followell fotography blog

Ok. I’ll be totally real: I think it’s the best thing ever when a good ol’ country boy who loves racing cars and hunting deer can also be man enough to let his emotional guard down and just speak out loud how much he loves his bride and even shed a tear or two in the process. Davey is that kind of guy. And he’s got a lot to love in Jessica. She’s the kind of girl that keeps an internal calm regardless of what’s happening around her. She’s confident and steady. She’s not going to make a big deal about herself, but that’s ok since her groom takes care of that for her.

Their wedding was at a quirky residence outside of Meridian called Pierce Castle… and it’s exactly that, I big ol’ castle in the middle of the country. The vibe was quaint and you could feel the love folks had for these two… and for their two adorable sons, which you’ll see in a few of the images here.

Jessica’s sweet little boy so excited to see his mom looking “Like a Queen” as he put it.

 

 

Kelli & Derek are hilarious together. Kelli’s, well, quite together and Derek’s just plumb crazy. I love how silly things can be between them, but how even crazy Derek slows down when it comes to caring for and loving on his bride.

They’re wedding was right here in Jackson at the FBC Jackson Chapel with a super fun reception at The South. Having known Kelli since college, it was a blast to be around old and new friends and about four past wedding clients!

 

Lake Forest Ranch is a campground in north Mississippi that is super special to me. Not only because of the dynamic spiritual growth that happened in my life while I worked there as a camp counselor back in 2005, but also because of the many, many relationships I formed that one summer. In fact, it was at this camp that Jess and I started dating (well, sort of, it was against camp rules to date a fellow staff member). Long story short, I made friends that have changed my life and made me a better person.

Hannah, the bride in today’s post, was a camper that one summer I worked, but has connections to Lake Forest Ranch that run far deeper than mine. Her love for this special place nestled in the woods of Mississippi was so profound that she and Josh decided it was the best possible place for them to marry, despite it being a far trek from their home in Colorado.

Knowing Hannah and her family as well as I do (I photographed her brother’s wedding several years ago), I was so excited about how relaxed and meaningful I knew everything would be. It would be a joyful celebration completely centered on Christ: exactly what a wedding is meant to be.

Things didn’t go exactly as planned when rain forced the ceremony to be moved inside a barn (like, a real barn… moved the horses out and the white chairs in) at the last minute, but nothing could take away from the sweet, sweet love between these two. Even with the smell of horses and dusty air, everything was completely perfect.

First up in the post are images from the 2 mile fun run that started the day for the bride, groom and their closest friends and family…

 

Probably my favorite moment of the day… Just a few minutes before the ceremony, Hannah and her dad were tucked away in the camp office playing a game of thumb wrestling–something they’ve done since she was a little girl.