reynoldstown intimate backyard wedding | atlanta wedding photographer

“Anyone know a wedding photographer who is available March 11th? Our Big Sur wedding has been canceled due to all the crazy mudslides, so we are semi-scrambling to throw together something magical in just two weeks.”

This is how the story starts.

Not Annie and Chris’ story of course, but you know, that’s where I came in. A lovely friend, who knows 'magic' is my middle name, tagged me in Annie’s facebook plea to find a wedding photographer in literally two weeks. Normally, I would be like “good luck!” but this day I happened to be available. I had two photo sessions that same morning, but jetted over to Annie and Chris right after for the most perfect wedding day.

Let’s backtrack: I met Annie over iced vanilla lattes 11 days before the wedding and as I sat and listened to her soft southern drawl describe her dreamy intimate backyard wedding while simultaneously trying to place whether her accent was from New Orleans or South Carolina or a combination of both, I thought to myself: this is going to be epic.

I had just shouted out to the wedding gods recently that I desperately wanted to shoot more elopements and intimate weddings. More emotion and less production. More by-the-heart and less by-the-book. More “that feels right” and less “is this allowed?” My philosophy is: your wedding, your rules. And I am absolutely in love with any couple who is ready to make up their own rules.

And Chris and Annie did just that.

Friends and family came together to help Annie and Chris pull together the most beautiful backyard wedding, in 2 weeks. Friends created the most gorgeous flower arrangements and helped with landscaping. Family made sure a tent was there in case it rained. It rained. Besties officiated the ceremony. Somebody made a million origami cranes, whoever that was, I commend you. The day before, I stopped by the house just in time for Chris’ impromptu wedding suit fashion show, reminiscent of Carrie's in Sex and the City the Movie. When you book couples that dgaf about walking around in their underwear in front of you, it is just truly a good day.

Yes I'm being funny but on a more serious note, there’s nothing more that I want as a creative photographer than to work with people who can be themselves on their day and project so much love, and energy and feeling into the images its almost overwhelming, in a good way. I don’t want to have to ask my couples to kiss or touch or hold or look at each other, I want you to be making out before I’ve even had a chance to get my camera settings right. Which Annie and Chris did not have a problem with. Forget I’m there, forget anything is there! I crave this type of vulnerability in the couples that I create magic with which is why this wedding will forever be my jam.

Look yall....on your wedding day:

Be vulnerable.

Forget the "rules".

Embrace a Plan B. And C.

Get your expensive-ass dress dirty.

Walk around barefoot.

Walk around in your underwear.

Write love notes to your partner.

Write love notes to your guests.

Leave room to breathe.

Borrow the good china.

Don't sweat the small stuff.