Columbia, Tennessee
There’s something really special about engagement sessions that happen at a couple’s actual wedding venue. Not only does it make the photos feel extra meaningful, but it also gives everyone a chance to get comfortable in the space before the big day.
Falyn and Stewart chose to have their engagement session at Antrim Celebrations in Columbia, Tennessee, which also happens to be where they’ll be getting married, and I absolutely love when couples do this.
It gives us such a great chance to explore the property together, find the prettiest light, test out photo locations, and start dreaming about what wedding day portraits might look like. It also helps the couple feel so much more relaxed walking into their wedding because the space already feels familiar instead of brand new.
And honestly, Antrim in April could not have been more perfect.
Spring engagement sessions in Tennessee are kind of hard to beat, especially when the timing lines up with everything coming back to life. Falyn and Stewart specifically wanted that fresh green grass, blooming flowers, and soft springtime feel, and shooting in April gave them exactly that. The weather was beautiful, the grounds looked incredible, and the whole session had that effortless, romantic spring energy.
One thing I always recommend to engagement session clients is bringing two outfits, one that feels a little more elevated or formal, and one that feels more casual and true to everyday life. Falyn and Stewart totally leaned into that, and it gave their gallery such a good variety.
Their more dressed-up look felt timeless and romantic, while their casual outfit brought a more playful, laid-back energy that made the gallery feel really well rounded. Having both always gives couples so much flexibility too, whether they want photos for save the dates, wedding websites, framed prints, or just photos that feel a little different from one another.
And these two were so fun to photograph.
Falyn and Stewart were the kind of couple that just trusted the process, which always makes such a difference. They were down to walk out into the fields, sit in the grass, and fully lean into the adventurous prompts I threw their way, which is honestly my favorite kind of energy.
I always love when couples are willing to get a little messy or do something slightly unconventional for the sake of a beautiful image, because those are often the moments that create the most storytelling, emotional photos. The wide open field shots, the movement, the sitting-in-the-grass moments… all of it felt so natural and them.
What makes this story even sweeter is that Falyn and Stewart had originally only booked me for their engagement session.
After seeing their gallery and experiencing what it was like to work together, they decided to book me for their wedding too, which was genuinely so exciting.
That’s honestly one of my favorite things, getting to be part of the full journey instead of just one piece of it.
It’s actually a huge reason why I include engagement sessions in my Collection Two and Collection Three wedding packages. Engagement sessions give us a chance to get to know each other before the wedding day, figure out what feels natural in front of the camera, build trust, and make sure everything feels easy and comfortable when the wedding arrives.
Plus, couples get to see exactly how I shoot, edit, direct, and document moments before committing to the biggest day, which I think is such a valuable part of the process.
By the time the wedding day comes around, it doesn’t feel like showing up to meet your photographer for the first time. It feels familiar. Relaxed. Easy.
Falyn and Stewart were such a joy to photograph, and if their wedding day is anything like their engagement session, it’s going to be such a beautiful one.
Venue:
Antrim Celebrations | Columbia, Tennessee
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