Kim and Danny, East Ivy Mansion Wedding, Nashville
Kim and Danny were a dream to work with. We have mutual friends, and Kim has been in a couple of weddings I have photographed over the years. This was my first time photographing a wedding at East Ivy Mansion and it was so lush and full of character! This couple gave me their complete trust which is such a gift. Kim glows with warmth, joy and light and was so fun to photograph. She also took the time to answer my questions below so thoughtfully, and I’m so grateful! Enjoy.
Q. What made you choose your ceremony or reception venues? Did they have any special significance to you?
A. We chose East Ivy Mansion for the gorgeous garden grounds! We were chasing the feeling of throwing the best summer backyard party ever, and East Ivy was the perfect place. When you're planning a wedding, the venue is one of the first choices you make, and East Ivy's lush green garden really inspired many subsequent choices for the whole wedding. For example, the bridesmaids' multicolor dresses were inspired by the garden greenery and the clear blue water and open sky.
Q. What is your most memorable moment from the wedding day?
A. I'll always remember the crazy weather that weekend. There were thunderstorms off and on all weekend, including the wedding day. I wasn't worried about it because we had tents all over the venue. Miraculously, the storms stopped for our afternoon pictures, then it rained a little more, then it cleared up again right before our outdoor (but still tented) ceremony. Multiple people sent me pictures of the double rainbows on display they were seeing as they drove up to our venue.
As we were waiting to walk down the aisle, my bridesmaids started singing one of my favorite songs, "Rainbow" by Kacey Musgraves. We sang "The sky is finally open, the rain and wind stopped blowing ... darlin' I'm just trying to tell ya, that there's always been a rainbow hanging over your head" - and then my planner told us it was GO time. Something about the lightness and joy in that moment, right before I walked down the aisle, I will treasure forever.
Q. Our favorite detail of the wedding was:
A. We love the details - it is so hard to choose! Including our dog, Hallie, was so fun for us. Our friend walked her down the aisle as the "Dog of Honor" and a cute illustration of her was featured on our bar menu signs. I am a sucker for details in general. I loved how our visuals were custom and consistent throughout - we worked with my freelance graphic designer friend Amy Harmon to ensure that all the visual materials matched - from save-the-dates, to invitations, to event signage, programs, and even thank-you notes. I loved working on the stationery suite. I knew I had to have Claire from White Ink Calligraphy work on our wedding. I love her work! Not only did she do our invitation envelopes and event signage, but we also commissioned a simple, first-initials monogram to be used as a sort of "crest" throughout the wedding materials, like on the party cups, and even projected on the pool at night time!
Q. Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line?
A. We didn't write the vows themselves, but we worked with our officiant (Danny's beloved Aunt Liz!) on the entire ceremony, and it was deeply special to us from beginning to end. We treasure the readings we each picked - Danny picked The Art of Marriage by William A. Peterson and I picked Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog by Taylor Mali. One of the moments of the ceremony that stands out was a special moment we took to pause, look in each other's eyes to take it all in. Then Liz had us turn to look at everyone that had gathered to be with us. I'll never forget the beautiful sight of 250 smiling faces beaming back at us.
Q. For the groom - what do you admire most about your wife?
A. I have always loved Kim's extroverted, friendly personality, and her smile that goes along with it. If you know her, you know what I mean. She has always made me laugh, and others too. I love how she loves other people with an undying sense of compassion. Bust most of all I just love having her in my life and coming home to her each day.
Q. For the bride -- what do you admire most about your husband?
A. I think Danny has the most golden heart in the world. Since we've been married and been our own little "family," he lives to make sure I am happy, safe, and loved. He's always loved me exactly as I am and I cherish that about him. We are true partners in our marriage and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Q. Is there anything else you'd like to share about your wedding?
A. Everyone says your wedding day is about you and your partner. Of course, it absolutely is! It's the first day of your beautiful commitment to each other. But outside of that, there is truly no gift like having all of your loved ones gather to surround and support you. We had friends and family from over 20 states, as well as some family from Europe come in to be with us on our wedding day. The feeling of all those people gathered in the same place was special beyond words, and we'll never forget it!
Q. What's next for you as a couple?
A. We left our beloved little rental house of 5 years and bought our first home! We're still in Nashville - we love living here. We're gearing up for a summer of travel, swimming, and hiking with the dog.
Kim’s wedding album below, complete with her wedding crest on the cover.
Q. What was it like being in front of my camera?
A. In a word - effortless! We got all the pictures we dreamed of and more. We wanted timeless, bright, rich photography to remember our wedding and we got that in spades. Plus, Rachel has a real knack for gently and encouragingly coaching people - both getting large groups in formation and not a hair out of place, as well as calming you down for a solo or couple shot and keeping things natural. She is nothing short of amazing - you want her on your team!