If you’ve followed the blog for long, you may recognize this sweet little family. My cousin Will and his wife Caity, who were some of my very first clients, just recently had their first precious little baby, Miss Hattie Louise. They asked me to come to their home in Franklin, Tennessee to take some relaxed portraits of the three of them, which worked out perfectly since I hadn’t gotten to meet and hold this adorable tiny person yet. (And I’m sure my parents were hoping this visit would give me a case of baby fever. ;) )

Growing up is seriously a crazy thing. It seems like just yesterday my cousins and I were begging our parents to let us have sleepovers together, and now everyone is old enough to be having kids of their own. It just doesn’t seem possible! But it’s really happening, and I have to admit that it’s been so neat to see them take on these new roles and love on their babies.

Two things are guaranteed every time I visit Will and Caity’s house: 1) Will always offers me exotic homemade snacks and delicious French press coffee (the guy’s a genius in the kitchen) and 2) I am blown away by Caity’s design skills and craftiness (seriously, check out her blog Craft Day is the Best Day and see why she gives Martha a run for her money). So it was no surprise that right after I arrived, I was immediately handed a delicious smoothie and given a tour of the cutest nursery I’ve ever seen. (If you’re looking for more info about Caity’s inspiration and resources when putting it all together, check out her recap here.)

I hope you guys enjoy these photos. This is what I believe every family session should feel like: relaxed, authentic, and just plain fun. :)

When Scott and Brady first met, Scott was a bartender, and Brady happened to be the last girl in the bar one night. They ended up talking for hours as he served her drinks, and the next day, Scott was telling his friends that he had met “the one.” I love this story, because I think it represents how much these two love to have a good time. They deeply value their relationships (you should have heard all the speeches at their rehearsal dinner– these two are the kinds of friends you WANT to have), they’re kind to everyone they meet, and they’re just… FUN. At our first meeting they told me that they were super laid back about the whole wedding planning process, and that honestly all they cared about was saying their vows to each other and making sure that everyone they loved had an amazing time. Since I think that’s about the best philosophy two people could have when it comes to getting married, I was naturally excited about being part of this one.

Even though the clouds and rain loomed overhead most of the day, no one batted an eyelash. A tent was set up over the ceremony site, prayers were said, and the best was hoped for. Fortunately, we only dealt with a few sprinkles during the most important parts of the day, and everyone’s spirits stayed high. What made it all even easier was getting to work with my good friends Elle Danielle (who came to second shoot for me) and Paul and Courtney (my favorite videographers- Kinora Films!). We had a blast documenting the day together and helped each other remain calm about the weather. In fact, Courtney is a bit of a weather nerd– so much so that she’s been invited to weather conferences and has earned the nickname “Courtney Spann”– so she kept an eye on the storm tracker on her phone for us throughout the day. Love that girl. ;) We also had an absolute BLAST at the reception because Brady and Scott hired the best DJ of all time, which meant we were doing a little dancing of our own while we shot. (I mean seriously… when you’re mixing “No Scrubs” with the Grease soundtrack with 80′s hits with “Get Low”… there’s going to be a lot of dancing. And because the room we were in was fairly small, with a low ceiling, and everyone was crowded in and going crazy, it felt more like a house party than a wedding reception… which gets a thumbs up from me! ;))

Brady and Scott, thank you so much for having us all be part of your incredible wedding. We love you guys!

Brady’s dress? A knockout!

Love love love this group of ladies. Thank you to Dani (the girl on the far right) for whipping everyone into shape with their posing. :)

Brady, you’re stunning. Also, I love you for wearing a braid and a flower in your hair.

The cuteness below… I cannot even handle it. That’s Scott with his dad, two brothers, and nephew right before Brady came down the aisle.

This ceremony was one of the sweetest I’ve witnessed. So many laughs and tears.

Love this angle of the first kiss that Elle got. That is a KISS, you guys!

I absolutely loved the views from their venue, Park Crest.

ALL of their guests were so much fun, but nothing quite compared to the moment “Footloose” was played. This guy unbuttoned his shirt halfway, put his glasses on, curled his lips, and graced us with some of the best vintage-John-Hughes-movie-style dancing we’ve seen. It was incredible.

Coolest mother of the bride ever? I think yes. :)

Congratulations Scott and Brady!