Amazing Grays: Post-Wedding Bridals

While wedding dress shopping months before our wedding ( I want to say it was January?) Meghan and Nina swiped the perfect dress from the rack for me. The bridal store assured me it would be in by June 10th at the latest, which was a little unnerving considering our wedding was July 30th. The bridal store also assured me "Oh, but honey, they hardly EVER take that whole time. That's just to be safe." Well...I checked for packages every day with bated breath...right up until JUNE 9th when it arrived with one day to spare! Still needing to have a bustle fashioned and be altered to fit mini-me, I obviously did not have time for a bridal session before the wedding.

Enter Kristen Catt, a local photographer who shot my friend Lindsay's wedding in June. We scheduled a session for mid November, trying to hurry before the last bit of fall escaped us. I once again turned to the farm, where Sean and I got engaged and where our bridal party took pictures the day of the wedding.

Of course, a freak windstorm seems to roll in whenever I'm trying to accomplish something important (our move-in day) but I told Kristen I could handle anything, as long as I didn't blow away.

We are still waiting to see all of our wedding photos from our wedding photographer (sigh...) so I still haven't been able to do a wedding post yet, but here are a few of my favorites from the shoot with Kristen on that lovely wind-blown November day!

We started at my Aunt/neighbor's house to borrow her beautiful staircase.

We then headed to the farm, and started at the ideal setting for a photographer...and old farmhouse with a GORGEOUS turquoise door!

Behind the scenes look: I was standing in my wedges on one single plank bridging an open gap with no structure underneath. There was nothing I was scared to do. I love stuff like that!

When we first walked up, Nina asked if someone lived there. I said that yes, a farm worker used to, but not anymore. She was still creeped out and approached slowly. When setting up for a few shots, Kristen fearlessly flew open the door to take some photos with the door half open. Nina thought this was NOT a good idea.

"You guys, there might be someone in there."

"Helloooo?" I said into the door. "Oh ok", "He says he's nice."

Poor Nina was so uneasy. Which made it TOO easy.

While posing for some pics standing with the door open, I found the perfect opportunity to glance inside the house slowly, and then with widening eyes, let out a soft and terrified but most believable "gasp!" I could muster.

It worked. If Kristen had been shooting Nina right at that moment, it would've been the shot of the day. Her knee drew up in protection and her face went pale as she muttered an "Oh sh..." and hopped off the ground.

It was priceless. For me anyways.

"Do yall think I'm nimble enough to get up on that fence in this dress?"

"Um, Yes!"

Getting up might've been the easy part. Staying up while perched on a fence post on one hip, in 35 mph winds, proved a bit challenging. While my hair whipped wildly around, she managed to catch this perfectly fan-blown look.

Oh, weathered red barn. I think you could make any girl look presentable perching up against you.

My frilly, ruffly wedges have to get their moment to shine!

Weeds get such a bad reputation. I myself, HATE them in my flowerbeds. But here, they served as a perfectly ovaled halo for me to repose in.

A bride and a barn. Peanut butter and jelly...

How awesomely, vintagey, cool is this old turquoise bob truck? I've seen an old picture of Dad with it in it's new and pristine state. But I think it has only gotten better with age.

We noticed a bit of a sunset made an appearance on this mostly overcast day and stepped out into the field. Yes, it appears the farmers were not considerate of my upcoming photoshoot, as they went ahead and picked the cotton the week before. Can you believe it?

I love the way the dress looks in this one.

Brides, if you can stand it, I would highly recommend taking bridal photos after your wedding, if you, like me, have a love for natural, rustic, or southern style shoots. I was able to lay in the dirty, wet fields, roll in weeds, and perch on fences and trucks without the slightest worry.