If you and your love are looking for a romantic getaway elopement to tie the knot, look no further than Butterfly Hollow. This bed-and-breakfast is indeed a hidden jewel just east of Nashville.
I have a soft spot in my heart for this beautiful retreat, having photographed hundreds of couples over the last seven years at Butterfly Hollow. I had the privilege of photographing Heather and Jake earlier this summer, capturing all the joy, laughter, and emotion of their day.
On Heather and Jake’s elopement day, the light was warm, bright, and brilliant, which set off the lush colors of the hollow. In fact, the light seemed a perfect metaphor for Heather and Jake’s heartfelt commitment and love for each other. Even so, sometimes beautiful bright sunlight can be too bright and harsh! Therefore, I used several techniques to keep the light soft and airy and to keep any bright “hot spots” and shadows at bay.
One of my favorite techniques involves framing my clients with soft foliage. I jokingly call this a “peek-through” shot. I position myself behind leaves or flowers to create a frame like in the image above. This frame softens the portrait and provides artistic, lush textures. I never use artificial overlays, AI, or photoshopping to create this effect. I love the challenge of creating the composition in my camera as I shoot elopement portraits.
Sometimes I will admit, this requires me to bend, squat, or kneel into some pretty silly positions! But that’s ok too, because anytime I can get a giggle out of my clients, the results are just that much better!
Heather and Jake’s story
Heather and Jake’s love story began in the same small town where they grew up. After a three-year courtship, Jake popped the question on a fishing trip. Heather immediately replied with the answer that had been in her heart for a year.
Newly married, these two most enjoy quietly spending time at home. They also love getting out of doors, and fishing, which they find peaceful and relaxing. Jake also loves to play the guitar. He brought along on their romantic getaway elopement weekend.
