Kahlyn + Tyler Married

Taking a look back at the beautiful March wedding of Kahlyn and Tyler reminds me of why I love photographing weddings, specifically. They’re so much FUN– especially when the couple you’re working for is as kind and laid-back as this pair was. Each part of their day was filled with joy and laughter, which really makes a girl’s job easy. I remember driving home and realizing how much my cheeks and feet hurt from smiling and dancing all night, and as a VENDOR, that’s a sign of a damn-good night.

Let’s take a look at some of my favorite captures from their special day, and read along as we grill the bride, Kahlyn for all the fun details surrounding their story and their wedding day. If you skip to the bottom, you’ll see a list of all the awesome vendors who made this day possible!

We were SO blessed with gorgeous weather for their wedding day. Blue skies, puffy white clouds, and a slight chilly breeze made this day both easy to photograph and easy to enjoy. Sure, the temperatures dropped a good 10 degrees when the sun started to set, but by that time, we were prepping to warm up by dancing the rest of the night away. We had recently had some iffy weather leading up to their big day, but it all seemed to blow over just in time. It was as if Mother Nature was just getting it out of her system before it really counted, which we love.

The Venue at Orchard View Farm was one I hadn’t yet worked at before, so I was blissfully surprised when I arrived to a long, winding driveway leading to a gorgeous barn property and pond-overlook. The venue owner, Carol welcomed me promptly and gave me a quick tour before directing me towards the bride’s quarters. “Gorgeous,” I thought, “Simply gorgeous”. This venue just screamed country-charm in all the best ways, and their breath-taking barn provided the most-perfect space for the party to commence, later on.

Flowers also deserve a huge shoutout from this thankful photographer. The colors, the size, the flower choices- M Henry Designs definitely gets the chef’s kiss. Flowers can truly make or break your day-of-photos, so I would highly recommend choosing a pro who knows what they’re doing. Flowers are NOT a detail you want to skimp on, especially when you know you could end up with something as gorgeous as this if you hire the right professional. 10/10 recommend splurging on a bridal bouquet that stands out and fits your style perfectly- they’ll be the perfect accent to all of your portraits!

Question: So Kahlyn, how did you and Tyler meet?
Answer: I met Tyler at a powder puff football game, back in middle school through a mutual friend! We didn’t speak for quite some time and then he reached out, the rest is history!
Question: How would you describe you and Tyler as a couple?
Answer: As a couple, we are enthusiastic, fun, loving and sarcastic! We work very well together & are the exact puzzle pieces for each other. We definitely could not live without each other! 
Question: What’s your favorite thing about Tyler and why?
Answer: My favorite thing about Tyler, Boy that’s a broad question! I love his personality. He is funny, thoughtful, serious yet sarcastic all in one. He knows how to make me laugh so hard I cry, yet can tell me how it really is all at the same time. His sense of humor is something I admire daily. 

*Ashley’s Note: Looking back to the speeches from your special day, I remember feeling so touched by the story of two people finding and marrying their best friend. Each person who attended your wedding felt as if you were already family, and that speaks volumes about the love and support you two share. Your ability to be silly with one another and truly sink into the moment felt so special for me to capture, and by the end of the night, I too felt like we were already family.

Question: How did you get engaged? We want details!
Answer: This is one of my favorites. I had actually planned a trip to Roanoke to visit some very dear friends of mine! They cancelled on me a week before and I jokingly never let them hear the end of it. Little did I know, my ring came in earlier than expected and he could not wait any longer, so he had them cancel on me! All that he had planned that day ran behind a few minutes, so we had to stop and get ice! We got to his momma’s house, got out and they were yelling for me to come in the back yard– she lives on a ton of land behind her house. I walked back there, saw everyone in a huge circle, turned around and he was on his knee! I dropped the ice & threw my promise ring! Best moment ever! 

*Ashley’s Note: Gah! Talk about adorable!! And you know what also strikes me most about this story, is Tyler’s desire to go the extra mile to make you feel special. Throughout the whole day of your wedding, I observed Tyler’s main focus being revolved around your happiness. This is something that lasts well-beyond the wedding cake and the sparkler exits… it’s the quality in him that will provide comfort during the hard days and genuine celebration during the good days. You two have built such a solid foundation, and you truly deserve the lifetime of happiness I know Tyler will make his daily-duty to provide. Equally, I know how much you deeply cherish the opportunity to provide the exact same love for Tyler in return, which is reflected in all that you do as well.

Question: Tell us a short story about a core memory you took away from your wedding day. 
Answer: My favorite memory from our wedding day was our first dance. Tyler and I are NOT dancers at all! We knew it would be so awkward to us with everyone watching. We literally laughed and talked about how silly we looked the whole time! It was so much fun and I wish I could spin with him on that dance floor over and over! Not to mention, he twirled me and then twirled himself! 

*Ashley’s Note: I also loved your first dance together. Seeing you two spend your first moments of marriage laughing, being silly and spinning each other around reminded us all of why we were there- because two people just married their best friend. I’m so glad you were able to take away such an intimate memory within a room full of people with their eyes on you. The ability to feel like you’re the only two people in the room- now THAT’S the good stuff.

Question: Do you have a favorite memory from working with Ashley Dorton?
Answer: My favorite memory with Ashley was when she danced with us during the reception! I loved that she felt comfortable enough to have fun and not just work!

*Ashley’s Note: This answer above is exactly why I loved working with you so much. It is in your second-nature to make others feel loved and included- no matter if they’ve been friends for years or if they’re hired to support you during an event. I loved hopping in on the fun with you to celebrate the success of the day on the dance floor– you two sure know how to throw a great party! Oh, and some of those dancing pictures are epic 😂. I love a couple who likes to have a good time!
My favorite memory from your big day was watching the moments between you and your sweet mama. I felt drawn to her energy and your bond from the very first time we met. She was instantly so welcoming– a quality I quickly suspected you got directly from her, until I realized this trait was as consistent as a tradition in your family. As a mother myself, my emotional attention tends to gravitate towards the Mother of the Bride leading up to the ceremony. I can almost hear their thoughts swirling around, like “What else needs to be finished?”, “Who’s dresses still need ironing?”, “Wow my baby is gorgeous”, and “How did time pass so quickly?”. But with your mom, the main thought I heard over and over whenever she was around you was “Just LOOK at how happy she is. And she’s so deserving of it all.”

Question: When planning the wedding, how did you pick each vendor? What stood out about each one?
Answer: When planning our wedding picking each vendor was very important us.

As for the venue, I researched so much. For days, I looked at all of my options and narrowed it down to 3. I knew, as soon as I got to the Venue at Orchard View Farm it was perfect for us! Carol (The owner) I just love her. She was always so much help. Answered all of my questions through all of the planning and was simply the sweetest. Even on the wedding day, she fit right in on the dance floor and that was so special to us!

Our photographer was the next most important thing! I had many consultations and Ashley Dorton Photography just stood out to the both my mother and I. I loved how personable she was as well as the photos in her portfolio. She is incredible! 

Our videographer was one of the most exciting things for us as we knew we would be able to really watch our day over and over forever! I loved how real and authentic Ryan Edwards was. He captured every single aspect and memory of our day! 

Cameron Carson and Amanda for Hair and Makeup- I absolutely adore both of them and I am so incredibly thankful for them! Cameron took her time, talked to me, calmed me down the entire time she got me ready. I can’t tell you how many times she stopped and said “are you okay” or “how are you doing”. Not only that, after everything she did, she made sure I loved it before she continued. And Amanda, she absolutely killed the game! She took her time, while also making my hair dreams come to life, all while she was weeks from bringing her precious baby girl into this world. 

Deep Run Roadhouse was absolutely delicious for our trial and I loved how their set up was completely my vision for my wedding theme! We couldn’t choose what we wanted, so we literally had one of every meat for cocktail hour and dinner! Our guest are still talking about the delicious food to this day! 

Lark Baking Co has been in My family for some time now! My sister-in-law worked there during summers of collage and always brought us home some cake! I knew how delicious they were and I could not have been happier with our dessert selection for our wedding day!

For florals, M Henry Designs was actually a referral to me. My mom and I showed up to her location and it was so down-to-earth. I loved her attention to detail and I knew she would absolutely kill my vision for my flowers. She completely exceeded my vision and I could not get over how beautiful our flowers were. 

To Kahlyn and Tyler,

Thank you for dancing into my life at the perfect time, and for reminding me that life is FUN and that my career is often a gateway to forming true friendships along the way. Your enthusiasm for life and love for each other has inspired me to truly let my hair down a little more and to dance along with the joy of life whenever I’m presented the opportunity. Weddings are the perfect chance to dance and laugh and spin and play, but so is any day if you’ve chosen the right person to spend it with. And that’s what your love encompasses to me- the easiest choice you’ve probably ever made- to spend each day with your very best friend.

And finally, a huge ‘thank you’ to all of the amazing vendors below, who played a special part in making this wedding such a success! You’re all true professionals, and I hope to work with you many more times in the future!

Here’s to dancing into the future with your BFF

Xo,
Ashley

Venue: The Venue at Orchard View Farm https://thevenueatorchardviewfarm.com/ 
Photo: Ashley Dorton Photography https://ashleydortonphotography.com/
Video: Ryan Edwards https://www.ryanedwardsphotography.com/
Hair and makeup: Cameron Carson & Co https://www.camcarsonandco.com/
Food: Deep Run Roadhouse https://deeprunroadhouse.com/
Cake: Lark Baking Co https://www.larkbakingco.com/
Floral: M Henry Designs https://www.mhenrydesign.com/
DJ: Kevin Ingle https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100030929182527&_rdr
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