Lindsey and Athen’s Wedding

On April 4th in the quaint little town of Madison, Georgia, Lindsey and Athen got hitched. Athen’s family has attended Sandy Creek Baptist Church in Madison for years. Built in 1808, the church is over 200 years old and still has the original stain glass windows in place. It is quite an incredible site to visit.

To add a twist on tradition, the bride and groom decided to see each other prior to the ceremony on the wedding day. To learn more about this current trend, visit our friend Carolin's blog. Before their guests arrived, the sanctuary was a quiet intimate haven. Athen stood at the alter alone with his back turned to the door. Lindsey walked in the room and came up behind her groom. He turned around and their eyes met, both instantly beginning to water. They embraced and were so happy to see each other. It was such a romantic sight to witness. Emma, who was the only one privileged to see this and capture it on camera, described it in intricate detail. “It was the perfect chick-flick moment,” she gushed.
The ceremony was a community event and every pew in the Sandy Creek Baptist Church was filled. There was not an empty seat in the house; some guests stood in the back in order to get a glimpse of this intimate ceremony. The ceremony itself was beautiful and intimate. Athen’s father, a Reverend, gave an empowering speech on the virtues of marriage.

Once the ceremony ended and everyone stepped outside, the greenness of spring was in bloom. Formals were taken in a nearby field, full of tall lush wheat grass.

The kelly green bridesmaids’ dresses glimmered in the sun as the

bridal party smiled, giggled, and posed for the camera.

Not to worry, the gentlemen had fun too. The guys had
just as good a time striking poses as the ladies did.
At the reception, the groom's cake was devoured very quickly! No wonder

everyone had been so excited about digging into the infamous family caramel cake!

When it was time for the newly weds to depart, they received hugs, kisses,
and bubbles as they ran down the receiving line.

They hopped into a black Jeep (adorned with shaving cream!) and rode off into the wild green wilderness.

Kara and Ben's Wedding

On June 13, Kara and Ben were married at Buck Creek Farm in Gainesville, GA. When Emma and I arrived, the girls were in the Guest House getting ready. The boys were across the farm prepping for the wedding in "the barn" (which was more like another guest house) with one of the coordinators, Terri Winans.

The property was so large, there were two wedding coordinators just to make sure everyone got ready on time. The other wedding coordinator (and florist) Despy Foley of Joyce Merck Florists, was near the Guest House as Kara’s seven bridesmaids munched on hors d’oeuvres and drank champagne while getting their hair and make-up done.

Prior to the ceremony, Ben sent a messenger to the Guest House with a gift for Kara. What a sweetheart. :)

Kara was a calm and collected Bride; when asked how she felt, she said her only worry was if it was going to rain or not. I liked her sereneness.

A current trend we’ve noticed with modern weddings is that the Bride and Groom decide to see each other before the ceremony. Kara and Ben did this and gave Emma another chick-flick moment to capture on film. Emma and the parents’ of the happy couple designed what we like to call, “A Reveal”. Handsome Ben waited for Kara on the wooden porch outside the Guest House. Looking out on the grassy pastures, his back was turned toward us. (Yes, this romantic moment had quite an audience- bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, and, of course, our photography team!) We peered around the side of the house and watched Kara, in her gorgeous dress, slowly walk towards him. When he turned around, his eyes lit up and he smiled, stunned at how lovely his Bride-to-be looked. They embraced and we all laughed and cheered.

To read more about the current trend of the Bride and Groom having "A Reveal" before the wedding, see our friend Carolin's blog post on the subject.

The sun smiled on Kara and Ben that day and no rain fell. The natural feel and setting of the wedding was enchanting. The flowers and bouquets were simple white and champagne tones, and combined with the abundant greenery created an earthy elegance. Kara, clad in a delightful Jasmine Couture gown, truly looked amazing.



One of our highlights as photographers was how incredibly adorable the Ring Bearer and the Flower Girl were. Emma’s friend, Carolin,who helped us photograph the event, got a thrill out of photographing these precious children.



After formals and family portraits, everyone made their way up the hill to the ceremony site in golf carts. The property was quite large and it would have been a long walk in formal wear. Thank goodness for the boys with the golf carts!

To make their way to the ceremony, Kara and her Father climbed into a horse drawn carriage provided by Sunburst Stables. This was such a nice touch- as well as a picture-perfect entrance! Emma and I got a workout as we raced up the hill just before the carriage did, so we could snap some shots of the bride and her father in the buggy. Also during the reception, Sunburst Stables gave carriage rides to wedding guests in a nearby field. How romantic!

Catered by Beyond Details, the food at the reception was absolutely wonderful. The lavish selection was mouth-watering and salads were even served in martini glasses!

Created by Kristin Brousseau of Memorable Creations Cake Shop, a four tiered French Vanilla cake with butter cream frosting proved to be a big hit. Underneath this delicious treat, was something quite sentimental. The table cloth was made out of lace from Kara's Mother's wedding dress. Futhermore, to keep with sentimental tradition, Kara's garter was created out of her grandfather's handkerchief.



When it came time to dance, the band, Platinum, got everyone going. Everyone loved them! They were so much fun and kept the party going all night. With classics like “Shout”, “Soul Man”, and “Respect”, guests of all generations were up and groovin'.

At the end of the day, everyone was tired but had a great time celebrating with Kara and Ben. Congratulations you two! You are truly beautiful!

For more on Kara and Ben's story, click here. And check out their wedding blog.


~ Jenny-Lind