A perfectly timed thunderstorm, the ultimate hype girls, and a gorgeous September celebration at Maple Grove Estate
Maple Grove Estate doesn’t typically host many weddings during July and August, and if you’ve ever experienced an East Tennessee summer, you probably understand why. The property is stunning and easily one of my favorite venues to photograph, but the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all take place outdoors. After a few years of hosting weddings, they learned that July and August were simply a little too hot for guests to comfortably spend that much time outside.
But apparently September had other plans this year.
Did any of us expect September to bring the hottest week of the entire year? Not me, you guys. Not me.
Leading up to Ellie and Austin’s wedding, I watched day after day of intense heat roll through Knoxville without even one of those random summer thunderstorms to cool things down. By wedding morning, I was a little nervous. Nervous about Ellie and Austin overheating. Nervous about the wedding party sweating through dresses and suits. Nervous about everyone spending hours outside in that heat.
And then, as we got closer to their first look, we heard thunder rolling in the distance.
While some people might have panicked, I was celebrating.
YES, LORD. This was exactly what we needed!
As Ellie and Austin got dressed, the rain absolutely poured. The dark clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped, and by the time we were ready for their first look, we stepped outside to weather that actually felt good for the first time in seven days.
The thick cloud cover stayed with us throughout their first look and portrait time, giving us the dreamiest conditions for photos around Maple Grove. Eventually the sun returned and things warmed back up, but compared to the day before? It was nothing. The timing felt impossibly perfect, and I am so thankful the Lord knew exactly what we needed.
The Ultimate Hype Girls
I would be remiss if I didn’t dedicate a little space to Ellie’s bridesmaids because these girls.
They may officially hold the title of most enthusiastic hype girls I’ve photographed all year.
They cheered for everything. And I mean everything. Ellie could have sneezed and they would have celebrated like she had just won a million dollars. They brought that same energy from the beginning of the day all the way through the reception.
And when the dance floor opened? The heat wasn’t stopping them. They grabbed their fans, kept dancing, and made sure that dance floor stayed packed.
They also officially broke my CampSnap record!
If you’ve been following along on my stories, you may have seen that I’ve started bringing a CampSnap camera with me on wedding days. It has that nostalgic disposable-camera feel, and I hand it over to the bridesmaids at the beginning of the day with a challenge: hit a certain number of photos before the night ends.
Wedding after wedding, that number has gotten higher. Bridesmaids always get excited about the challenge, but no group had actually managed to hit it.
Until Ellie’s girls.
They officially set the new record! When I shared a few of my favorite CampSnap photos earlier this week, the girls immediately started resharing them. Ellie told me they had been asking about the photos for the rest of the long weekend, which made me love them even more.
Gorgeous Details Made by Ellie & Her Family
There was so much beauty woven throughout this Maple Grove summer wedding, and one of the most impressive parts was that Ellie and her family created all of the florals themselves.
You won’t see a florist listed in the vendor credits below because this family did it all.
Pay special attention to the gorgeous swans lining the ceremony aisle, which were later repurposed into the seating chart display. And then there were the reception centerpieces filled with grapes and pears that were absolutely stunning. Although I have to admit, every single time I photographed those grapes, my mouth started watering.
Ellie and Austin’s entire day was filled with beautiful details, an incredible amount of love, and a group of people who were genuinely thrilled to celebrate them.
I’m so thankful Ellie and Austin invited me into this season of their lives. So thankful for bridesmaids who brought the energy all day long. So thankful for the warm welcome from Maple Grove’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Shankles, and for the loveliest planner, Caroline Cassle.
And after the hottest week of the year, I’m especially thankful for one perfectly timed East Tennessee thunderstorm.
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel. I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
Vendors used by Ellie & Austin:
Assistant Photographer: AC Goodman Photography
Venue: Maple Grove Estate
Planner: Caroline Cassle Events
Videographer: HW Films
Cake: Publix
DJ: Legacy Sound
Hair & Makeup: Grow
Wedding Dress Shop: Lillian Ruth Bride
Bridesmaids Dresses: Hello Molly
Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Rentals: All Occasions Party Rentals
Caterer: B&G Catering
Bartender: Appalachian Bartending
See more from Amanda May Photos:
