I would assume that it is pretty rare that Tennessee gets to see it’s Governor give away a daughter to marriage while in office. So it was exciting to be asked to shoot such a monumental occasion at the Governor’s Residence. We had a great time with Annie Haslam and David Colquitt on their big day and enjoyed getting to know them and their families.

Each time I met with Annie (the bride), Crissy (the First Lady), and Elizabeth James (the planner), Annie expressed her commitment to keeping the wedding laid back and fun. And by laid back, I mean, a bride and bridesmaids in boots, a bonfire with s’mores, a rockin’ band, the game of corn hole, and our version of a photo booth. Elizabeth executed Annie’s vision brilliantly, and everything went off without a hitch, even with 30 minutes of rain that decided to start during the post-ceremony photos.

I have to admit, secret service agents can be intimidating to work around. Although I didn’t think about it at the time, it probably would not have gone over very well had I encouraged all of the guys with “earpieces” to get together for a photo.

As the wedding photographer, I have to build trust as quickly as possible with my subjects. If they didn’t trust me, like me, or want me around, it would be impossible to capture the genuine moments that they are drawn to in the first place. One of the best ways to do this is to be a part of the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Getting to know everyone and being a part of the pre-events is a valuable way to connect with everyone before the big day.

My favorite part of the wedding was the rice getaway. No one does it anymore because of “the danger it poses to birds,” which is an urban myth I discovered, so for the record, rice is fine for birds. I believe the myth was brought about because churches didn’t want to have to clean it up…

It has to be said that the photos don’t do it justice, but Gov. Haslam danced the best father-daughter dance I have ever seen. I know my jaw wasn’t the only one on the floor as they did spin after spin. I made a commitment that day to take dance lessons to try to outdo him at my daughter’s wedding (Olive is 10 months old.)

I hope you enjoy the photos!