Nancy Hellsten's Photography Blog

Owusu - Baafi / Evans Wedding July 17, 2010

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:03:28 GMT

Erwin is a little town in the middle of the Cherokee National Forest near the North Carolina border. I had never been there before, but I enjoyed the drive last weekend as we made our way to Shallow Ford Baptist Church for Afia and Paul's wedding. After the ceremony, everyone headed over to Johnson City for a reception at the Holiday Inn.

Afia and Paul have a couple session planned with me, and I am really looking forward to seeing them again. Since I will be sharing photos of them later, I decided to do something different with this post and am just focusing on one little part of the wedding day.

Weddings are about many things, from the dress and cake to the actual ceremony, but one very emotional and important aspect is the relationships. Family and friends were a very important part of this wedding day. Even though the members are scattered in different states and continents, it was obvious that these are very close, loving families. Many guests came out to support and celebrate with the couple, and they were all so very nice. As a wedding photographer, it is important to document the special little moments between people, and here are a few from Afia and Paul's wedding.

A creative (and pretty) wedding idea to copy:
Although many modern brides are skipping favors in order to save money, if you ARE going to give your guests a gift then edible options are always popular. This wedding used the tulle-wrapped favors as part of the table decorations with several different variations. The tall centerpieces had the favors tied to branches while others had them placed around the bottom of a flower arrangement or inside a fish bowl vase with a pillar candle.

Aiken / Proudfit Wedding July 10, 2010

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:01:15 GMT

The Magnolia Manor is only a few miles from my house, but you really feel like you are out in the countryside when you are there. It's also one of the few venues offering an outside ceremony site with abundant natural shade. This may not be on everyone's list of criteria when choosing a venue, but when you have a hot, sunny wedding day like that of Molly and Matthew, then shade is very important.

As a Southern Greek Revivial Home, Magnolia Manor has wide porches that offered a nice spot for Molly and Matt to share a moment together early in the day. I don't know how he resisted peeking, but Matt kept his eyes forward to avoid seeing her before the ceremony.

I enjoy garden ceremonies like this that allow the guests (and my camera) to be close and really share in the ceremony with the couple.

These two are so perfect together, and the love and happiness were overflowing right after the ceremony.

Instead of tossing petals, the guests tossed whole flower heads as the couple exited to Matt's convertible and shared a kiss.

An idea to copy:
I always love when the men in the wedding party wear lighter suits instead of black tuxes. It looks great for outdoor ceremonies, and it especially smart when the weather is warm.

Hellsten / Axelsson Wedding June 12, 2010

Sun, 11 Jul 2010 05:06:02 GMT

Marcus, Hayden, and I flew over to Sweden last month for Sara and Dan's wedding in Luleå. It's always fun to visit Marcus's family, but it was especially neat to be back in Luleå. That's where Marcus was living and going to school when I first visited him back in 1998, and I later spent a semester there as well. One of my favorite places to visit in Luleå is the little church village (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) so I was super excited when Sara told me that she would be getting married in the medieval stone church there.

Swedish weddings are a bit different from what I'm used to (mainly the reception which consists of a very long meal with lots of speeches), and it was an exciting day. Dan and Sara are so great together, and we are really happy to have him in the family now.

It's tough to do engagement photos when your photographer lives on another continent, but we did manage to fit in a few on the morning after the wedding.

In Sweden, couples typically walk down the aisle together, and they don't have our tradition where the groom avoids seeing the bride before the ceremony. I'm glad that Sara and Dan decided to do a special "first meeting" though.

Sara fits the Swedish stereotype. She's thin, blonde, and beautiful. Her hair was gorgeous too.

Opposite from here in the states, Swedish brides get a basic engagement band and a nicer ring on the wedding day. Dan was showing off the bling in the middle of the ceremony.

Rice tosses are still popular in Sweden. There were several weddings that day, and the steps to the church were almost hazardous from all the rice that had already been thrown. It is fun and does look cool, but (before any American brides get any ideas) Sara had a lot of rice stuck in her hair and down her dress for the rest of the day.

The weather was actually warm compared to the week before the wedding, but it did threaten to rain on us all afternoon. Besides the obvious reasons that you don't want rain on the wedding day, I was a bit worried because of the ride that we were taking to the reception - a helicopter (my first time in one). I do hate heights, but I don't mind flying so I was excited but nervous. The view along the way was really cool though.

The guests were waiting outside the reception hall and expected the couple to arrive in the convertible car that they had left the church in. Sara and Dan's parents didn't even know about the helicopter until they saw (and heard) us circling around overhead.

And for those brides who are afraid that something will go wrong on the wedding day, let me assure you that something almost always does, but it is never as bad as you'd imagine. At this wedding, the power went off in the reception hall. While it didn't present a big problem in terms of lighting since it stays light all night this time of year, it did prove challenging for those preparing the food. The staff lit up some grills outside and eventually served a very delicious meal.

Marcus is often my second shooter, but he was busy tending to Hayden. Special thanks to Petra Hall for helping me photograph the wedding!

Little Nathan is two

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:56:27 GMT

Stacy and Seth were two of my clients (back when I was first starting my business) that became friends. Unfortunately, they don't live very close now. We mostly just have to keep in touch online so I was very excited when they came to Knoxville in May for a session with their son Nathan.

He was a little shy at first (or maybe just tired from the drive), but Stacy and Seth did an excellent job of just playing with him and not paying attention to the camera. It didn't take long for him to warm up, and then he was very playful and expressive. He's one of those boys that wants to be constantly moving so there's really no chance of doing any sort of posed photographs. To him, it was just a really fun trip to the park with his parents, and he obviously enjoyed himself. I enjoyed just being there to photograph the three of them spending time together.

Nathan had just turned two, and Stacy even baked a little cake for some photos to document the occasion. At first he was a little confused because we wanted him to sit on the table, but kids always love candles and icing. I got SO many great photos that day, and it was nearly impossible to choose just a few to share.

White / Reilly Wedding May 22, 2010

Thu, 27 May 2010 20:31:59 GMT

Kristy and Kegan are currently living in on a military base in Germany, but they were able to come back to Tennessee for a wedding at Dara's Garden this past weekend. The roses are in bloom at Dara's, and we had beautiful, clear skies for their outdoor ceremony. Kristy and Kegan are so in love, and the day was very emotional for everyone.

Kristy may be surprised to see this, but her dress took a little trip outside while we waited on her and the girls to arrive.

Kristy and Kegan chose to have a private meeting in the gardens and spent a few moments together laughing, hugging, kissing, and crying.

Lisa Foster did a great job designing the flowers, and the girls wore canary yellow dresses. Everything was light and summery - perfect for a garden wedding.

The couple entered their tented reception through an arch of sabers where Kristy was ceremoniously spanked with a saber and welcomed into the army.

I've seen a lot of touching father/daughter dances, but this one was very special. The DJ (who did a fantastic job all night) used a full-length-version of Butterfly Kisses, and I know that at least some of the guests were crying through the whole song.

Part of what made this wedding so wonderful is that the couple and guests were really able to just relax, enjoy themselves, and be "in the moment".

Want to guess who went home with the bouquet?

Special thanks to some of the other vendors that helped make Kristy and Kegan's wedding day so memorable:
Dara at Dara's Garden
Bob Kerr at Hightech Video
Peggy Love at Plan it with Love
Salon Visage on Market Square
Drew Holloway with Ogle Entertainment

Almost Crawling

Tue, 25 May 2010 20:22:33 GMT

The pre-crawling stage is such a great time for baby photography because the kids are expressive and active but can't quite run away from the camera yet. Photographing babies at any age can be a challenge, but it is SO worth the effort. It is truly amazing how quickly they grow and change. Now that I'm a mother, I am even more aware of just how important it is to document these early moments for yourself and your child.

Baby J is such a sweet little guy! The photo session wore him out, but he was really very cooperative and seems older than just 7 months. I'm excited to share some of my favorite photographs from our session. Isn't he just adorable?

It's exciting and scary to go from having a lap baby to a wiggly, little crawler who can take off in a split second. Luckily, J's mom and dad were there to lend a hand with the baby wrangling.

Rose / Bunker Wedding May 15

Wed, 19 May 2010 02:50:25 GMT

I was SO glad that it didn't rain until late on Saturday so that Melissa and Ross could have their ceremony outdoors at Whitestone Country Inn in Kingston. They exchanged vows in front of the gazebo overlooking Watts Bar Lake and then moved indoors for a sit-down dinner and dancing. As always, the wedding director Deneise was great to work with, and the food was delicious. It was a perfect beginning for a very sweet couple.

I hope to post more photos later, but they're returning from their Caribbean honeymoon soon so here's a sneak peek - one candid shot from their first dance and my favorite photo from their couple time together.

Sarah and Casey's Senior Session

Tue, 11 May 2010 15:52:23 GMT

Here are a few more photos from my session with Casey and Sarah who will be graduating next week. Congratulations, girls!

Sarah's Prom Session

Sat, 08 May 2010 00:24:57 GMT

I always have a tough time choosing my favorite photos to share on the blog. However, this senior session was ridiculously good, and I'm going to have to split it into two posts.

It was a shared session with best friends Sarah and Casey from (my alma mater) Central High. The girls took turns assisting and being photographed, and they kept each other smiling despite the heat.

Up first are photos of Sarah in her prom dress. Prom photos are great! You get the beautiful dress like a bridal session, but the colors are so fun.

I have to say that it is not a good idea to leave your photography prop chair sitting around while you go off to take photos elsewhere. Marcus had joked that I could just leave it on the side of the road when we finished, but I wasn't even done yet! We were gone maybe ten minutes while we waited for the sun to get lower. Then as we were driving back to it, we saw that a couple had stopped in their truck and were about to take the chair. They tried to play it off by sitting down and waiting to see if we drove on by. When we stopped, they decided to make their get away. Good thing too because I'd hate to fight a stranger over a pink, velvet chair.

Afia & Paul's Engagement Session

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:47:42 GMT

I'm always surprised at how two people so obviously perfect for each other can be brought together. Afia and Paul have a great story. They met in high school in Senegal even though neither one of them is from Senegal. Years later, here they are about to be married in Tennessee, but neither is from Tennessee.

Paul may be the funniest engineer I've ever met, and he kept us all laughing as we traveled around searching for photography locations. Afia is a natural in front of the camera, and has great style. Isn't this yellow dress adorable? I'm so excited for their wedding in July!

Brown / Bolt Wedding Reception

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:42:36 GMT

I recently photographed a bridal session at a new venue in north Knoxville, The Sterchi Mansion. Unfortunately, I can't share any of the photos until after the bride's wedding in July, but I wanted to go ahead and thank the owners for being so welcoming and accommodating. It's a gorgeous, historic home, and anyone interested in an outdoor ceremony should definitely contact Linda and check it out. It would be especially beautiful in the fall.

Now for some photographs from a wedding reception that I photographed back in February. Natalie and James had a destination wedding in Jamaica (lucky ducks!) and then celebrated here in Knoxville with a reception at Southern Graces atop the Sunsphere. It was surprisingly warm for February, and we shot a few quick portraits around the base before heading up for the party.

I really love beautiful portraits so most of my favorite images that end up on the blog are semi-posed. However, I do photograph the majority of the day with a more photojournalistic style so I'm going to try to remember to post more candid wedding photographs this year.

Natalie had once heard about a celebrity serenading his bride on their wedding day and mentioned to James that she thought it was romantic. The idea stuck, and James had a special surprise for Natalie near the end of the reception. It would have been super sweet regardless, but he's a really good singer!

Molly and Matt's Engagement Session

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 02:49:16 GMT

We originally scheduled this photography session for two weeks from now, but then I saw that the Dogwood Arts Festival will be on Market Square that weekend. Not wanting to compete with the crowd, we switched dates. Unfortunately, there is apparently always something going on in downtown Knoxville these days. On Saturday, there was a Red Bull chariot race AND a marathon. We had beautiful weather though, and I had fun traipsing around downtown and shooting urban engagement photos with Matt and Molly.

I'm looking forward to the wedding in July and hoping that the weather will be just as gorgeous for their outdoor ceremony.

Oh How Quickly They Grow

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:46:35 GMT

My little baby is growing up too fast! He has more than doubled his birth weight and is sitting up now. I pulled out the old scale that I used for newborn photographs so that I could document the change.

Before anyone asks... I did not let him balance up there on his own, but I edited my arm out of the photograph.

Here are a few photographs that we took outside on Saturday.

I do have some wedding stuff to post too, but I have albums and orders to finish up before I get around to it.

Happy Valentines Day

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:25:51 GMT

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous.
It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.
~Elizabeth Stone

Whether you're recently engaged or have been married for decades, I hope that everyone takes the time this weekend to reflect on how important your loved ones are and to let them know what they mean to you. In my opinion, our relationships are really what make life so rewarding and wonderful.
I am especially blessed to share my life with a wonderful husband and a perfect little baby. My days are filled with so many wonderful moments now, but some of my favorite come just as Hayden is waking up - when he looks at me with complete adoration and joy like I am the most important person in the world. His love is so pure and magical. I wish that all love could be so simple.

Here are a few more recent photos that I love. These next two are such "Hayden" looks.

Sometimes he'll just sit and stare at his hands as if they are the most amazing new discovery, but he's also in love with his feet.

Let It Snow

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:10:25 GMT

I hope that everyone is enjoying the snow. Marcus was a little disappointed that we didn't actually get snowed in as predicted, but I rather enjoy getting the benefits of the snow without all the hassle. Hayden still can't sit up on his own, but I found a way to get a photo of him in the snow. He wasn't all that impressed, especially when his hand got wet and cold, and he was ready for a nap once we got back inside.

I love this little red sweater and hat (great for hiding his bald head) that I got from Gymboree's after Thanksgiving sale. I originally got it for his visit with Santa which never happened so we decided to do some family photos instead. I'm not a big fan of everyone matching (all white shirts with jeans for instance), but I do like when there's a color scheme so we went with red and brown. In hindsight, I'm thinking that the blue jeans weren't the best choice. Always remember to wear a complete outfit for photo sessions because your pants (and even socks and shoes) may show.