Savannah + Tanner – Married at the Meadow

Oh, Savannah! This girl was one of those brides that us photographers call a “dream client.” As a creative business owner, it’s the dreams that drive you and turn into actions. My dream as a teenager with my very first camera was to be a full-time wedding photographer someday. When that happened, my dreams became bigger, more refined, more specific. Us photographers dream of the type of people we will get to serve and the kinds of weddings we will get to photograph. For us travel-lovers who have a case of wanderlust, as we like to call it, getting a phone call from a bride who says, “I was referred to you by my cousin who is a wedding photographer herself. I’ve browsed your Instagram and your website. I want to fly you to my home state to shoot my wedding, because that is how much I love your work!” Well, that just makes our photographer heart burst. Not only is it an enormous compliment to be referred by another wedding photographer, one I admire highly at that (thank you Jessie!!) but to know how much Savannah treasured my work and my heart that I share online, that meant the world. Of course, my bags were packed the moment we got off our initial one-hour phone call just getting to know each other more. By the time I arrived to her parent’s property the day before her wedding it felt like we had already known each other. Immediately her whole family welcomed me with open arms and even invited me in for the rehearsal dinner. I just had the best time!

Savannah and Tanner were married in the gorgeous rural town of Battle Ground, Washington, just 45 minutes outside of Portland, Oregon. The weather could not have been better, and I think I enjoyed it even more after coming straight from Nashville, Tennessee (the humidity does not agree with me, but boy was that trip and wedding a fun one!). These young lovebirds met while Savannah was working at a golf course. Tanner was always at the course for golf practice and would persistently ask Savannah to hang out, but she dodged him for a long time! Eventually Tanner’s persistence paid off, because here I am sharing their wedding photos with you!

They decided to get married on her parents five acre property filled with evergreen trees, a grass-filled meadow, and years of memories already made there. It was the perfect space to invite over 200 guests to celebrate their wedding vows. I’ll admit, beyond the sentimental ties were also countless photo opportunities. I was in Photographer Heaven!

The wedding flowed so smoothly and the entire day was filled with so many kind and welcoming people. I almost felt like I was another guest with a camera. Their ceremony has gone down as one of my favorites in history, as their pastor said the most beautiful words. Rather than talking about all of the good things and the fantasies of marriage, and rather than making empty promises in their vows like, “I promise to peel your tangerines” or “I promise to always do the dishes,” they instead vowed to each other to stick together through the good and the bad. They vowed to forgive when they sin against each other, knowing it would happen someday. When life throws tragedies and trials their way, they vowed to fight the trials together, rather than blame each other. Life is hard, and marriage is hard, but it’s not just about peeling each other’s tangerines and doing the dishes; marriage is about holding to a covenant when you can’t see a way out of the rough times. It’s saying “I don’t know how we are going to get through this, but we are going to do it together.” And all of this is why I can honestly say it was one of the most incredible ceremonies I’ve attended to date.

 

Thank you both for allowing me to be a small part of your day. And I know that because you will fight for each other through the bad times, you will also have many, many wonderful times in life to enjoy together too.

From the bride:

“ August 6, 2016 will always be the best day of my life. Not only did I marry my best friend, but I also got to see all the hard work my family and friends put in to my special day. Call it Style Me Pretty dream wedding if you will. However, every single detail had a very special meaning. To me, weddings are not only two people becoming one. It is also a celebration of two families coming together, and I’m a very family oriented girl. I come from a very big and close family, and so does my husband. That’s the reason I decided to get married in my parents pasture. When I was four years old my parents moved to our new home on 5 acres; I had horses, tree forts, dirt bike jumps, everything. It was my play ground, and it was the place where I grew up. When it came time to decide where our wedding venue would be, I had no doubt. It had to be at my childhood home. Washington State is known as the evergreen state, and my parents’ property is filled with trees and greenery! It was the perfect scenery setting and backdrop!

My wedding “theme” was very rustic/woodsy with a hint of glamour! My mom spent many months preparing for our wedding. She likes planning events and adding the sweetest details. I chose this style because I knew it was something everyone could participate in. The landscaping was done by my dad and brother, the ceremony arbor was provided by my uncle (the wood) and made by my husband, the staging was done by my mom and dearest friends, and the floral was arranged by ladies I went to church with. As you can tell, everything was made and done by friends and family, and that’s exactly how I wanted it to be. However, there is one thing that will always be my favorite detail, and that was the old cars. My grandpa passed away in 2009, and he collected and restored old cars. Therefore, having his toy cars made it feel like he was apart of my big day. My wedding dreams couldn’t have happened if I didn’t have my beautiful family and friends! They made everything come to life and we are so blessed by their talents and gifts.
Jenna Joseph Photography was the only website I looked at when deciding my photographer and I couldn’t have made a better choice! Jenna is the sweetest most kind person ever. A wedding comes with a lot of excitement and stress, and Jenna went above and beyond making it the most enjoyable experience of my life! My “day of” coordinator was my cousin, and her and Jenna connected so well that my wedding was always in sync with the timeline and Jenna stayed positive the whole time. Jenna has the personality that makes you feel like she’s not just your “wedding photographer.” She’s also your friend. She is obviously based in California and I’m all the way up in Washington, so coffee dates weren’t an option for us. So we set aside time to call each other on the phone and just get to know each other and talk wedding details. So, by the time she flew into PDX and the wedding day came I felt like I knew Jenna my whole life. She cares so much about her clients and their families. She goes the extra mile to make sure everyone is happy, and she makes you feel like a princess. My wedding day went by so fast, that everything is still a blur. However, when I got my pictures back I balled my eyes out. Jenna captured every single detail of our wedding, and she made sure I didn’t miss anything! My day wouldn’t have happened without her help and kindness! She has a beautiful talent, and I’m so glad Jesus put her in my life. Because she isn’t just my “wedding photographer” she’s my friend and will always be.”

 

Vendor Love:

Wedding Venue: The Bride’s Home

Wedding Coordinator: Crystal 

Wedding Stylist: Denise Johnson

Reception Coordinator: Cathe Williams

Live Music Ceremony: Columbia River Strings

Catering: Cedars Golf Course 

MOB’s Hair + Makeup: Megan Swindle

Brial Hair + Makeup: Bridesmaid

Photography: Jenna Joseph Photography

Florals: Karen Moberg

DJ: Pat Dixon

Officiant: Living Water Church 

Wedding Cake: Whole Foods

Desserts: Ice Cream Renaissance 

Tuxedos/Suits: Mens Warehouse

Wedding Gown: Allure Brides

Bridesmaid Gowns: Rent The Runway

Videographer: Red Forest Films

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