapel, but when Covid changed their plans they made the best of it. They moved their wedding to Nashville and used a family member’s home as the venue. Fun Fact: The home once belonged to Johnny Cash’s daughter, Cindy, and her husband. How cool is that?! When I asked Megan what made her wedding day memorable, her words blew me away.

“I always dreamed that a destination wedding on the beach would make my wedding memorable, but little did I know that a pandemic would change that all. In the end, what made our day memorable was the way family, vendors and friends rallied around us to create a more memorable day than we could have imagined. Each detail felt like an outpouring of love. We sat around the table at the end of the night and knew that the commitment we just made would be supported and celebrated for a lifetime. Every detail of our wedding changed, but the people supporting us never did.

Hold every plan loosely and remember at the end of the day it's not about the event, but about the powerful commitment of marriage and the love between you.” - Megan

Wow… Truer words have never been spoken. It’s not about where you get married, how many flower arrangements you have, or how big your cake is. While all of those elements can be fun, at the end of the day it’s all about your commitment to each other and the people you choose to surround yourselves with on that day.

To be honest, I’ve become completely obsessed with backyard weddings! The freedom it gives you to create a beautiful space and forces you to go small with the guest list is so amazing. Even if you might not have a big beautiful backyard (I know I definitely don’t), don’t be afraid to ask family members who do. Backyard weddings are so much more personal to your story and it can be a place that you can revisit again and again.

Did you notice Megan’s gorgeous, embroidered veil? It was her mother’s veil that she wore on her wedding day! It is so special when couples incorporate such meaningful details into their wedding day. That veil was so incredibly beautiful and went so well with the classic, lace wedding dress that complimented Megan’s shape so well..

What was most important to you in planning your wedding? - Kayla

“An intimate ceremony with our family was my top priority from the beginning. All the details we chose circled back to a special meaning between us or a way to honor someone in our family. It made the day feel personal to us.” - Megan

This couple made their whole day centered around their commitment to each other and Jesus Christ and you could just feel the love and happiness throughout the whole day.

They wanted their location and loved ones to be the focus of the wedding and their photos, so they intentionally chose white and green accents to naturally blend into their surroundings. Their family planted potted plants around the property and borrowed many of the same elements for the reception. Btw, you can’t go wrong with a long family table illuminated by string lights and candles. Lots of DIY elements went into the decor as well. Megan’s mom sewed the runner for the table, they borrowed brass candle holders, and a friend hand wrote the place cards on watercolor paper.

What was it like working with me on the day of? - Kayla

“Kayla was a gift! Her kind and personable ways made her an easy fit for our family. She felt like a close friend when we needed her to take the lead, but she also managed to capture the most incredible moments and angles. We were shocked when we looked through the pictures as a family and no one remembered her even standing close by when the moment was captured. She truly has a skill at being present and aware of both the beauty and the emotion of the day. I've never loved photos of myself and my husband tends to shy away from any posed photo moments. Kayla listened to these concerns and captured us in the most natural and effortless way. Looking back through the photos through our day almost felt like watching a movie as we could feel the emotion in the photos. I wish I could frame every photo she took as they each feel like a work of art.” - Megan

I truly love photographing weddings where so much emphasis is put on moments and memories. For instance, Megan's dad had always dreamt of dancing with her on her wedding day. He even had picked a song already picked out! Seeing as how the wedding was so small and they didn’t want to seek attention, it didn’t look like that was going to happen. However, as the wedding got closer, they decided to surprise her Dad with a special dance. They started with their first dance and you could see the realization of what was happening on her dad’s face. Not only was he shocked, but was overcome with emotion. Then the queued her Dad's pre-selected song and it brought tears to everyone's eyes.  It truly was one of the most special memories of the day.

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