The Baber House is a beautiful mansion and the perfect setting inside and out for the wedding ceremony and reception, for more information visit their website!

Outdoor wedding Gallatin

Kennesaw Farms wedding photos

Summer outdoor wedding in Gallatin

The best part of these sessions is that it gives brides the freedom to choose new places and creative options to take photographs without worrying what will happen to the dress. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun without the stress and excitement of your wedding day schedule of events.

Trash the Dress Sessions include a preliminary meeting so we can find out exactly what type of images you are wanting from your session and plan the locations and shots. This is your time to get creative! Trash the Dress Sessions almost always include special lighting in additional to natural light to capture the perfect images. The sky is the limit and we’re here to making your ideas a reality!

Do I have to ruin my dress during my session? Not at all! Many people opt for sessions that run the risk of getting the dress a little mussed around the edges but nothing actually damaging to the dress. Or if you like the idea of a really messy session but don’t want to ruin your dress you can always purchase a second dress cheaply at a thrift store, Craigslist, or on clearance that you can mess up for your photos without worrying about damaging the beautiful gown you were married in.

Nashville and the surrounding areas have incredible areas to do a Trash the Dress shoot from walking the streets of downtown Nashville to running through Centennial Park, jumping in the Harpeth River in downtown Franklin, or walking through fields in Leipers Fork.

Trash the Dress Sessions in Nashville and the surrounding areas

Trash the Dress ideas to get you started:

• On a motorcycle
• Climbing trees
• Jumping in a lake
• Floating in a pool
• On the swings in a park
• With your favorite pets
• Walking in the forest
• Jumping in a fountain
• Laying in the grass
• Nighttime shoot
• Berry-picking
• Running through a vineyard
• Horseback riding
• Laying in a hammock
• Edge of a lake at full moon
• Rolling in the mud
• Sitting on a sidewalk
• On the beach
• Throwing long shadows
• Dancing in a barn
• Sunrise or sunset at a lake
• Include the wedding party
• Slip’n slide
• Pillow fight
• Water fight
• Lay in a flower bed
• Downtown Nashville at night
• Canoeing
• Diving in a pool
• Jumping in a pile of leaves

Sarah and Bobby had a western themed rehearsal dinner at the Musician’s Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville, TN. Guests were provided with cowboy hats, red handkerchiefs, and a live band played fun folk and country music for dancing after dinner.

Themed wedding rehearsals are so much fun, some of the most popular seem to be western themes (especially in the Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, and Murfreesboro areas), a Mexican Fiesta, Hawaian Luau, Vintage, Retro, Summer Picnic, and Victorian Teas. Run with your imagination and your personal style!

Interested in using the Musician’s Hall of Fame for your wedding rehearsal or reception? Visit their website at: http://www.musicianshalloffame.com/facilities/ for more information. The Musicians Hall of Fame was named Meeting Professionals International – Tennessee Venue of the Year 2008, stop by and check them out and you’ll see why!

Wedding rehearsal photos at the Musician's Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN

They remind me that my job as a photographer is not just shooting images but about people. A wedding is a sacred event filled with memories of the past, stories of the present, and promises of the future. The fact that I have the responsibility to capture the essence of life in images throughout the day is responsibility that I treasure, not a job that I punch a timeclock on. Seeing the joy and happy tears of families and friends coming together amid the hustle and bustle and sound of laugher and the brush of satin and tulle is always an honor.

Thank you to all of the brides and grooms and families that entrust me with capturing your day!

And best wishes to Ben and Jill!

Outdoor wedding portraits in Murfreesboro, TN

Wedding Reception Photos

Ryan and Kelly had the perfect day for the perfect wedding! I met this couple last fall and spent a fun fall afternoon shooting their engagement photos. One of my favorite parts of shooting weddings is how much time I get to spend with couples before their special day from pre-wedding meetings to engagement shoots and photo coverage planning sessions. By the time the wedding day comes I feel like I have gotten a glimpse into the personalities and styles of the bride and groom and how to better capture their story on their day.

The Belle Meade Plantation just a few miles outside of Nashville, Tennessee is definitely joining my short list of favorite Middle Tennessee wedding locations. The mansion was built in 1853 and is located on 30 acres of beautiful historic grounds. The reception took place in the Carriage House and the staff couldn’t have been more pleasant and easy to work with.

The very best to you both!

Wedding photos at the Belle Meade Plantation

Wedding photography at a historic location in Nashville

Erin and Michael are a delightful couple and I am so looking forward to being a part of their special day next month! A few months ago we did engagement photos and designed a ‘Save the Date’ magnet for them. The background of both the magnet and matching invitations and response cards was a photo of the lace on Erin’s wedding dress. (Sorry Michael, that is all you get to see of that beautiful dress for a few more weeks yet!) One of my favorite parts about designing custom wedding invitations is the stories and styles behind each individual couple, their journey to finding each other, and even the reasons for certain colors used on their special day.

Custom Wedding Invitations and Response Cards

(The return address on the response card has been blurred out for privacy.)

Factory at Franklin – www.factoryatfranklin.com
230 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN‎ – (615) 791-1777‎

The Factory at Franklin is an incredible spot for photos of any kind. It is a national historic factory with 15 buildings with dozens of shops for shopping, dining and entertainment along with special event facilities – and of course beautiful photo spots! While some locations are dependent on weather and time of year The Factory is a special place no matter if it’s bright and sunny or the dead of winter. There are always wonderful places for photos with everything from fun stairs, broken down walls, courtyards, trendy hallways, and retro buildings for limitless possibilities for your photos.

Winstead Hill – www.franklin-gov.com
Columbia Ave Franklin, TN 37064 – (615) 794-2103

Winstead Hill Park is located south of downtown Franklin on Columbia Highway and consists of 61 acres with a walking trail, parking area, and restrooms facilities. I love taking photos here. Winstead Hill seems to be an undiscovered gem of a park where sometimes we can do an entire shoot and never see another person. It’s especially beautiful in the fall with the gorgeous color leaves that we can play in while we shoot. In the spring and summer the green grass is lush and walking along the paved trails we can find wonderful photo opportunities. Alongside the park is a beautiful road with interlacing branches that form almost a tunnel with the light shining through the leaves.

Pinkerton Park – http://www.franklin-gov.com/parks/pinkerton_park.html
405 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, Tennessee (615) 794-2103‎

Pinkerton Park is located on Murfreesboro Road and is the most popular park in Franklin. The Harpeth River is along the west side of the park while Fort Granger lies to the north. There is also a playground with perfect places for family photos and children’s photos. There is a one-mile paved pedestrian track that goes around the entire park. There are great places for photos along the river, bridge, and the fort. If you’re up for a short walk there is a pedestrian bridge that connects Pinkerton Park with downtown Franklin and some great railroad tracks for more photos!

Historic Downtown Franklin – http://www.downtownfranklintn.com/

Downtown Franklin should count for about 20 favorite photo spots! There are fifteen blocks that are listed in the National Register Historic District with more than 70 unique shops, restaurants and antiques. Franklin has been cited as one of the most beautiful downtowns in the South. There are old churches, the downtown square, sidestreets with historic buildings and homes, railroad tracks, old trees, the historic movie theater, benches, and of course Starbucks for a little coffee break if needed! There are so many places for photos downtown that many of my clients will take a walk around the area prior to our session to pick some of their favorite spots.

Downtown Franklin Wedding Photos by Allison Hendrickson