Shawna Herring Blog

I love fall weddings. The air is crisp, the colors are vivid and the location for this wedding added the perfect backdrop. Wil-Mil Farms is located in Leesburg, GA. ( See previous post for details ) Fiona was a totally relaxed bride with a very cool NZ accent ( I love to listen to accents!) I could have followed her around all day. Oh wait. I did.

Here are a few shots to give you a feel of their day.

Yes, that sign says “airport”. It tells a little about how far out we were. I don’t think any jetliners go to Leesburg.

The location was found through a friend of a friend or something like that. Whoever it was, they matched it perfectly with the bride and groom’s taste. And who doesn’t like hookups?


A few details.

I decided not to use a lens hood and experiment with sun glare. It’s funny to think that a few years ago, I would have threw this image out because of those spots but I really like it now. It makes me feel like squinting.
Fiona and John opted for meeting each other before the ceremony. I love it when couples agree to do that. There are so many advantages! It is so much more intimate when it is just the two of them and there is freedom to actually express what they think and feel, instead of being silent because the officiant is talking. All the stress is eliminated before the ceremony and now they can enjoy their family and friends more. Be more present.
I really wanted to get out in the open fields to shoot but there was barbed wire and electric fences everywhere. Fiona said she would climb it and I believe she would have if her bridesmaids hadn’t objected. She’s an action chic. My kind of bride.

Ok, so I planned this one. I saw Cirque du Soleil this summer and really dug these kind of masks after that. So I brought them with me and asked if they would be my models. John dove right in. Thanks guys! I love it.

My second shooter Julie took this one. I love the tenderness of it.


Congratulations Fiona and John. Thank you for being such awesome people.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SLIDESHOW.

That’s the way I would sum up this wedding. I’m serious. April was the happiest, most relaxed bride I have ever worked with. I laughed the entire day because of her crazy, spontaneous personality. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous but she has a peace with who she is and it eliminates the need to worry about what people think. That’s a rare quality and it was refreshing to be around her.

I love this shot of the flower girl. I can almost hear that little voice saying ” What about me? do you like my dress?”
April and Harold have 2 children. They are so sweet. Kirsten was in awe of her mom’s dress. It was a real princess dress and I think she wanted to hide underneath it like in the Nutcracker.
And the shoes! Just like Cinderalla! (21st Century Cinderalla )

April was very expressive and easy to photography because she just had so much fun. If I ever do a seminar for photographers, I’m going to use her as one of my models. She was hilarious.
Her heels got stuck in the grass and she just laughed about it. They were married at the Georgian Club which has a beautiful pond type fountain and she was all for getting in the water in her wedding dress after the ceremony. We were both looking forward to it but due to the serious drought we are in, the city had turned it off. It was bone dry. We can still do it April, just say when!

Even the horses were laughing that day.
It was a total Cinderella Carriage. Just like I remember from the original disney movie. Even looks like it was made from a pumpkin. It took a little longer than expected to bring April and her Father to the aisle which meant that the children had a fair amount of waiting to do while standing up at the alter.
What made it so sweet was that they had the freedom to just be kids. There were 4 standing at the front and no one was freaking out at the fact that they weren’t standing in their “spot” The Groom, the Officiant and all of the groomsmen and guests, just smiled and enjoyed the entertainment of kids being kids. This is 2 year old Andrew wanting his daddy to hold him.
The basket was full of autum leaves and they were quite the attraction to throw on the ground and gather up again. Of course there comes a time when a struggle for who gets to hold the basket is sure to break out…and it did. I can’t tell you how endearing the entire scene was but I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that everyone was so at ease with the entire flow of events.

What an awesome moment as Harold and his 2 children see April as she begins to walk down the aisle.

Kirsten never took her eyes off of her mom.

It was so obvious that Harold and April are really in love. I know what you’re thinking too…”Well everyone is in love on their wedding day” and although that may be true, there are different degrees to which an observer can see it. They radiated it.
April loves to dance and she is very entertaining when she does. I’m pretty sure it was the first time that the entire staff of the club were coaxed onto the dance floor. She just wouldn’t stand for anyone not having fun.




I had so much fun. Thank you April and Harold for trusting me with you day.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SLIDESHOW

Tanya and Jonathon were married at the beautiful Peachtree Road First Untited Methodist church in downtown Buckhead. When I moved here 3 years ago, I took a seminar from the guru of wedding photography, Denis Reggie and this was the church he used for a demonstration so I was very excited to finally shoot a wedding here. Having beautiful subjects added to the overall glamour and the fact that their wedding was being filmed for the cable TV show “Platinum Weddings” (see previous post ) just about put me over the edge. What a day!

Each of the bridesmaids wore an elegant brooch.






If I had to pick one word to summarize the event, it would be posh. A blend of “hip” and “elegant”. Edge Design Group did a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere where Tiffany was the color and dazzeling crystals were the theme.

What’s in the chamagne flute you ask? Why, it’s an edible hibiscus flower in syrup and when chamagne is poured into the glass, it opens. I love it!Guests enjoyed a cocktal hour on the patio with a lounge type atmosphere. These beautiful pillows were created from their engagement photos by a hot new company called Erabella Designs. The ice bar behind the couch was beautifully lit in the Tiffany theme color.


Tanya is of Haitian and Irish descent, while Jonathan is from Kentucky so the mix of people was worldwide. In Haiti, it is a tradition for the bride to divide her boquet among the single women, this way they all get lucky.

And let’s not forget the cake! Buckhead Baker, Gary Coltek designed a horse and carriage, minus the horse. The seat was the actual cake and it was also infused with crystals. Behind the cake was a selection of scenes, from fall leaves to foggy nights. It definatly wins the cake of the year award in my book.


CLICK HERE to view their gorgeous wedding.