Hey all!  I am working on updating my website a bit, which means I'm going through the thousands of images I have created since my last update and deciding which ones need to be seen.  I am struck by how many wonderful people I have had the chance to work with, and I wanted to start sharing more of these images, just to showcase these folks!  I'm starting with brides.  Here are a bunch of my favorites:

So, which ones are your favorites?  I would love to read your comments (Either here on the blog, or HERE on my Facebook page)!

(Locations, top to bottom: Seven Islands State Park, Crescent Bend, Museum of Appalachia, private residence, Whitestone Country Inn, Rocky Top Main Street Baptist Church, Lighthouse Knoxville, Swimming in the Clouds Cabin, Country Jewell, Beaver Ridge, UMC, The Barn Event Center of the Smokies, Buckberry Creek Lodge, Smoky Mountain cabin, The Lily Barn, Dara's Garden, Norris Tea Room, The Stables in Lafollette.)

Amber and Colton tied the knot last weekend at The Barn at Chestnut Springs in Sevierville, TN.  What a perfect day!  What a wonderful couple!  Because this was a destination wedding for them (perfectly coordinated by the talented and sweet Janna Fowler of All About Weddings), I didn't have the pleasure of meeting either of them until the wedding day, and with as kind and fun as both Amber and Colton are, I consider it a loss that I didn't have the chance to get to know them beforehand.  But let's get to the pictures, because there are SO many I want to show everyone!  I had to pare down my favorites so this blog post wasn't three miles long!

The girls were dolled up by Southern Sirens at their cabin before they got to the Barn, but they finished up their preparations once they arrived. I knew pretty quickly they would be a fun bunch to work with.

Amber and Colton decided to do a First Look, which is always a great idea!  They had a chance to get to see each other and enjoy some time together before the day really got going, and this also allowed them to have most of their group shots done before the ceremony.  First Looks are always some of our favorite moments of the weddings we work, and this one was no exception.

The Barn at Chestnut Springs has a couple great locations for a wedding ceremony.  I have seen several done at the patio, but loved that Amber and Colton used the lawn area for a more natural setting.  Their vows were so sweet (I think every bridesmaid was in tears at one point!) and Amber's uncle officiating the ceremony made it all the more special.

I just want to take a minute to show you some of the details Amber and Colton chose to make their day special: decorations themed to showcase their love for travel and adventure, gorgeous flowers from Lisa Foster Floral Designs, an amazing "naked cake" by Bradford Catered Events (who also provided the yummy family-style meal), and a room full of perfectly set tables, thanks to the careful work of planner Janna Fowler, and Melanie from The Barn at Chestnut Springs.

After a cocktail hour (which Amber and Colton actually got to enjoy, thanks to their First Look before the ceremony!), the celebration officially got started with special dances, toasts, cake-cutting: all the fun traditional stuff that makes a wedding reception special.  Ryan Ray from Ogle Entertainment and adult beverages served by The Pour Guys made certain that the party was a good one.  Look how much fun everyone had!

By the time the evening was done, it had started to rain, so Amber and Colton did their "grand exit" indoors, which worked perfectly.  Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Hightower!  Head over to LIKE Jaclyn Paige Photography on Facebook so you can tag yourself and your friends in these same images!

Caroline and Ryan's wedding day may have been super hot and muggy, but that didn't stop them and their guests from having a blast celebrating last weekend at The Lily Barn in Townsend!  I couldn't choose just a few pictures to show from the day-- I have too many favorites!  So to start with, Caroline and her girls were made even more beautiful than they already are with a little help from A Fringe Salon.  The room was bustling with energy... and lots of kids!  Ryan and the guys got dressed at The Lily Barn's new cabin built especially for such a purpose.

How precious are these flower girls wearing Caroline's dress?

The ceremony was held at the gazebo, which is situated beside rows and rows of lilies.  What a beautiful setting for a beautiful couple.

Caroline and Ryan had a total of 10 kids in their wedding party, and six of them were four and under!  

Sometimes, cute does not equal cooperative!  Caroline has a great sense of humor and just rolled with it!

Here are several favorites of ours from the day:

The reception was so much fun!  Ryan and Caroline decided to do a Grand Entrance as they arrived at the pavilion for their reception, instead of a Grand Exit at the end of the night.  That allowed ALL their guests to participate instead of the few that might still be there later, and it ushered them in with style.  The reception was the perfect mix of funny toasts, sweet special dances, cake smashing, and lots of dancing... pretty much the perfect recipe for celebrating a new marriage!

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Sprague!  We were honored to be a part of your special day.

Head over to LIKE Jaclyn Paige Photography on Facebook, then tag yourself and your friends in these photos!

Sarah and Jesse's wedding at St. John's Lutheran Church in Knoxville was joyful, emotional, fun, exciting, beautiful, and all around amazing!  You'll see proof of all those things below.  One of my favorite shots from the day is this first one. We had to make sure we got the "iconic red door" shot, according to Pastor Amy.  I'm so glad she suggested the location!

Sarah and Jesse did not expect that Jesse's sister Valerie would be able to make it from New York, but at the last minute, she and her husband got to Tennessee!  We told Jesse that Sarah wanted to do some "around the corner" shots of the two of them holding hands around a corner but not seeing each other.  Valerie surprised him instead.  What a sweet moment.

In the meantime, Sarah finished getting ready to actually meet Jesse for their First Look, and Jesse's mom helped him with some finishing touches.

There are so many ways to do a First Look (and so many reasons it's a great idea!), but our favorite First Look set up is to simply have the bride walk toward her groom while he watches her approach him.  This way he can experience the thrill of watching the doors open with her standing behind them, and witness how beautiful she is from head to toe as she gets closer. Sarah and Jesse's First Look is definitely one of the more emotional ones we've had the joy of photographing.

Finally, after many years of dating and months of planning the wedding, the moment had arrived.  Sarah got to watch her own wedding begin while she waited to head to the sanctuary.

Imagine a wedding with a traditional setting (a stunning church), many personal touches (Sarah's brother helped officiate the ceremony), a heartwarming message (tears, laughter, and sincerest of love letters), beautiful music (cello, piano, and trumpet!), and an overall sense of "joyful love", and you have imagined Sarah and Jesse's wedding.

The reception was at the Museum of Appalachia in Norris, TN.  Weddings are fun anyway, but Sarah and Jesse's was REALLY fun!  Catering provided by Savory and Sweet food truck, bar services by Barger's Beer Truck, a bouncy house, cornhole, giant Jenga, bocce ball, 1,100 paper cranes, a general Japanese theme, and homemade desserts to include mini cheesecakes and TN whiskey balls.

After Sarah and Jesse's first dance, the cake cutting, toasts, and craziness in the bouncy house, it appeared to be a quiet and peaceful evening that would slowly wind down while the sun set...

However, D.J. Porter of Davis Sounds made sure that was NOT how the evening ended.  In fact, the party had really just begun!

What a great night!  Joshua and I once again were thrilled to be part of such an awesome couple's special day, and honored that they entrusted Jaclyn Paige Photography with the memories of their special day.  Congratulations, Sarah and Jesse!  

Now that you've read all about the day, head on over to LIKE us on Facebook so you can tag yourself and your friends in these pictures!