An Easygoing, Playful Tyler Arboretum Wedding

Mandy and Dylan’s Tyler Arboretum wedding was easygoing, playful and romantic, which is exactly how they described the celebration they wanted to create. Surrounded by nature, their favorite people and their two little ones, they built a wedding day that left room for the moments they had planned and plenty of flexibility for the ones they couldn’t. From private vows that helped settle their nerves to their two-year-old absolutely owning the dance floor, their day was a really good reminder that being present sometimes means knowing which plans matter and which ones you can simply let go.

Planning a Tyler Arboretum wedding and looking for photography that gives you direction without making your day feel like one long photo shoot? Let’s talk about what you’re planning!

Why Tyler Arboretum Was the Right Wedding Venue

Nature was one of the biggest draws for Mandy and Dylan when choosing their venue. They wanted somewhere that didn’t need to be transformed with an overwhelming amount of decor, and Tyler Arboretum gave them exactly that.

The property already had the relaxed, natural setting they were looking for, with plenty of greenery and a combination of outdoor and indoor spaces. It fit the easygoing atmosphere of their wedding without sacrificing the romantic side of the day. Instead of trying to create a completely different environment, they were able to let the setting do a lot of the work.

That flexibility also became particularly valuable because their Tyler Arboretum wedding happened on a seriously hot day. With an infant and toddler in the mix, having options mattered.

Private Vows and a Chance to Slow Down

Mandy and Dylan’s favorite part of the day was sharing their private vows.

Wedding days can move incredibly quickly, especially when you’re juggling family, children, portraits and a full timeline. Their private vows created an intentional break from all of that. Mandy said the moment helped kill some of their nerves and gave them the opportunity to slow down, be present and celebrate together before the rest of the day continued.

And there were definitely some nerves to settle.

Mandy had been worried about staying on schedule leading up to the wedding. Then, in a plot twist no timeline could have predicted, she felt so nauseous that she actually threw up immediately before walking down the aisle.

Sometimes wedding days really do keep things interesting.

But that’s also why I build timelines with breathing room. A good wedding timeline isn’t successful because every single thing happens at the exact minute written on the page. It’s successful because there’s enough structure to keep the day moving when real life inevitably happens.

An Outdoor Ceremony at Their Tyler Arboretum Wedding

Once it was time for the ceremony, the focus shifted away from schedules, heat and nerves and back toward the reason everyone had gathered in the first place.

The natural surroundings that initially drew Mandy and Dylan to Tyler Arboretum became the backdrop as they made everything official in front of their family and friends. Their kids were part of the celebration, bubble gun in hand, without there being an expectation that two tiny humans suddenly behave like seasoned wedding professionals.

That distinction matters! Kids may walk down an aisle exactly as planned. They may decide halfway through that they’re done. Babies may need to go inside because it’s too hot. Someone important might temporarily disappear from family portraits because they’re on bottle duty.

Mandy and Dylan approached all of it with the understanding that adjusting the plan didn’t mean anything was going wrong.

Couple’s Portraits Around the Tyler Arboretum Grounds

One of the advantages of a Tyler Arboretum wedding is that you don’t have to go far to find a completely different setting for portraits. The grounds gave us plenty of variety to work with, from open greenery and mature trees to quieter garden spaces that felt tucked away from the rest of the celebration.

For Mandy and Dylan, their portraits were also another opportunity to spend some time together without needing to be responsible for anyone else. With two little ones, family and a full wedding day happening around them, I wanted their portrait time to feel less like another thing on the schedule and more like a chance to wander the property together for a bit. I gave them prompts and direction when they needed it, while leaving plenty of room for their playful dynamic to come through naturally.

The landscape at Tyler Arboretum worked especially well with the romantic, easygoing feel they wanted for their day. Rather than needing elaborate setups or heavily styled spaces, we could use what was already there, moving through the grounds to create portraits that felt varied while still belonging to the same story. It gave Mandy and Dylan photographs that were focused entirely on the two of them while still showing off exactly why they chose Tyler Arboretum in the first place.

A Tyler Arboretum Wedding Reception Focused on the People

Mandy and Dylan chose to splurge on catering, but looking back, Mandy’s biggest takeaway wasn’t about food, florals, signage or table decor.

Her advice to other couples was that after putting so much time into those details, they probably won’t be what you care about most once the wedding actually arrives. The people you invite and the energy they bring into the room will have a much bigger impact on how the celebration feels.

Their reception reflected that. Once dinner was over and the dance floor opened, everyone could actually settle into celebrating together. And their toddler returned at exactly the right time. Apparently, her favorite song is Ms. New Booty, and when it came on, she became one of the undeniable highlights of the dance floor.

After carefully planning when their two-year-old needed a break, they also made sure she was there for the part of the night where being two years old was an absolute asset.

Including Your Kids Without Letting the Wedding Revolve Around Them

There is a lot couples with children can take away from this Tyler Arboretum wedding.

Mandy and Dylan created opportunities for their kids to genuinely be part of their wedding rather than expecting them to be present for every minute of it. Perhaps their smartest decision came during the reception.

They arranged for a babysitter to take their toddler elsewhere during dinner, giving her a chance to eat, decompress and avoid several hours of waiting around for the part of the reception she would actually enjoy. Then the babysitter brought her back when the dance floor opened.

It worked brilliantly.

There was no exhausted toddler being expected to sit through an adult dinner simply because it was her parents’ wedding. Mandy and Dylan got to enjoy their reception. Their daughter got a break. And when she came back, she was ready to party.

Including your children in your wedding doesn’t have to mean centering every decision around them. Sometimes the most thoughtful way to include them is recognizing when they’ll have fun being involved and when everyone will have a better experience if they aren’t.

Working With Mandy and Dylan

One of the things I prioritize long before a wedding day is creating a timeline that reflects how a couple actually wants to spend their time. Mandy specifically mentioned that receiving an example timeline months in advance helped her understand the flow of the entire wedding, while our final check-ins allowed us to smooth out the details before the day arrived.

She also appreciated the balance between having someone willing to take the lead and having the flexibility to change course when needed.

In her words, I was “professional and quick on her feet” and seemed to be “there at every moment without interfering with it.” She also shared that she felt listened to when it came to the moments she specifically wanted documented with Dylan, their children and her father.

That balance is exactly what I want my couples to experience. I’ll help build the timeline, give direction when it’s useful, find locations and backgrounds that photograph well and keep portraits moving efficiently. But when the moments are already happening, my job changes. That’s when I get out of the way and document them.

Kind Words for Mandy and Dylan

Mandy and Dylan, I hope you carry the same flexibility you brought into your wedding day into all the years ahead of you. You created a celebration where your kids could be part of something incredibly important without asking them to suddenly stop being little kids. You made room for your family, your friends and each other, even when the day threw a few unexpected things your way.

And I sincerely hope your daughter someday understands just how thoroughly she stole the show when Ms. New Booty came on.

It was such a joy getting to document your family as it is right now, in this very specific season where your kids are still so little and your life together is changing quickly. I can’t wait for you to have those photographs in your album and eventually show them just how much they were part of the beginning of this chapter.

If you’re planning a Tyler Arboretum wedding and want photographs that leave room for your family, your personalities and the parts of the day you can’t possibly plan for, reach out to start the conversation

Tyler Arboretum Wedding Vendors

Venue: Tyler Arboretum
Photography: L.Morgan Photography
Catering: JAM Catering
DJ: Smooth Entertainment