Cody and Allison hadn’t been in Tennessee too long when this bride and groom reached out to the photo duo to shoot their small woodsy wedding, but once they heard it was taking place in the backyard of the bride’s parents’ cabin, they were in. “They actually planned their wedding all the way from Colorado,” Cody says. “Simple wedding days that focus on the love and coming together of everyone is obviously every wedding photographer’s jam. They told us how they just wanted an extremely laid-back day with beer and BBQ, and that’s exactly what it was!”

The visuals from the day were only rivaled by the genuine emotion throughout the celebration. “Between Mac’s surprise vows in the form of a cute and quirky song (which I still sing to myself occasionally) and the immense amount of love these two have, it was impossible to not enjoy this day,” says Cody, who also notes how helpful it was to have gotten to know the newlyweds leading up to the day. “We actually had kept up with them online and occasionally interacted with them in hopes of building some rapport before their wedding, and we feel like that really translated throughout the photos as well.”

But outdoor-to-indoor weddings always comes with its quirks. The weather was fine, but they had to adjust to some sporadic lighting situations: “a little harsh light during the ceremony, lack of lighting due to a heavily wooded area during portraits, and then choosing to shoot all the first dances and speeches in ambient light,” Cody explains. “But overall, we were super pleased with everything and always love the challenge of learning to fight through those moments and deliver the photos that are most important.”

Photographing the union of these two actually wound up being an enlightening gig for Cody and Allison, as it “really set us up for the idea of being more than just a wedding vendor. After all, our motto is ‘We prefer friends over clients.’ Since this, it’s been an approach we heavily pursue and we strongly believe translates into our work and adds to the experience we provide our couples.”

GEAR FOR THE DAY
Cameras: Canon 5D Mark III (x2), Canon 6D (x2)
Lenses: Canon 35mm f/1.4L II, 50mm f/1.2 L, 85mm f/1.2L II, Sigma 24-35mm f/2 ART, 50mm ART

Submit your wedding to Rf editor-in-chief Jacqueline Tobin or features editor Libby Peterson for a chance to get featured here.