Kalyn Bowra and Colin Crosby had a gorgeous wedding and reception with the help of H Three Events.  The wedding took place at Cathedral of the Incarnation with a reception at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens.  We had a great time getting to photograph the wedding and the beautiful couple.  The bridal party knew how to have a good time which made for a terrific party, and Colin and Kalyn (and her parents) weren’t afraid to get up and sing with the band at one point.  Certain weddings just become memorable events for the people attending.  With the right group of people, the right environment, the right band, and the right weather you have the chance to be part of an event is greater than the planning that goes into it; it’s just magic.  We had a blast and love all of the pictures and memories that go along with them.

One of most memorable parts of the evening was the surprise box of butterflies. Kalyn was not aware that this was planned. As gifts go, live creatures in a box is not a surprise most would be able to prepare themselves for anyways, especially in front of 150 people.  I don’t think the giver expected Kalyn to be so caught off guard that she would drop the box of lethargic, jet lagged, cryogenically kept, semi-defrosted, exotic butterflies.  As the lid-less box hit the ground upside down, I expected the worst.  I thought, now this innocent child, who was coaxed by an adult into giving this box of delicate creatures over to the bride very gently, in hopes of seeing a rainbow of wing activity fill the air as their long awaited freedom had finally come, is now going to see a pile of loose butterfly parts as soon as the box is turned over.

Luckily, upon uncovering the sleepyheads, we found most to be intact yet still very unaware that daylight was their cue to perform.  As children ran up to help remind them how to soar by using the paper airplane approach of an over arm throw with little success, it became apparent that babying them until they were fully thawed and ready to fly on their own would be the best way to keep down the casualties.  As rough as this may sound I’m sure the butterflies knew what they were getting themselves into when they signed up.

I hope you all don’t mind a bit of humor from time to time…

We had a lot of fun in Scotland with the Bardwell’s and Guillory’s. The weekend started with dinner Thursday night as everyone arrived from the US at different times and tried to not look too jet lagged. The festivities and accommodations were at The Wedderburn Castle south of Edinburgh 45 minutes. On Friday, we slept in and then had an assortment of highland games and Scottish heritage with dancing and falconry. The rehearsal followed and then dinner. It rained solid for three days leading up to Saturday so we were all prepared for the worst.

Saturday (wedding day) around noon the clouds broke so Emily Bardwell (the bride) and I rushed out to get a few pictures just in case the weather took another turn. The stars aligned and we got exactly what we were hoping for. For the wedding, everyone hopped on a red double-decker bus and headed to a little chapel about five miles away. The group was small, about 50 of their closest family and friends made the journey to Scotland. It was a really special event for us because rarely does an event last more than a day or even a day and a half. As time goes by and we get to know everyone it becomes very easy to get the candid images we love so much without interrupting life.

Probably my favorite part of the wedding was the castle. We were essentially in someone’s home that was over 300 years old. It had 20 foot ceilings throughout, huge 100 year old paintings of regal family members, a drawing room that was as big as my house; not to mention taller. The lawn is like one big putting green, that really short soft grass from golf courses (it makes sense since golf originated there), that you could sleep on and not expect to see any bugs. I think I will try that in my lawn, don’t worry I’ll do research and figure out how impossible it is before I start.

Every Wedding is different and unique, and some more than others.  Khaki Bedford and Carl Fritscher were married at the Inn at Middleton Place in Charleston, SC.  The location had beautiful organic modern architecture set into the weeping sandy forests or the coastal Carolinas.  Mix that with a bunch of fun loving NYC punk-glam rockers with friends and you have a very unique wedding. Like her sister (Elizabeth Katz), Khaki is very artistic and particular, but laid back. Khaki is an amazing freelance photographer and currently works for Magnum Photos in NYC as a Digital Archivist. Khaki’s husband Carl is the lead singer and guitarist of The Templars (since 1993) along with Matt Katz, her sister’s husband; he also produces records in his spare time..

Don’t let the tatoos and black wedding dress fool you, while Khaki’s style is very non-Nashville, she is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. All of their friends and family are fun, loving and close. We have become very fond of their family and love getting to celebrate together.

I always look for new things and ideas people do that end up creating fun experiences as well as great pictures.  Probably one of my favorite moments was before the wedding kiss, the guests lined up with flowers then the kiss and exit with flowers were all one moment as opposed to broken up events.  It turned out picturesque and memorable.