bride and groom celebrate matrimony while turning to guests as they are pronounced husband and wife

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Ocoee Crest | Rachael & Matt’s Industrial Mountain Wedding Day

Filed in Wedding Days — September 18, 2024

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Welcome to The L.Morgan Photography Blog- you're place to get helpful ideas and tips for planning the wedding of your dreams from a photographer's perspective. And a whole lot of inspo along the way!
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Hi! I'm Lara

Bride and groom kiss in front of arbor at Ocoee Crest, a wedding venue in Chattanooga. They are on a covered porch with slatted railings and lanterns hanging on the walls

Rachael’s inspiration for her’s and Matt’s wedding day was modern industrial elegance. She wanted a timeless wedding day and had envisioned her wedding since she was a little girl. This wedding was nothing like anything she had ever imagined before meeting Matt. When Rachael and I first spoke she said “all of my wedding ideas prior to him just didn’t fit.” That’s when I understood their love, and one of many ways they are perfect for each other.

In their search for a venue near Chattanooga, they fell in love with Ocoee Crest for the mountain views, loads of natural light and industrial vibes. As a photographer I was impressed by how many different vibes are achievable at Ocoee Crest. The overall visual options are distinct, but cohesive; from down by the river, to the (private) bridal suite to the stunning wooden front doors, Ocoee Crest is unique and .

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entrance gate to Ocoee Crest Wedding Venue with sprawling landscape behind and slightly cloudy blue skies

wedding dress hangs from beautiful arched wooden doorway with wreaths hanging on the door and stonework on either side

bride and groom share private vows in their getting ready outfits on wedding morning. They are seated on a bench in front of Ocoee Crest with large rocks on either side of them and a slatted fancy garage door behind them

Rachael and Matt chose to write their own vows and share them privately. They had gone back and forth about doing a first look, but knew they wanted to look each other in the eyes when they shared them. So they decided to share their vows first thing in the morning before they got dressed. It was such a sweet way for them to start their wedding day and it was so them to come together casually and comfortably to make their life-long promises to each other.

bride and bridesmaids dancing in bridal suite on wedding morning. The bridesmaids are dressed in matching pj's while the bride is in a light pink striped pj's

bride admires wedding dress hanging on hanger by a vanity in bridal suite at Ocoee Crest

black and white capture of a bride looking over her left shoulder as she is standing on a pedestal in front of a mirror in her wedding dress with a folding screen on the side of the frame

Rachael had a vision for every element of their big day, but the piece that pulled them all together was her wedding dress. She knew she found it when she and her girls went dress shopping at a bridal boutique in Chattanooga. It had a low cut back, which was her one and only must, but checked a lot of boxes for her vision as well. The form-fitting mermaid cut cascading into a lacy train was just right for her.

groom smiles as his bride reaches her arms out towards him in front of ornate wooden arched doors just before first look on wedding day

groom covers his eyes and bride peeks over his shoulder just before first look on wedding day

bride and groom share a kiss in front of beautiful arched wood doors at Ocoee Crest Wedding Venue. She has her right hand on his cheek as he wraps his right arm around her waist and places his left arm on her elbow

Remember earlier when I said Rachael and Matt had gone back and forth about doing a first look? Well, spoiler, they decided to do one. Matt was feeling nervous and really wanted to see Rachael before the ceremony. Rachael had been apprehensive about the reveal, but was just as excited to see Matt and get to spend some time together before their ceremony. And, they got these fun and gorgeous photos of this sweet moment in front of the wooden double doors at Ocoee Crest, one of Rachael’s favorite spots at the venue.

young red-headed flower girl dressed in purple tosses orange petals in the air while her mom kneels behind her encouraging her to fulfill her flower girl duties

groom closes his eyes and breathes deep as he sees his bride walking down the aisle

father of the bride walks his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day

photo of bride standing on her dad's arm with her veil falling perfectly behind her as the officiant offers a prayer prior to the hand off

wide shot of wedding ceremony with flowers on barrels in the foreground, guests and the bride, groom and wedding party standing under a pergola structure under blue skies and mountains far in the background

bride laughs during wedding ceremony while looking at her groom

groom dip kisses bride while coming back down the aisle as a married couple, their guests and wedding party cheer under blue cloudy skies

floral arrangement sits in focus on a barrel as bride and groom walk away as husband and wife towards their venue, Ocoee Crest, they are far enough away that they are out of focus

bride smiles at groom as he signs their marriage license

The ceremony space at Ocoee Crest is absolutely lovely, featuring a large pergola for the entire wedding party to stand beneath with stunning East Tennessee mountain views behind them. As soon as Matt saw her come through the sliding doors concealing the pathway from the bridal suite, he started crying. Rachael choked up too when she came around the corner and actually started to descend the aisle. Their ceremony was beautiful and personal, but still short and sweet. After being pronounced husband and wife, they went back to the bridal suite to enjoy a private moment and sign their marriage license!

bride smiles and looks down at her bouquet as her bridesmaids hold their flowers around her face

bride looks back over her should at groom smiling as he wraps his arms around her waist

newlyweds share a kiss as their bridal party look on a cheer in this wedding party formal shot in an editorial style with the members of the party mixed between guys and girls and seated, standing and kneeling

While their guests enjoyed passed hor dourves and an open bar on the patio we took family photos, had some fun with the wedding party, and finally moved into their couples session. It threatened to rain, so we didn’t make it down to the river at Ocoee Crest, but were still able to capture Rachael and Matt’s personalities with one another beneath the pergola.

wide view of table decor and set up in reception hall at Ocoee Crest

bride and groom raise arms and cheer as they run into the reception hall at Ocoee Crest during their grand entrance

bride and groom share kiss on dance floor during first dance in front of sweetheart table with the bridal party looking on, there is an elegant chandelier hanging about them

bride and dad bump hips while re-enacting the parent trap dance during father-daughter dance on wedding day at Ocoee Crest

two bridesmaids fight for bouquet while the other single ladies look on

during cake cutting at wedding reception the bride licks cake off her finger while the groom smiles with a face full of cake. Their bridal party is off to the side smiling and cheering

When it came time for the guests to find their seats they entered the reception hall, a large room with high ceilings, a wrap around balcony and three large windowed sectional doors that provided a stunning view of the mountains and river. Rachael and Matt made their grand entrance and went directly into their first dance and parent dances. Their dance was intimate and beautifully choreographed. But, I gotta say Rachael and her dad doing the Parent Trap choreography was such a fun surprise!

After Tasteful Gatherings served dinner, the bouquet was tossed and the cake cut. Then it was time to party!!!

bride and bridesmaids dance in a circle in wide photo during wedding reception at Ocoee Crest

guests and newlyweds throw their arms up in celebration on dance floor at wedding

groom mocks proposal with bride during wedding reception as Taylor Swift's 'Love Story' plays and guests cheer

bride and groom share a kiss on the dance floor at wedding reception

When the dance floor opened the energy was through the roof! Gunner from RTR Pro Entertainment brought dance floor vibes for all ages and mixed things up between the classics, hip-hop and country! Every line dance brought a crowd and many learned the Electric Slide that night!

private dance between bride and groom under grand chandelier at Ocoee Crest Wedding Venue

newlyweds hold each other tight during private last dance at Ocoee Crest Wedding Venue

Rachael and Matt shared a private dance under the chandeliers at Ocoee Crest while their guests assembled for their grand bubble exit. I typically encourage buying bubbles with large wands so it’s easier to get coverage, but this crowd proved that the small bottles with small wands will do the trick if your guests are committed!