Roxy & Jesse's Franklin, TN Elopement {Nashville Elopement Photographer}

This week I am sharing photos from Roxy and Jesse’s elopement a few weeks ago. I love that they included their pup in the wedding as well as their parents’ pup, Fred. Clover (Roxy and Jesse’s Chihuahua mix) was front and center the entire ceremony, and the beautiful backdrop shows the timely snow we got in February!

Roxy and Jesse were both studying abroad and met in Germany at a palace party. At the time Roxy was going to a university in England and Jesse was a college student in the United States. They ended up living together in China for a year after graduation and then lived in California for the past two to three years while Roxy attended grad school. However, when California went to shelter-in-place for the pandemic, they came to Franklin, TN to stay with Jesse’s parents. The couple is pretty laid back in their downtime, enjoy good food, traveling, and spending time with Clover.

Just how did Clover enter the scene with two traveling parents? The couple rescued her right when COVID was beginning and before the shelter-in-place in California was put in place. The Animal Friends Rescue Project, the organization they adopted Clover from, named this sweet chihuahua. Roxy and Jesse believe it is because she was very lucky to have survived before finding her forever home. Clover was found wandering in the street in Salinas, California; at the time she was pregnant and had some injuries. She was brought to the rescue where they provided medical care. Sweet Clover persevered and gave birth to four little puppies while she was recovering.

Clover is believed to be about 2-3 years old and based on a DNA test Roxy got for her, they found out she is not only chihuahua, but surprised to find out she was also part cocker spaniel.  Roxy and Jesse fell in love with her immediately, stating she was so sweet and she had a smile on her face when she was picked up. They see this smile when she finds a good position to nap in and if she is being held in a position she favors.

 Clover loves Greenies dental chews, edamame, yogurt and peanut butter. She also loves snuggles and putting her face inside a blanket when she sleeps. She loves to give kisses. That’s the way that she expresses love. Clover is so intuitive that she is up and ready to comfort Roxy with those kisses as she wakes from a bad dream. Her caring and compassion reminds the couple of a babushka sometimes.

The vacuum cleaner is something Clover does not like, and she is suspicious of the rustling sound from shaking open a new garbage bag. She doesn’t like dogs that are much bigger than her or anything that moves outside the window. 

Roxy and Jesse gave Clover the nickname “Gooby”. They love how playful she has gotten ever since they have had her and how she lifts one paw when she is begging for something. “We love how fun-sized she is and her ears!”

The other sweet pup shown in some of the pics below is Jesse’s parents’ miniature Schnauzer, Fred. He is a rescue so his age is unknown, but they think he is between 10 and 13 years old. How cool is it that he got to attend this momentous occasion?! 

Fred has been a great dog. He is a kind, gallant and loving companion.  Because of some bad effects from a medication and his advancing age, he has some physical problems, so Kurt and Robin do not like to leave him by himself. The pandemic lifestyle suits his needs.

Enjoy some of my favorite pics from Roxy and Jesse’s elopement.

~Mandy

Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Pet Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Family Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Dog Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Pet Photographer
Nashville Pet Photographer
Nashville Pet Photographer

Vendors:

Makeup: Kris Miller

Catering & Cake: The Wild Cow

Dress: BHLDN

Wedding Bands: Valerie Madison

Pastries: Little Gourmand

Venue: Dark Horse Recording Studio


Contact an Elopement Photographer in Nashville, TN!

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!

Emily & Christopher {Nashville Elopement Photographer}

Hey, did you know I photograph weddings and elopements, as well? I had the privilege of photographing Emily and Christopher’s elopement at the Top of Woodland Weddings. While they couldn’t bring their fur babies this wedding venue IS dog friendly. I look forward to doing many more elopements with pups and their people there!

I first met Emily and Christopher with their pups during a mini session at The Farm at Natchez Trace in fall of 2019. Since I am a Pets and Their People Photographer, and their pets couldn’t make the elopement…I snuck a few pics from this session below so you could meet Oti and Mandy also!

Oti, a 12 year old pug, has been a part of Emily’s life since she graduated college. He absolutely hates skateboards, but he loves to eat dirt, snore, and is the bravest little thing. Oti really has no idea how small he actually is! Oti comes from Shakespear’s Othello, but that was quite a mouthful, so it was shortened.

Mandy is a two year old Blackmouth Cur/Hound Mix. She was an unplanned rescue from PetSmart. She is the sweetest, most sensitive hound pup. Because of her intuitiveness and understanding of human emotion, she has been a huge emotional support for Emily, especially during COVID. Being a big snuggler probably helped, too! Mandy loves to run super fast and chase the tennis ball, but the things she hates the most are fire alarms and oranges. Mandy is shortened from her original name “Mandalay”. The rescue organization named all the pups in her litter after casinos. So happy Mandy won the jackpot in finding Emily, Christopher, and Oti!

Enjoy some of my favorite pics from their elopement and mini session!

~Mandy

Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer
Nashville Elopement Photographer

Vendors:

Wedding Dress: Anthropology presents BHLDN

Engagement Ring and Her Necklace: Pippin Vintage

His Wedding Band and Pocket Watch: Pippin Vintage

Her Wedding Band: Walton’s Antique and Estate Jewelry

Flowers: The Merry Stem in Franklin


Contact an Elopement Photographer in Nashville, TN!

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!


CJ's Off the Square {Franklin, TN Pet-Friendly Wedding Venue}

If you want to have your dog in your wedding party, this pet-friendly wedding venue might be just the spot for you!

I had so much fun capturing CJ and her 3-year-old dog Willoughby. CJ is the owner of a fantastic pet-friendly wedding venue in downtown Franklin, Tennessee, called CJ's Off the Square. Follow along with our Q&As below to learn more about CJ, Willoughby, and her venue!

~ Mandy

Nashville Pet Friendly Wedding Venue

First things first: let's talk about your pup! How did you come up with his name? 

I have enjoyed that name since I first read it in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. He isn’t really named for the actual character in the novel, more for just the way it sounds. You can’t say it out loud without smiling….which is completely fitting for this pup!

What's your dog's breed?

Schnoodle! His mom is a Miniature Schnauzer and his dad is a Miniature Poodle.

What does your dog love most / like least? 

He LOVES to play fetch. We have one of those Chuck-It ball launchers and he can’t get enough. On average, we play this game with him twice a day . . . sometimes more. It is great exercise for him and my husband and I just love the pure joy on his face every time we play.

Pet Friendly Wedding Venue Tennessee

What's your favorite thing about him?

Willoughby is such a sweet dog. He is really playful but also loves to snuggle. He really enjoys being with people. He has tons of personality and does something cute or funny daily. 

What do you love most about the breed?

I was drawn to poodles and/or a poodle mix because of the low/no shed coat and low allergy sensitivity. Both my husband and I had poodles as kids and had very fond memories of them. They are also typically sweet natured, smart and affectionate. All of this and more is true of Willoughby.

Nashville Pet and Portrait Photographer

Now, about you and CJ's . . . How did you get started in the wedding business? 

I got started in the wedding and events industry back in 2004. While planning my own wedding, I was frustrated with the lack of options available for busy brides. There weren’t a lot of venues besides hotels and country clubs at the time and neither of those were an ideal fit for us. I wished there was a unique venue that wasn’t cookie cutter, preferable historic and had a built in team of professionals who could bring my ideas to life. I never did find it but after the dust from our wedding settled, this idea really stayed with me. I started doing research, wrote a business plan, and within 6 months, I found the property, quit my “real job” and CJ’s Off the Square was born.

How long have you owned and operated CJ's?

CJ’s Off the Square hosted our first event in spring of 2005. It is hard to believe it has been 12 years already!

What is your favorite part of working with couples during their weddings?

I love working with engaged couples. This is a really unique time in their life – full or potential and possibility. I am a big believer that couples should spend as much time as possible during their engagement to prepare for marriage but these days it is very easy to overlook that because so much emphasis is placed on the actual wedding. Being able to help couples with so many of the details that go into the wedding day itself frees them up to focus on the more important parts of what it means to be starting a completely new family unit. I also love all of the cake! ;) 

Nashville Wedding Venues that Allow Pets

What should couples look for in a wedding venue?

I could write a book as an answer to this question! As a wedding professional, I believe the venue is a huge factor in the overall success of the wedding (both the planning process and the big day itself). All of the other details of the day center on the venue so not only is this is a big decision and should be one of the very first things that couples research. However, some important foundational work must be done before the venue hunt begins. I encourage couples to follow the following five steps before they ever visit a property in person.

1. Determine the Size/Scale of the Wedding Guest List: Get in touch with key family members and start putting together a draft of the guest list. Have a general idea of how many people you wish to celebrate with you before you even start looking at properties. This one thing will help you narrow your search to only properties that can accommodate everyone. Your guest list is also a critical factor in determining the budget. Which leads me to point number 2:

2. Budget: Be realistic about how much you have to invest in the wedding. This is going to be different for every couple. Many couples have multiple family members contributing to the budget, some are paying for everything themselves. Have those conversations BEFORE you start looking at venues. Your budget may need to expand in order to get everything you want, or you may need to compromise in a few areas to make things stretch. But it is dangerous to start the venue search without having any budget guidelines whatsoever.

3. Flexibility for date: Now that you have a general idea of the size of the wedding along with a budget, consider dates for the wedding. If you can be flexible, you will have more options when it comes to selecting the venue. I suggest discussing date options with key family members before you start your venue research to save time. If the date is set, this will eliminate the venues who may already be booked and you won’t need to waste your time reading through pages and pages of brochures and pictures of a space was never even an option.

4. Style: Do you want to be outdoors? In a house of worship? On a family farm? At a historic property? Think about the aesthetic qualities that appeal to you and consider any restrictions or limitations for key family members. I also like couples to consider the time of day that appeals to them. The same space can look very different in the morning than it does in the afternoon or evening. This goes for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Also consider the overall style and color palette that you want to use. 

5. Amenities: Every venue operates differently. Some include catering, some include tables and chairs, some (like CJ’s Off the Square) are more all-inclusive. Some are just an empty room and it is up to you to figure out how to fill it. Consider what you want and need for the day and make sure that matches what the venue offers. If you have your heart set on using a specific caterer, make sure they permitted to work at the spaces you are considering.

Once you have done a little homework, your venue search will be much less daunting!

Nashville Wedding Venues for Pets

What would you like future clients who are reading this to know about CJs?

We love weddings! My team and I are committed to serving our couples and their families throughout the planning process as well as on the wedding day. While we are blessed to get to do what we love for a living, we do not take our role lightly. It means the world to us to be trusted with such an important occasion. 

Nashville Dog Friendly Wedding Venue

Just for fun: What's your favorite thing to do for fun?

Play with Willoughby of course! I love taking him for walks, going to the dog park or playing fetch in the yard. My husband and I typically plan our evenings and days off around what we can do with him. Not terribly exciting, I know, but we love the simple life.

Pet and Portrait Photographer Tennessee

Contact a Wedding Photographer in Nashville, TN

Mandy Whitley Photography is Nashville's premiere pet photographer. Mandy Whitley creates fun and playful photographs with pets and their people. She photographs portrait sessions, family sessions, couple portraits, and weddings - as well as just pets! To inquire about booking a photo session, contact Mandy!