Joe Hendricks wedding photography

Behind the Scenes: A Tennessee Farm Wedding

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When a Luna girl gets married, it’s something we don’t take lightly—as evidenced by the fact that my sister’s own wedding week kicked off with a series of events on Wednesday night.

Tennessee Wedding

The week started with a cookout for the families at Josh and Kari’s new house, followed by a BBQ at my parents’ home the next evening for all the Charleston crew and other out-of-towners. I was still doing Whole30 then, so let’s say the party really started for me on Friday at the bridesmaids luncheon.

Tennessee Wedding

Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding

Kari had 10 bridesmaids—me, two sister-in-laws, five childhood friends, a college roommate and a grad school pal—two juniors and a flower girl, and we all convened at Caroline’s mother’s house (the same one who threw such an awesome wedding in Georgia the previous week).

It was so nice to have some time to decompress before the real insanity started—not to mention, finally have a glass of champagne after a month of sobriety!
Tennessee Wedding

The rehearsal that night was the first time I’d seen the venue other than once during the height of winter with nothing set out. It was a blank slate then, so I was surprised—in a good way—to show up and see it transformed into a magical place where fairies and sprites likely frolic. Totally a midsummer night’s dream, right?

Tennessee Wedding

Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding

Tennessee Wedding

The rehearsal dinner that night was at Cortner Mill, and then we went to bed relatively early as we had a 7am start time the following morning. If you know anything about me it’s that I’m a night owl and don’t function before 8, so this was a stretch!

A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding

The day of the wedding was pure chaos: We had the bride, the 13 in the bridal party, various friends and families, four hair and makeup artists, and the photographer and videographer crews all milling about my mom’s house. But if there’s anything us Luna girls thrive on it’s insanity!

Tennessee wedding
Tennessee wedding
Tennessee wedding
Tennessee wedding
Tennessee wedding

My good friend Brenna was responsible for Kari, my mom and me, and we couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.

I hardly ever wear makeup so it’s always a fun change—particularly when I put my fate in the hands of a professional like Brenna. Nashville brides, you need to snatch her up as soon as you have your venue nailed down!
Wedding Hair and Makeup

We thought the day of the wedding might be a bit cool after having a week or two in the 70s…HAHA, joke was on us—it was high 90s, and we arrived at the venue around 2pm, the hottest point of the day. But we rolled with it, as we do.

A Tennessee Farm Wedding

Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding

Kari and Josh did a first look and then we had a lot of time to kill under the tent as we all tried to battle the heat, keeping our hair as frizz-less as possible and blotting our shiny foreheads.

A Tennessee Farm Wedding

The ceremony was very quick and performed by our good family friend and pastor, Kal, who is just the bee’s knees. SVV and I spent the two weekends before the wedding building the pergola and our only requirement was making it tall enough that he could fit beneath it!

Tennessee Wedding

Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding

Tennessee-Wedding-27

Tennessee Wedding
Tennessee Wedding

Josh went to the Citadel, so his groomsman Joe planned a surprise from them: Six cadets showed up to perform the ceremony ritual. Kari knew it was coming, but the look on Josh’s face when he heard them marching down the aisle behind him was priceless! I love me a little shock value.

Citadel Wedding Tradition
Citadel Wedding Tradition

A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding

The rest of the evening passed in a blur, but I can honestly say I’ve never had such a great time at a wedding before. My mom—and her interior designers/wedding planner pals Myra and Lynn—sure know how to execute a vision.

Tennessee Wedding

No surprise, but my sister made a stunning bride, and the entire weekend was so perfect that I want to get married all over again just so I can have Myra and Lynn design it for me. Also, three cheers for a maid matron of honor dress I can actually wear again!
Put what you want

Tennessee-Wedding-44

A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding

Tennessee Wedding

A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding
A Tennessee Farm Wedding

Tennessee-Wedding-43
Tennessee-Wedding-46

We’ve already gotten the preview gallery back from the wedding photographer, Joe Hendricks—who took that awesome image at the very top of this post (the rest SVV and I snapped over the course of the weekend)—and the photos are so stunning I nearly cried. I promise to share them here, as well, once I have the blessing of the bride and groom!

Tennessee Wedding

Put what you want
Put what you want
Put what you want
COMMENTS
  • September 25, 2015

    Um, can you do it all over again and invite me?!? Kari looks stunning, love your dress, Scott snapped some great BTS photos and i just love the whole thing. Can’t wait to see the other photos!

    • October 26, 2015

      I am officially retired from wedding planning 😉 But I will help you plan Baby A’s first birthday instead, ha!

  • September 25, 2015
    Jessica

    You can see the happiness radiating off all of you! I love these pics- can’t wait to see more. (You and your sister both look gorgeous, btw!)

  • September 25, 2015
    Briel K.

    Kari looks so beautiful, I love your dress (where is it from?), and great job on the pergola!

  • September 27, 2015

    I love all the shots – but especially the first one, the look on your sister’s face is priceless!

    • October 26, 2015

      Hahaha, she even knew it was coming, too, and she still looks quite shocked!

  • October 1, 2015

    Love everything about this!! Looks like it was a perfect day! And you betta werk in that dress, girl! 😉

    • October 26, 2015

      Thank you, Jess! I’m pretty stoked I can actually wear this dress again 😉

  • October 26, 2015

    Kristin, I’ve never seen you look more gorgeous! Whole30 sure looks good on you!

    • October 26, 2015

      You’re the sweetest! Also, Brenna is a wizard with hair and makeup, so there’s that, too 😉

  • December 19, 2015

    This is an absolutely gorgeous wedding. Everyone looks like they had so much fun. The first photo and the flower girls with their cowgirl boots are priceless.

    • December 21, 2015

      Thank you, Erica! We all pitched in, which made it doubly meaningful, I think =)

  • December 21, 2015

    What a colorful wedding, and I must admit that I fell in love with that dress. I always say that the uniqueness of a wedding is what makes it memorable and perfect, and that was one amazing one that I wish I had attended 🙂

    Cheers

    Fiona

    • December 21, 2015

      Exactly! It was amazing to attend and be a part of. I wish we could do it all over again =)

  • April 14, 2016

    Hi Kristin,

    Thanks for sharing such a beautiful post.

    Mostly weddings are organised like this only, there are lot of preparations to made and also to recheck everything as nothing has to go wrong on the big day.

    Very nicely the whole story was narrated and of course the photos shot by your photographer are so nicely executed and it themselves tell the whole story. I have become a fan of your photographer.

    Thanks once again for such an inspiring article. Keep posting and Have a nice month ahead.

    ~ Harshwardhan

  • June 20, 2016

    Hi Kristin, I am happy to see your photograph, you’re looking so beautiful. Thanks for sharing

  • July 8, 2016

    beautiful pictures! Thanks so much for sharing, I’m sure it was a wild, hectic, and beautiful adventure to watch your sister get married!

  • October 26, 2016

    This looks like an awesome wedding! I loved looking at all the pictures. Thanks so much for sharing!

  • November 7, 2016

    That’s a lot of people for your mom’s house, but the wedding day itself and the photos are well worth the experience. 4 makeup artists and hair stylists seems like a good number for the crowd.

  • November 17, 2016

    Beautiful and inspiring! Good Read!

  • December 9, 2016

    Your experience of being on dietary restrictions during part of the wedding planning is something many bridesmaids and brides will understand. At least, you had yourself a real party letting loose at the luncheon.

  • December 11, 2016

    Hii,

    This is awesome! Congrats for the wonderful wedding and your sister looking beautiful. All the photos are very nice. Your wedding should be a reflection of your style and personality, and I must say your planner did a great job.

    Regards,
    Jennifer Taylor

  • January 4, 2017

    Hi,

    I really like all the pics oh!GOD you have 10 bridesmaid.I think it was very hard for you to chose a perfect dress for each. Your pics shows that you done your job well!!! you are looking awesome in the pictures.

    Thanks for share.

  • May 5, 2017

    What a beautiful wedding! The bridesmaids’ dresses are such a lovely color and the photos all turned out really nicely.

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