It's funny sometimes how life works out. About a year before Natalie & Ric's wedding, I was contacted by another bride who booked their date. Fast forward to June and the couple changed their mind and decided to elope.
Then a few days later, I got a call from Natalie, while traveling out of town with my family.
So after a long day of driving (with a small child in the car! yikes! lol) , Natalie and I got to connect over Zoom while my hubs put the kiddo to bed. And it didn't take long to tell that we'd soon be fast friends.
Natalie was beaming with excitement over recently snagging her dream wedding date by chance at Kokies in Evansville, Indiana. And had a clear idea of what the day would look like; a romantic, outdoor fall wedding with nods towards the couple's favorite series: The Lord of the Rings.
She was also looking for a photographer that not only fit their style but would be willing to travel to Evansville, could provide planning support and would be willing to dive-in head to a tight timeline. So of course you know I was like "hey girl- hey!" lol.
After meeting up with Nat & Ric for their engagement session, the wedding day was soon upon us and I was packing up to head to southern Indiana for a weekend of shooting. Mom Momma, who I hadn't got to spend time with in a while, also decided to join me for the drive so I had some company as I hit the road!
After hitting the gas station for snacks and jamming out to (Mom's favorite) hits of the 80's, I dropped her off at our hotel and then headed out to meet Natalie and her crew.
Upon arriving, let me tell you these girls were ready to usher our girl down the aisle!
Not to mention her FABOULOUS stylist (Logan Eastham) who was on site, was wrapping Natalie's hair into one the most beautiful, romantic waterfall braids I've ever seen. No joke... like, EVER.
And woooohoooo can I tell you it fit this couple's vibe! Along with her amazing hair, Natalie had also added a extra special touch that I was SO excited to see...
She had worked with a local seamstress to turn her traditional cathedral veil into a bridal cape and had it attached to the shoulders of her gown for the ceremony.
The cape could then be removed for the reception and Sis let me tell ya, it had me swooning! So much so, I'm just gonna throw this out there... can we make this "a thing?! in 2022? I mean, h-e-l-l-o...
Then that night, as I was wrapping up I said my goodbye to this sweet couple. It had been so much fun to help everything fold out that day. I headed back to my hotel room slightly exhausted but also buzzing away on the high from the day.
Then upon getting back to my room, my Momma, who had been enjoying an R&R day to herself suggested we go out for drinks. Fun was had by all... but the real shiner was the breakfast that waited us the next morning as we headed out of town at Amy's on Franklin.
'Yall - I've never had chicken and waffles taste SO good (except for maybe at Rize -- not been there you need to check it out too! Ask for the Farmhouse Waffles). It was SO hot and fresh that I had to wait for the chicken to cool before biting into what can only be described as an ABSULUTELY HEAVELY CRUNCH.
It was truly the real deal Sis - so if you're in the area checking out wedding venues or just find yourself in Evansville traveling through - be sure to look them up! Trust me... I'd be a crime not to!
Natalie & Ric's Wedding Vendors | Evansville, Indiana
Wedding Venue: Kokies Echo Valley of Evansville, Indiana
Hair Stylist: Logan Estham
DJ: Bill Rushing
Gown: Ella Park Bridal
Hey You... Let's Be Friends, K?!
Hey there - I'm Chelsea! A coffee worshipping Hoosier native, just trying to raise a kiddo and capture vivid memories in central IN for my families & brides. To see more of our work, make sure to FOLLOW us on Facebook and Instagram & sign up for our VIP club to get first dibs on open session date! Curious about me? Dive into my story of how I flushed my comfortable Fortune 500 Marketing Career to take on the life of a SMB owner at HashTag Memories Photography!
Or maybe the idea of photos stresses you out? Check out this blog post where I get REAL about how shooting a session of my own kiddo taught me how to help YOU mitigate Mommy Session Stress - or this one where we share basic planning tips & FAQs to help set you up for success on your next shoot.
x0 -chels
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