nashville

this past weekend my sister and i flew down to Nashville to witness our friend get hitched.

we were newbies to Nashville and with the help of a few taxi drivers and lovely companions we quickly checked into our hotel and before we knew it were on our way to the chapel, albeit getting lost a few times.

i was quite impressed with how flawless it all seemed.  the groomsmen tall and proud, the mother and father of the groom more poised than i could have ever imagined, the mother of the bride tearily joyful, johnny anxiously awaiting the very moment his eyes would connect with hers, and caroline the perfect combination of restless, overwhelmed, beautiful and ever-present.

there they stood vowing to love each other through a marriage rooted in Jesus and proclaiming it in front of God and their closest friends and family, all those who have been a witness to their character growth, hardships and mistakes, accomplishments, and happiness both separately and as a couple.

the party was at A Venue.  exposed brick, wooden beams, large windows and hanging chandeliers.

mealtime came.  buffet-style.  then the cake, of course.

[photo credit: Danny Howard]

johnny and caroline.  it works.

the guests took to the dance floor and wiggled, stepped, and shook their way through song after song.  Sweet Caroline played as the groom, brother of the bride, and father of the bride surrounded the young woman in white.

after hours we headed down Broadway and hit up the live country music scene:  bar dancing, honky tonky-ing, and consuming copious amounts of alcohol included.

sunday morning was welcomed by a large breakfast with elated family members and friends, satisfied with saturday’s events and reinvigorated by the new love that’s begun.  the day was filled with chatter and laughter, a few good meals and fresh strawberry lemonade, and celebratory goodbyes.

in a mere 24 hours together, a lifelong journey had begun.  and then it was time to fly home.

[also seen on katieasalernophotography.com]