Nashville Intimate Micro Home Wedding with Backyard Gender Reveal | Kalilah and Trey

My journey with Kalilah and Trey began with their romantic surprise proposal at The Hermitage Hotel, which you can read about here. From that unforgettable moment, they envisioned a wedding that was equally intimate and personal. Photographing their home ceremony allowed me to capture the same authentic joy and connection I saw on the day of their proposal. It gave me the chance to capture their personal moments, laughter, and the joy of celebrating with close family and friends. Their living room had been transformed for the ceremony: furniture cleared, chairs set up, and an octagon-shaped metal arch placed in front of the fireplace. It served as the backdrop for the vows and fit naturally into the space. The rest of the décor, including floral and personal touches, was arranged by the family.

Planning an Intimate Micro Home Wedding in Nashville

Intimate micro weddings at home allow couples to celebrate in a personal and comfortable space. Kalilah and Trey’s living room was cleared and thoughtfully arranged to make the ceremony feel meaningful. As a photographer, I loved capturing how the layout, décor, and personal touches shaped the space and set the tone for the day.

Capturing the Ceremony

Trey ran down the aisle, high-fiving guests, his excitement filling the room. When Kalilah came down the staircase in her modern one-shoulder dress with a puffed sleeve, his gaze never left her. Capturing the way he looked at her created some of the most genuine, in-the-moment images of the day.

During the vows, I moved quietly through the living room, photographing the couple’s expressions, laughter, and the small gestures that made the moment personal. I also stepped onto the second-story landing to take aerial shots, giving a view of the room filled with their closest family and friends, showing the intimacy of this micro home wedding.

Portraits, Family Moments, and Toasts

After the ceremony, I photographed the couple with their guests. I love capturing candid interactions, laughter, and moments that feel natural rather than posed. Group shots, scrunched-together family photos, and wider aerial views all contributed to telling the story of this small, intimate celebration. Later, we went back inside for toasts from family and friends. The laughter, heartfelt words, and warm reactions during these toasts created some of the day’s most memorable and authentic moments.

Backyard Gender Reveal

The celebration continued in the backyard for the gender reveal. Trey hit a golf ball that exploded into a cloud of pink powder. The soon-to-be big sister’s excitement was priceless. I focused on capturing her reaction along with the surrounding celebration — the hugs, laughter, and joy that filled the backyard. These spontaneous and heartfelt moments are exactly why I love photographing intimate micro home and backyard weddings.

Why Intimate Micro Home Weddings Work

Kalilah and Trey’s wedding reminded me how much personality and connection a smaller, personal space can hold. Intimate home and backyard weddings allow couples to be present, comfortable, and surrounded by those who matter most. From the ceremony in the living room, to indoor toasts, to the backyard gender reveal, I was able to capture moments that were personal, authentic, and full of life.

Documenting these celebrations is incredibly rewarding — every laugh, glance, and tiny detail tells a story that will last a lifetime.

If you’re planning an intimate, home, micro, or backyard wedding in Nashville, I’d love to help you capture every authentic moment. From heartfelt vows to laughter-filled toasts and joyful backyard celebrations, I’ll make sure your day is documented exactly as it feels. Reach out today to talk about your wedding and see how we can tell your story through photography.

Intimate Backyard and Hillwood Country Club Wedding - Lillian and Randy

Lillian and Randy had a lovely small wedding ceremony in the backyard of their home in Nashville, TN. It was a second marriage for both of them and they wanted the ceremony to be intimate, involving only their children, Randy’s parent’s and a couple of friends. Lillian wore a gorgeous silk jumpsuit and each guest was given the gift of a tree planted in their name. The couple walked to Hillwood Country Club where a larger reception with more friends and family members followed. I really enjoyed photographing the blending of these two families and watching the interactions with the couple and their adult children!

Special Thanks To Their Vendors:
Venue: Hillwood Country Club
DJ: DJ Connection
Planner: Meghan Duplantis & Claudia Kornmeyer
Officiant: Teri Pugh

Micro Wedding Edwin Warner Park - Ale and Kenny

In August I photographed Ale & Kenny’s socially distanced micro wedding at Edwin Warner Park and I just noticed that I didn’t blog this very sweet day! Ale and Kenny hired me to come photograph for three hours. I was able to photograph their first look, portraits, ceremony, and toasts during that time period. When two lab researchers from Vanderbilt have a wedding, they do it very, very safely. Not only was it safe, but thanks to Ale’s creativity and floral skills it was beautiful too! Ale and Kenny’s family where not able to be there but because of technology, they got to witness everything via Zoom. I absolutely love photographing these small but oh so special weddings. Again a wedding doesn’t have to be over the top to be lovely, that lies solely within the couple and the love they have for each other and those they choose to celebrate with.

Covid Micro Home Wedding - Allison and Alex

Allison & Alex are another one of my 2020 couples that decided that despite the pandemic, they wanted to be married in 2020. They didn’t want it to keep them from being husband and wife for a full year so they opted to do an intimate ceremony this year and had a small reception following at Allison’s parents’ house. Next year they are going to have a large ceremony and celebration so that all that they love can be present to share in their happiness.

Their micro wedding took place in the chapel of First Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. I personally thought that it was far more stunning than the sanctuary and added so much to the charm of the day. Throughout the ceremony Allison could not stop glancing up at Alex. It was adorable. After having to reschedule their date already once, it was apparent that they were so happy to be finally getting married.

Everything was so personal, elegant and charming. The reception was spread out all over Allison’s parents’ beautiful house. There was something so wonderful about watching people mingling in the kitchen of the bride’s family home. They cut their cake in the living room, toasted in front of the fireplace, and settled onto the sofa to watch a video message from friends that couldn’t be there to celebrate with them. Again, 2020 has brought us back to what is important, there was plenty of flair that day (notice Alex’s goose feather accessories), but there was so much love and homey charm. Please enjoy Allison and Alex’s Covid Micro Home Wedding Sneak Peek. Congratulations to you both. You are lovely and I am so excited photograph you again next year!

Special thanks to the vendors:
Planner: Weddings by Helen
Florals: The English Garden
Catering: Beyond Details

Classic Nashville Micro Wedding - Mary and Kevin

Mary and Kevin decided that for everyone’s safety rather than cancelling their wedding, they would downsize to only their immediate family. Not only did their wedding day plans change, but Hurricane Delta decided to bring a monsoon to Nashville. They embraced all of it with massive smiles and kept their focus on what was truly important, their marriage. Mary and Kevin’s wedding is a perfect example of how gorgeous a micro wedding is. When I posted the first sneak peek image my husband said, “I don’t think people realize how beautiful it can all still be.” I agree. Most couples don’t understand how wonderful a tiny intimate wedding is. It’s so personal, relaxing, and special. It focuses on why we have weddings in the first place. I know it’s different when you are forced into making that decision, but again I say, it is not a consolation prize. I think it’s a gift that you didn’t know you wanted until you get it.

After the photos were done (we had some sun!) and Mary and Kevin were now husband and wife, we went over to the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel where the couple had a private dinner with just their parents and siblings. I loved listening to the conversations that were happening at the dinner table. They all sat around and talked about when Mary and Kevin first met, what everyone thought when they first started dated, when Kevin’s grandma met Mary, etc. The whole evening was completely focused on celebrating the journey of Mary and Kevin as a couple, nothing distracted from that. Love is not cancelled.

Special thanks to the vendors:
Planner: Weddings By Helen
Florals: The English Garden
Makeup: Mandy Davis MUA
Hair: Sarah Crews
Ceremony: Cathedral of the Incarnation
Reception: Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
Cake: Nayeli Hartman

Oh and thanks to Mary and Kevin for the Double Stuff Oreos and the massive piece of cake you sent home with me!

Micro Airbnb Brunch Wedding - Rebekah and Tyler

When Rebekah and Tyler got engaged they decided on a relaxing micro wedding. They found a farm on Airbnb in Goodlettsville, TN for their family celebration. With a winding gravel road and a creek bubbling by the ceremony spot, it was peaceful and perfect for what they wanted. They opted for an early celebration with a brunch spread and only their immediate family present. Tyler’s two children and Rebekah’s sister made up the wedding party and the day centered around exactly what is important on a wedding day, two people becoming a new family. I really enjoyed photographing Rebekah & Tyler’s micro Airbnb!

Special Thanks to Their Vendors:
Airbnb- The Barn
Ceremony garland- Import Flowers
Florals- from Import Flowers put together by the bride!!!
Catering - Johnny Haffner

Micro Wedding Wightman Chapel Scarritt Bennett - Chelsea & Harrison

Chelsea & Harrison were another one of my couples that had to move their original wedding date because of Covid-19. Rather than reschedule yet again, they decided to reduce their guest count down to less than 50 and have a small, intimate wedding. Again, less is not always less! I know that I keep talking about this but I cannot emphasis it enough! If you want a relaxing atmosphere where you can really focus on each other and your guests, a smaller guest count is perfect. Chelsea and Harrison were married at Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville on Sept 4th. Their reception followed at The Cordelle. Their guest list was made up solely of family and their wedding party…and their dog, Rory. From my first Zoom call, I knew I liked these two and was so excited to get to photograph their wedding this year. They are wonderful human beings and were so much fun to work with. My favorite moment of the whole night was when Biz and the Everyday People band surprised Chelsea’s dad with a rendition of “You Can Close Your Eyes” by James Taylor. They learned it minutes before and it was beautiful. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, including mine. Please enjoy the sneak peek of their Micro Wedding at Wightman Chapel Scarritt Bennett.

Special thanks to their vendors-
Planning & Design: Weddings by Helen
Ceremony Location: Scarritt Bennett Center
Officiant: Ralph Griggs
Ceremony Musicians: Wedding Musicians Company
Rentals: Liberty Party Rental
Catering: Beyond Details Catering
Band: Biz and Everyday People Band
Florals: The English Garden Floral 
Cake: The Sweetest Day
Getaway Car: Matchless Limo

Micro Wedding Belle Meade Plantation - Catherine & Whit

And I say it again - “You can still get married in 2020.” Catherine and Whit decided that rather than rescheduling their 2020 wedding AGAIN, they were going to go adjust their wedding plans and make their Belle Meade Plantation wedding into a micro wedding. They cut their guest list down to only immediate family and their wedding party bringing their count down to 25 people. With the reduction in guests they were able to allocate more of their wedding budget towards decor and it was stunning. With less people there was a more relaxed atmosphere and less time constraints. Because of this, they opted to ditch their first look and waited to see each other at the alter. With less people to feed and keep entertained, they were able to allow for more time for their ceremony and what resulted was one of the most personal services that I have ever photographed. Besides the cutest flower girls ever, one of the most memorable moments from the day was watching Catherine absolutely light up when she was around Whit. You could just see her relax as soon as they finally saw each other. I think the story of how they met explains them very well.-

“On a whim and on the pushy advice of some of her dearest friends (and bridesmaids) Catherine hesitantly downloaded Bumble. Five minutes later she had a match and opened with an Office quote, “Would you rather be feared or loved?” Whit responded in kind and thought they were hitting it off. Anxiety ridden Catherine said something to the extent of “I can’t do this and if you want to keep talking here’s my number” and immediately deleted the app. They talked almost non-stop over the next three weeks and made plans to meet up. An impatient (and uncharacteristically demanding ha!) Catherine couldn’t wait and invited Whit to join her at Dan McGuinness where she had stopped after a long day of hanging out with her girlfriends. Whit got there and was smitten pretty much immediately. In an effort to make sure he got to know her better he called in a wingman (best man) to provide a conversation partner for Catherine’s friend. Catherine and Whit spent the entire night talking. He was impressed by her sense of humor, openness, and twinkling eyes. She thought she hit the jack pot because he had a “real job”. They soon started to steal hours together after he got off work and before she had to leave to go to work, working night shift at the hospital. By New Years Eve, a memorable night when they went to see Jason Isbell at the Opry, they were in love.”

Please enjoy the photographs of Catherine and Whit’s Belle Meade Plantation Micro Wedding! Love Is Not Cancelled!
Special thanks to their vendors:

Planning: Kennedy Occasions
Venue: Belle Meade Plantation
Rentals: Southern Events
Cake: Susie’s Sweets
Lighting: Bright Event Productions
Strings: College Grove Strings
Draping: Events Plus Inc
Catering: Chef Penelope
Florals: Flower Girls Floral Design
Hair: Lindsey Binkley

Covid-19 Small Wedding Inspiration- Angela & Dave

Here’s another Micro Wedding Covid Inspiration! This is Angela and Dave’s wedding! Smaller weddings open up your location possibilities. Angela and Dave fell in love over Johnny Cash. Dave is a member of John Carter Cash’s band, Angela works for the Johnny Cash Museum, and they both recorded at Johnny Cash’s cabin in Hendersonville, TN. A location with meaning to a couple is always the best location and the Cash cabin was perfect. If their guest count was any larger, this would not have been possible. The reception followed at Two Rivers Mansion in Nashville, TN. After dinner while the sun was setting, all their guests gathered on the back porch of the mansion to enjoy drinks and dancing. Again, not something that would have been possible at a larger wedding. It was something very special and the intimacy was definitely a main factor in creating the magic of the evening. Here’s what Angela had to say about having a small wedding -

“My husband and I chose to have an intimate ceremony in June 2019. While we have large families on both sides, we wanted the day to feel relaxed and to celebrate with just our very closest friends and immediate family.

It was a joyful, stress free day. You’ll hear over and over again that your wedding day flies by. It’s so true! By keeping our wedding small (we had less than 40 guests!) we were able to spend the entire day focused on each other and the amazing love that brought us together with those few folks who know us best.

Beyond the obvious plusses of saving time, money and logistics on a “micro” wedding, I really feel like my husband and I had a chance to truly take it all in, in a way we couldn’t have experienced with a large wedding. I wouldn’t change that for the world!”

Vendors:
Reception Venue: Two Rivers Mansion
Hair & Makeup: Lydia Brittan
Flowers:  Kaley Daeger
Cake: Morgan Kincaid
Rentals: Liberty Party Rental
Car: Matchless Transportation
Dress: Oleg Cassini
Alterations: Only One Tailoring
Catering: Two Fat Men

Covid-19 Micro Wedding Inspiration - Sarah and Simon

I know that many couples are either postponing their celebrations or having a smaller gathering now and having the larger one later. Some have even decided that they only want to do a smaller wedding. For those of you that are going ahead with a mini, micro, tiny, intimate or whatever we are calling it, wedding… these upcoming blogs are for you. I want to encourage you that they are still beautiful and romantic. They can be luxurious or they can be simple. The beauty about a micro wedding is that they can be whatever you want them to be. These upcoming blogs are from mini weddings that I photographed in the past. I’ve asked the couples to tell you why they did a micro wedding and why it was special to them. I hope that you find them hopeful and encouraging. I know that 2020 has been a whirlwind for all of us, but marriage isn’t cancelled. Love isn’t cancelled. You can still become a family in 2020 and that ultimately is what is important.

From the bride, Sarah-

We had a small wedding in the backyard of the home we were renting in Colorado, surrounded only by our immediate family. It was perfect and personal! 

Our family had flown in a few days prior to the wedding to be able to hike and see the city before the festivities. The morning of the wedding, I went to get my hair and makeup done with my sister and mom, while my husband had breakfast with his family. We then met up at the house to have our first look. It was just the two of us (and Erin). We were both nervous about saying our vows in front of others, so we decided to say our vows then. We exchanged our vows for one another and shared a very intimate, sweet moment basking in our love. We then went to take photos in the mountains before the guests arrived. 

All of our decor was either homemade or rented. Once everyone arrived, they helped us set up the chairs and assemble the arbor we had made out of copper pipes. Having said our vows earlier, and having had everyone around us prior, had taken away the nerves and formality of the ceremony. As my dad walked me down the aisle, my husband and I felt much more relaxed and could truly enjoy the moment. My husband gave a quick welcome speech and we repeated our vows for our family to hear. In Colorado, you do not need an officiant. We chose to hold the ceremony ourselves, rather than having a stranger attend or having to pick someone from our friend group. It was just for us and that’s what we wanted. 

After the ceremony, the catering arrived! As we took family photos, the catering team set everything up and left us to eat on our own. We shifted all of the decor into a pretty seating area, where everyone was able to see and talk to one another. There were times when the whole table was engaged in one conversation, a true combining of the families, which was really nice. After dinner, we crowded into the house for an evening drink, while the catering team came back and cleaned everything up. The food was amazing, and thanks to it being a small wedding, we had leftovers for weeks to come! Overall, it was the perfect wedding for us! It was stress-free, personal, inexpensive, and in the end, we were married! 

Why have a small wedding? The wedding was for us and about us. We didn’t feel the need to make a big show out of it or have lots of people witness it. We figured if we really wanted to, we could always hold a celebration party for more people at a later time. We are also both introverts, so the idea of being the center of attention to a large group of people was not appealing to us. Being able to spend quality time with our family was very important. Weddings are often very expensive to attend, then you barely get to see your guests. By having the small gathering we did, we were able to really soak in the time with our family, without being pulled in multiple directions. It was also substantially less expensive! With the money we saved, we were able to go visit the friends and family who did not attend, thus getting quality time with them as well. Plus it also allowed us to travel, which is something we value highly. Often people feel like they need to have a big wedding and invite everyone they know, simply because that is the norm. In the end, you need to do what is best for you. If you don’t want to invite your dad’s best friend’s cousin, don’t invite them! The wedding is for you and you’ll be much happier doing things your way! People may be surprised at first when you say you’re having a small wedding, but those who truly know you and love you will understand and be happy for you no matter what. 

I also wrote about it on Medium Here…..

Why should you choose Erin? (note: I didn’t ask her to write why you should choose me. That was just a bonus! Love you Sarah!) Erin was perfect! Not only did she take amazing photos, she was also great at reading the mood. When it was just my husband and I, during our first look and first set of vows, we barely knew she was there. She gave us space to have our time together and share intimate moments, while secretly capturing it all. When we were feeling nervous, she was there to support and to lighten the mood. She cracked jokes to take our mind of things and told us stories about her own life that were relatable. Once the family arrived, she slipped in and out, joining in when appropriate and giving us privacy when necessarily, again all while photographing the sweet moments that were occurring. I would highly recommend her for your small wedding!