A Whimsical Wooded Backyard Wedding: Eden + Daniel

Nashville Indie Wedding

Eden + Daniel had a fairly short engagement at only four months, but since Eden has been photographing weddings for years, she already had quite a few ideas for their day. :) They wanted a whimsical, wooded backyard wedding with local food and their closest friends.

Eden + Daniel were determined to spend a fraction of the average American wedding, so they pooled their resources and realized that what they lacked they more than made up for in their friends willing to help. The perfect location was offered by a family friend who owns a beautiful piece of property in the country of Tennessee. They exchanged vows at sunset in a large open field for the ceremony followed by the reception in the woods with food, music, dancing and bonfires. Such a perfect day! Congrats to Eden + Daniel and thanks to Brandon Chesbro for the photos.

bride with pink lily bouquet

bride with lots flower girls

ring bearer and flower girl shoes

flower girl with arrows

flower girls with patchwork blanket

groom in a tweed suit with striped tie

wedding program

groomsmen in ties in woods

flower girls with arrows

Most memorable moment of your wedding day? Daniel is not a crier. I was certain I was going to be walking toward a calm and collective groom. As my father and I were approaching the ceremony, shedding tears, Daniel put his arm around his best man and lost it, the majority of our guests lost it watching him. We all cried as we walked down the aisle and didn’t really stop till the end of the ceremony. Sharing that moment with my two favorite men by my side, I couldn’t have imagined a more memorable moment.

bride walking down the aisle

tweed suit jacket

Our music:
Processional: “Be Here Now” by Mason Jennings (sung and played by Micah Tawlks, Johnathan Davis and Jesse Carr)
Recessional: “This Will Be Our Year” by The Zombies
First Dance: Since our reception was in the woods our friends surprised us with our first dance. “Love” by Nancy Adams played in Disney’s Robin Hood when Robin Hood and Maid Marian fell in love.

nashville wedding party

ceremony arch with twigs and flowers

bride and groom in field

wedding rings

groom and bride in field

The wooded area made for a whimsical setting and was dolled up beautifully with flowers, a family tree (literally) and decorations with emphasis on small details. After a long and leisurely dinner, the evening culminated on the dance floor where we spent the rest of the night cutting the rug with our friends and family.

wedding decor in woods

picnic tables in the woods

picnic tables in the woods

wedding in the woods

pie stand for wedding

Daniel and I both love bonfires, so we had two of them plus smores at the reception. We had gourmet cheesecakes for our wedding cake and Disney’s Robin Hood playing for the kids (and of course a few adults!) We wouldn’t have changed a thing.

nashville wedding

Any advice for those planning now? Absolutely. At the end of the day, you’re married. This is a joyous occasion, don’t let anything get in the way of just being with your friends and family. Nothing is more important than that.

photography: Brandon Chesbro // wedding dress: Local Honey // hairpiece: InVintage - Colleen Whitver // bride's shoes: Minnetonka Moccasin // hair stylist: Jessica Katina // makeup artist: Leah Elmquist // groom attire: J.Crew and Urban Outfitters // paper goods: Micah Jones // catering: Baja Burrito and Provence // cake: Crystal Thomas Morgan // music: Mike Boggs // event planner: Melanie Smith // floral design: Melanie Smith at A Village of Flowers // cinematography: A.J. Gibboney // invitations: Micah Jones // rentals: vintage rentals by Vintage My Wedding

Explore: