9 Oaks Farm of Monroe, Ga. | The Southern Distinction Series

Are y'all ready for this?! In this series of blog posts I will be highlighting the styled shoots that I was brought on to photograph by Southern Distinction Magazine. Y'all should be very familiar with this venue! Over the years I have photographed so many beautiful weddings at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Georgia! They are always incredible!!! On Guest is the owner and florist of the venue and she has the most impeccable style! She caters to her brides in a way that makes them feel loved and listened to! She has spent endless amounts of time decorating the grounds and creating little nooks for fabulous photo opts for her couples! 

Just a little bit about our model Taylor. . .She was the sweetest! She is has graduated college and working her dream job doing the social media for a big company! How awesome is that?!

Vendor Guide:
Venue: 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Floral & Design: Wedding Flowers by On
Dress: I Do, I Do Bridal Boutique
Jewelry: JWR Jewelers
Makeup: Nicole Yearwood of Salon Two Thirteen
Model: Taylor Timmons

View the entire Southern Distinction Magazine Series here:
Buckeyes Plantation, Social Circle, Ga. 
Still to come in this series. . .
The White House at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
Graduate Athens in Athens, Ga.
2424 Warehouse at 9 Oaks Farm in Monroe, Ga.
The Loft at Scott's Downtown in Gainesville, Ga.

Megan & Ben | Buckeyes Plantation Covington, Ga Wedding Venue

How pretty is Buckeyes Plantation!? About four weeks ago on a Tuesday, my sweet friend Katie Perkins (owner of Blondies) called me and asked me if I was available THAT Thursday to photograph a styled shoot for Southern Distinction Magazine!!! Wellllllll, I made myself available!!! lol This venue is so, so pretty and I'm very excited for the owners, Mr. and Mrs. McGarity! This venue is going to be the host of so many fabulous couples becoming husband and wife! 

Buckeyes Plantation is very well known for its bird hunting but couldn't you see yourself getting married on these grounds?! The owners of this gorgeous home have set up a beautiful Bridal Suite that opens up to the sound of the fountain flowing outside and over looks the gorgeous property! The grooms are not left out either! They have their own cabin with a grand view too!

Our beautiful couple, who are actually a REAL couple, Ben (Katie Perkins' brother) and Megan (the McGarity's daughter) were fabulous models!!! I really loved photographing these two! Please look over the vendor list! They are so wonderful to work with!

Be on the look out for MORE gorgeousness!!! This week and next I will be posting a series of blogs featuring AMAZING vendors and lots of pretty photographs from all the styled shoots I photographed for Southern Distinction Magazine!

Vendor List:
Venue: Buckeyes Plantation, Covington, Ga.
Florals: Kimberly Roberts of Epting Events, Athens, Ga.
Dress: Formally Yours, Cathy Butler, Lilburn, Ga. 
Suite: Gentry Shop, Snellville, Ga.
Jewelry: TK Anderson Designs, Athens, Ga.
Makeup: Belle Chesser, Arbor Salon & Spa
Featured in Southern Distinction Magazine
Models: Megan McGarity & Ben Hulsey
 

Makayla + Tyler | 9 Oaks Farm, Monroe, Ga Wedding

My very last wedding of 2017 before becoming a mommy of THREE! While I am very excited for some time off to prepare and get used to being a mommy of three, I am quite the emotional mess that my photography season is over - just until next year that is! But, what a way to end it! It was SO fabulous to work with this couple, Makayla + Tyler AND their families! They were all so sweet and kind. Makayla’s family is part owner of the Social Circle Ace Hardware, which is my local hardware store. I take my girls there for their cute little fairy garden section AND they have a home decor section, too! So, I am in there pretty regularly and get to chat with Makayla’s mom, Mrs. Angela. Mrs. Angela and I met while I was photographing a wedding at Gather Plantation for my sweet couple, Jessica + Alex. She asked for my card and contacted me shortly after about her daughter’s wedding.

Makayla + Tyler are fabulous people! It’s been incredible getting to know them. Their 9 Oaks Farm wedding day was pretty spectacular and I was honored to photograph it!

Congratulations Makayla + Tyler!

Vendors: Venue: 9 Oaks Farm, Monroe, Ga. Wedding Derector: Jacki Garrison Florals: Flowers by On Hair + Makeup: The Southern Way Salon and Gifts, Social Circle, Ga. Catering: Bleu House Catering Cake: Stephanie Barnes Grooms Cookie Bar: Amy Davis Ceremony Entertainment: Brandon Stubbs DJ: Classic City DJ, Jamie Duvall, ClassiccityDJs@gmail.com

Kaylee + Will | Athens, Ga Wedding

Last weekend, I met Kaylee at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Athens, Ga. When I walked into their hotel room her and her ladies were having a fabulous time chatting and laughing. She has the best group of friends a girl could ask for! They had nothing but her best interest at hand ALL day long! Once the ladies were dressed and ready they headed to the hotel’s bar for some more fun and giggles. We then hopped on the trolley and made our way to the wedding site. Kaylee’s fiancé’s family, has a beautiful piece of heaven where they built a barn, created a ceremony and reception site for their big day! It was spectacular! Will’s family really knocked it out of the park! They created the perfect ceremony site, lining the isle with pea gravel that lead to a large oak tree that was back lit by the sun and just on the other side of the tree is a cute little wooden marker with Kaylee + Will’s names and wedding date to memorialize the special day. They built a beautiful bar under the overhang of the barn for guests to enjoy and the reception site was tented with a checker board dance floor, chandeliers and a large stage for the live band that kept the party going all night long.

After their ceremony and family formal photographs, the wind started picking up. Kaylee’s bridesmaid’s were encouraging her to make her way back to the barn. They were so concerned that the rain would ruin her dress. Her and Will rushed away as the rain started to drift in and my heart started to break. There were so many locations I had in mind for their sunset photographs as husband and wife and I knew with the rain we just weren’t going to make it to any of them. However, the rain ended up not “ruining” anything. In fact, it made their photographs more gorgeous and as romantic as ever!

With the quick change up in their wedding day schedule, Kaylee + Will made their way into the tent for their introduction and first dance as husband and wife. This is about the time I started asking anyone and everyone if they just happen to have an umbrella - not a soul had one. The plan was, once they finished up their dances, we would go back to the barn for photographs. So, my husband, who came along to help this eight and a half month pregnant photog chick out, grabs the lid of a trash can and holds it over my head to keep my camera and I dry from the rain so I can photograph Kaylee + Will under the overhang of the barn. I am SO thankful for my man! He got soaked in order for me to do the best job I could for this sweet couple.

Kaylee + Will thank you so much for having us as your wedding photographers! You two (AND your families) have been such a pleasure to photograph! Congratulations!!

Vendors: Wedding Coordinators: Shelli Sibert and Sherri Brown Hair Stylist: Jessica Szabo of District Salon Bride's Hair Stylist: Julia Alligood (also a bridesmaid) Makeup Artist: Hanna Dean Rental Company: Oconee Events Rental Ceremony Duo: Will and Koy Manget Reception Band: Soul Project Catering: Jim N' Nicks Bar-B-Q Florals: Everett's Florist, Laurel Prince Cake: Cecilia Villaveces Cakes Groom's Cake: Jane Bagby

Kaylyn + Brett | The Mill at Yellow River, Porterdale, Ga Wedding

When Kaylyn, the event coordinator of The Mill at Yellow River, asked me to be her wedding photographer, I was beyond honored!!! Her and I have worked together on several beautiful weddings at The Mill and getting to photograph her marry her love, Brett, meant the world to me. Brett and Kaylyn have incredible families and they made us feel so welcomed. When I was photographing Brett, before their first look, he was asking about Kaylyn. The smile on his face was from ear to ear when I told him just how stunning she looked. The love!!!

Now, the decor! Todd + Jakob, owners of The Mill at Yellow River and Beyond Details, really went above and beyond to make Kaylyn and Brett's day stand out above all! Kaylyn and her mother both work with Jakob and Todd and you can just feel the love these folks have for one another.

There were so many special moments! During their ceremony, just before they were pronounced husband and wife, the sky let out the sweetest little fluffy white puffs. I have no idea what they were, but you will see them in the photographs. It gave me chills and the guests looked amazed too!

To end the night, Brett, Kaylyn and all their guests formed a circle with arms around each other and they all sang and swayed side to side before heading out to send them off.

Kaylyn and Brett, thank you two from the bottom of my heart for having Arlissa and I as your wedding photographers and allowing us to be such a big part of your special day! I wish you two the best!

Vendors: Venue: The Mill at Yellow River Wedding Planner: Tailored Events, Joshua Smith Florals, Decor + Catering: Beyond Details Hair: Toni&Guy Westside Ironworks, Kiya Makeup: Hannah Yessick Videography: For Him Films, Will Braswell DJ: Spectrum Entertainment & Events, Lou Guzzo