The Davis Family {Nashville Dog Photographer}

March 21, 2018 Kaitlyn Holeman

One of the hardest parts about the work I do is capturing the last moments with a furry family member. I recently had the opportunity to take portraits for the Davis family: Jennifer and her two dogs, Sirius and Remus. Sirius passed away just a month after our session after a long illness, so it was a beautiful way to celebrate his life!

Sirius was a 9-year-old German Shepherd, who was adopted from Last Chance Ranch in Quakertown, PA and was named after the character from Harry Potter. "Sirius" is also the brightest star in the sky, known as the dog star, which was so fitting!

He loved spending time together with his mom, and although he was never a fan of baths, he put up with almost anything to please her. He was also a very laid back dog and so easy to take care of. Sirius was loyal and sweet and he'll be missed dearly!

His younger brother is Remus is a 2 1/2-year-old husky mix, and also has a name from a Harry Potter character! He loves food, running and playing with other dogs but hates being brushed (a tough quality for a husky with so much fur!). Jennifer loves that he's such a character and always has such great facial expressions. Remus came from Memphis Animal Services and was pulled for her as a foster dog through Southeast German Shepherd Rescue, but she ended up keeping him because he and Sirius got along so well!

To wrap up the session, we celebrated Sirius' birthday with a cake from Three Dog Bakery.

I hope you enjoy some of my favorites from this sweet and meaningful family session!

~ Mandy

Pet Portrait Photographer in Nashville TN

Dog Photographer in Nashville Mandy Whitley

Bring Your Pets to Your Next Family Portrait Session!

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!

4 Ways to Include Your Pet on Your Wedding Day {Nashville Wedding Photographer}

October 18, 2017 Kaitlyn Holeman

*This article was also featured on the CJ's Off the Square blog.

I love it when my couples include pets in their wedding day. After all, they are family too! Here are a few tips on how to include them in a stress free way.

1. Find a Pet-Friendly Wedding Venue

Not all venues are pet friendly so make sure you ask before you book if you want to include your furry friend. Even if the venue is pet friendly, make sure they are pet friendly to the extent you need them to be. If you want your little pup with you while you are getting ready, but the venue only allows him to be outside, it might not be the right fit for you.

2. Designate Someone to Be a Pet Handler

The best advice I can give is to find a pet handler for your wedding day, since it really helps takes the stress off you! This can certainly be a guest, but it must be someone who won’t be in any of the formal photos so they can handle your pup without worrying about getting dirty, and they will be able to take them home at the appropriate time.

3. Include Pet Decor

You can add an additional touch of pet love by adding pet decor in your wedding. You could have a pet related theme on your invitations. At the wedding you can add a take-home treat table, or you could even have a 'dog park' set up for your pup and any of the guest's dogs that attend your celebration! Consider including your pup in your engagement photos and display them at the wedding location as well.

4. Know Your Pet

Not every dog is up for a wedding celebration. Some pups get nervous in crowds and just aren’t going to be a good at walking those rings down the aisle. Please don’t try to force your pup to participate when you know they won't enjoy it. If I’m talking about your pup (and don’t worry, I have one of those as well) and you’d really like to include him/her, consider having that friend we talked about bring them in for a few photos with just the two of you!

Hire a Premier Photographer for Your Pet-Friendly Wedding!

Puppy-Filled Wedding Inspiration at Riverwood Mansion {Nashville Wedding Photographer}

April 5, 2016 mandy whitley

I am so excited to share this springtime Riverwood Mansion wedding inspiration! This was my first ever styled shoot and I loved partnering with the lovely ladies at Riverwood Mansion in East Nashville. Of course I couldn't do a wedding styled shoot without filling it with as many dogs as possible! We had 7 in total, of all shapes and sizes. The star of the shoot was Etta from East C.A.N. At the time of the shoot, Etta was looking for her forever home. She has since been adopted! The rest of the pups came with our weddings guests and the mansion's staff members!

We incorporated our love of animals with a casual and eclectic wedding on Riverwood's front lawn, right under a 200 year old magnolia tree. I honestly can't think of a more fun way to get married! There was even a mini fenced-in dog park fenced where the pups could play.

A huge thank you to all the wonderful local vendors and models who made this possible - it was so much fun working with all of you! Make sure to scroll to the end of the post to see all the vendor information!

~Mandy