August Morning Wedding

Leigh and David – August 21, 2026

There’s something really lovely about an August morning wedding in the Smoky Mountains. The forest is at its greenest, the day still feels fresh, and there’s something about getting married early that makes everything feel a little quieter and more personal. You get to start the day doing the most important thing—marrying your person—and then you still have the whole rest of the day ahead of you.

That was exactly the vibe for Leigh and David. Their wedding at Chapel in the Hollow was sweet, relaxed, family-centered, and full of the kinds of moments that make a small wedding feel incredibly meaningful.

There was a first look with Leigh’s son. There were handwritten vows. There were promises made not just between a bride and groom, but to a child and a new family unit. And, because this was East Tennessee during Jeep Invasion weekend, there were also wedding photos with a Jeep.

Honestly? Pretty solid combination.

A Soft Bohemian Look for Their Forest Ceremony

Leigh and David dressed the chapel in white fabric paired with our bohemian florals, creating a soft, natural look against all of the deep summer greenery.

August in East Tennessee is lush. The trees are full, the forest feels almost oversized, and there’s green absolutely everywhere. That made the white fabric and warm boho tones stand out beautifully without feeling too formal. Their friends helped with the setup before the ceremony, which added to the whole intimate feeling of the morning. There’s something sweet about the people closest to you pitching in, making sure everything looks just right, and helping bring the day together.

Then it was time for Leigh to get ready.

Lace, Tennis Shoes, and a Relaxed Wedding Style

Leigh looked gorgeous in a fluttery lace wedding dress that felt romantic without being overly structured or formal. And then there were the shoes. Lace tennis shoes. Which, frankly, I fully support. If you’re planning an outdoor wedding—especially one where you’ll be walking around through the woods, over grass, or to a few different photo locations—being comfortable is never a bad idea. Pretty AND practical is a win. Her friends helped her into her dress before the ceremony, giving her a few quiet moments to finish getting ready with people she trusted nearby.

David kept his wedding look equally relaxed and suited to the setting. He wore jeans with a dark brown vest and dress shirt, giving him a classic country look that fit perfectly with the chapel and forest surroundings. Together, their styles felt easy and completely natural. Nothing looked like they were trying to force themselves into a version of a wedding that didn’t fit them.

It just looked like Leigh and David getting married.

A First Look With Her Son

Before the ceremony, Leigh shared a first look with her son, and this was one of the sweetest moments of the morning.

First looks with parents and children can be every bit as meaningful as first looks between couples, especially when you’re blending families. It gives everyone a second to stop. To really see each other. To take in what’s happening. And to acknowledge that this wedding isn’t only marking a new chapter for the bride and groom. It’s changing the shape of the family, too.

After their first look, Leigh’s son had another very important role. He walked his mom down the aisle to David. For an intimate wedding, moments like that tend to feel even more powerful because there isn’t a giant production around them. It’s just the people who matter, standing close enough to really feel everything.

Vows That Included the Whole Family

Leigh and David wrote their own vows for the ceremony. Personal vows already have a way of making a wedding feel more emotional because they’re written specifically for the person standing across from you.

But David had something extra planned. In addition to sharing vows with Leigh, he also spoke directly to her son. He made promises to him, too. And honestly, that kind of moment gets me every time. Marriage can be about more than two people choosing each other. Sometimes it’s also about a family becoming something new. David wasn’t only promising to love Leigh. He was making it clear that he understood her son was part of the package—and that he was choosing him, too. That made their ceremony feel especially meaningful.

It wasn’t just “I do.”

It was “we do.”

Why an August Morning Wedding Just Works

One of the nicest things about an August morning wedding is the feeling of the day itself. Summer mornings in the Smoky Mountains can still be warm, of course—this is Tennessee, after all—but the light tends to be softer and the atmosphere can feel a little calmer than later in the day. There’s also something nice about starting early and not spending the whole day waiting for the wedding to happen.

You wake up. You get ready. You get married.

Then you get to spend the rest of the day being newlyweds. Leigh and David’s morning had that easy kind of flow.

After the ceremony, we gathered everyone together for family photos at the chapel while everyone was still close by. Then, once we had documented the people who had come to celebrate with them, we sent everyone on their way and focused on the newlyweds. That’s one of my favorite transitions during an intimate wedding. The family portion of the day wraps up, everything gets a little quieter, and suddenly the couple gets to just enjoy each other.

Newlywed Photos Around the Forest

We started Leigh and David’s couple portraits around the chapel. With the bohemian florals, white fabric, and all of the August greenery surrounding them, they had a soft, romantic backdrop without needing anything overly elaborate.

From there, we headed to the highland area for a different look. The highland is one of those spaces that feels open and tucked away at the same time. It gives couples room to walk, laugh, and move around a little more naturally. That’s often when portraits stop feeling like “wedding photos” and start feeling more like an experience.

You can talk. You can play. You can take a second to realize you’re actually married.

Then we headed to the mountain view with the barn. And really, what’s a Smoky Mountain wedding without at least a little mountain scenery? The East Tennessee landscape gave us such a pretty backdrop for their morning portraits, with the barn adding a rustic element that fit perfectly with David’s country wedding look.

But we still had one more stop.

A Wedding Weekend With a Little Jeep Adventure

Leigh and David had brought their Jeep into town for the Jeep Invasion so obviously it needed to be included in the photos. You bring a Jeep to the Smokies during Jeep weekend AND happen to get married while you’re here? That feels like photographic evidence is required.

Their Jeep made the perfect final photo op and added something a little playful and personal to the end of their wedding portraits, and that’s what I love about details like this. Wedding photos don’t have to be serious the entire time. They should also document what you actually enjoy.

If you love Jeeps, bring the Jeep. If you love cowboy boots, wear the cowboy boots. If you’re getting married during a trip built around one of your favorite events, let that become part of the story.

The things that feel a little quirky or personal now are often the things you’ll smile hardest about years later.

Congratulations, Leigh and David!! We loved getting to celebrate this new chapter with you. 🤎

From the Bride:

Our story started in south Alabama in middle school back in the late 1980s, but our love story started just 6 years ago. David and I went to middle school together. We were always friends but never really ran in the same circle. We went on to graduate high school together and then as life does we went our separate ways. David joined the army, married his high school sweetheart and began his family. I chased my dreams of becoming an educator and I ended up in Central Florida teaching in a poverty stricken area. While I was living my dream and learning so much from the amazing families I was teaching, David watched his wife fall into drug addiction. Her choices left him alone to raise two young daughters and move forward into a new life as a single dad. In time he did find love again and married his second wife and together they raised five girls all while David chased a new and exciting career in aviation. His job was demanding on his time and moved him and his family all over the country. During that time I was dealing with my own personal tragedy. My beloved father suddenly died and I found the need to move back to my hometown to find some peace and healing from the loss. While there, I met and married a man that seemed to be the answer to prayers and together we had our miracle baby so many physicians said wasn’t possible. Individually David and I seemed to have finally found the happiness we all long for, but it quickly fell apart for us both. Infidelity, hurt and betrayal entered our lives. David’s twenty year marriage deteriorated into divorce and then entered Covid. His super successful aviation career ended with the shutdowns and he found himself divorced, without a job or purpose. This led him to make the decision to sell his home in Indiana and move back to our hometown. At this time my divorce was done and I was navigating the single mom life. Now, as you can see there were a lot of working parts that had to take place before our love story began. Thirty years of living, loving, losing and life’s trials had brought us back to the same town.

One night in June, David reached out on Facebook and sent a friend request and a hello. We chatted for a while and then we exchanged numbers and talked for hours. His calls and texts became a part of my daily life that I welcomed and looked forward to. After what seemed life FOREVER he finally asked me to dinner. This was still during the most restrictive time of COVID and the restaurant we chose had changed their dinner hours without us knowing until we met there. We had the BEST one hour date in that restaurant!! And being the southern gentleman he only gave me a sweet hug and we each went our separate ways that night. As I drove home my heart and mind were in full conflict. My heart was screaming, ”There he is…that is him! HE IS THE ONE YOU PRAYED FOR!” My mind was saying, “Shut up heart, we do not want anymore pain. He is a nice guy but we are not going there!”. Well, my heart was right! I look back and I am so grateful my heart never stopped screaming! Over the last six years we have made so many of our dreams come true together. Just this year we took a giant leap of faith and moved to Tennessee. His new career allowed us to check that off the dream list. We have helped each other rebuild trust lost from previous marriages, we have learned to embrace and love every moment of the life we have built and we put our faith in God at the cornerstone of our life. Rascal Flatts has a song called, Bless The Broken Road. One verse says, “That every long-lost dream led me to where you are. Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars. Pointing me on my way into your loving arms. This much I know is true. That God blessed the broken road…That led me straight to you!” Yes, He did
David and I are the living version of those very lyrics. We are what the other prayed for during every hurt and I am so grateful for that broken road!

David proposed on our front porch at sunset. We chose East Tennessee because this has been a favorite vacation spot for us, and just this past year an amazing job promotion and relocation to the area we love happened! We are looking for a sweet day, shared with our family and enjoying the moment! David and I love our Jeeps! We have 3 and enjoy trail rides and Jeep events!

 

August Morning Wedding Vendors

Venue: Chapel in the Hollow
Photography: Star Noir Studio
Florals: Chapel in the Hollow
Officiant: Ian Parrott
Hair & Makeup: Bride
Jewelry: Mother of the Bride
Rings: Designed by the bride’s brother-in-law