A Chattanooga Ranch Wedding on the Family Farm | Olivia & Logan

Sometimes, all the pieces just fall together for a stunning, one-of-a-kind wedding. Olivia and Logan’s day was definitely one of those! Between the sweet little church ceremony, the Chattanooga ranch wedding reception, and the picture perfect couple, it really couldn’t have gotten much better. Even a rain storm didn’t stop these lovebirds!

Enjoy this gorgeous, unforgettable Chattanooga ranch wedding on Olivia and Logan’s family farm!

The bride and groom walk through a farm field.

GETTING READY AT THE BODE HOTEL

I met Olivia and her bridesmaids at Bode Chattanooga, a gorgeous boutique hotel downtown. Before anything else, I snuck away for detail shots of Olivia’s accessories. For all my couples, I recommend bringing the essentials – your accessories, shoes, and invitations – in your shoebox the day of your wedding. That way, you won’t forget them and I’ll have everything in one place for detail shots. For Olivia’s, I used her floral veil as a backdrop for her watercolor invitations, gold jewelry, and adorable white cowboy boots. I even got a few spare stems from the florist, Southerly Flower Farm, to dress up the scene.

In addition to my usual cameras, I also brought a film camera to Olivia and Logan’s wedding. It’s such a fun medium, and I love keeping the tradition of film alive. Plus, it created a gorgeous, classic look in several of the photos. You can mimmic that with digital, but something about film just feels more old-school.

After the detail shots, I reunited with the ladies for the final getting ready photos, and Olivia’s mom helped her into her dress. We had a mini first look with the girls and another with Olivia’s dad in a gorgeous spot tucked away in the church. After a few more shots with family, it was time for the ceremony!

A lay flat of the bride's white cowboy boots, wedding invitations, jewelry, white flowers, and invitations. The bride and two bridesmaids lying on a bed with their chins on their hands. The bride posing on a bed with her five bridesmaids. All are in silk robes. A bridal gown hanging on a wooden door. The bride's mother buttoning the back of her gown. The bride's mom helping her put her veil on. The bride's mother admiring her daughter in her wedding attire next to a large window. The bride posing with her bouquet. A bridesmaid holds up two polaroids, one of the bride and one of a bridesmaid. The bridesmaids react to seeing the bride in her dress. The bride poses with her large, white and green bouquet. The bride smiles and looks away while holding her bouquet. The bride's father sees her in her dress for the first time and gives her a hug. Bridesmaids dry their tears and smile. The bride poses for a photo with her mother and father.

A CLASSIC CHURCH WEDDING ON LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

Olivia and Logan had their wedding ceremony at this cute Catholic church on Lookout Mountain called Our Lady of the Mount. They had all the traditional elements – the ring bearer and flower girl, the first look at the altar – but added their own refined but down-home twist to it.

I especially adore Olivia’s bouquet from Southerly Flower Farm. The all-white florals don’t take any attention away from the beautiful bride, but there’s still tons of yummy texture and dimension in the different blooms and delicate greenery. I tell all my folks with personal flowers to keep their bouquets close on their wedding day. They’re one of the most beautiful details, but they also fade fast. We want to capture them fully, in every part of the day, so you can look back on them forever.

The ceremony itself was simple, sweet, and full of love. Logan was thrilled to see his bride, and I love Olivia’s celebration after they were pronounced man and wife. We took some photos in the chapel, got a few more on the grounds, and then we headed out.

A large floral arrangement at the front of a church. Wedding programs fanned out on a tile floor. A flower girl and ring bearer walking down the aisle of a church. Wedding guests wait in the pews for the ceremony to start The groom waits at the altar. The bride and her father walk down the aisle arm-in-arm. The bride's father kisses her on the cheek at the altar. The bride and groom hold hands at the altar. The bride and groom share a kiss at the altar. The bride throws up her bouquet in celebration at the altar with the groom. The bride and groom smile at each other. The bride and groom smile while leaving the church. The bride and groom pose with their wedding party at the front of the church. Bridesmaids help the bride with her veil in the garden outside the church. Bridesmaids follow the bride through the garden outside the church. The bride poses with her five bridesmaids, all of whom wear dusty blue gowns. The groom holds the bride's veil as they walk through the church garden. The groom poses for a photo in the church garden. The bride and groom hold hands and walk through the church garden. The groom rests his hands on the bride's lower back. The bride and groom kiss in the church garden. The bride strokes the groom's face while they stand beneath her veil. The bride and groom kiss beneath the bride's veil. The bride and groom walk hand-in-hand through the church garden.

WEDDING PORTRAITS ON THE FAMILY FARM

Olivia and Logan planned their ceremony pretty early in the day, so we had several hours between the end of the ceremony and the start of the reception. While this isn’t always possible, it’s amazing when you can pull it off. Not only did they have some private time to relax together, but we also had plenty of time for bride and groom portraits before the party got started.

We hopped in the car and headed from one side of Lookout Mountain to Olivia’s family farm on the other. Then, we just hopped a fence and walked out through the fields. I adore the way these two stood out against the tall grass and big, open sky, but they also looked totally at home. We even got a visit from their dog Dolly!

All throughout the day, Olivia and Logan were laid-back and trusted me completely. I understand how funny it must feel to strut through a field in your wedding dress or cozy up with your honey beneath a veil, but I always reassure my couples that it looks amazing through my lens. These two were down for anything and definitely let me have my fun!

The bride hops a gate on her family's farm. The bride and groom walk through a farm field. The bride and groom kiss while their collie runs through the field in the background. The bride crouches down to pet her collie in a farm field. The bride and groom stand together in the family farm. The bride and groom crouch down and pose with their collie in a field. The bride and groom walk hand-in-hand through a field. Horses running through a field behind a fence. The groom follows the bride through an open field. The bride and groom hold hands and walk through a field. The bride and groom kiss while wrapped up in her veil in a field. The bride and groom stand with their collie at the edge of a pond. The bride and groom pop a bottle of champagne at the edge of a pond. The bride and groom sip from a bottle of champagne at the edge of a pond. The bride and groom kiss at the edge of a pond on the family farm. The bride and groom hold hands and walk down a path next to a pond. She's wearing a white cowboy hat. The bride and groom kiss on a path next to a pond. She's wearing a white cowboy hat.

WHY I LOVE WEDDINGS ON YOUR OWN PROPERTY

Not everyone has a picturesque family ranch to host their wedding at, but I’ve loved every single family property wedding I’ve shot. Even if you just dress up your parents’ backyard or your buddy’s barn, the atmosphere is just so much better in a place where you feel at home.

And because it’s your own space, you can truly do whatever you want. Olivia and Logan decided to ride horses into their reception, a choice that might not have gone over well at a regular wedding venue. But because it’s the family farm, they made it happen! They also got more time to prepare the space because they weren’t renting it by the day. They were able to take their time with decor instead of rushing it the morning of. Trust me, that alone is worth it.

If you’re planning a wedding in your own property in Chattanooga (or anywhere else), let’s talk. There’s nothing more special than exchanging vows and promising forever to your person in your home.

The wedding party walks two horses out of a trailer. The bride and groom ride black horses through a field next to a pond. The bride poses on the back of her black horse. The bride's veil flows behind her as she rides a black horse.

ENDING THE NIGHT WITH A DANCE IN THE RAIN

Right as we were finishing up with the couple’s portraits, the rain rolled in! Luckily, these two weren’t phased and jumped on their horses without batting an eye. As I discovered that day, Logan didn’t grow up around horses. He learned how to ride after he met Olivia simply so he could spend more time with her. The story brought a tear to my eye, and it made their entrance on horseback even more special.

By the time we made it to the reception, it was properly raining. The bride and groom shared their first dance on a wet dance floor, and then their guests joined them completely unfazed. Seriously, this crowd was so fun! We snuck under the tent a few times for dinner among homemade floral arrangements, cake made by Olivia’s sister Malynn, and (of course) tequila shots, but for the most part the crowd got down and celebrated in the drizzling rain.

At the end of the night, Olivia and Logan (literally) dug up a bottle of bourbon they’d buried on site a few days before. It’s a good-luck tradition among ranch families, so the whole crowd partook in some bourbon. As you might guess, the dancing only got more fun after that!

By the end of the night, it was all boots, cowboy hats, and good times. Olivia and Logan partied into the night on the family farm, and I said goodnight with rain in my hair and a smile on my face.

Wedding guests walk into a barn on the family farm. The band sets up outside a barn. The bride and groom ride black horses through a field next to a pond. The bride and groom enter their reception on horseback. The bride and groom dance together on a wooden dance floor. A table set for dinner with wildflowers and candles. A painter working on a live painting of a wedding under a white tent. A wedding guest in a cowboy hat gets a drink at the bar. The bride walks into the barn to escape the rain. The band plays under an awning outside a barn. The bride and groom share cocktails with their guests. The bride and groom cut their cake under a white tent. The bride and groom take tequila shots with two guests. The bride and groom dig up a bottle of bourbon from a field. Guests pass around a bottle of bourbon. Wedding guests dance in boots and cowboy hats. The groom dips his bride, kissing her beneath her veiled cowboy hat. The band plays under party lights. Discarded cake slices on a round white table. The groom dips his bride on the dance floor.