Most of our weddings take place at amazing public venues, but we are also fortunate to cover weddings at absolutely beautiful private residences. And this was the case with our last wedding on August 7, 2010, when Kristin and Luis were married at the home of Kristin’s parents. The wedding was followed by a reception, also at that location.

This wedding was an international affair. Luis’ family flew in from Mexico City, Mexico. Kristin and Luis themselves flew in from Sidney, Australia where they have been living. And even though Mexico and Australia are beautiful countries, AND even though it’s winter in Australia and the temperature may be more to my liking (since Cheryl does NOT do the heat),  I don’t think Kristin could have found a more beautiful location.

Lynette, Team Dawn, and I arrived about two hours before the ceremony would be taking place, and we got busy fast capturing all of the gorgeous decorations and surroundings.

 

When we arrived, Kristin was already dressed for her day and was having photographs taken. Kristin looked so beautiful!

She wore a romantic lace gown with an empire waist. Her hair was upswept, and in it she wore a jeweled head-band and flowers. In her ears were gorgeous chandelier earrings which belonged to her mother.

I loved the colors that Kristin chose for her wedding. Kristin used deep purple and lavender along with pale creams and yellows. I loved that each wedding program had fresh lavender tied in with the bows. It smelled really nice!  

Everything looked so beautiful. The area where the ceremony took place had a babbling brook on one side, a bucolic pasture complete with two horses on the other, and rolling hills on the other. Plus, right behind the gorgeous trellis of pale yellow roses and hydrangeas where Kristin and Luis said their vows, was a pond filled with koi, surrounded by lush plants and trees.

Candles hung from trees, and flowers floated in the pool. And since it was a hot day, woven fans were placed in each chair for the guests to use to help stay cool during the ceremony.

Kristin’s parents were wonderful hosts. No detail was overlooked. When guests arrived they were greeted by music from a Mariachi band, and by servers offering ice water, lemonade, and champagne.

There were so many details and so much going on, but wedding planner Elizabeth James and her assistants kept everything running so smoothly. It almost looked effortless! We cannot stress enough the importance of having a really great planner for the most important day of your life!        

Soon it was time for the ceremony to begin. Guests were seated, and Lynette, Dawn and I took our places. Since Kristin and Luis had chosen to not see each other before the ceremony, it was very important to capture Luis’ expression when he first saw Kristen walking down the aisle. I think we got it. And I think Luis was happy with what he saw!

The ceremony itself was very touching, with Kristin and Luis sharing vows that they wrote themselves. It was a happy ceremony, and as it came time for the minister to pronounce Kristin and Luis as Husband and Wife, Kristin and Luis looked so excited and happy that they could barely contain themselves. I love it when couples look happy during their ceremony!

 

 

After the ceremony, Kristin and Luis were whisked off for photographs, while guests were treated to more music from the Mariachi band, and horsd’oeuvres and drinks around the pool.

As the sun set, guests made their way into the reception tent to await the arrival of the bride and groom.     

The reception area itself was located inside one of the largest tent I think I’ve ever seen. And best of all, it was totally enclosed and totally air conditioned! Guests first entered into a foyer area, then made their way into the main tent area where beautifully decorated tables awaited them.

The tables were decorated with gorgeous flower arrangements and candles burning everywhere. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought I was inside a banquet room at a hotel, rather than in a tent. It was very lovely.

I especially loved the lighting…..

 

In the center of the room were the cakes. The wedding cake was a several tiered cake topped by a tiny replica of the Sidney Opera House. The groom’s cake was decorated with the Mexican flag. Dawn had a piece of the groom’s cake, and I had a piece of the wedding cake and both were YUM. 

Kristin and Luis had little Australian flags at their table…..

After guests were seated, Kristen and Luis made their entrance and went straight into their first dance.

 

After the special dances, guests were served salad and the buffet was opened. Even though it was a festive atmosphere, the evening did not seem rushed. Kristen and Luis took their time eating, talking with guests, and just enjoying their evening. I love a nice atmosphere like that!

After everyone finished with their meal, Kristin and Luis cut their cake and drank a toast.

The dance floor was then formally opened and guests had a great time dancing the night away. The band for the evening was Inception. I had never heard them play before, but they sounded great! Kristin and Luis enjoyed dancing too. They looked so happy.

Then came the bouquet toss and garter toss…..

One last dance…..

.….and sky lanterns were released as Kristin and Luis made their exit to an awaiting red vintage convertible, and to the sounds of their friends and family’s good-nights and good-wishes, and Inception’s horn section playing “When the Saints Go Marching In”….

(I think the honeymoon destination was The Big Easy)…..

It was a perfect ending to the perfect day. And a perfect beginning to a new life together as Husband and Wife….

Best wishes and safe travels to Kristin and Luis! Your happiness on this day was infectious and made me smile. Thanks to you both and to your families for allowing us to capture this wonderful day for you. It was a beautiful, beautiful day.

Peace.    

        

Once upon a time in a land before there was “Cheryl’s Note’s, a beautiful bride named Cali married her handsome groom, Devin, at Cheekwood Gardens. The date was May 26, 2007. McNeal Wedding Films was there. And so was our groom from this past weekend. For on that fateful day at Cheekwood, who would have known that Cali’s little brother Cory would marry  Jessica on July 24, 2010. And again, McNeal Wedding Films was there…..

And we were so happy to be invited back. We enjoy so much returning to shoot additional weddings for a “McNeal Bride Family”.  Since we have such nice couples and families, we consider it the highest form of a compliment to be invited back again.

I was really excited about Jessica and Cory’s wedding because it was held at The Parthenon. We’ve covered receptions at The Parthenon before, but never a wedding plus the reception. I think The Parthenon is such an awe inspiring location; its grandeur is breathtaking. Having a wedding at such a location can only be breathtakingly beautiful as well. Right?

Absolutely!

So Lynette, Team Emily, and I arrived at The Parthenon ready for a busy but beautiful day. Oh, and a HOT day. Since everyone should know by now that Cheryl Does Not Do the Heat, I was already drenched in perspiration as I got out of my car.

But no problem! I was still excited because I knew this was going to be a beautiful day and a beautiful wedding. But before there could be a wedding I first needed to find the groom…..

Since Jessica and Cory had decided to not see each other before the ceremony, they had a separate photo shoot before the wedding, followed by another photo shoot after the ceremony. I knew Cory was scheduled to start his photo shoot first, so all I had to do once I arrived at The Parthenon was to find him.....

And so I did. In fact, I found Cory and his parents and sister Cali outside of The Parthenon. It was great seeing this nice family again. Cory looked very handsome in his tuxedo. Evin, of Evin Photography, was already busy getting her shots of Cory with his family and members of the wedding party. Such nice people!

It was good to see Evin again, since we haven’t crossed paths since sharing a wedding last summer. Evin had three assistants with her, Micah, Rivka, and Jessica. Evin was moving pretty fast in getting the shots of Cory that she needed, and soon it was time for Jessica to arrive for her photo shoot.

Cory was whisked back to the hotel so he wouldn’t see Jessica as she stepped out of her limo along with her mom and family. But I was there, and I got to see how gorgeous Jessica looked. And she did look gorgeous…..

First of all, I loved Jessica’s gown.

If you’ve read any of my notes before, you know that Cheryl Loves Heirloom Dresses. And that is true. But Cheryl Also Loves and Appreciates a Beautiful Gown When She Sees It. And Jessica was wearing a beautiful gown. She was striking! The gown was sexy and glamorous and sophisticated, and it complimented Jessica’s figure perfectly.

Jessica obviously has excellent taste. I admired the way that she kept her accessories simple so that she and her gown would not have to fight for attention. Jessica wore her hair upswept and pinned with a flower, and her only jewelry were her sparkling earrings that framed her face perfectly.     

Jessica looked beautiful.

And even though it was extremely hot and I was past melting, Jessica somehow managed to look perfectly comfortable in the heat.

I also loved Jessica’s taste in flowers. She used calla lilies primarily. Again, a simple but elegant flower. Dainty white flowers adorned the trellis under which Jessica and Cory were married. 

Bridesmaids and mothers wore black gowns. Everyone and everything looked very elegant. And really, for a wedding at The Parthenon, elegance is de rigueur!    

As the pre-ceremony photos were taken, time was moving along very quickly toward the 7:00 pm ceremony time. Jessica had the foresight to have her day placed in the very competent hands of Jayne Cornwell and Dottie Slay who kept Jessica and Cory, the wedding party, guests, flowers, and heat all under control and everything moving along smoothly. It makes our job so much easier when a professional wedding planner is orchestrating the day. Wedding Planners just make everyone’s day easier!

As Lynette, Emily, and I took our places for the ceremony, I found myself in the enviable  position of capturing Cory’s expression when he saw Jessica walking down the aisle. I always love having the job of focusing on the groom’s face as he sees his bride walking toward him for the first time. And Cory did not disappoint! His look clearly expressed how happy he was to see his beautiful bride for the first time.

The ceremony was very personal to Jessica and Cory. It included a hand-ceremony along with letters read by the minister that each of their parents had written, and letters that Jessica and Cory had written to each other for this day.

After Jessica and Cory were pronounced Husband and Wife, guests were invited to remain for the reception which was held inside The Parthenon.

Of course I loved the cakes. The wedding cake was decorated with sugar flowers shaped like tiny calla lilies. Since Cory is an outdoorsman, the groom’s cake was shaped like a hunting dog with a duck in his mouth. (Being the animal lover that I am, I chose to ignore the tiny dead mallard tucked in the dog’s mouth!)

And btw, since I am a lover of vanilla, I ate a piece of the Dog Cake and it was YUM. The wedding cake was chocolate, and I’m sure it was YUM too.

Speaking of YUM, guests were treated to a delicious buffet dinner, and I have to say that I made a point to eat at this reception. The food was so good!

After the cake cutting, guests danced as The Blue Tones provided the music. A DJ from Blue Tones was there too. There was no shortage of music. Even though it was a hot summer night inside The Parthenon as well as outside, guests still danced and had a great time.

Jessica and Cory seemed to be having a great time too.

Soon it was time to toss the bouquet and garter, and time for Jessica and Cory to make a run down the steps of The Parthenon to an awaiting car. Guests tossed rose petals as the happy couple made their dash down the steps and to their getaway.

It was very obvious that Jessica and Cory were extremely happy and very much in love. And I love it when our couples are that way!

As the evening came to an end, Lynette, Emily, and I were loading up our equipment and getting ready to head home, when Emily, being Emily, made the comment that she felt so hot and sticky that if she flung herself onto the side of a building, she would stick. So for the drive home I was left with an image of Emily sticking to the side of a building like a wet spaghetti noodle.

……But I was also left with a happy image of Jessica and Cory driving off together after having a beautiful day at The Parthenon.

Best wishes to Jessica and Cory as they begin their new life together!

Peace.    



Saturday, July 10, Lynette, Team Dawn and I had a great day at the wedding of Rachel and Frankie. It was a fun day filled with lots of laughter, love, friends, family, and of course, a very happy bride and groom. The ceremony was held at the Crossroads Community Church, and was followed by a reception at The Mill in Lebanon.

I was loving so much about this day.

I loved that we got to work with yet another great bride and groom and their extremely nice family. We have the nicest couples and nicest families in town!

I loved that we got to work with friend and photographer Angie Gambill of Gambill Photography. Angie brought assistant (and husband) Trey who I personally enjoy teasing as much as possible.  :--)  It makes for such a fun day when we get to work with friends in the wedding industry, such as Angie and Trey.

I loved that even though it was a HOT day we were fortunate enough to have an indoor wedding and reception. Since Cheryl Does Not Do The Heat, I am sure I would have wilted for sure if I had spent very long outside. Even Team Dawn, who generally does the heat very well, was looking a little green around the gills after spending a few minutes outside for part of the photo shoot. 

Rachel and Frankie chose to see each other before the ceremony which meant that Angie could take all the wedding party pictures before the reception. This also meant that I was able to see Rachel in her dress before the ceremony. I really loved this! Sometimes I don’t get to see the bride until she actually walks down the aisle.

Even though Rachel and Frankie chose to see each other before the ceremony, they still had their “big reveal”. This happens before the photo shoot. Frankie was placed with his back facing Rachel as she walked down the aisle to greet him, and then when told, he turned around to see Rachel for the first time. This moment is captured by video and photos but it is still a private time for a bride and groom, so we try and be as discreet as possible. After Rachel and Frankie saw each other and hugged and kissed and spent a few moments together talking and writing in their special wedding anniversary journals, the photo shoot began.

Seeing each other before the ceremony has advantages in that everyone gets to spend time together having fun and enjoying each other. Rachel and Frankie had a large group of fun friends around them to keep them at ease. They both seemed calm and cool and were having a good time with each other. I think that Rachel and Frankie were having a really great time, actually. They were laughing with each other and kissing each other all day!

Yes, Rachel and Frankie were a very happy couple. :--)

And Rachel looked gorgeous in her gown. I really loved how Rachel’s sash matched the color of her bridesmaid’s dresses. And I really loved the bridesmaid dresses too! I am really excited to see the different styles of bridesmaid dresses this year!

And I adored Rachel’s shoes! I know it’s important for a bride to be comfortable on her big day, but I have to say that I have a love for heels, so when I saw Rachel wearing Badgley Mischka ruffled shoes with five inch heels, I gasped! They were gorgeous!  And even though I knew they probably hurt Rachel’s feet, (even Rachel herself said that they hurt her feet), well at least her feet looked gorgeous! And of course she changed shoes for the reception.

I also was loving Rachel’s colors, since I am partial to the color pink. I was totally taken back by the color of Rachel’s flowers. The pink roses were the most perfect shade of powder pink, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful shade of white roses. Totally.

The ceremony itself was very nice. Frankie may have been a bit nervous because he got tickled during the vows when he couldn’t remember what the minister had asked him to repeat. Nerves will do that to you! But eventually both Rachel and Frankie repeated their vows and were pronounced husband and wife. It was a happy ceremony.

After the ceremony, guests made their way over to The Mill for the reception where there was food, drinks, and dancing. The reception area was beautifully decorated, and I loved the stringed lights. The band for the evening was one I had never heard before, called 24/7. They were really great and put on such a performance! I love it when a band plays great tunes AND performs too. Dawn and I stayed for the reception and enjoyed the party!

Rachel and Frankie danced their first dance, greeted guests, and then came the cake cutting. Frankie had a special surprise cake featuring Notre Dame. It seems that Frankie is a big fan. Along with cake, guests were treated to an array of sweets including cookies and chocolate-dipped strawberries with cream cheese filling. Yum.

I have to admit that this year I have done a really good job at not eating a lot of cake at the reception. Sometimes only a bite or two, sometimes no cake at all. But I couldn’t resist Rachel and Frankie’s cakes. I don’t know what it was about them, but the wedding cake and the groom’s cake just looked so good! I’m not a big chocolate eater and if given a choice will always choose vanilla over chocolate, but I ate a piece of the wedding cake and not one but TWO pieces of the groom’s cake. And I would have gone back for another piece if I could have. I was loving those cakes!

The evening flew by with everyone out on the dance floor and having a great time. I think the party would have lasted several more hours, but the limo came and it was time for Rachel and Frankie to make their exit. Guests blew bubbles as Rachel and Frankie were mobbed by their many friends as they made their way out to the limo. Rachel and Frankie looked very happy as they were driven off into the steamy hot July night air.

Whew what a night! What a great day! Thank you to Rachel and Frankie, and thank you to your families, for letting us capture on video this great celebration for you. We wish you many happy years and days to come!

Peace.       

 

We love that so many of our clients are fun couples that have amazing weddings.  We recently had a super fun couple. Lindsey and Jon were married on June 18 at Scarritt-Bennett followed by a reception at the University Club. It was a crazy fun weekend on so many levels.

First the crazy thing….  At the wedding rehearsal, something bothered me. I could see that this was going to be a fun wedding with a happy group of people. But there was something about the minister who would be officiating the ceremony that bothered me. He reminded me of someone. Kind of.  It’s not all that unusual for a stranger to remind me of someone. It usually doesn’t mean a thing and I generally ignore it and just chalk it up to my weirdness. But this time was different. While talking with Jon and the minister regarding where they would be standing in the ceremony, and listening to this minister sing (as part of the ceremony), nothing really clicked except that he reminded of someone. Kind of. And this bothered me…..

As I was leaving the rehearsal I walked past the minister and told him that he had a great voice, and he thanked me and said “my name is Mark”. I said “Hello Mark, my name is Cheryl” and started out the door. Then it hit me. I went to college a bazillion years ago with a guy named “Mark” who sang. Hmm. Still not sure, I asked a couple of people standing around in the chapel if they knew what the minister’s last name was. And they said “Umm…Kirki? Kiki?”.  And that’s all I needed!

Lindsey and Jon’s minister was on old college friend of mine, Mark Karki! Now THAT was crazy. I didn’t recognize him and he didn’t recognize me, but like I said, it had been a bazillion years ago. Of course he remembered me after I told him who I was. How crazy is that!

Another crazy flashback-to-college moment, was when Lynette told me that Lindsey was going to be wearing a dress that was 63 years old and had belonged to her grandmother. And not only that, but Lindsey’s mother wore the dress when she got married, as did ten other family members!

The thing about this that made me think about college (again!) was that my college roommate Christie, wore HER mother’s dress when she got married, and another college-era friend Cindy, wore HER great-aunt’s dress when she got married. And so when Lynette said “I wonder how a dress that old can still be stylish?” it was easy for me to answer because I thought of Christie and Cindy’s dresses….. scoop neck, fitted bodice, full skirt, limited embellishments. A design like that is ALWAYS in style. The only thing I wondered about was……. Would Lindsey’s dress be lace? Or would it be satin? Christie’s was lace. Cindy’s was satin. And Lindsey’s was…… drum roll please…..………satin!  :--) 

Lindsey’s priceless, heirloom wedding gown was as I thought it would be…..Timeless! It was a soft shimmery creamy color and had a delicate lace trimming around the neck. The dress looked as if it floated when Lindsey walked.

Lindsey and her dress were absolutely gorgeous.   

 

 

 

 

 

 I could go on more about Lindsey and her dress, but I first want to talk about Jon, the groom. He’s a great guy and looked very handsome in his tux. I found out quickly that I had another nice groom and a bunch of fun groomsmen.

Lindsey and Jon chose to not see each other before the wedding, so I got to hang out with the guys before I was able to see Lindsey in her dress. Jon seemed pretty laid back and his groomsmen were keeping him entertained so he didn’t have time to get nervous. Also, being guys and all, they had a lot to talk about with the World Cup going on and since they all seemed to be soccer fans.  

Photographer Kellie Fitzpatrick of Red Letter Days Photography, (who we really enjoyed working with!) completed a lot of the photo shoot before the ceremony. And even though we are in the middle of a heat wave and Cheryl does NOT do the heat, I bravely went outside with the guys for their photo shoot. We didn’t stay outside too long because Jon and his groomsmen were wearing tuxes, but we were still toasted. Actually I almost melted, but I managed to survive.

While I was melting outside and hanging with Jon and the guys, Lynette and Team Dawn were with Lindsey as she was getting dressed. Since Lynette is pretty much like me in that she doesn’t do the heat, (but unlike me, she doesn’t do the cold either), Dawn covered Lindsey’s pre-wedding photo shoot. And even though I wasn’t able to see Lindsey until she walked down the aisle, I did catch a few glimpses of the bridesmaids in their dresses, and I have to say that I was loving what I saw.

They wore  classic, figure-flattering, floor-length dark blue gowns. I call the color “navy”, but it probably has another name. But to me, every color that is a dark blue is “navy”.  It’s a very understated but elegant color that  looks good on everyone. I liked that even Lindsey and Jon’s moms were wearing dark blue (or navy!) gowns.

I also liked that Lindsey chose to go with the “less is more” theory in decorating Scarritt-Bennett. Lindsey used white roses, hydrangeas and other white flowers and greenery to accent the dark wood inside the chapel, along with candles and crystal. It really was lovely.

The “prep” time went really fast and even though the ceremony was scheduled  at 7:00 pm, guests started arriving at 6:00 sharp! And they kept arriving and kept arriving and kept arriving, right up until a little past 7:00 until the chapel was about as full as it could get.

During  the ceremony, I shot from the front side. Lynette was shooting from the front, Dawn was with Lindsey and her wedding party before they made their entrance, and Team Amy came to help out with the ceremony and post-wedding photo shoot and shot from the balcony. We were ready!

I loved how the wedding party made their entrance. All the groomsmen, Jon, the minister (or as I refer to him, “Mark”), entered from the back, followed by the bridesmaids, flower girl, and then Lindsey and her Dad. I thought everyone walking down that long aisle made a regal presentation.

But before they made their entrance, they were piped in by a bagpiper.   You just got to love bagpipes!   It makes such a spectacular entrance for the bride. Plus, you can’t beat a bagpiper’s hat. Gotta love the big furry hat! Lindsey also had a trumpet player, as well as Scarritt-Bennett’s pipe organ….well, you put bagpipes, a trumpet, and a pipe organ together and you’ve got a WOW entrance!

I don’t know what Jon was thinking when he first saw Lindsey, but I thought she looked like a Princess. She was lovely.

The ceremony itself was very personal to Lindsey and Jon. Mark The Minister sang “The Lord’s Prayer” during the ceremony and nearly blew the roof off the place! Then after Lindsey and Jon were pronounced husband and wife, Jon gave Lindsey a HUGE kiss. ;--)

After the ceremony, Lynette and Amy stayed for the post-wedding photo shoot while Dawn and I were off to the reception at the University Club!

We had time before Lindsey and Jon made their entrance to capture the pretty decorations and the cakes. Dawn spent time in the foyer where the guests enjoyed horsd’oeuvres, cool drinks, (a must!) and live music played on the piano, while I went into the main banquet room to shoot the set up before the guests arrived.

Everything was decorated so elegantly! Greens and whites were used along with navy, and the colors looked so pretty together. I loved the green apples in the vases. I loved the wedding portraits of Lindsey’s grandmother, mother, and other relatives wearing the wedding gown. I loved the pretty draping from the chandelier. And I loved that instead of wedding favors, Lindsey and Jon chose to make a donation to the Nashville Flood Disaster Relief Fund.

I also loved the cakes! The wedding cake was decorated with flowers and navy ribbons along each tier, and the topper was a sparkly “K”. And everyone knows that I love sparkly things!

The Groom’s Cake was in the shape of the Stanley Cup. As it turns out, Lindsey and Jon are hockey fans….. But more on that later!

Soon, the wedding party entered,  Lindsey and Jon made their first entrance as husband and wife, then went straight into their first dance. I was able to get a better look at Lindsey and for sure, she looked like a Princess! She was so pretty. And a happy bride!

After their first dance, Lindsey danced with her Dad, then Jon and his Mom joined them halfway through the song. After the dance, Lindsey and Jon mingled with their guests as the buffet opened -- I was thinking that it might be a good time for me and Dawn to take a short break, when…..

An unexpected guest arrived…..It was Gnash! The Nashville Predators Mascot!

This was my first up-close brush with an honest-to-goodness Mascot, so I have to admit I was pretty excited. And Gnash certainly knew how to work a crowd. He, of course, greeted Lindsey and Jon. I noticed he kissed Lindsey’s hands several times….! He posed for pictures. And then he danced. And it was so much fun! Everyone was laughing so hard, including me and Dawn! The clip below is raw footage of his dance performance.  How fun is that?!  

 

After Gnash did his thing, Lindsey and Jon cut their cakes and then the dance floor was officially opened. The Blue Tones was the band for the evening and they always play the best songs that get everyone out on the floor and dancing. But these guests didn’t need any encouragement – they were a fun bunch! And very patriotic! :--)

Lindsey and Jon danced a lot; I always enjoy it when the Bride and Groom enjoy themselves out on the dance floor, and the guests were dancing maniacs. (And that’s a compliment!). It was a fun fun reception.

After Lindsey tossed her bouquet, (which was caught by her sister), and Jon threw the garter…. Everyone danced some more! When the band made the announcement that it was time for Lindsey and Jon to make their exit and for the guests to go outside to get ready to toss rose petals, Dawn and I and Photographer Kellie made our way outside like good little do-bee’s, and we stood outside and waited. And waited. And waited. For several minutes we waited but no guests joined us! This was most unusual for all of us, so we ventured back inside to see what was going on, and found that everyone was standing around talking and visiting with each other and not wanting the reception to end!

But of course all receptions have to eventually end, so the band made another announcement and this time the guests grabbed their rose petals and waited outside for Lindsey and Jon. It wasn’t a long wait, but long enough for the groomsmen and others to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” in its entirety, as well as shout a few rounds of “USA! USA! USA!”. Like I said, this was a fun reception.     

It wasn’t long before Lindsey and Jon ran through flying rose petals and jumped into a sharp red sports car and drove off. And Lindsey still looked like a Princess.

I think they were going to Hawaii…..But wherever they were going, I know that they were going to have a wonderful time because they were such a happy and fun couple. And our wish to Lindsey and Jon is that they never lose their happy-ness and fun-ness, and that they have a wonderful life together. 

And we thank Lindsey and Jon and their families for allowing the ladies at McNeal to capture this perfect day for them.

 Peace                     

Last Saturday was one of those picture perfect days. Not too hot. Nice breeze. And a really beautiful wedding. We were lucky enough to experience it all with Megan and Craft who were married at the Union Station Hotel, followed by a reception also at the hotel. Perfect!

I enjoy mixing things up a bit, and it had been a little while since we’ve had a wedding at a hotel, so I was looking forward to a really nice day. My day started when I arrived in the early afternoon at the Union Station. Even tho I had been at the rehearsal the night before, I really hadn’t had the opportunity to meet Craft yet, but I knew what he looked like and I was ready to find him.

But first I wanted to take some detail shots, which I did. I really didn’t know where Craft would be, probably in a hotel room I thought, but I knew that I would figure out a way to find him. And sure enough, a groomsman walked past as I was getting some details, and I seized the moment to ask him where the guys were hanging out. Too easy. 

So I found Craft and his groomsmen, introduced myself, reassured everyone that we wouldn’t use any embarrassing audio, told the guys to just ignore me and be themselves, and my day began.      

Somewhere in another hotel room in the same hotel, Lynette and Team Dawn were with Megan and her bridesmaids as they were getting ready for the day.

Team Emily was also helping out floating between photo shoots and details. And speaking of photo shoots, since Megan and Craft chose to not see each other before the ceremony, they had separate photo shoots before the ceremony, and the wedding party photo shoot after the ceremony.

Dawn also helped out a lot with the photo shoots. Since it was somewhat of a hot day -- not a scorcher, but still warm  -- and since Dawn loves the heat…..and Cheryl DOES NOT,  Dawn covers  the outdoor photo shoots when possible. But I also went outside ...when I had to….

I had a fun time shooting the guys before the ceremony.  Craft and his groomsmen were very nice and funny. They were laughing a lot.  Its great when a groom can relax with his buddies before the ceremony. No need to be nervous, right?

I don’t have first hand knowledge if Megan and her bridesmaids were having as much fun as the guys, but I can say that they looked very pretty. Meghan chose yellow as her primary wedding color, and I loved it. The bridesmaids’ dresses were so bright and pretty.

And I would be negligent if I didn’t mention how nice the hotel looked with all the pretty flowers. I think yellow also reflected Megan’s happy disposition. I noticed during the rehearsal that Megan was a particularly happy bride, and yellow is a happy color…..so it was perfect.

Actually, all of Megan and Craft’s family members seemed very happy as well. Everyone had big smiles on their faces and just seemed so relaxed and enjoying this happy day. Megan and Craft’s parents were also extremely happy and pleasant. And nice. I know I say that a lot in my notes, but it’s TRUE! We have the nicest brides and grooms and the nicest families. I wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.

The ceremony itself was really happy and beautiful. First, the place was packed. Standing room only. Literally. Megan and Craft were surrounded from floor to (almost) ceiling by friends and family who love them and who were happy to share their day with them. We realized early on that this was going to be a beautiful ceremony and didn't want to risk missing anything so we were strategically arranged around the room. Lynette and Emily were in the balcony area, and Dawn and I covered the main floor.

I love that Union Station has a big beautiful balcony area, because it allows a bride to make a dramatic entrance. After all, it IS her day, right? So as the wedding party all made their entrance from the back of the first floor, Megan made her entrance from top of the highest balcony, walking first alone, then meeting her father in the middle, and then coming down the two staircases on her father’s arms. THEN, once they arrived on the first floor, another big entrance when Meghan and her Dad walked down the aisle toward Craft and the whole wedding party. It was the perfect entrance.  And Megan looked absolutely gorgeous!  No need for more words. Gorgeous says it all.

The ceremony itself was very special. Megan and Craft wrote their own vows. I couldn’t hear a word that either one of them said, but I could tell that whatever they were saying to each other was being said sincerely and with love.

I was glad that Lynette had mic'd Craft so everyone will be able to hear their vows on the video! After saying their written vows, Meghan and Craft repeated the traditional vows. After that, they shared communion. Then Craft was given permission to kiss his wife. So nice!

After the ceremony it was time for the reception. But first, the guests were moved out of the hotel lobby area where the ceremony had just taken place so the room could be “flipped”. As soon as the room was empty, the hotel staff began the process of turning the lobby from “ceremony area” to “dinner and reception area”.

While this was going on, the photographer was finishing up the photoshoot of the entire wedding party and family members- and guests were outside on the hotel veranda enjoying horsd’oeuvres, drinks, and music.  

Once the room had been “flipped”, guests re-entered the hotel lobby where tables were now beautifully decorated and arranged for dining. In the McKinley room just off of the lobby, a band was playing easy-listening dinner music, and there were sofa’s and places to eat in there as well.

The wedding party was introduced from the balcony area, which was very unique. Megan and Craft were also introduced from the top balcony, and instead of coming down to join their guests, they danced their first dance high above the room. They were there for all their guests to see, but yet alone and private for their first dance as husband and wife.  After the first dance, Megan's dad gave a toast to the newly married couple, and the buffet was opened.

The food was really yummy.  And there was lots of it!  Dawn, Emily and I totally enjoyed it!  Since it had been a long day already, Lynette went home leaving the three of us to finish the reception.  And it was a really fun one!

But before we all ate, Megan and Craft cut their wedding cake, (which was also yummy). Then while guests continued to eat or visit or joined Megan and Craft in the McKinley Room, more toasts were made, Megan danced with her Dad, and Craft danced with his Mom, then the dance floor was opened.

Oh, I also need to mention the groom’s cake. I’m not a huge chocolate cake fan, but this cake looked totally yum. Dawn and Emily each had a piece and I don’t think they left any uneaten on their plate. So I think it was yum for sure. And it looked really pretty with the strawberries in their little tuxedos.

Now back to the dance floor,….. The band, Pat Patrick Orchestra, played all of the best dance tunes, and the dance floor stayed full all night. While Dawn and Emily were busy shooting everyone having a great time dancing, I snuck out and took some outdoor shots of the hotel, and found Megan and Craft’s get-away car for the night. I don’t know what it was, a vintage something or other. But it looked sharp! And a convertible!

All too soon, the last dance was called, and the dance floor was packed. After the last dance came the garter toss and then the bouquet toss. Again, from high atop the balcony. That was pretty awesome.

Megan and Craft looked like they were having a great time at their reception, dancing and talking with guests. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be --fun for the bride and groom. Of course, the guests were having a great time too.

As Megan and Craft made their exit, friends and family tossed rose petals as they ran to their car and hopped in, then drove off into the night. Such a handsome and happy couple! And such a beautiful wedding.

Thank you from all of the McNeal team to Megan and Craft and their wonderful parents for allowing us to spend this special day with you. People as nice as all of you are the reason why we love what we do.

And best wishes to Megan and Craft for a lovely start to their new life as husband and wife!

 

Peace  -- Cheryl                                    

We are totally enjoying our 2010 weddings, and we totally enjoyed our wedding last weekend. ……On April 17, Jennifer and Andy were married at Brentwood United Methodist Church followed by a reception at the Factory at Franklin.

I have to first say that this was a very fun bride and groom with very fun friends and family.

And I have to second say that this was the very first wedding ever that I never actually met the bride. At all. Not before the wedding. Not during the wedding. Not after the wedding. I feel really badly about that, but I think that Groom Andy was able to convey to me who Jennifer is and how important she is to him. Plus, I was able to observe at the reception just how special and fun Jennifer is, and how she and Andy went together perfectly!

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the rehearsal on Friday night with Lynette, and that’s where I usually meet the bride and groom. So I hadn’t met Groom Andy before the wedding either, so I had no idea what to expect…..You guys just don’t know how a groom and his groomsmen can either make or break my day…..

But before talking about Andy, I want to say that last Saturday was a gorgeous day for a wedding. Not to hot, not too cold. Skies were mostly blue as I recall. Lots of flowers and trees blooming and budding. Everything was extremely pretty.

Lynette, Team Dawn, and I worked this wedding, but we all arrived at the church separately and at different times. To explain why would be just a little boring and really has nothing to do with the day at all, just suffice to say that Lynette makes the schedule and the rest of us do as we are told.

Anyway, I knew that Lynette was going to arrive at the church before me so that she could focus on Jennifer getting dressed. I knew that my responsibility once reaching the church was to first capture some details, and then find the guys. And then I knew that Team Dawn would be arriving just a little later to help with the photo shoot. So I was busy getting the pretty pink flowers and bouquets and such, when I found out the news which was…..

Unfortunately the photographer got caught in some nasty traffic north of town which delayed the photo shoot. And…..

Fortunately the photographer got caught in some nasty traffic north of town which delayed the photo shoot…… which gave me extra and unexpected time to spend with Andy and the groomsmen……!

Also, fortunately the photographer was friend Joey Pippen, so we knew that we would have a really pleasant day once Joey did arrive for the photo shoot.

Anyway, since I had time to spend with Andy and the guys before the photo shoot, I was able to get some shots of the guys getting ready and hanging out. Something I thought I wasn’t going to have time for. I am so glad that I had that extra time!

Andy and his groomsmen literally made my day by being so much fun and nice and interesting….. well, I was charmed from the first moment of meeting Andy.

Andy did something that I totally appreciate. He specifically asked to see me so that he could tell me about a surprise that he had planned for Jennifer at the reception. This is so important! So many times the groom or groomsmen do something really funny or sweet at the reception as a surprise, but no one tells us ahead of time so we don’t always catch it on video. If we don’t know it’s going to happen, then we don’t know to be where we need to be when the surprise happens! Anyway, we appreciated so much that Andy gave us the heads up about his surprise plans at the reception. And so we were able to capture it perfectly!   

Another thing that I found really cute with Andy and his guys was what they were doing before the ceremony. It’s never unusual to have a groom and his groomsmen glued to a football or baseball game on TV prior to the wedding. But Andy and the guys were glued to …..”The Wedding Crasher”. Yep. The chick flick! Totally cute.

I really hate that Joey got caught in traffic, but I am really glad I was able to spend time with the guys and meet them. And besides, Joey showed up soon enough and the photo shoot with the guys went really well. Joey took some beautiful shots, and so did I!

Since Jennifer and Andy chose to not see each other before the ceremony, Joey did separate photo shoots before the wedding. So when Joey was doing Jennifer’s photo shoot, I was hanging with the guys and Dawn covered the ladies shoot. So really the first sight I saw of Jennifer was of the back of her dress as she walked down the aisle. Before that moment, I didn’t even know if she was a blond or brunette!

Jennifer’s dress looked so pretty as she walked down the aisle and I could tell by the expression on Andy’s face when he first saw her, that she looked beautiful.

Everything went so fast before the wedding, that it was 5:30 and time for the ceremony before I barely knew it. I was in the balcony in the back of the church. Lynette was in the balcony at one side of the church, and Dawn was in the back so that she could get Jennifer as she walked down the aisle, and then she shot through the church doors, since videographers are only allowed in the balcony at this particular church. :--(   But the shot through the doors is really pretty…..

The ceremony went really well.  Andy’s father officiated, which is always a nice touch. Everyone seemed really happy during the ceremony, and happy that Jennifer and Andy were having such a beautiful wedding.

After Jennifer and Andy were pronounced Husband and Wife, Dawn and I made tracks to Dawns car and drove over to the Factory at Franklin (Building 8 to be exact) for the reception. We wanted to beat the guests, and we did.

Lynette stayed behind for the photo shoot.  Team Amy met me and Team Dawn at the reception to help out, and it was really great to see her, since it had been awhile….. She’s still our pretty little Amy! :--)

When Dawn and I arrived at the Factory and went into the reception room, we were both taken back by how beautiful the room looked. I’m partial to lights and anything that sparkles, and that’s how the room was decorated…with lots of hanging lights that sparkled.

I’m also partial to the color pink, and that was the primary color used in the wedding and with the table centerpieces. Pretty pink and cream colored roses. So pretty! Oh, and lots of candles too. Everything was very sparkly!

And of course there was the Wedding Cake. It was beautiful too, of course. And I even got to eat a piece and it was also Yum!

 

Again, I can’t stress enough how pretty everything looked at the reception. And then I found out that Jennifer’s Mom did the decorating. I was even more impressed! It looked as good as some of the professional decorations I’ve seen over the years.

Dawn, Amy, and I were busy getting all the details, introducing ourselves to the DJ, and getting ready for the Wedding Party introduction. We were all excited because it was after the introductions that Andy was going to do the surprise he had planned for Jennifer.

After Jennifer and Andy were introduced, they were supposed to go into their first dance. Instead, Andy started singing to Jennifer the song that they were going to dance their first dance to. And one of their friends was backing him up on guitar and vocals. Andy has a really good voice! And I think Jennifer was surprised and touched. Andy sang about half the song to Jennifer before passing the mic over to his friend, and Jennifer and Andy finished dancing the song. I loved the way that Jennifer’s dress swirled on the dance floor when she and Andy danced together.

After the first dance, Jennifer and Andy greeted guests, while guests went through the buffet line. Since we don’t video guests eating, Amy, Dawn, and I took our break too and enjoyed the yummy buffet. My favorite was the potato bar. YUM.

After the guests had eaten, it was time for toasts. The stories told by Jennifer’s sister, Andy’s best man, Jennifer’s Dad, and Andy’s Dad were really funny and had everyone laughing.

After toasts it was time to cut the cakes and do the special dances -- Jennifer and her Dad, and Andy and his Mom. Again, they all danced so well together. But I have to say that Andy and his Mom totally entertained with their dance. I think they were doing the jitterbug, or something similar. Andy was swinging his Mom around and even jumped over her at one point! Very fun!

And just before the DJ opened the dance floor to the guests, the entire wedding party did a line dance that they had practiced before the wedding. (Well, I know the guys practiced because I was with them before the wedding when they did it!). This looked really fun and everyone enjoyed it. 

Then the dance floor was opened and it was packed immediately and stayed packed for the entire night. This was one fun group of people. I love it when the guests are totally enjoying themselves and having a party with the Bride and Groom, and that’s how this reception was. Also, it was clear that Jennifer and Andy enjoyed dancing and they danced a lot of dances which is always fun when the Bride and Groom join in on the dance floor.

Since the dance floor stayed packed, no one seemed in a hurry to close the dancing down for the night, so the dancing went right up to the moment that Jennifer and Andy made their departure. We barely had time to get to the limo before they danced their last dance and made their departure.

But we did! And it was a mob scene! I don’t think one single guest left early and everyone was packed in front of the limo blowing bubbles as Jennifer and Andy made their exit. Amy said afterward that it looked as if I had been swarmed by the crowd and had just disappeared! But swarm or no swarm, it was fun! The limo driver didn’t waste time in letting Jennifer and Andy wave at everyone for too long before they drove away, (I guess he was in a hurry!), but I think Jennifer and Andy were also ready to drive off together to officially start their honeymoon. And they looked very happy as they drove off into the night.

It was fun fun fun wedding and fun fun fun day and fun fun fun couple.

We are so fortunate to have the nicest brides and grooms and families. And I sincerely mean that. Before Dawn, Amy, and I left, we said good-bye to Jennifer’s Mom and thanked her for allowing us to be a part of their day. And Jennifer’s Mom was so sweet in giving each of us one of the rose table centerpieces. How nice! I love flowers. And these roses are in my kitchen at this moment and are still beautiful. Thank you Jennifer’s Mom!

And thank you Jennifer and Andy. We are so happy that your wedding was perfect and that you have started your new lives together. Our best wishes always to the both of you!

Peace.

                  

 



This past weekend we had a wedding at one of our favorite places, Born Again Church in Nashville. We fell in love with this church back in 2006 when we had our first wedding there. And by “church” I am really saying “people” because the people at Born Again are the “church”. But getting back to last weekend, we love this church because everyone there is so tremendously NICE. And they are REAL. And they care about the Bride and Groom and their wedding day. And everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, wants to make sure that the Bride and Groom have the best wedding day ever. It’s a remarkable place.

And another reason why we love Born Again Church is because we always have the most amazing brides and grooms at this church. We’ve had four wonderful couples at this church, and last weekend, a couple that we totally fell in love with, Kim and Rashad, were married at Born Again Church, followed by a reception at The Hutton Hotel. It was an absolutely wonderful day!

We’ve been working with Kim and Rashad for almost a year in preparation for their wedding day. Since they wanted to do a Love Story, we’ve had several occasions over the months leading up to their wedding to meet and shoot scenes with them. And we’ve had such a good time getting to know Kim and Rashad. They both put in so much work in planning their wedding and making sure every detail was perfect. It was so much fun for us to see everything fall into place perfectly for them on their special day. We are so happy for them!

The wedding day was an exciting but busy day…..

I arrived at the church around 11:00. Lynette had arrived earlier at 10:30 to start shooting Kim as she got her hair and make-up done. Lynette was stoked because she was doing a same day edit for Kim and Rashad so they could show guests at the reception a short video of their wedding day. Lynette knew the shots that she wanted and already had the video planned in her head, now all we had to do was get the shots she needed. So I was feeling a bit stoked too! I was also a bit nervous for Lynette because she had to get the footage captured, edited, transcoded then a DVD authored and burned in a tight timeframe. If something took longer than she estimated, that would not be good….. But of course I knew everything would go well!

As soon as I got inside the church, I found Rashad and his groomsmen and started to work. Rashad was so great to work with because he’s always agreeable to doing whatever I ask him to do in order to get a good shot. Rashad is not camera shy! And since I am sometimes accustomed to camera-shy grooms, this was great!

Team Emily and Team Dawn were also at the church working as well. Dawn was with Kim, and Emily was helping me with Rashad and his photo shoot. In fact, Emily stayed with Rashad during his photo shoot while I spent time in the sanctuary shooting details. And there were LOTS of details…..And I LOVE details!

Born Again Church turned their stage area into a special set for Kim and Rashad's ceremony.  A special winding staircase was built reminiscent of “Gone with the Wind”, with Kim and Rashad’s initials displayed on the walls. It reflected Kim and Rashad’s theme of elegance, timeless beauty, and eternal love perfectly! So of course, I had to get these details!

Since Kim and Rashad had chosen to not see each other before the ceremony, they had separate photo shoots. Emily had been a real trooper by covering Rashad’s photo shoot while I was in the church getting details, and Dawn did a great job covering Kim’s photo shoot while Lynette was busy with the same day edit. But after I finished getting the details inside the church, I was able to help out Dawn with part of Kim’s photo shoot. This was the first time that I saw Kim in her dress prior to the ceremony and she looked beautiful! She seemed so poised and calm……unlike Rashad who seemed a bit nervous. :--)

After I returned inside and saw Rashad, I told him that Kim looked gorgeous and she was going to “knock his socks off”. I think Rashad and I must have had the same image go through our heads of Rashad standing at the front of the church with his socks flying through the air, because we both started chuckling at the words.

It was getting close to show time, so we all took our places. Emily was in the balcony and had the very important job of capturing Rashad’s expression when he first saw Kim, Dawn was in the back, and Lynette was in the back with Kim before she made her way down the aisle. And I was up in the front. We were ready!

Kim had chosen chocolate brown as her primary color, and the bridesmaids all wore chocolate brown dresses with brooches on their sashes. So pretty! Rashad and his groomsmen were in chocolate brown tuxes. So handsome!

As the ceremony began, Rashad and the minister made their entrance from the top of the spiral staircase. Very dramatic! Since I was at the front, I can tell you that Rashad’s mother started crying when she saw Rashad standing at the top of those stairs. And before long, just about everyone in the wedding party was crying as Kim made her way down the aisle on the arms of her father and step-father. Rashad started crying as soon as he saw Kim, and Kim started crying….. EVERYONE was crying! I almost felt like crying as well! It was such a happy moment that Kim and Rashad had been planning for so long, and it was finally here!

The ceremony was very touching, and also very funny at  times. There were lots of tears, but there was just as much laughter. It was a happy ceremony.

After the ceremony, Kim and Rashad and their wedding party remained at the church for more pictures, as Lynette and Dawn and I made our way over to the reception at the Hutton Hotel. Emily later joined us after the photo shoot.

Since Lynette was busy with the same day edit, Dawn and I were in charge of shooting the details of the reception room before the guests entered. While guests were enjoying pre-reception horsd’oeuvres, Dawn and I were busy capturing the reception room with its beautiful table settings, flower centerpieces, and most importantly, THE wedding cake.  

And I say THE wedding cake because it was sitting in the center of the room in all its glory. And I have to say that we’ve been fortunate to have seen many beautiful weddings with many beautiful wedding cakes….. But this cake earns my award as THE most beautiful of all the wedding cakes. And I have to say that I know my wedding cakes. :--)

This cake was simple, classic, and elegant. On the front of each tier of the wedding cake was a brooch. On the top of the cake was a brooch. That was it. So simple yet so perfect!  Too bad I didn’t get a piece! :--(   (Just kidding!)

When time came for the guests to enter the room, I could tell this was going to be a party! Everyone seemed so happy and relaxed. And when the wedding party was introduced, I knew it was going to be a party for sure! As each couple in the wedding party were announced and made their entrance, they did a dance as they made their way into the room to the delight of the guests. By the time Kim and Rashad entered the room, the guests were on their feet and having a great time. Kim and Rashad were having a great time too, and I think Rashad was barely touching the floor he was so happy.

Dinner was served as soon as Kim and Rashad took their seats at their own special table. During dinner, Kim and Rashad’s Love Story was shown to the guests. After this, Kim and Rashad had their first dance, followed by the cutting of THE CAKE, followed by toasts, followed by a “special surprise presentation” for Kim and Rashad by Kim’s brother and friends which brought down the house. Kim is a nut for the movie “Coming to America” and the special presentation paid homage to Kim’s love for this movie. Kim loved it!  

Kim and Rashad then took the floor and thanked everyone for their love and support through their courtship, engagement, and now, marriage. I have to admit I got a bit tickled at Rashad because he seemed giddy with happiness…he didn’t seem to know what he was saying! I think to Kim’s embarrassment! :--)

While all of this activity at the reception had been taking place, Lynette had been tucked away in a back room working away on Kim and Rashad’s same day edit. And now, after Kim and Rashad thanked their guests, it was time to show the video. Was Lynette able to pull it off?..........Yes! The video was finished and it was a success! How fun was it to see clips of Kim and Rashad’s wedding that took place just hours before! More couples need to do this! (You can view the same day edit video here.)

After the video, the dance floor was opened and everyone hit the floor. Kim and Rashad and their guests were having a great time dancing and visiting with each other, it was truly a joyful night. Everyone was having such a great time, including Team Emily who announced to me and Lynette later in the evening that this wedding was “the second most fun thing she has every done”. I have to say that I was having a lot of fun too!

Lynette and Emily left early, but Dawn and I remained at the reception until Kim and Rashad made their exit. Even though it’s March, it was a chilly evening as the VERY happy couple jumped into their limousine and rode off into the night.

As I watched the limo pull away, I couldn’t help but think that Kim and Rashad had had the perfect wedding and the perfect day. :--) 

And it had been a perfect day for us as well. We had such a great experience with everyone involved with Kim and Rashad’s wedding. Of course the people at Born Again Church had been so nice and made our experience as vendors feel like we were part of the family, but we also shared a great day with Whitney and Peter Carlson of Dove Wedding Photography. We had met Whitney and Peter several years ago, but this had been the first time we worked a wedding with them and they were a delight to work with. Their focus was the same as ours, which is the bride and groom, and doing the best job possible for them. Also making the day run smoothly was wedding planner Mary Alice Sublett of A Delightful Day. We can’t over stress the importance of having a good wedding planner.

But mostly, we had a perfect day because of Kim and Rashad, and how happy we were that they had such a beautiful wedding and were now starting their new life together.

 

Thank you, Kim and Rashad, for the fun over the past few months and for being the special people that you are. We love you guys!

Peace.



Its dreary January to most folks, but I love this time of year especially for its "dreariness".  Its not dreary to me. It's beautiful.

And I bet  I know two more people who think January is beautiful, and that would be our bride and groom from last weekend, Sarah & Tyler, who chose to get married on January 8.  It happened to be one of the coldest days of the year with snow lightly falling just enough to mess up the roads for us Tennessee drivers.  But still, I thought it was a beautiful day - and the perfect day for our first wedding of 2010.

Sarah and Tyler chose to have their wedding at Opryland Hotel, with their reception following at Gaylord Springs.  We've done several weddings at Opryland, so we knew going in that this was going to be a busy day.  And it was.  But we were pumped and ready for the day.

But even so, we had to change some of our plans due to the weather.  Our original plan was to start our day at the homes of Sarah and Tyler as they were getting dressed.  But since the snow chose to make the roads a bit slippery, especially the back roads, Lynette didn't want  to chance having one of her "chicks" wind up in a ditch on the way to the wedding and leavie her short a camera!  Although I am a very good driver on the snow and am not afraid of it, I have to admit that the thought had also crossed my mind  . . . and even though I felt confident, I also knew that if anything bad can happen, it will happen to me . . . So  I agreed with her decision to not put two of us (one for Tyler and one for Sarah) on roads that were just slick enough to cause problems. Even though we were disappointed, we met up with Sarah and Tyler at the hotel, which turned out to work just fine.

Everything looked really, really beautiful for the wedding!  Wedding Coordinator, Courtney Hammons of A Magical Affair, had once again seen that every detail was just perfect.  We've worked with Courtney before and always love working her weddings because they run so smoothly.    Plus, we just love Courtney herself.   And we were also happy to meet Jennifer, who was assisting Courtney.  Between the two of them, we knew everything we needed to know throughout the day so we could get the best coverage for Sarah and Tyler.

I don't know if it was because of the cold, snowy day, but everything about the wedding -- from the flowers and decor to the lighting and music seemed to have an ethereal quality to it.  It did almost seem magical . . .

Sarah and her wedding party arrived at the hotel first, and Lynette and Amy met them as they arrived, then followed them all up to Sarah's hotel room.   Emily and I met Tyler and his guys when they arrived a bit later and went along with them to Tyler's hotel room.

Sarah and Tyler chose not to see each other before the ceremony so it was important to keep them  apart.  And that also meant that we didn't have alot of group wedding photos taken before the ceremony.  Photographer Brandon Chesbro did the group photos after the ceremony, before the reception.  This was our first time to work with Brandon, so we were delighted to find that he was very easy to work with.   That's always a treat!

During my time covering Tyler before the ceremony, I was once again blown away by how lucky I am.  "Lucky" because once again I found myself surrounded by the nicest group of guys.  And funny too.  And so agreeable.  I absolutely love my grooms!

Tyler seemed calm and quiet and anxious to get the day started.  His guys kept him loose and laughing before the wedding, which always helps keep a groom calm and cool.  I found myself also giggling at some of the guys pre-wedding antics.  If a group of guys can be laid back and mellow before a wedding ceremony, then this was the group. No drama here.  Once again I had the nicest groom and the nicest bunch of pre-wedding guys.  I love this job!

And while I was having fun hanging with the guys, Lynette and Amy were with Sarah and her girls.  Sarah looked lovely, and was amazingly calm as she prepared for the event.  All the girls in her wedding party, consisting of friends, her sisters, and the groom's sisters were taking pictures, giggling, and having a good time while waiting for the photo session to begin.  Everyone seemed comfortable in front of our cameras, and that makes our job so much easier!  Soon it was time for Sarah to slip into her dress -- she was transformed from lovely to gorgeous  -- and the photoshoot began.

Time passed very quickly and before we all knew it, it was time for Sarah and Tyler to get married.

I have to say that the Pavilion was the most beautiful I think I've seen it for a wedding.  Again, it may have been a combination of the snowy day, cold weather outside, warm feelings inside, and the music, candles and lights, but it truly felt like we were all in a cloud.   I know -- I'm sounding purple-hazy here, but everything did seem cloud-like and other-worldly.

As the music played and Tyler and his guys took their places, the bridesmaids began coming down the aisle and anticipation was high for Sarah's entrance on her Dad's arm.

Since I was at the front  of the Pavilion, I was able to see how amazing Sarah looked as she walked toward Tyler.  She looked so pretty!  By the time she arrived at Tyler's side, I think most everyone in the wedding party was crying.  Tears of joy, of course!

The ceremony itself was also very unique and special.  Tyler's Dad officiated, and that added a special touch.  Everything was intimate and very family-oriented and spiritual.  And Sarah and Tyler looked so happy together.

After the ceremony, Team Amy and Team Emily stayed at the hotel for the photo shoot while Lynette and I went over to the reception.  A little later, Team Emily joined us as well.  We wanted to make sure that we didn't miss a single thing!

I love being one of the first people to see the reception room before the guests arrive.  I love it because everything is always so pretty, and Sarah and Tyler's reception did not let me down.  The room simply sparkled!

I loved the flower arrangements on the guest tables . . .

I loved the wedding cake with its dainty sugar flowers . . .

I loved the bows on the chairs . . . 

I loved it all!  Everything looked so beautiful!

Soon, Sarah and Tyler arrived and went into their first dance.  It seemed as if they were in their own little world . . . and that they were very happy to be there.

Dinner was served, toasts were given, cakes were cut,  and then the dance floor was opened.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time.  Sarah and Tyler were having alot of fun dancing together and with their guests.  I know I enjoyed it!

The night flew by, and soon it was time for Sarah and Tyler to make their exit into the very cold night.  Guests blew bubbles (indoors!) as they ran out into the waiting car.  I must say, it was brrrrrrr cold!  But fun!

After Sarah and Tyler drove off into the night and everyone started making their way to their homes, Lynette and I once again decided that we had just experienced a wonderful wedding with a nice, nice, nice couple and a nice, nice, nice family. And because of this, we love what we do!

Thank you Sarah and Tyler and your families for letting us capture this very special day for you.  Best wishes for you both and for many many happy years to come.  You two simply are the luckiest . . .

. . . and so are we . . .

Peace.

More photos (video stills) are posted in our gallery. 

And stay tuned!  Lynette plans to post a couple of "sometimes only video will do" clips soon.

Hello Everyone. It feels kind of strange writing in my new space. I'm a little nervous, so please bear with me!

I am excited to write about our most recent wedding. It was on December 19, the weekend before Christmas. Jessica and Ryan were married at the Harpeth Hills Church Of Christ, with a reception following at Loveless Barn.  

I always hope every year that we get a "Christmas wedding", so I was really excited about this wedding. Lynette had told me how our bride was very organized and had planned her colors and decor down to the smallest detail. I knew it was going to be a beautiful wedding, and it was. Actually, it was even more beautiful than I had imagined! And I was also looking forward to this wedding because we would be working with wedding planner Marsha Husband. We've had the pleasure of working with Marsha on several occasions, and always, the weddings are beautiful and perfectly planned.  And then on top of that, we found out that Elisabeth Loyd would be working with Marcia.  We know Elisabeth as the mother-of-the groom and mother-of-the-bride from a couple of our weddings, and now consider her a friend :-)  -- so I knew this was going to be a good day. 

My only concern was that this wedding was a "morning" wedding. Sort of. And if you have read any of my notes, you know that Cheryl doesn't do mornings. But even though I was scheduled to be at the church at noon, somehow I made it right on time! Whew!

Lynette and Team Emily were already at Jessi's house so they could get all the details as she was getting dressed. Since my job is to cover the groom, my day started at the church so I could get detail shots at the church and be there for when Ryan arrived with his guys. And for the first time since having her baby, Amanda was working with us too. Welcome back Amanda!

While waiting for Ryan to arrive, Amanda and I focused on getting the details, and I have to say that the details were so pretty! The church was decorated with Christmas trees, and Jessi had added the perfect touch of roses in soft creamy colors to soften everything down. The result was perfection!   

It was a fast paced but fun day. The weather was cold and overcast and snow flurries were in the forecast. I was really hoping that we would get some flurries because snow would look so pretty on video. But it never did.....At least not during the day while we were shooting the wedding prep and photo shoot. Oh well.

Jessi and Ryan chose to see each other before the ceremony so that they could get most of the pictures taken before the wedding and not have to worry with them after the ceremony. They were eager to get over to the reception site as fast as possible after the ceremony so that they could see the room fully decorated before the guests arrived. And I will talk about that more later...... 

I hung out with Ryan and his guys before the photo shoot and I have to say that Ryan was such a nice guy. I always seem to have the nicest grooms! His groomsmen were a good mix of family and friends. Ryan had three brothers and a nephew in the wedding! They were a good bunch of guys and it was fun covering them before the ceremony.

And from what I heard from Lynette, Jessi was a peach to work with too. And when I met Jessi too, first at the rehearsal the night before, and again after she arrived at the church, I saw how easy going and nice she was as well. Jessi and Ryan are perfect together. I love it when that happens!  

We didn't have a lot of time to wait around until it was time for Jessi and Ryan to see each other and start their photo shoot. Ryan seemed a little nervous, but not a whole lot. More excited than nervous I think. We all went to the church sanctuary and waited for Jessi to make her entrance. We didn't have to wait long before Jessi came walking down the aisle toward Ryan. She looked absolutely gorgeous! Her gown was beautiful and Jessi looked beautiful in it.

Once Jessi and Ryan saw each other, they were ready to get the show going! The photo shoot began and moved along briskly. It was an easy and fun photo shoot though, because Jessi and Ryan were so easy to work with. No drama here! Plus, it was easy to see that they were enjoying each other and enjoying their day. They were having fun. And they couldn't take a bad  picture! Such an easy couple to work with. And so NICE too!

Time moved along really quickly, and before we knew it, it was time to take our places for the ceremony.

Since Jessi and Ryan were going to exit the ceremony and immediately head over to the reception sight, we decided ahead of time that it would be great to capture the reception room setting  before anyone disturbed it. And we also thought it would be great to capture Jessi and Ryan's reaction  when they saw the room for the first time. And I am so glad that we planned this!

But since someone needed to be at the reception before anyone arrived, it meant that one of us had to leave and not stay for the ceremony. And as much as I love the ceremonies, I was excited to head over to the reception sightly early so I could see the room myself as it looked untouched and ready to go. I was also excited to be able to capture Jessi and Ryan's reaction when they arrived.

So as the ceremony began, I stayed long enough to get Jessi as she walked down the aisle, then I headed out. The ceremony was in excellent hands though, since Lynette, Amanda, and Team Emily stayed behind to film the ceremony.

Even though I was eager to get to the reception as quickly as possible, I had to drive very carefully and not break any speeding laws! I've gotten a few recent speeding tickets and can't afford to get another one any time soon. So it seemed like it took FOREVER but I finally made it. And when I entered the reception area, I was so glad that I was the one who got to see it first. It was so pretty!

Of course I couldn't wait to start shooting the details, and there were so many to get! All of the tables had beautiful flower centerpieces, but they were not all the same. And then Jessi and Ryan's table had a special centerpiece with long tapered candles which was so elegant.

And of course I had to get the cakes! The wedding cake was so pretty and the groom's cake was very creative.

And on top of all of that, the room was draped very elegantly, and a gorgeous chandelier was brought in for the occasion. Everything looked SO BEAUTIFUL. And perfect!

It seemed like I was barely there when I heard that Jessi and Ryan had arrived and were ready to see the room. I was so glad that we were able to capture their reaction! Jessi was thrilled with how everything looked. And I got her reaction on video. YAY!

As the guests began to arrive, they were treated to a hot chocolate and cider bar prior to a sit-down dinner. The Blue Tones were there and played easy listening dinner music while the guests mingled and visited with the Happy Couple.

The Loveless Barn has a loft above the main floor so Lynette decided to work the reception along with me and Amanda and shoot from that position. We wanted to make sure that we didn't miss one single detail at this beautiful reception.

Lynette, Amanda, and I enjoyed a nice break during dinner, followed by Jessi and Ryan's first dance, toasts, and the cutting of the cakes. And then the band broke loose with some up-tempo dance music and everyone got out on the floor and started dancing and having a great time. Even though Jessi and Ryan made sure to talk with their guests, they also found time to get out on the dance floor too. They were having a great time!

Too soon it was time for Jessi and Ryan to make their exit. But first they had to toss the bouquet, (which Jessi did with ease), and toss the garter, (which only took Ryan three attempts to get right!). Then Jessi and Ryan made a fast dash to their car through a sea of bubbles and good wishes from family and friends.

It was the perfect day.

And it was the perfect wedding to end 2009....   

We wish the best of everything to Jessi and Ryan as they start their new life together. Thank you for allowing us to spend this special day with you.....

More photos (video stills) from the day are posted in our photo gallery.

We wish everyone a very bright and happy 2010.

Peace! 

I'm sure you've noticed that Cheryl's Notes has a new look.  We're going for a cleaner, less cluttered look.  Gone is the curly-headed girl dressed in PJs and bunny slippers that was meant to represent me as I wrote my notes.  But really, I look nothing like her!  My hair is really straight and I don't own a pair of bunny slippers.  Wish I did!  Also gone is the name "Cheryl's Night Notes".  True, I write my notes in the middle of the night and will continue to write my notes in the middle of the night -- but the name is gone anyway.  Will I continue to end each post by saying "It's time for this girl to go to bed!" ?  Dunno.  I guess we will both find out together!

I want to reassure everyone that even though the look is different, Cheryl's Notes will remain basically unchanged.  I will continue to write about the weddings that we do from our perspective; or mostly, MY perspective!  I'll continue to tell about all the things I thought were really special at each wedding, and, hopefully, make it interesting in the process.  Because I know, my notes are long -- but I just can't describe the beautiful weddings I witness in just a few short words!  So since it is sometimes a long read, I hope to make my notes as interesting as possible.  I would really love it if someone reads my notes (especially future brides), and maybe sees something such as a great vendor or fun reception idea, and thinks "Hey!  I want that in my wedding too!"  . . . Or something like that.

I LOVE writing my notes.  I LOVE the weddings that we are fortunate enough to cover, and I want to tell the world about how great these weddings are!  I want to tell the world how great our couples are!  I LOVE what I do!  And I hope it shows in my notes.  I want everyone who reads my notes to know that we at McNeal LOVE being at your wedding and enjoy it SO MUCH!  I think it's important that your videographer LOVES going to your wedding!  And, believe me -- we WANT to be there!  :-)

As for all the great weddings that I've written about in my past notes?  Well, Lynette assures me that they are still here . . . somewhere . . . and still accessible.  In fact, Lynette is suppose to put a link here on my new page that you can click on and find a list of all my previous notes -- then you just choose the one you want to read.  Try it.  Okay?   Right now . . . Really . . .  Did you try it?  Okay -- I'll wait .............................. Try it yet?  NO?  What are you waiting for?!  Try it please!  I'll wait ................................................ Okay.  Did you try it now?  Great.  Did it work?  If it worked, and you were able to find my old posts, wonderful!  But if you weren't able to find my old posts, we won't know unless you tell us.  :--)  Thanks!

And please check back in December.  I'll be writing about a wedding we'll be doing right before Christmas that is sure to be SUCH a wedding!  And you'll want to hear all about it -- I promise!!!  :-)

Everyone take care, and I'll be writing more notes soon!