Dove Wedding Photography

The Blog Has Moved!

2009-05-05T13:41:00.002-05:00

We Have Moved The Blog!
To: www.doveweddingphotography.com

We Have Moved The Blog!
To: www.doveweddingphotography.com

We Have Moved The Blog!
To: www.doveweddingphotography.com

Once you see the splash page load up, all you need to do is scroll down the page to see our new blog!

It's bigger and better!

This Blogger site will no longer be used. So, set your RSS feeds to our new blog location.

- Peter

Sarah & Jonathan: Wedding Sneak Peek!

2009-04-30T11:58:00.002-05:00

We always love a chance to visit Cedarwood, which is exactly what we were able to do for Sarah & Jonathan's wedding last week. Just like Sarah & Jonathan, the wedding was sweet, layed back, and full of love from their family and friends. Here's one of my favorites of the wedding party!

-Whitney

Next Sweets Event: May 22 & 23

2009-04-28T12:51:00.004-05:00

Get ready to have a lot of fun, pamper yourself, and surprise your man. The next Dove Sweets Event is May 22 & 23!

For all of you with summer weddings, Dove Sweets make the perfect wedding gift to give to your husband on your wedding day.

For all of you about to reach your one year anniversary, remember that the first year is the "Paper Year." What can be a better gift to give on paper than a magazine or set of prints full of fun and flirty photos of yourself!

The sessions are already booking up, so contact audrey@doveweddingphotography.com ASAP.
Visit: www.doveweddingphotography.com/sweets for more information.

Unfortunately, those who participated in the March event have not given out their gifts yet. So, we are still not able to share any of those images. We should be able to real soon, so keep your eyes on our blog.

In the mean time, her are some quotes from the girls who participated. I removed names so not to give away any surprise.

"Thanks Whitney! These are absolutely wonderful and I had such a fun time doing it! I can't wait to give them to [him]! Thanks so much!"

"AHH!!! I LOVE them!!!! Thank you sooooo much! I cannot wait to show these to him! I was dying to get them but now I just have to sit on them for a month and try to not ruin the surprise! Thank you!"

"Thank you so much! I love them. [My friend] and I are already discussing doing it again in the future."

Baby Isaac

2009-04-27T14:36:00.007-05:00

Jenn dePaula has been my friend since my freshman year of college, way back in 1995. We were both music majors at a small school outside of St. Louis. Jen lived in Iowa and I lived in South Dakota. So, it was natural for us to carpool home during breaks. It’s amazing that we both ended up in Nashville and still see each other regularly. Her husband Marcus is one of my “co-workers” at The Village Chapel. I work with the youth and he runs the sound, video, website and fixes all kinds of things.

Like Whitney and I, Jen and Marcus met at The Village Chapel. They were married shortly after us. We had the honor of photographing their wedding and now, Whitney had the honor to photograph their newborn baby Isaac.

Isaac is the most expressive baby I have ever seen. I’m really not sure what goes on in that head of his. While processing these photos, all kinds of laughter have been coming out of the Dove offices. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as Jen, Marcus, and the entire Dove team has.

- Peter

The Rescue

2009-04-23T14:38:00.001-05:00

For those of you familiar with Dove Wedding Photography, you know about our efforts to work in rescuing the children of Northern Uganda from being abducted and forced into being soldiers. We contribute with our finances and our time through a couple organizations. One, which is Invisible Children.

Since September 2008, the Lord’s Resistance Army has had a renewed will to spread terror by murdering over 600 and abducting more than 160 children to fight amongst its ranks. More than 104,000 Congolese have been displaced since Christmas, in attempts to escape the LRA forces.

Invisible Children, along with other organizations, believe an international effort to apprehend the LRA leader, Joseph Kony, and rescue his child soldiers is the most viable way to end the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today.

This Saturday, Whitney and I will “abduct” ourselves, along with thousands of youth and young adults around the world, to bring awareness to this situation. If you would like to join us or learn more about the event taking place in Nashville, visit www.invisiblechildren.com.

Of course we will also be taking photographs for Invisible Children and we will be sure to share those with you after the event.

- Peter

Dove in Bridal Guide

2009-04-15T16:02:00.004-05:00

Every now and then different websites have asked to use images from the weddings we photograph. We are always glad to share these images that we love so much. With much excitement, we found one of our favorite photos in the current issue of a newsstand magazine: Bridal Guide!

A couple years ago we had the honor to photograph Amber Housley’s wedding. Many of you may know Amber from A Delightful Day event planning. She had a gorgeous bouquet created by Fresh By Carry Ann. Bridal Guide’s most current issue features an article on flowers and chose to show off Amber’s bouquet as part of the feature.

I must admit, our image is hard to find in this huge magazine, but we are very excited to be featured in our first national publication. Stay tuned to our blog over the next few months as we promise to show off some more magazine features. We recently photographed cover stories for two magazines that will be released sometime this summer. One was very interesting to say the least, but I will keep you in anticipation as to what it is.

- Peter

Amy & Chris: Wedding Sneak Peek!

2009-04-10T17:40:00.003-05:00

This past weekend we had the opportunity to photography Amy & Chris' amazing downtown wedding! Amy was stunning and stylish, and we had so much fun the entire day. Here is one of my favorites from the day!

You can see more from their day by clicking here!

Whitney

The Beach- The Boys!

2009-04-06T18:28:00.007-05:00

Well, I hope you are ready to laugh! Even though the boys actually did play a little bit of tennis while we were there, most of their time was pretending to play tennis while we photographed them! This is their version of extreme sports.

Phil going for it!

Peter looks like he's moving with a jet pack on this one!
Not sure what this means...
They're studs.
Yup, a lot of laughing going on that day.
Sean Smack!
This trick didn't work too well...
We got yelled at after this attempt... but it was worth it!

Poor Peter.... :)

Victory!
And that is the end of our beach trip, I hope you enjoyed it even a fraction as much as we did!
Be sure to check out Mindy & Phil, Mel & Sean, and Adrienne & Chris' blogs for even more laughs!

Whitney

The Beach- The Girls!

2009-04-05T17:28:00.005-05:00

So I'm finally getting around to posting these shots that Peter took from the beach trip, and I can't wait to show you mine! They will be next. It's not that I think mine are better, but guys just tend to be funnier to look at than girls! At least most of the guys I know :) So we started out at Target to buy sweat bands for the guys, and us girls decided we should get in on the fun as well. At first it was going to be just hats. And then we added are pet dogs. And then came the sunglasses, shoes, make-up... You know how it goes with girls! It was like playing dress up again, but we all had our husbands there taking photos of it all! I hope you enjoy our ridiculousness!

It was actually very hard keeping a straight face... Head over to the Mclellan's Blog to see how Peter got this shot!

Lounging by the pool, with not a care in the world!
Adrienne's fuzzy slap bracelet! I didn't know they still sold them!
Mindy's pink poodle was the best.
Mel rockin' it out!

My fantastic orange hat.... I need to figure out ways to wear it more often!

Alrighty, there are even more hilarious photographs to come, so stay tuned! And be sure to check out the above links to see our friend's photos from a different angle!

Whitney

We Have a Winner!

2009-04-03T15:04:00.009-05:00

Thank you to everyone that entered the contest for the free wedding with Erin. We loved reading everyone's unique stories and what you are planning to do for your wedding. It was a tough decision, but we have chosen our winner. Drum roll please....Congratulations to Ericka Bingham and Bobby Blackwell!! We not only loved your sweet story, but we also liked the fact that you are donating money to an organization that is important to you in lieu of guest favors.

Here is their story:

My name is Ericka Bingham and my fiance's name is Bobby Blackwell. We are both students at Lipscomb University, but we began dating nearly four years ago when we were still in high school.

We met on Saturday, October 15, 2005, at a mutual friend's birthday party. The second that I walked in the door and saw him, I gasped, "Who is THAT?!" before I could even catch my breath. Luckily, he looked at me and smiled. I spent the entire night sitting and talking with him. I found out that his sixteenth birthday had been on Tuesday, October 11, and my seventeenth birthday was the following Tuesday. So we met during the week that we were both sixteen-years-old. Although we attended different schools and churches, we had many different things in common. Unfortunately, he was riding home with a friend and they left the party before I could work up the courage to ask him for his telephone number.

I spent the next few days wondering if I had made the same impression on him as he had on me. I got my answer on the following Friday. I was in the marching band in high school and he came with a friend to our football game because he knew I would be there. I was so shocked to see him that when he tapped me on my shoulder, I turned around and just hugged him before I could think to say anything! After that evening, we began talking on the phone and soon planned a date. He was coming over to my house after school to meet me in order to go out to eat and then to a friend's house.

When I saw him that evening, I was very surprised. He had brought me a dozen white roses- my favorite flower. At this point in my life, even with my previous boyfriends, I had never had anyone bring me white roses. To this day, he will occasionally surprise me with a dozen of my favorite roses just to say, "I love you." It meant a lot to me that he had done that, but he also showed his character to me in another way that night. When my father had come home from working on my grandmother's house, Bobby introduced himself and spoke with him briefly. My father had to leave soon after. We were about to leave the house and when my mother was telling us to have fun eating dinner, Bobby insisted that she come along with us. He did not want to leave her at home while my father had left to finish remodeling the house. I do not know very many young men who would sacrifice the first date in order to have dinner with the girl's mother, as well. He was so kind-hearted that night, and he still shows a high level of respect and gratitude for my parents. Unfortunately, he was raised by his grandparents and has not had a close relationship with either of his parents. However, he has been very close with my parents throughout our relationship. I appreciate how well he gets along with my parents as well as how my parents have treated him as they would their own son.

Since we began dating our sophomore and junior years of high school, we knew that marriage was in our future at an early age. It was never a topic that was avoided. We have been comfortable talking about anything and everything throughout the past few years. On October 17, 2007, the evening before my nineteenth birthday, my father had a heart attack. He was in the hospital for nine days and had open heart quadruple bypass surgery. This event shook my foundation as an individual, but it helped shape my current world view. It also drew me closer to those in my life that I love. Bobby and I realized that life is to be cherished as well as enjoyed, because our time is limited and we have no ultimate control over our time here. I knew without a doubt that I want my father to be alive and well in order to walk me down the aisle on my wedding day. About eleven months later, Bobby asked my parents for my hand in marriage. On my twentieth birthday, Bobby proposed to me. He woke me up with flowers and spoke the most beautiful words. It was the perfect moment- intimate, private, and real.

Bobby and I have a wonderful relationship. He is my best friend. We want this to be reflected not only in our wedding photos, but throughout our ceremony and reception. We want it to be simple, timeless, and romantic. I have enjoyed the entire planning process, but look forward to planning more when classes are over at the beginning of May. My mom was helping me look for different photographers in the Nashville area and found your website last week. I would love to work with Dove Photography for many reasons. But most of all, I respect and support the fact that Dove is involved with helping with the Invisible Children cause in Africa. I think that even though Dove Photography works with weddings, it is important that the "invisible" children are recognized and supported in the process. A wonderful wedding day for someone in America might mean another homeless, hungry evening for an invisible child in Africa who is simply trying to survive and keep from becoming a child soldier. These horrible aspects of our world are often overlooked, and it is important to me that Dove Photography is willing to donate and help.

I also plan on making a donation in lieu of favors at my wedding. My grandmother passed away on February 27, 2009, of ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, the doctors did not diagnose her until the beginning of February and she was already in stage 3. The following three weeks passed too quickly and before I realized it, her time on Earth was fading. She had smiled and said that she was definitely going to be at my wedding, and although she is no longer here I know she will be there in Spirit. Along with having a memorial picture on a table for her, I will also donate to support the fight against ovarian cancer through an organization such as Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Should I be fortunate to be the wedding of choice, I would be able to use the extra money in my donation.

Congratulations again Ericka and Bobby! We can't wait to be a part of your wedding day!

The Beach!

2009-03-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

We just returned from spending a couple of days at the beach with several of our photography friends. I actually hate to say "photography friends", because really they have become dear friends whether photography is involved or not. However, you can't get a group of photographers together without it being quite obvious that we all love being behind, and often in front of the camera! Here is a peek of day one, and all the silliness that came with it.

Peter... uhhh... being Peter,
The incredibly serious Phil of Phindy Studios
His lovely wife Mindy, documenting the action.
Sean of McLellan Style showing off his super powers.
Yes, we are married to grown men.
Peter was the only one to brave the water...
Watching Peter...
Laughing at Peter.... (this is the lovely Mel, Sean's wife)
The next day, we headed to Lambert's, home of the throwed rolls.

This is Chris and Adrienne of Chris and Adrienne Photographers. It was Chris' birthday, and he was offered a kiss over the intercom at the restaurant!

Peter, once again, being Peter.

I have one more to show, just as a taste of what is to come from Day 2 of our trip... I'll just say, we played a lot of dress up, and took a lot of photographs!

Whitney

Last Call For Entries!

2009-03-27T12:22:00.003-05:00

March 31st is our deadline for entries to win a FREE WEDDING with Erin Lee! We can't wait to hear your story! Here is a recap of the details of the contest.

Full Wedding Day Coverage with Erin is being offered at a limited time, introductory price of $1800. To spread the word, we are giving away a free wedding package with her!

The package, valued over $2,800, includes:
- Full Event Coverage with Erin Lee
- Two Photographers covering your wedding
- Entire Wedding Day Image Collection Disc
- One 11x14 Masterpiece Print from your wedding day
- Photographs placed online to view and share with guests

What Must I Do To Enter?
Submit a photo of you with your spouse-to-be.
Your photo should be 2x3inches @ 300dpi (let us know if you have questions about this.)
Write a creative story about yourself. The story does not have to be long, but must contain how you met, it needs to describe your wedding, and say why you want to work with Dove Wedding Photography. When describing your wedding, explain primarily how your wedding portrays you as a couple.
All entries must be received by March 31.
Email your entries to info@doveweddingphotography.com

Who Qualifies?
Your wedding must take place between April 15, 2009 and July 31, 2009. Unfortunately some of these dates are already booked. The dates that do not qualify during this time period are: April 18; May 6 & 30; June 6, 14, & 27; July 11 & 12

Who Will Win?
There really isn’t any science behind it. We are just going to choose our favorite submission. We may even get some help from a friend or two. We are looking for a fun, touching, and creative story about you and your wedding. The more creative your photo and story are, the better the chance you have to win.

Additional Rules:
- All entrants must follow all rules included in this section as well as the above sections.
- The wedding must take place within 120 miles of Nashville, TN.
- You cannot currently have a contract with a wedding photographer.
- You cannot break a contract with a wedding photographer to enter this contest.
- You cannot already have a wedding contract with Dove Wedding Photography.
- Full Event Coverage is not to exceed 10 hours.
- Winner must be willing to sign a contract and model release with Dove Wedding Photography for the amount of $1.09

We look forward to hearing your story!

Whitney

Last Chance for Sweets!

2009-03-24T10:07:00.002-05:00

The next Dove Sweets Event, boudoir photography session, takes place this weekend. A few time slots are still available. Contact Audrey at 615-730-7716 or audrey@doveweddingphotography.com to reserve your spot.

For more information on the Dove Sweets Event, visit www.doveweddingphotography.com/sweets.

Friday Finds with Audrey - Wedding Dresses

2009-03-20T11:09:00.005-05:00

A couple of months back I was reading a blog on The Wedding Chicks about wedding dresses for under $600. If you have not heard of The Wedding Chicks you need to check their site out, as it is a great place to get ideas and inspiration. Anyway, after reading this blog I thought to myself, “No way can these dresses be that cute.” Well, needless to say, I took one look at their Web site and fell in love.

Dolly Couture is a company out of California that sells ‘50s inspired wedding dresses for under $600. The great thing about these dresses is that for an extra fee you can customize them to suit your colors or style. And just like those classic wedding dresses from the ‘50s, Dolly Couture features those stylishly short silhouettes. However, you can order a longer skirt, or better yet purchase a dress from their separates line and wear a long skirt for the ceremony and change into a short skirt for the reception.

My favorite dress is the “Paris” from their separates line. I absolutely love the corset top! Here are a few others that I like as well…

The “Paris”

The "Manhattan"

The "Edmonton"

I hope that you have a great weekend!

Cheers-

Audrey

Intro to Photography, Round 3!

2009-03-18T15:07:00.008-05:00

We finished up another great Introduction to Photography class with a great photo shoot! These are always so much fun, and I am always so impressed by what the students capture. Before I share the class photos I have to share one of Peter's to show you just how much our model Erin looks like Evangeline Lily from Lost! I love it!

I love seeing how much everyone is in to it... no fear of getting dirty here!

Now, on to the great photographs! Sarah Laspina was our first model for around down town, and she was stunning! I love everything about her look, from her cute hair to the fun and sexy dress!

After photographing Sarah, we spent a little time downtown with Erin and Brandon and then headed over to Cedarwood.
Aren't they adorable!

Thanks to everyone that helped us out and for the great students! I couldn't ask for more!

Whitney

Amy & Jason: Married!

2009-03-17T09:44:00.009-05:00

Get ready for a lot of beautiful details from Amy & Jason's wedding! After every session we did with Amy, a lovely thank you note would arrive to our office and would totally make my day. They mean so much to me, and are really encouraging. They were such a delight to work with, and everything was breathtaking. A Delightful Day kept the day going smooth as usual! I had to include a multitude of details for you.

The dress from The White Room.

Amy & Jason were married at Union Station, which is always gorgeous any where you go.

Amy's beautiful flowers were made by Petals from Heaven.

The aisle runner is from Original Aisle Runners.

The Bake Shoppe made this lovely cake.

Other vendors that made this day happen were Nashville Event Lighting and DJ, Robert Luke.

Amy & Jason, thanks so much for letting us take part in your day!

Whitney

Dove's New Wedding Photographer!

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

We are proud to announce the addition of our new photographer Erin Lee! The photo above is Erin. The photos below are photographs taken by Erin.

Full Wedding Day Coverage with Erin is being offered at a limited time, introductory price of $1800. To spread the word, we are giving away a free wedding package with her!

The package, valued over $2,800, includes:
- Full Event Coverage with Erin Lee
- Two Photographers covering your wedding
- Entire Wedding Day Image Collection Disc
- One 11x14 Masterpiece Print from your wedding day
- Photographs placed online to view and share with guests

What Must I Do To Enter?
Submit a photo of you with your spouse-to-be.
Your photo should be 2x3inches @ 300dpi (let us know if you have questions about this.)
Write a creative story about yourself. The story does not have to be long, but must contain how you met, it needs to describe your wedding, and say why you want to work with Dove Wedding Photography. When describing your wedding, explain primarily how your wedding portrays you as a couple.
All entries must be received by March 31.
Email your entries to info@doveweddingphotography.com

Who Qualifies?
Your wedding must take place between April 15, 2009 and July 31, 2009. Unfortunately some of these dates are already booked. The dates that do not qualify during this time period are: April 18; May 6 & 30; June 6, 14, & 27; July 11 & 12

Who Will Win?
There really isn’t any science behind it. We are just going to choose our favorite submission. We may even get some help from a friend or two. We are looking for a fun, touching, and creative story about you and your wedding. The more creative your photo and story are, the better the chance you have to win.

Additional Rules:
- All entrants must follow all rules included in this section as well as the above sections.
- The wedding must take place within 120 miles of Nashville, TN.
- You cannot currently have a contract with a wedding photographer.
- You cannot break a contract with a wedding photographer to enter this contest.
- You cannot already have a wedding contract with Dove Wedding Photography.
- Full Event Coverage is not to exceed 10 hours.
- Winner must be willing to sign a contract and model release with Dove Wedding Photography for the amount of $1.09

Christina: A Sweet's Session

2009-03-11T13:14:00.003-05:00

I wanted to share some of Christina's boudoir session with you. She is a beauty and totally rocked it! Yes, I just said "rocked it." I also want you to know that we did get permission from Christina to post these. We have our next "Sweets Event" coming up on March 27-29 and I am so excited about it! You can find out more information by e-mailing audrey@doveweddingphotography.com.

Here are some of my favorites of Christina-

-Whitney

The Best Nashville Wedding Photographers

2009-03-10T10:04:00.002-05:00

Dove Wedding Photography is named one of the top three wedding photographers in Nashville!

After receiving numerous requests from brides for advice, recommendations and ideas, Ashley’s Bride Guide started a search to find the Nashville area’s absolute best in weddings. The search was based on real insight from recently married brides, grooms and their parents, by having them submit their favorite vendors they worked with.

Ashley’s A-list winners truly represent the best in Nashville weddings. Being selected for Ashley’s A-list is an enormous achievement because Nashville brides have spoken and the list represents the vendors they love! While national praise is noteworthy, nothing is more rewarding than obtaining the adoration of those in one’s own community.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the survey and voted for us. If you would like to see the entire list of winners, please visit Ashley’s Bride Guide’s Best of Nashville weddings section.

A Beautiful Saturday!

2009-03-09T13:45:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday we had our photo shoot with the photography class and had such a blast. Everyone made great images that I will share next week. Our models for the shoot, Erin & Brandon, were a delight. Brandon is also a photographer- you can see his work here. He brought his brand new Canon 5d Mark II and let me use it on their shoot. It was so much fun! Here are a couple that I just loved that I grabbed of them out at Cedarwood.

Whitney

Friday Finds with Audrey - Cameras

2009-03-06T14:20:00.004-06:00

Ever since I was a little kid I have loved taking photographs. I can remember many summer days playing around with my Grandfather’s old camera outside of our house. Most of the pictures are pretty bad or completely silly, but I cherish those memories.

Just recently, after taking Whitney’s photo class and becoming a Canon convert, I traded in my Nikon D70 for a used Canon 30D. I am still learning the in’s and out’s of the camera and how to use all of its functions, but I am loving the process. However, there are days when I miss the simplicity of the old plastic cameras I used to play with as a kid. So I thought this week would be fun to share with you a couple of cameras that I am in love with and plan on purchasing for myself very soon.

You know those old photographs you look at and the color is really rich or it has this kind of naturally wrong but very cool look to it? Those are some of my favorite photos, and more than likely they came from a Lomographic camera.

If you aren’t familiar with what I am talking about, here is a short summary from Wikipedia about Lomographic cameras:

Lomography emphasizes casual, snapshot photography. Characteristics such as over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure, blurring, "happy accidents," and alternative film processing are often considered part of the "Lomographic Technique."

I think the unpredictability of the images is what appeals to me. I love digital photography, but I will always hold a soft spot for film and the unique characteristics of these cameras.

Below are a few of the cameras I am referring to and links to where you can find them, as well as some of the images that they can produce. I hope that you love them as much as I do.

Cheers!

Audrey

The Holga

The Diana

The LCA+

Amy: A Bridal Session

2009-03-05T16:09:00.003-06:00

We had a great time around Downtown and at Union Station for Amy's bridal session! Amy's dress is from the White Room, and she looked stunning in it. Here are my favorites.

-Whitney

Feature on Pictage's Blog!

2009-02-27T18:12:00.003-06:00

Be sure to check out our interview on Pictage's blog. You just might find some tasty little tid bits about me & Peter!

Click here for the full blog!

The Quiet Blog- but not for long!

2009-02-25T15:35:00.002-06:00

Things have been quiet around here- Peter was sick last week, and I caught the bug this week. I'm actually lying on the couch, coughing and coughing as I type this. I wanted to say hello, and let everyone know that we have some SUPER EXCITING new things coming up that we can't wait to release! Winter is typically slow for wedding photographers, but we have been working hard preparing for this upcoming year. That's about all I can muster up right now, but you will be hearing more very soon!

Whitney

Friday's Finds with Audrey - Invitations

2009-02-20T16:02:00.012-06:00

Wedding invitations can be a tricky thing. I say that to mean, while they are a necessity for your wedding and you want them to be unique and reflect your style, they can get really expensive really fast. Once you start adding in envelopes, reply cards, reply envelopes, etc…the bill can add up quickly. This was my conundrum when searching for invitations.

I wanted them to be special and unique, but I didn’t have the money to go to a stationary store and have them designed. While on the hunt, I fell in love with some custom, hand-made invitations in the most unexpected of places…eBay! eBay has a lot of auctions for custom invitations. You will of course have to sift through a lot of the junk, but if you have the patience you can find some real gems on there.

One of my favorite sellers is net1graphicsdesign2bup, out of Chicago. They make hand-made invitations and have a lot of colors to choose from so that you can customize them to fit your color scheme. But of course the best part is that their invitations are $3 or less per invitation set. As a side note, if their auctions have ended, you can always use the contact seller through eBay and email them. Here are a few of my favorite invitations that they make…

Chocolate & Pink Invitation:

Burnt Orange & Brown Invitation:

Another place I have discovered that does wedding invitations is Hatch Show Print here in downtown Nashville. If you are not familiar with them, they are one of the oldest working letterpress shops in the US. They also make all of the show posters for performers that play at the Ryman. While I do not have a photo to show you of a wedding invite they have done, I have visited their shop and their invites are truly unique and truly Nashville. And best of all….inexpensive! You can check out their site for more information.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend, and please let me know if there is a specific “find” you would like me to blog about.

-Audrey

Final Photo Class for the Year Coming Up!

2009-02-19T11:38:00.003-06:00

Our final photo class will be held February 28th & March 1st with our shoot on March 7th. The class is $199 and includes a delicious lunch on both Saturdays, intimate instruction on camera basics, lighting, and composition and a final shoot with a bride and groom! As you can see from the photographs from our students, you will come out with a wealth of knowledge to help you, whether you want to start a career in photography or you want to learn how to take amazing photographs of your kids! Please e-mail Audrey right away if you are interested. Her e-mail is audrey@doveweddingphotography.com. I look forward to seeing you there!

One of the many reasons I love my husband!

2009-02-18T10:40:00.003-06:00

Peter is one of the hardest working men I know and I have always admired this about him. After working all week without a break, he ended it by spending all night Friday with the youth group at our church. Peter works part time as the Youth Director, and is so good at it. He continued until 8 the next morning! After sleeping on Saturday, our Valentines date that night, he got up again on Sunday morning to help me with photographs. He then worked the rest of the day with youth group, and finally stopped at 9 pm that night. Wheww....

Well, since then it has caught up with him and he came down with the flu Sunday night. He is still sick today, but it always seems to work like that. It takes a bug to take him down!

But really what I love the most is that as hard as he works, he would drop anything for me. And if he doesn't have to work, his favorite thing is to just hang out and be with his friends.

Here's to the love of my life, and my sweet valentine. I hope you feel better soon!

Take a peek at our flowers and yummy homemade cheesecake from our fun, relaxing Valentine's evening.
(from iphone)

-Whitney

Friday's Finds with Audrey

2009-02-13T16:09:00.008-06:00

One thing I love about looking through other people’s wedding pictures is seeing all of the personal details that make that wedding unique to that couple. The pictures that I always love looking at are the ones of the cake. I LOVE cake! But more importantly, I love all of the different cake toppers that couples choose for their specific cake. From the ever classic initial, to the more traditional bride and groom… I love them all!

Recently I was reading a blog post on www.stylemepretty.com that had some cute ideas for cake toppers from different sellers on etsy.com that are a little more fun and quirky. If you are looking for a unique cake topper for your wedding then Etsy is definitely the site to check out.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

From Etsy seller Cotton Bird Designs:

From Etsy seller elleFdesigns:

And of course, I thought I would leave you with what my cake topper looked like. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

-Audrey

Intro to Photography, round 2!

2009-02-12T15:07:00.012-06:00

We had such a great time this past weekend in our second Intro to Photography class! We spent the first weekend learning the basics of the camera so that everyone can work their camera's manual settings. What does it mean to be able to work your camera manually? It means you can see an image in your head, and know just what to do to make it turn out! We also discussed all different forms of lighting, composition, and posing with opportunities throughout the day to practice these things. The second Saturday was a full day shoot, where we put all of these practices into place! I've gone through and edited some of my favorites from each student in the class, and I think their work is excellent! It was a very intense two weekends, but it totally paid off in the end! The great thing is, the students can take the skills that they have learned and use them in whatever avenue they are interested in, not only weddings. First, here is a shot of us hard at work:

But it wasn't just hard work, it was a lot of fun too!

Now... on to the the photographs!

Last, but most certainly not least, I want to thank our friends Winston & Freya for being excellent models for the day! Also, a huge thank you to Cedarwood for allowing us to come out and explore their property, which is beautiful all times of the year!

Whitney

Bride's Choice Award Winner!

2009-02-10T10:00:00.001-06:00

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Dove Wedding Photography has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Dove Wedding Photography is one of the very best wedding photography studios.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

Dove Wedding Photography would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award!

Laura & Michael- Married!

2009-02-05T14:52:00.014-06:00

We had a blast hanging out with Laura & Michael on there wedding day! They were married at the First Christian Church in Shelbyville, TN. Here is a shot of their beautiful rings.

I love this one of the girls helping Laura putting her dress on.

Laura and Michael saw each other before the wedding. You can tell Michael is really excited waiting for. They also used this time to exchange their wedding gifts. Perfect!

The girls, the guys, and the whole group.

Laura and Michael were troopers... it was toasty in the car, but they made it through. Doesn't Laura have a great smile!?

Just before the wedding.

After the ceremony, I just had to grab some images in this great area with wildflowers.

Their reception was at the Fly Cultural Arts Center in Shelbyville, TN. It made for a great reception location. Laura has such a classic vintage sense of style and it was reflected in everything from her beautiful dress to the flowers that were used. These are some of my favorite moments from her reception.

Thank you for letting us take part in your day!

Whitney

Dove Sweets! A Success!!!

2009-01-29T12:38:00.004-06:00

This past weekend we had a great time with our Dove Sweets boudoir sessions. We enjoyed it so much that we've decided to plan another one in May! We realized that many girls wanted to do these not just for Valentines day, but also as wedding gift for their new husband or an anniversary gift if they are already married. If you are interested in finding out more information or being put on the waiting list, please e-mail audrey@doveweddingphotography.com When we have the date finalized, we will let our waiting list know first.

I can't spoil the surprise by posting the girls on here, but I do have some images of our super cool room we used at the Hotel Indigo. This was a Terrace Suite, and it made a super fun and sexy backdrop for the photographs.

The terrace overlooking West End- we did some fun shots out here in spite of the cold weather! Brave girls!

A special thanks to Jami Harris for doing a fabulous job with makeup!

-Whitney

Carefree, Arizona- Photography Conference.

2009-01-26T13:37:00.010-06:00

A week and a half ago Peter and I returned from a photography conference in Carefree, Arizona which is about 30 miles outside of Phoenix. Peter had a hard time remembering the name of the town, so often called it "Cozy Town". The conference was put on by the Digital Wedding Forum, which is a place that us wedding photographers can go to learn more about our craft. We learned so much at the conference, and had a lot of fun too! The photography community here in Nashville is really great, and a whole group of our friends from here made the trip to Carefree also. The first few photographs I'm going to post are from some practice shoots out in the desert.

This is one I grabbed of Mindy, of Phindy Studios, one of our room mates for the week.

Peter grabbed these two of me:

One night a group of us decided to do a night shoot in the desert, which was actually very cold. Here is one of my favorites I grabbed of Chris Scott.

Peter took this one of Mindy & Phil:

Even with all the seminars we went to, we still had time for some fun and hanging out. Here's some of the guys hanging out at a certain rock in Carefree :)

Our last night in town, the whole group from Nashville (minus Chris :( ) hung out in the McLellan's room. You can see in the photographs that we have a lot of fun together!

Angela seems a little disturbed at whatever Andrea is laughing at!

Serious.

The whole group.

From left to right:
Mindy & Phil Thornton, Angela Disrud, Mary Crow, Andrea Hallgren, Sean & Melanie, Adrian Hitt, and then of course us!

Rebecca & Scott- Married!

2009-01-23T10:48:00.009-06:00

I have never seen a bride more excited on her wedding day than Rebecca- and her excitement just spread to everyone! Rebecca was married at her home church in Lebanon, and her colors worked beautifully with the blue stained glass at the church. I love these next two: I think shoes tell a lot about someone, so I see these as a portrait of the bride and groom.

Rebecca getting ready to see Scott.

The wedding day was very hot, so we did most of the photographs inside. The church had very large windows opening up to the foyer which made some beautiful light!

LOVED this simple wall and blue floors. Can't you just see the joy on their faces!

Beautiful flowers...

More of the happy couple.

Just before the ceremony.

Their reception was at The Mill in Lebanon.

The end of the perfect day!

-Whitney

Dove Sweets- Classy and Fun Boudoir Event!

2009-01-16T10:37:00.003-06:00

I am so excited about our upcoming Sweets event! It is such a great way to surprise your husband, and they always LOVE it! I had one done for Peter a couple of years ago, and it was one of his favorite gifts. Also, for those of you that are nervous, don't be! Once you get started, you will have so much fun, and all your fears and insecurities will go away. I am naturally a shy person, so if I can do it, I know you can too! Here are the details:

January 24 &25: 2009 Dove Sweets Event Valentine’s Special

Give the most unique Valentine’s Day gift to your loved one- A Dove Sweets Session. This occasion is more than just a photo shoot; it’s a chance to capture your beauty- inside and out.

During each session, Whitney creates an atmosphere of comfort as she directs you into a beautiful and flirty model. Add in your unique personality and your boudoir session will be sure to stun.

And get ready: when you’re done, you go home feeling elegant, romantic and confident!

The 2009 Sweets Event includes a, private, one-hour photo session with Whitney Carlson in a stylish hotel suite. Before heading to the suite, a complementary makeup session will be provided by one of Nashville’s top makeup artists. Wine and appetizers are included throughout the day to complete the experience.

To be a part of the event, or obtain further information, contact audrey@doveweddingphotography.com or 615-730-7716.

2009 Sweets Event Rate:
Only $150 (over $500 value).

2009 Sweets Event with Image Collection Disc:
Only $300 (over $800 in value)

I hope to see you there!

Out of the Office

2009-01-11T12:02:00.002-06:00

This week we will be out of the office because we are in Phoenix for a photography conference. We are super excited because several of our friends from Nashville are here as well. We will be back next week and will get back with everyone then. If you need immediate assistance, you can contact audrey@doveweddingphotography.com. Here is a quick view from where we are staying- isn't it beautiful!

-Whitney

Dawn & Joey- Married!

2009-01-08T15:43:00.010-06:00

I just loved Dawn and Joey's classic yet modern wedding! Everything came together beautifully, and Dawn and Joey were both stunning and fun to be around. I was so happy to have the wonderful Joy Smallwood come and shoot with me and Peter on this wedding. The day was relaxing, fun, and had all the elements that a photographer could ask for. Their wedding planner, Jessica with Weddings by Jess, was great and kept everything flowing throughout the day.

The day started with the girls getting ready at The Standard and the guys at Union Station.

Dawn's gorgeous flowers are from Dick's Flowers in Lebanon.

Dawn and Joey saw each other before the ceremony, so we spent a lot of time doing photographs before the ceremony. I LOVE shooting downtown!

Their ceremony was at the Legislative Plaza- don't you just love the feel of it!

This is one of my favorites that Joy shot that day!

And this is one of my favorites from Peter!

After the ceremony, Dawn and Joey wanted to spend more time doing portraits! And I happily obliged! It is rare when we get to spend so much time on portraits on the wedding day. We had so much fun wandering the streets of downtown.

Their reception was at the Standard's more modern space across the street, which was a perfect ending to the day.

If you want to see more, you can view their slideshow here.

-Whitney

Neeti & Sharran- Married!

2009-01-06T15:22:00.012-06:00

This past May, Dove had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Neeti & Sharran. This was our first Indian wedding, so we were more than excited to be a part of it! I've put links throughout the blog to the Wikipedia definitions of some of the ceremonies- they do a better job explaining than I could! We flew to Chicago that Friday for the Sangeet that evening, and we knew right away this would be fun! Saturday was the Mehndi, where all of the ladies had Henna applied, and Saturday evening Sharran had a dinner with his family.

Sunday was the big ceremony, and as she always is, Neeti was stunning. When you watch the slide show below, notice her different outfits for each ceremony!

While Neeti was finishing getting ready, Sharran rode in on a horse for the Baraat.

Then was the main ceremony, which had so many different aspects and traditions to them.

Their reception that night was beautiful and so much fun! They never stopped dancing the whole weekend, and everyone had a blast.

Not only that, but Neeti, Sharran, and their family took us in like we were guests.

There were so many photographs that I wanted to share that I have put their slide show on this post. To see the slide show larger, click here.

My baby brother :)

2009-01-05T20:54:00.003-06:00

I hope that everyone had a great holiday! We had one of our most relaxing so far, and now I am energized and ready to get back to work. Well, at least a little ready to get back to work. Peter and I spent a week in Georgia visiting my family, and I already miss them. I brought my camera along, but didn't get many photographs other than the ones of my "little brother", Audi. My mom has had him for two years, and he has stolen all our hearts! He is the sweetest dog, always wanting to play or snuggle, and he will love you the second he meets you. I think he looks like a little Mogwai (from Gremlins!) and the tooth you see in this first photo stays out all the time! Here he is, waiting patiently for a treat.

Whitney

It's been awhile!

2008-12-23T11:03:00.002-06:00

We have been very very busy over the past few months, and our blog posts have been very scarce lately. However, keeping up on our work for our clients takes precedent over the blog. We are thrilled that all of our work will be complete by the end of the day! Last year I worked till very late on Christmas Eve trying to finish everything, and we were not going to let that happen again.

One thing we have also been waiting on and excited about is our new blog. It is being designed right now, and can not wait to share it with everyone! Once that is up, we will begin sharing all of our wonderful weddings that we have had this year. January will be a great time to show the year in review.

Peter and I hope that everyone has a blessed holiday season. Here is one of my new favorite images that I took during our photo class this year. I love the joy on their faces, and wish that same joy for you!

-Whitney

One Week Left!

2008-11-25T11:45:00.003-06:00

The Holidays have come fast! This is the last week to order gifts from Dove Wedding Photography and receive it before December 25. All orders must be placed by Monday, December 1st.

Sales on these items:
Canvas Gallery Wraps - up to 20% Off
10% off each canvas wrap
15% off when you order 2 canvas wraps
20% off when you order 3 or more canvas wraps

Professional & Masterpiece Print - 2 for 1

Parent Books - 25% Off

Basic Coffee Table Books - 25% Off

Holiday Cards - 10 free with every 10 ordered

To place your order or inquire about pricing, contact:
stephanie@doveweddingphotography.com
615-730-7716

Online Once Again!

2008-11-14T16:18:00.002-06:00

If you have noticed our website being down, or our emails not working, it is because we have been changing servers. Everything should be up and running again. If for some reason, your emails are still not going through, please let us know at dovewed@mac.com or 615-730-7716.

We hope you enjoy our website that has been updated for the first time in what seems forever!

We are busy with Christmas orders, but we promise to start blogging more in the near future.

If you would like to order prints and Canvas Gallery Wraps, we are running a sale between now and Dec 1.
10% OFF one Gallery Wrap
15% OFF two Gallery Wraps
20% OFF three or more Gallery Wraps

2 for 1 on all Masterpiece and Professional Prints

You must order by Dec 1 to get your prints in time for Christmas.

Please contact stephanie@doveweddingphotography.com with any orders or questions.

- Peter

Photography 101

2008-11-04T14:18:00.007-06:00

This past Saturday we had such a great time with day 1 of our Photography Basics class. It was a long day, but by the end everyone was out taking photographs completely with manual settings. I was so proud of how everyone did! It was a lot of information for one day, but the class worked hard and made it through. This Saturday we are taking our skills out for a real shoot, and I can't wait to see everyone's final product. Here's the group testing out our skills.

Any seasoned pro knows this look!

And just for fun, one of Peter while he was modeling for us. This was on a lesson about finding beautiful natural light.

Tune in next week for images from our shoot on Saturday! If you are interested in receiving information about our next class e-mail audrey@doveweddingphotography.com. We don't have a date set yet, but it will be a weekend at the end of January.

-Whitney

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:51:00.003-05:00

Peter and I always have a blast with our costumes each year, and we are just as excited about what we have for tonight. For now, here is one of our favorites from two years ago. Everything was hand made, and the ghost trap even opened automatically when you set it down. The first one has a little photoshop action!

-Whitney

Introductory Photography Workshop, November 1st & 8th

2008-10-21T11:24:00.004-05:00

I am SOOO excited about our upcoming photography workshop! This has been something I have wanted to do for several years now, and am thrilled to see it all come together. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and being able to incorporate it with photography is just a natural step for me. We are already planning another class for the beginning of next year for those who can't make it this time. We only have 2 openings remaining, so if you are interested, let us know right away! Here is the description of the class.

Introductory Photo Workshop November 1 & 8.

Do you own a digital SLR camera and are still afraid to take photos with the manual setting? Are you familiar with your camera but would like to learn how to make your photos look more professional?

Whitney will be teaching a two-day introductory course to photography. The small class, limited to eight participants, will cover the basic, and most important aspects of photography. The limited class size will allow each participant one-on-one instruction with Whitney.

The first Saturday will include an interactive lesson on the basics of digital photography. You will learn the principles behind adjusting your camera’s ISO, shutter, and aperture and how to apply them to your photography. You will also understand the abilities of using natural lighting and the importance of composition.

The second Saturday will involve an actual photo shoot with a number of couples. Learn how to instruct and pose while keeping your subject looking natural.

The two-day class will be from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, November 1 and Saturday, November 8. This first-time, discounted, entrance fee of $150 includes lunch on both days. You must provide your own camera and lens. (If you do not own a digital SLR and still want to learn, there are several companies that you can rent one from for the weekend. Let me know, and I will send you this information ). Space is limited so please contact audrey@doveweddingphotography.com ASAP, if you are interested or have any additional questions.

-Whitney

The Team!

2008-10-15T17:13:00.004-05:00

I'm sure that some of you remember when we introduced Stephanie as our Studio Manager. Well, she is still here, just with a different job! When Audrey took over as Studio Manager, Stephanie became our Product Manager, handling orders, editing images, and keeping our orders on track! It's been great having a team which gives me more time to do what I do best, Photography! Here we all are.

-Whitney

Meet Audrey - Dove's Studio Manager

2008-10-14T13:23:00.002-05:00

Well since this is my first blog post I thought I would take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Audrey Phillips and I am the new studio manager for Dove. Hello!
Whitney has asked me to post a blog each week with random ramblings about things I love and that are wedding-esque. Something you should know about me is that I love hunting for a deal, and hopefully I will be able to share some of those tips with you as well.
Let me first start off by telling you a little about my wedding story and how I came to work with Whitney and Peter. My husband, Ben, and I first met in college at Belmont University in 1996. We dated briefly before breaking up for the summer. Over the course of the next 8 years we lived our own lives, but we always stayed in touch. We started dating again in August of 2005, were engaged in June of 2007 and married at Cedarwood in October of 2007. So there is the quick version of my wedding story.
So how did I come to work at Dove you ask. Well, Whitney and Jen were the photographers for our wedding. Yes, I loved Dove so much that I asked if I could work for them. So here I am, and loving it!
I look forward to sharing more each week and hope that you will find my musings entertaining and somewhat informative. ☺

This is our family...

Cheers,
Audrey

New Beginnings

2008-10-10T13:22:00.002-05:00

I'm sure a lot of you have noticed our absence from the blog this week. We have been setting up our new space, finishing up our summer weddings, and getting prepared for some really exciting things coming up! Over the next few weeks we will be introducing a new member of our team, show off our new studio, and share some wonderful recent weddings. One of the things we are most excited about is the new practices we are putting into place to make things run smoothly and efficiently, and our first step to share is our new studio number! It is one number to reach everyone here rather than just me with my cell. We will be working on updating all of our contact information with the new number in the coming weeks.

Our new number: 615-730-7716

Can't wait to hear from you!

Whitney

We're Moving!

2008-09-30T21:41:00.003-05:00

It's moving day!

We are moving the studio down the road to a larger location. Our new studio is at 1700 Hayes St. (suite 100A)

So, if we are not very responsive this week, you now know why. Actually, our internet will not be hooked up at the studio until Thursday.

The above photo is our friends Dan and Jason helping pack up at our "old" studio.

We can't wait for you to come by and see the new one!

- Peter

Karissa's Bridal

2008-09-29T15:40:00.004-05:00

It was so great to be able to photograph Karissa's bridal session at Cheekwood this summer. I LOVE Cheekwood, it is one of the first places I ever visited in Nashville and is just so beautiful. Karissa has such an elegant look about her and Cheekwood fit her well.

-Whitney

Sarah & Jonathan, Engagement Sneak Peek

2008-09-25T11:26:00.005-05:00

Well, if you are wondering how it came about that we had access to a periodic table, lab coats, and blue smoking stuff, you are about to find out! Sarah & Jonathan had their engagement session last week, and the very first time we met with them we knew a trip to the lab was in store. They met at Vanderbilt where they both worked in labs and we thought about how much fun it would be to do part of their session in the lab. And boy was it fun! Peter and I bought dry ice from Continental Carbonic (it's actually really cheap!) and we spent most of our time just keeping the smoke going. I think we're going to have to buy more for the next party we have. Here is one of my favorites.

-Whitney

Just to pique your curiosity....

2008-09-18T22:20:00.005-05:00

My husband, Peter.

We're back in town!

2008-09-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, I arrived back in Nashville with Peter's sinus infection, but I am recovering quickly. Peter and I were in Los Angeles, CA for a photography conference and we had a great time! It was my first time in LA and I never really left the airport area. We are going to have to go back! We learned a lot, met a lot of great people, and got to see some friends that we met at the last conference we went to. We hit the ground running when we got back with Emily and Jeremy's wedding. Since we didn't take many images in California, I'll leave you today with one of my favorite's from Emily and Jeremy's engagement session.

iPhone!

2008-09-08T17:12:00.003-05:00

So, I just got my iPhone and it totally rules. Whitney and I are in the Nashville airport and I made this blog on my phone. How cool is that?! I'm not sure how to upload photos yet. If you know how, let me know.
- peter

Interview on Ashley's Bride Guide!

2008-09-03T10:17:00.002-05:00

Ashley with Ashley's Bride Guide has become a fixture for Nashville Wedding resources in just a short amount of time. She has built a wonderful website, and has a great blog that I always read. Just a few weeks ago we participated in Weddings the Bridal Show at the Nashville Convention Center and Ashley stopped by to interview me. This is her blog on the bridal show and here is the video!

Be sure to check out her other interviews from the bridal show here.

-Whitney

Julia & Wil's After Session

2008-08-31T12:19:00.006-05:00

Julia & Wil decided that instead of spending time taking photographs of the two of them together on the day of the wedding, to meet up the day after for photographs. After Sessions are great because we have several hours to go wherever we like and spend some really quality time taking portraits. It takes away some of the stress on the wedding day, and gives you time to go wherever you like! We started Julia & Wil's downtown, which is one of my favorite places to shoot!

These last two were taken at the house where Julia grew up. They shared a lot of memories there and spent late nights talking in the hammock. I love that these carry so much meaning.

Julia & Wil, I had a great time with you guys!

-Whitney

Julia & Wil's Wedding Day

2008-08-29T11:46:00.011-05:00

The best word to describe Julia & Wil's wedding is elegant- there were so many things that made it that way. Julia just naturally has an elegant way about her and everything from the ceremony to the reception reflected that. But not to worry, they have a lot of fun too! Here is a peek into their beautiful wedding. They were married at Christ the King.

Julia's beautiful custom made dress made by Karen Hendrix

Vogue!

The ceremony was beautiful. Stefanie Rose Miles of Custom Occasions kept everything running smoothly and on time throughout the day.

Julia & Wil's reception was at Cannery Ballroom and had a totally different feel than Heather & Shane's. It was fun to see the difference! I love this cake set up. And the toppers were comic book character's.

This is one of my favorite's from the day. I love the angle that Jen took for the exit. Too bad I'm chimping (looking at my camera)!

Stay tuned for Julia & Wil's After Session!

-Whitney

Heather & Shane's Wedding Day

2008-08-25T13:55:00.011-05:00

*Update* I just realized that I didn't share about how wonderful Heather's planner, Lindsey Monger, was. Lindsey is A Bride Idea and she kept everything running smoothly all day and created a wonderful wedding.

One thing I've learned about Heather and Shane is that fun follows them wherever they go. There was never a dull moment on their wedding day! Heather and Shane fit together so well, and it has been great getting to know them. This first image seems to sum up Heather very well. I love her "I love Shane" shirt spelled out in crystals. As you will see, crystals made their way throughout the whole wedding!

They were married at Belmont United Methodist.

Bubbles!

The fun bridal party!

The reception was at the Cannery Ballroom. I love the exposed brick. You can really make it into whatever you want! All of these beautiful arrangements were done by a Village of Flowers. Notice all of the crystals throughout the room!

Heather and her mom bedazzled this couch. Everyone loved it, and I think Village of Flowers ended up with it.

I was very impressed with Heather's singing skills. She wowed everyone with "Ice Ice Baby". It was awesome.

More fun details.

The always fabulous cake by Jay of Maples.

The send off. Thanks for letting us have such a blast at the wedding!

-Whitney

We Have 2 Winners!

2008-08-21T12:26:00.003-05:00

The winners of the drawing are Samantha Kate & Connie! Please contact us at info@doveweddingphotography.com to receive information on how to obtain your free tickets to Weddings The Bridal Show.

Contest!

2008-08-15T13:27:00.004-05:00

This is the first ever Dove Wedding Photography Contest!

You may already know that Weddings The Bridal Show will take place on Sunday, August 24 from 10:30-5:00. Dove will be there and we have a few tickets to give away.

Two lucky winners will each receive two free tickets to the show and one winner will receive one free ticket to the show.

Here is what you must do:
Make a comment to this blog post. Tell everyone on the post what you love about Dove Wedding Photography. Maybe this is your first visit to our site and you just love our photos. Tell us why. Maybe you have met with us at our studio and you love those little chocolates on the coffee table. Maybe you love that we serve Starbucks Frappuccinos and Jones Soda. Anyway, I do not want to give out too many ideas. Be creative!

You must do this before Thursday, August 21 becuase we will hold the drawing and announce the winners on our blog on that day.

I'm excited to see what you post!

- Peter

A bit of a confession....

2008-08-05T13:46:00.002-05:00

Last week was hard for me. My days were long as I was working in getting caught up in this busy season. The only thing on my mind was photographs and by the end of the week that was the last thing I wanted to think about. But of course we had a wedding and not thinking about photographs was just not an option. I was frustrated and tired by the time we left for our 3 hour drive to Dyersburg.

The drive was easier than I thought and once we arrived in Dyersburg I could sense my excitement building wondering what the wedding was going to be like. We had never met Mary and Chris in person, so we had an even larger surprise ahead of us than usual. As the day went on, the previous week slowly drifted from my mind. Instead I was thinking about the love Mary and Chris had for each other, the excitement on everyone's faces, and how much their family and friends enjoyed being together.

By the end of the night I was exhausted, but thrilled to have taken part in such a wonderful day. It reminded me why I love what I do and what a privilidge it is to take part in a wedding. The week before was forgotten and I couldn't wait to look over all the images we had captured.

Even with the stress that comes with what I do, I can't imagine doing anything else. This image from Mary and Chris's wedding is just a little taste of the happiness that characterized the whole day.

Laura's Bridal

2008-07-28T17:18:00.004-05:00

It threatened to storm during our entire session at Carnton Plantation, but the rain held off just long enough for us! I never worry too much about storms because they bring beautiful light and a beautiful sky. Here are a few of my favorites!

I love Laura's laugh!

Laura's gorgeous veil really had a mind of its own!

Peter caught this one... I love it!

-Whitney

Website back up!

2008-07-28T13:00:00.000-05:00

Yay!

-Whitney

Website Down

2008-07-28T12:20:00.002-05:00

Unfortunately, our website is down and we are working on getting it back up and running. We are in the process of changing to a new server so hopefully once the change takes place we will not have any other problems with our website and e-mail.

-Whitney

Emily & Jeremy: Enagagement Sneak Peek

2008-07-27T12:17:00.003-05:00

I can't wait to show more from Emily & Jeremy's engagement at Jeremy's parents WONDERFUL farm. We had so much fun. This is one of my favorites.

-Whitney

The anniversary outing!

2008-07-25T10:41:00.006-05:00

First of all, thank you to everyone for your well wish's on our anniversary! It really made my day to read them all :). This year we forwent the traditional 3 year anniversary gift of leather, and instead just decided to spend the day together. We work so much, it is rare for us to have a day off just to hang out, this was super special for us. Here's a little summary of our day...

First off we had a wonderful breakfast at Pucketts in Franklin. It was my first time there and I can't wait to go back. The atmosphere was so cozy, and I loved staring at all the store items on the wall while we ate. The best part was that we used a gift certificate that we received from our realtor when we bought our house 3 years ago. Yes, it takes us a while to use gift certificates...

After we wandered around Franklin for a while, we decided to go see The Dark Knight. It really was a great movie, but I think it was a little overhyped for us. It was never boring, the cinematography was great, the acting was really good, but I thought the story was just missing some of the mystery the first one had. However, Heath Ledger's performance was amazing, he was so creepy it was hard for me to look at him! But even with how disturbing he was the Joker did make me chuckle several times.

After the movie, we went to check on the status of the iPhone for Peter, and of course there was none there. We then checked into the Courtyard by Marriott on West End (a gift from my dad!) and just relaxed until it was time for dinner. The hotel customer service was wonderful, the rooms clean, and the Marriott beds are always comfortable.

We chose the Marriott because Valentino's is right next door, and that is where we had our anniversary dinner. My food was delicious, especially the Cesar Salad and my Smoked Salmon Pasta. Peter wasn't as thrilled with his seafood pasta, but he gobbled up mine when I was done! Even with how small the restaurant was, it was still very loud and not quite as romantic as I was hoping for. The service was excellent though and we were completely stuffed and content by the time we left!

Even though we were still in Nashville it felt like a mini vacation for us. It was a perfect day. I can't think of anything I would rather do than spend time with my husband relaxing and having fun! As for pictures of the day, we left our camera's at home- not very photographer of us is it?!

-Whitney

Our Anniversary!

2008-07-23T08:37:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that it was three years ago today that Peter and I said "I do". In some ways it feels like forever ago, that Peter has always been my best friend. In other ways time has flown by and it seems like yesterday that he called and asked me on our first date. What is certain though is that I love him more and more every day.

I love this image that was done by White Box Weddings for us a few months ago. Mel is married to Peter's best friend, Tim. We laugh at how they both married wedding photographers! Mel works with Sara in North Carolina and I just love their fun images. You can see more of us by looking at their blog here. And if you want to see some of our wedding photographs, click here.

Peter and I have some fun things planned for today, and the first is breakfast at Pucketts.... mmmm....

-Whitney

Franklin Bridal Ball

2008-07-22T20:22:00.007-05:00

This summer has been our busiest ever. Not only are we photographing more weddings this summer than ever before, but we can be seen at more bridal shows this summer as well. Last week was the Franklin Bridal Ball. We had a great time! Below are some photos Whitney took at the show.

The brides-to-be were given pink caps with veils so the vendors could pick the actual brides out of the crowd.

The show was sponsored by Premiere Bride Magazine and The Pink Book. They had all kinds of pink things at the show.

The Brides-To-Be, and one or two kind fiances, were lined up to get into the show.

Even guys can get into pink.

The night hosted a number of fashion shows.

We had a number of friends who were at the show with us. If you missed the show, here is your chance to see a few of the booths.

Maples Wedding Cakes had one of the best looking booths. Of course they also have some of the best cake in town. Jay sent Whitney and I home with an entire sheet cake. The diet will start next week.

A Magical Affair's giant "photos" held real life models.

I had a great time getting to know the ladies as McNeal Wedding Video.

Mary Alice and Amber, at A Delightful Day, had a killer looking display, as usual.

Our friends at The White Room always have some of the best gowns!

Of course I can't forget our booth. We stuffed it full of our new albums and other new product. Jen's album designs are so amazing. We were so excited to show off some of her latest designs. We were also excited to introduce some new product. Our new Lay-Flat Coffee Table Books are super cool! Be sure to stop by the studio to see these. We now are offering custom designed wedding invitations as well. We are keeping Jen busy with this contemporary looking invitation that shows off your engagement photos to your friends and family.

Whitney may have mentioned in a past blog how tragic it was to pack up after the last bridal show. Amongst many things, one of our favorite lamps was destroyed. So, this time we replaced it with this good looking plastic one.

- Peter

Rebecca's Bridal

2008-07-18T10:36:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was the Franklin Bridal Ball, and it was so much fun! Everything went well and I'll have images later. For now, here are a few image's of Rebecca's bridal session. You can't look at Rebecca without smiling, she is so joyful! The images were taken at Cedarwood, one of my favorite locations. They are so generous out there and really make things easy for photographs! And now, the lovely bride...

-Whitney

Laura & Michael, Wedding Sneak Peek

2008-07-16T11:06:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful and elegant wedding! We had a great time with Laura and Michael- I can't wait to share more. Enjoy!

-Whitney

Anna & Joe's Wedding Day

2008-07-11T17:32:00.014-05:00

This post has been a long time coming! It was so hard for me to narrow down the images, but I finally did... well, somewhat. This first image is a collage of all of their fabulous details.

This is when Anna was getting ready. This just makes me laugh.

Anna & Joe saw each other before the ceremony. I love this tender moment. Joe is definitely smitten :)

The super fun girls.

And the super cool guys.

The ceremony was at the First United Methodist Church in Franklin.

After the ceremony, the bridal party rode a trolley to Carnton Plantation for the reception. You may remember this image from their sneak peek. I also love this one.

The whole group. I love the wraps that Anna had for the bridesmaids since it was a little chilly that night.

The beautiful field at Carnton...

The reception was perfect, everyone had so much fun!

Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your day! We had a such a great time!

-Whitney

An amazing week!

2008-07-07T11:51:00.003-05:00

After my sister's wedding last weekend, Peter's sister Elly came into town. We spent a couple of days of vacation in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, and we only left the cabin once! It was great for some wonderful and needed rest. We arrived back to Tennessee for a wonderful cookout with our photographer friends on the 3rd, Allison and Mark's rehearsal dinner on the 4th and their fun wedding on the 5th. I'll share more of those images later, but for now here is our one hike of the week.

I thought the light looked very X-Files and told Peter and Elly to act like aliens. This is what I got.

One of my favorite parts of Blue Ridge are the street signs. To name a few...Plum Broke Rd, Chigger Ridge Ln, and....

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

Whitney

Rebecca & Scott, Wedding Sneak Peek

2008-06-30T10:24:00.002-05:00

I have never seen such a giddy bride as Rebecca! I had such a good time photographing her and Scott, there was so much happiness that filled the whole day. At the back of the church, there were these wonderful gigantic windows that let in the most beautiful light...

My little sis, Jess

2008-06-27T06:45:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited for my little sister who is getting married tomorrow! I love her soon to be new husband Alex, and can not wait for the wedding! Jennifer will be photographing the wedding with Matt Dunmore as her trusty 2nd, so I will just be enjoying the wedding as the matron of honor! Wow, matron sounds so old.... I love this shot from her bridal session, it is sooo Jessica.

I love you Jess!

Whitney

Neeti & Sharran, Wedding Sneak Peek

2008-06-26T06:13:00.000-05:00

We had such a wonderful experience in Chicago for Neeti & Sharran's wedding! It was three days of fun, fun, and more fun! Are eyes were filled with beautiful colors, and by the end of the weekend Neeti & Sharran and their family made us feel like family as well. Here is a simple image of the beautiful couple.

Julia's Bridal

2008-06-24T06:43:00.006-05:00

I loved Julia's gorgeous wedding dress, and it suited her just perfectly. In fact, I found out that she designed it herself! Here are some images from her bridal session at the Two River's Mansion.

And my favorite... I love the old wallpaper at Two Rivers.

Dawn & Joey, Wedding Sneak Peek!

2008-06-23T09:28:00.002-05:00

The emotion at Dawn and Joey's wedding was so real and beautiful- you can't ask for much more! Their wedding was beautiful and we will have a full post coming in the next couple of weeks. For now, the couple so obviously in love..

Heather's Bridal

2008-06-20T14:16:00.007-05:00

We headed out to Old Hickory to take photographs on the lake with Heather and had a beautiful day. Her friend's home was beautiful, and we just wandered around at our leisure. Here are some of my favorites.

This beautiful gate had to have the vintage treatment.

And my favorite of the lovely Heather.

Heather and Shane's images are coming up soon, so stay tuned to see their gorgeous and fun wedding!

-Whitney

Allison & Mark's Engagement Session

2008-06-17T06:36:00.001-05:00

We had a super fun time with Allison and Mark and it was so tough just to pick a few of my favorites! And let me tell you, Allison has the best hair! Everywhere she turned, it just flowed perfectly. She definitely needs to be in a hair product commercial! Here are my favorites.

Peter took this one- it is my favorite!

-Whitney

Julia & Wil's Wedding Sneak Peek

2008-06-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

A little Nashville advice...

Julia and Wil had such an elegant wedding and I can't wait to share more from their day. This image was actually made the day after, and we had a great time wandering around Nashville at our leisure! Lots more to come this week!

-Whitney

Jaime & Nathan's Engagement Session

2008-06-15T11:40:00.003-05:00

What a lovely couple Jaime & Nathan are! We wandered around downtown for the evening and grabbed some super fun shots. Check out Jaime's shoes- they added the perfect pop of red. Here are some of my favorites.

The Wedding of Shannon & James

2008-06-13T11:32:00.010-05:00

Outside, the day was dark and rainy, but nothing about Shannon & James' wedding day was dreary at all! The two of them could not have been more excited about getting married and I even cried a bit during their vows. The day started off at the Rodney Mitchell Salon with the girls getting ready.

Shannon's niece enjoying some quality alone time.

The beautiful bride!

Shannon and James decided to see each other before the ceremony which you can read more about here on Ashley's Bride Guide. These are a few when they first saw each other.

The rain held off just enough to grab a few photographs outside.

The bridal party. Three of these lovely ladies are Shannon's sisters. Can you tell which ones?

The ceremony was held at the always gorgeous Scarritt Bennett Center and the ladies of Something Blue kept everything running smoothly!

One of Jen's beautiful detail shots.

Peter grabbed these two that I really love,

The reception took place at the beautiful Hermitage Hotel. At the beginning of the night, James made sure everyone knew that they were supposed to celebrate and party- and that is exactly what they did!

We had such a great time Shannon and James, thank you so much for allowing us to take part! Here's one more shot to end the night....

-Whitney

Southern Wedding Style

2008-06-11T10:15:00.003-05:00

Because of recommendations of several different people I started reading the Southern Wedding Style Blog which is such a great resource! Seeing all of these beautiful, unique weddings makes me proud to be a southerner :) We're not as traditional and old school as some might think! Our brides have proved that to us over and over again, but it is great that there is now a magazine and resource to prove it! Today's post is on Amber & Brandon's gorgeous wedding which we photographed last fall- what an honor to be featured! Check out the post here, and be sure to leave a comment for them! Also make sure you add them to your everyday blog read!

Albums: Krysten & Mark

2008-06-03T15:45:00.004-05:00

We have completed many beautiful albums over this past year, and I have not shared a single one. I am going to start changing that! The wonderful Jennifer Odom designs our albums and they are all not only beautiful but unique to each couple. This is from Krysten & Mark's wedding who we recently had the pleasure of seeing at Neeti & Sharran's wedding last weekend.

Here are a few of my favorite spreads. You can see the entire album here.

-Whitney

Go Red for Women

2008-05-31T14:44:00.008-05:00

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to photograph a fundraising event for the American Heart Association. The Go Red for Women Luncheon offered health screenings, educational sessions, prizes, and a yummy lunch. More than 1,000 Nashville-area women die every year from heart disease! Heart disease kills more women than men every year and 1 in every 2.6 women will be affected by heart disease. However, less than 22 percent of American women view heart disease as their greatest health threat. The luncheon did a great job of not only raising awareness, but also of raising money- The luncheon netted over $300,000 for Go Red for Women. It was an honor to be a part of it. Here are some images from the day to show you just how much fun everyone had.

Fun details:

Health screenings:

Everyone had a great time!

CarryAnn from Fresh by CarryAnn donated all of the center pieces for the event. Aren't they beautiful?!

Cordia Harrington, CEO of the Tennessee Bun Company, was the chair of the event.

The keynote speaker was Laurie Ann Goldman, CEO of Spanx. If you haven't tried them yet, go buy some today!

At the end of the event, people were asked for donations and then given a red boa- I love how even the men proudly wore their boas!

Lisa Spelta was my contact for the event, and was the mastermind behind the whole luncheon. What a fabulous lady!

Be sure to check out the AHA website and the Go Red for Women website to find out more.

-Whitney

Heather & Shane, Wedding Sneak Peek!

2008-05-29T06:24:00.001-05:00

I am a bit behind on our wedding sneak peeks, but that won't stop me from catching up! The best word I can think of to describe Heather and Shane is "fun", and everything about their wedding was just that! I can't wait to share all of their fabulous details from the day, especially the bedazzled couch! Here is one of my favorites:

-Whitney

A Wonderful Weekend!

2008-05-28T11:34:00.004-05:00

I just returned from a whirlwind weekend, and am completely exhausted, but also completely content! This weekend reminded me why I love what I do so much. We photographed two weddings this weekend that from the outside could not have been more different from each other. It is what they had in common though that makes me never want to do anything else. The love between the bride and groom, their family's, and their friends are what really made the events spectacular. Much more to come!

Neeti & Sharran:

Dawn & Joey:

-Whitney

Maples Wedding Cakes

2008-05-22T05:45:00.001-05:00

A while back I was asked to photograph cakes for Maples Wedding Cake's new website. I was joined by Mary Alice and Amber of A Delightful Day. Amber designed his website and it is fantastic! You can see more of her work at Sweet Life Designs. On the day of the shoot, Jay Quales, the owner, made up samples for us to try... yum yum! I almost ate too much, it was some of the best cake I have had! If you are looking for very yummy, very tasteful cakes from a true professional, Jay is the man for the job! Here are just a few to give you a taste of his cakes... he wanted something clean and simple to really show off his designs.

And here is the man with the magic, Jay!

-Whitney

Allison & Mark, Engagement Sneak Peek!

2008-05-21T06:32:00.002-05:00

Once again, another fun engagement session! Originally, we were going to do the engagement session at 5:45am for good lighting (Allison and Mark were going back to New York that evening), but the nice overcast day allowed us to push it back a bit. I think we were all happy about that :). We wandered and drove around and did some really fun stuff! As usual, I will share more later, but for now here is a lovely one of the two of them at Percy Warner Park!

-Whitney

Jessica's Bridal Sneak Peek!

2008-05-20T11:13:00.003-05:00

Peter and I were in Georgia again a week ago, but this time it was for fun! My sister, Jessica, had her family wedding shower, so what better way to celebrate than to photograph her bridal portraits! We had such a good time at my grandparents farm out in Talmo, GA. It is a very special place for our family, so it was the perfect spot for her portraits. I have a ton more to share later, but for now, here is a beautiful and moody one that Peter captured.

-Whitney

Julie and Charlie's Shining Engagement Shoot- by Jen

2008-05-14T20:25:00.001-05:00

We held our breath hoping it wouldn't rain on our Sunday evening engagement shoot in Dunwoody, Georgia, and sure enough, it turned into a beautiful session! Julie and Charlie will be getting married on this Chattahoochee River bank in October. I can't wait! This particular river bank belongs to Charlie's mom, who has done a wonderful job landscaping the front and back yard. There are so many great places to hang out and take photos. We had a hard time narrowing it down to just a handful! The great Becca Hayes was my third arm during the session helping direct the light, keep up with equipment, and make us laugh. Here are a few more of my favorites from the day. Aren't Julie's eyes stunning?

-Jen

Emily & Robbie, Engagement Sneak Peek!

2008-05-07T05:34:00.001-05:00

Once again, we had a beautiful day for engagements, and once again I had a hard time picking just one! I love the fashion feel of this image of Emily and Robbie- isn't her coat killer?!

But don't get the wrong idea, they aren't really THAT serious....

Can't wait to share the rest!

Whitney

Jaime & Nathan, Engagement Sneak Peek!

2008-05-06T10:52:00.003-05:00

Sunday evening was perfect for an engagement session! Jaime and Nathan were up for walking all over downtown, and we found some wonderful places. I had a hard time narrowing down which one to share today, but I finally decided on the following image. I love the moment, it really shows their tender love for each other. I can't wait to share a few more when the images are complete!

Anna's Bridal

2008-05-03T12:34:00.004-05:00

This coming week is jam packed for us, and it started a few days ago. I am very excited about all of the sessions we have coming up, including Heather & Shane's wedding today! A good sign of things to come was Laura's bridal yesterday. We were worried about the storm making us move inside, but instead it made for beautiful lighting and a super fun session at Carnton Plantation! I can't share Laura's bridal yet, but I can share Anna's who was married two weeks ago. Her bridal was at Carnton as well... I never get tired of going there!

Anna is wearing a Melissa Sweet dress that is so beautiful. I love the photographs that Melissa Sweet uses in her ad campaigns, but I still have no idea who photographs them- if you know, tell me! Anna was stunning and looked wonderfully vintage in every way. Here are some of my favorites.

My uncle, Eddie

2008-04-30T13:03:00.001-05:00

I've been thinking about this blog post for a while now, and every time I start writing, it begins to turn into a book. So I've decided to share just the quick story of what has been going on with us this past week for now.

Last week, my uncle Eddie passed away very suddenly, and Peter and I were once again in Georgia for a funeral. It was such a blessing that we were able to spend time with him when we went down for my grandmother's funeral a few weeks before. You may wonder why I have so much to share about this, and if you knew Eddie you would understand. I loved Eddie, along with many, many other people. If you ever met Eddie, you would never forget him. At Eddie's visitation there was almost a 2 hour wait for people to speak to his wife and children. The funeral home said that they had never had so many people at a visitation.

Eddie's life has never been easy, but the great thing about him was that he loved life with a passion and lived it to his fullest. The story of Eddie is one of fighting cancer, fighting to live a full life, and family learning to love no matter what. Eddie's wife, my aunt Lori, knows what the vows "for better or worse" really mean. I can't wait to share his story with you, but for now here is a photograph of me and Eddie at my wedding 3 years ago.

-Whitney

Anna & Joe, Franklin, TN Wedding

2008-04-23T13:57:00.003-05:00

We had such a blast photographing Anna & Joe's wedding this past Saturday. Anna has such a great sense of style and everything was beautiful. I chose this photograph because it gives a great sense of the fun, beauty, and fairy tale feel everything had. I can't wait to share the rest!

Whitney

Now Introducing.... Stephanie!

2008-04-22T10:48:00.002-05:00

It has been a crazy couple of weeks for us here at Dove and we have been working on a lot of exciting things that we have in store for the upcoming months. One of the biggest changes that has just taken place is the hiring of our new studio manager! We are beyond thrilled that Stephanie Mahoney has joined our team! We photographed Stephanie's wedding in November, so she already knows a lot of the ins and outs of what we do, and knows what its like to be our client :) We enjoyed getting to know Stephanie and her husband Sean before, during, and after the wedding and were so excited when we she wanted to work for us! I know that you will enjoy getting to know her as well!

In honor of the bridal sessions we photographed last week (and can't share quite yet!), here are two of my favorites of Stephanie from last fall at Scarritt Bennett.