Kate + Alex // An Adorable Tannehill Park Wedding

The first time I drove into Tannehill State Park for a wedding last fall, I instantly fell in love with its oodles of charm. The historic buildings, including a schoolhouse and a precious little white chapel, that had been brought there from all around the state of Alabama, were so adorable that they honestly seemed too good to be true for a wedding venue. It was like walking into a scene from a Wes Anderson film.

So when I first met with Kate and Alex not long after that, and Kate described growing up right next to Tannehill, and how her family walks from their house to the park on a regular basis to this day, and how she has dreamed about getting married in that oh-so-quaint little white church since she was a little girl… well, let’s just say I was crossing my fingers under the table that they would book me. ;) Luckily, they did, and I got to experience the magic that this place holds all over again.

Kate and Alex first met when Kate played on a tennis team with his mom, and one day they were short on a doubles game and she invited her son to fill in. (Kate told me that Mrs. Anna still likes to joke about how she “hand-picked” her for Alex. :) ) Apparently a relationship born in athletics continues that way, because now these two also mountain bike and Crossfit together. I guess the couple who works out together, stays together? (If so, Jamie and I are in trouble! My idea of a workout involves digesting a delicious plate of food.) But I love that Kate is also a girly-girl who will monogram anything and put on the most gorgeous lace wedding dress you’ve ever seen. She and Alex really are perfect for each other, and their wedding was a joy to photograph.

I have to give a quick (but HUGE) shout-out to my friend Jon Sharman for driving all the way down from Memphis to second shoot for me! He’s such a fun guy to hang out and shoot with, and I’m so thankful that he’s going to be photographing my middle-and-high-school-best-friend Amy’s wedding this September up in Memphis. When she asked for recommendations (after finding out I was already booked on the day they chose… *tear*), I just had a feeling they would be a great fit for each other, and luckily he was free and it worked out perfectly. So I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to shoot with him and can’t wait to see what magic he works for Amy’s big day! You’ll see some of his shots sprinkled throughout this post. :)

Anyway, before I get too sidetracked, let’s get on to the photos, shall we? Enjoy!

Love this shot that Jon captured right before Kate and Alex’s first look. :)

This church is seriously my favorite. Oh my goodness.

Such a fun wedding party! I’ll never say no to photos with sunglasses. ;)

The photo below might legitimately be one of my all-time favorite candids. Seriously…. HOW CUTE IS THIS.

I love that Alex’s expression here says, “Whew. We did it!”

I love that these boys are having a sword fight with plastic knives, but I love even more the woman’s face on the left edge of the frame that simply says boys will be boys!

Seriously…. Kate’s nephew wins the Best Dancer at Any Wedding Ever award. He was a tour de force!

Kate requested a photo with their caterer, Chef Bob, and his team made up of his family members. How sweet is this?!

Kate and Alex, I had a wonderful time shooting your wedding. Congratulations to you both, and I wish you the best of luck and all the happiness in the world!