This styled shoot has been a long time coming, and I’m so thankful for each of the vendors that made this day possible. If you’ve followed along for any extended period of time, you likely know that I LOVE the South. After last summer’s fun Southern Tea Party styled shoot, I tried to think of another way I could incorporate my love for the South… that’s when this shoot was born! The Kentucky Derby can be quite the classy event, and I wanted to bring all of the fun and class to the North!

I started preparing for this shoot back in January, and I couldn’t wait for everything to come together. I rattled around several different venue ideas in my head, but I really felt that the space needed to be able to cover the group if it rained. I’m so glad I listened to my gut feeling! The day of the shoot started out with gorgeous blue skies, but just as the spokesmodels arrived, the rain started to fall. Once everyone arrived for hair and makeup, the skies opened up, and it was down-pouring and hailing. I kept a close eye on the weather, and it looked like it was all going to pass. It looked like we were going to be in the clear for a good two hours of shooting time. Luckily enough, I was able to capture a few photos of the tablescape and fun backdrop before it started pouring again. We quickly learned that the weather radar was way off, and we had to move the tablescape instead the barn.

The girls were absolutely incredible and professional. I am so blessed to have such wonderful girls on my team to keep things moving. For a short while, I wasn’t sure we were going to get any pictures at all. The storm was pretty bad, and the girls’ safety was {and always is} at the top of my importance list. However, by the grace of God, we were able to shoot for about an hour before having to stop. I had to call it short {and the sweet goldendoodles from Pruemer’s Goldendoodle’s were not able to come} as the storm was dangerous, and we wanted to make sure everyone was able to get home safely. All of that to say, I am so thankful we got this many pictures. It was all possible because of a great team of vendors, wonderful parents, spectacular husband, and a fantastic group of senior spokesmodels.

Despite the bad weather, I think you can still tell we had a fun time. I love that a few {or a lot} of raindrops didn’t dampen the girls fun and joyful personalities!

xoxo,

Photography: Haley Nicole Photography
Clothing: Simple Blessings Boutique
Chairs, Linens, & Chargers: Walnut Street Weddings
Hair: Ellie Ruholl, Kiersten Goodman, & Jessica Zumbahlen
Makeup: Foxy Styles {Tiffany, Kayla, & Lauren}
Special Thanks: Hayden Klockenga and Joe & Darlene Fatheree