Mr. & Mrs. Baker | An Emerald Wedding at Heart of Grace • kendrarphotography.com

We pulled up to the picturesque drive leading us to the beautiful white venue…barn doesn’t accurately describe the appeal and beauty of it. I had already heard so many wonderful things about Heart of Grace from some photographer friends and let’s just say it did not disappoint at all. The days are always a little sweeter as well when you have a long-time connection with the bride, as I did with Megan. I had photographed Megan since her senior year and have known her family for years; it’s amazing when things really do come full circle and seniors turn to brides. I got to meet Austin at their dreamy engagement session prior to this and these two have the sweetest interaction, making them all the more photogenic together. In other words, this wedding was one that definitely made the trip back from Nashville more than worth it!

The venue continued to amaze me with the clean white walls and modern black accents as we made our way to the bridal suite upstairs!! When I say this venue truly thought of everything, it’s not an exaggeration. It’s like they had photographers in mind with one room for the girls to get ready in and a clean separate bridal suite just for photos and the bride slipping into her dress. A literal dream!!! I walked in joining the excitement and welcoming of some familiar faces from Megan, to her Mom, and sister. I was so happy to see some amazing fellow vendors already at work on hair and makeup! I grabbed Megan’s details and had the best time with her sweet and sentimental details. The color palette they had chosen was perfect for the transition to fall with a dark green/emerald paired with a soft blush, a remnant touch of summer. The guys were also having the best time getting ready in the groom’s suite complete with a pool table and space for the guys to hang. Although they did have a small hiccup with one of the groomsman’s pants being drastically too short– luckily he embraced it and we had someone with seamstress abilities on hand, plus got some good laughs and a fun photo out of it.

Megan got ready and finally got to put her beautiful dress on with the help of her momma; the dress was a flattering silhouette and classic sleek material that fitted Megan perfectly. We got Austin all set up outside the white barn doors- the main feature at the front of the venue. We had to strategically orchestrate this moment so that he couldn’t see Megan descending the staircase through the glass windows. It worked out perfectly and he got to see his beautiful bride as she turned the corner from the porch and said his name. We went straight into some portraits, not straying too far from the clean look of the white barn doors with touches of black. I couldn’t get enough of this elegant look!! We took some time shooting some portraits, however there was the impending forecast hanging over our heads with a chance of rain. As it started to sprinkle, we made the most of our time and photographed the bridal party under the safety of the covered space in front of the doors and myself under the safety of an umbrella with my camera! Megan really wanted an outdoor ceremony in the cove space but with the weather not seeming to improve, they made the decision to have the ceremony inside. I wasn’t too upset by this situation because it ended up being a blessing in disguise, as the rain led us to capture some more portraits inside with a velvet couch in front of the extravagant windows, letting allll the dreamy light in which ended up being some of my favorites. Megan’s grandma had also photographed her since she was little so it was sweet seeing her in action by my side with her camera for a few of those.

Again, while I wanted Megan to have the outdoor ceremony of her dreams I think we truly made the best of the indoor ceremony, with the help of the super accommodating venue owner. I couldn’t be upset with all the natural light bouncing off the white in the room and the clean, classic, and simple beauty the indoor space provided. The bridal party made their way down the staircase on cue and then the barn doors opened to reveal the entrance of the beautiful bride!!! Everyone laughed lightly as Austin accidentally made a mistake when repeating his vows, making for a funny yet sweet moment. After the ceremony ended, We photographed some family portraits outside and afterwards we ended up getting a break in the rain and chance to venture around the property for more bride and groom portraits. It was practically sunset with the hint of glowing light we got for these and now it was even sweeter since Megan and Austin were officially husband and wife.

It was finally time for the reception, which continued perfecting this day. We listened to the most heartfelt speeches and Megan shared a moment with her bridesmaids and Dad all dancing in a circle. The bridal party was mainly made up of cousins, sisters, and a couple longtime friends. This attributed to the whole day having a certain family feel that made it that much more special. They all danced the night away and ended the night with an epic sparkler send-off– you know the kind with the good sparklers.

Austin and Megan thank you for choosing me to capture this amazing day for you all!! I couldn’t have hoped for a more perfect day for you. Enjoy a few of my favorites!