Anna Kate & Eli

Anna Kate and Eli had a stunning wedding day captured by Ivory Door Studio that was full of love, laughter, and joy, just like their relationship. Anna Kate and Eli met through a mutual best friend who brought these two lovebirds together through a Memorial Day canoeing tip on the Harpeth River in Middle Tennessee. After a fun day of canoeing, and some playing hard to get from Anna Kate, Eli asked Anna Kate to a play a game of pool later that night, and the rest is history!

Eli planned a romantic, beautiful proposal for the love of his life. He told Anna Kate that they would be going to look at a canoe that his friend was selling before making the purchase. He took her to a beautiful spot on the Harpeth River, where they first met, and popped the question all while his sister was hiding in the bushes documenting the whole thing! Eli then surprised Anna Kate with some of her closest friends to celebrate the engagement with a fun staycation to follow in Franklin, Tennessee for the night.

Eli and Anna Kate had a romantic first look before the wedding ceremony. Prior to the first look, they read letters that they had written each other and became extremely emotional. “In that moment it felt like we were the only people on the planet and everything else faded away. Immediately, we prayed together for our nerves to subside and praised God for bringing us to this day!” They were overwhelmed with emotion and were so excited to become husband and wife.

The gorgeous natural beauty surrounding the wedding venue, Travellers Rest, provided gorgeous serenity for the wedding day with stately magnolia trees and a beautiful herb garden. Every gorgeous piece of décor was meant to exude Eli and Anna Kate’s love story and the great love stories of those before them while being tied in with rustic elegance and antebellum beauty.

For Anna Kate, one of the most special moments of the wedding day was having the opportunity to wear her great-grandmother’s class ring, who was unable to attend the wedding, and passed away shortly after the wedding day after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. “All day long, I felt as though she was with us and we felt so much love even though she was unable to be there.”

From the bride: “Walking down the aisle to Somewhere Over the Rainbow was like floating on a dream cloud and I had tunnel vision looking at Eli as I walked with my dad. I remember leaving the dance floor only once to eat a couple bites of mac and cheese from the mac and cheese bar, and Eli left once to join the band in playing the drums! We just could not have asked for a better day with our special people and are so thankful we got to share it with everyone!”