Pull up a seat because I’m about to tell the story of Whitney and Chris’s NYE Wedding – all captured through the lens of this Arkansas wedding photographer. It was a day that had us all freezing our tails off, but hey, every shiver was worth it!

Imagine this – a vineyard in the heart of winter. Bare vines swaying in the chilly breeze. It was like a scene from a romantic movie, where even the vines were braving the cold for a touch of magic.

The day started with all the buzz of excited children waiting on a snowstorm. Whitney rocked that winter bride look in her sparkly dress & veil and Chris could hardly contain his excitement waiting for his beautiful bride. His contagious enthusiasm soaked into every single person there. And Whitney’s sweetness? It was like a cozy blanket in the midst of a snowstorm as she shared those special moments with friends and family.

The ceremony was pure winter charm. Against the backdrop of the vineyard’s open-air chapel ruins, lit up with cafe lights and candles, Whitney and Chris poured their hearts out with vows that warmed us up despite the freezing temps. Kisses were exchanged, and the crowd went wild with cheers – maybe to stay warm too, who knows?

Now, onto the reception – a crazy mix of laughter, joy, and Chris & Whitney turning up the dance floor into a lively zone. Seriously, if you weren’t dancing, you were missing out big time.

The party continued with a cotton candy cart, popcorn station, a caricature artist, choreographed group dances, and so much delicious food. And since it was New Year’s Eve, you bet there was a midnight countdown to crank up the excitement!

As the clock struck midnight, Whitney and Chris sealed the deal with a special New Year’s Eve kiss, marking not just the start of their marriage but a whole new year for everyone.

And my mission as the photographer? Freezing my heckin’ tail off to capture all these magical moments in time. Ha! From the heart-melting vows to the crazy dance floor, every snap aimed to capture the essence of Whitney and Chris’s love, joy, and all-around awesomeness.

In a nutshell, Whitney and Chris’s NYE Wedding was a love-soaked, freezing-cold, wild & wonderful party, and I’m here to spill the details as your go-to Arkansas wedding photographer. Their personalities are a match made in heaven and they compliment each other so well, creating a day filled with laughter, joy, and unforgettable moments. Being part of this love story and capturing the madness frame by frame? Best gig ever, even if I did have to thaw out my fingers afterward!

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LIGHTING

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Once upon a time in the bustling streets of New York City, a love story unfolded between two incredible individuals—Jordan and Dennis. They found themselves irresistibly drawn to each other within the walls of their workplace, and as their love grew, Jordan and Dennis knew deep in their hearts that they were destined to be together. When the time came to celebrate their marriage, they set their sights on a beautiful and chic Osage House wedding in Arkansas, a modern venue that perfectly reflected their style.

On a scorching summer day, their loved ones eagerly gathered at the Osage House, ready to witness the magic of the wedding. The venue’s sleek charm blended seamlessly with the couple’s modern aesthetic, creating an unforgettable atmosphere. Soft florals of white, light blue, and green adorned the Hall and Chapel, perfectly accentuating the chic ambiance. Jordan’s bouquet was adorned with exquisite white peonies, symbolizing happiness, romance, honor, and prosperity.

The air was electric with anticipation. The decor, effortlessly stylish yet wonderfully simple, allowed Jordan and Dennis’ love to take center stage. The ceremony was a heartfelt affair, filled with vows and tender moments that brought tears of joy to their loved ones’ eyes.

As the golden hour cast its enchanting glow, Jordan and Dennis stole away for a series of portraits that captured the essence of their love. The picturesque backdrop of Osage House provided the perfect canvas for their timeless moments, forever preserving their cherished memories.

As the day transitioned into night, the reception transformed into an exuberant celebration. Laughter echoed through the venue, and the dance floor became a whirlwind of pure joy. And in a delightful twist that added a touch of casual charm, the aroma of Pizza Hut filled the air as delicious pizzas arrived, fueling the guests and adding an unexpected element of fun to the festivities.

Jordan’s sleek white gown was perfectly complemented by a cool denim jacket adorned with pearls, reflecting her unique style and personality. With sleek and chic hair and makeup, she radiated confidence, captivating everyone in attendance.

As their wedding photographer, I felt privileged to document the magic of Jordan and Dennis’ unforgettably chic Osage House wedding. Their love story is a reminder that true love can blossom in ordinary moments, and turn what’s ordinary into extraordinary memories.

PLANNER | Leslie with Wed by Meg
PHOTOGRAPHER | Corrie Childers Weddings
VENUE | Osage House
FLORALS | 27 Rue de Fleur
RENTALS | Eventology
HAIR | Lauren Welnicki, Wordsmith Beauty
MAKEUP | Brittany Robbins, Wordsmith Beauty
DJ | Elite Beats
CATERING | Chephanie
BAR | Mint 2 Mix
CAKE | Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
OFFICIANT | Ozark Ceremonies

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Chic Osage House Wedding

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer (Fayetteville proposal photographer). Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

You may have not even realized that I photographed anything besides weddings and wedding-related sessions, but I do! Two years ago today these two kids were saying ‘I do’ in the prettiest wedding at Barn at the Springs (HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, KIDS) and subsequent gorgeous bridal session with Stephanie’s horses (😍) and this Spring I had the incredible honor to photograph the next major milestone in their life — their sweet baby due in just a few weeks now!! One of my very favorite things is when past clients come back for maternity and then family photos, it’s one of the highest compliments I can receive and it’s just so special to be able to bear witness to such meaningful moments in their life.

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

 Bentonville Maternity Session

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Spencer & Hazuki’s fun wedding at Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. I always love shooting at BGO and boy, this celebration certainly reinforced that love!

It was a warm and humid Spring day, and friends and family bustled around the garden arranging and preparing for the guests to arrive. There is something enchantingly beautiful about the botanical garden, with lush greenery and the sweet fragrance of blooming plants on the air. It was the perfect backdrop for their bright & zesty lemon theme, which infused the entire event with a refreshing and vibrant atmosphere.

Lemons were featured everywhere from the centerpieces to the groom’s awesome tie. The vibrant yellow hues of their florals from Ollie Marie’s and thin lemon slices on their cheerful wedding cake brought a pop of color to the patio, which was the perfect reflection of the bright and fun mood that everybody shared that day.

There were so many smiles and so much laughter, and some of the sweetest happy tears. One of my favorite things as a wedding photographer is when the people I’m photographing allow their joy & sadness to be openly seen on their faces and in their body language; I love to be able to capture those incredibly special moments for my clients and give them to them forever!

The lawn was the perfect setting for a romantic and memorable wedding ceremony, and though it had been overcast most of the day, the sun peeked through the clouds and cast beautiful light on Spencer & Hazuki just in time for them to share their first kiss. They receded down the aisle in the soft glow of the sunshine, with smiles as big as the Texas sky!

When it was time to let loose and celebrate, the rock n’ roll band 90lb Wrench took charge of the reception. The lively guitar and drums filled the air, energizing the crowd and getting everyone on their feet! The dance floor became a place of uninhibited joy & celebration, with guests dancing to their favorite rock songs & creating unforgettable memories.

(P.S. One of my favorite moments of this wedding at Botanical Garden of the Ozarks was Spencer & Hazuki’s cake cutting. Scroll back up if you missed the GIF — Hazuki’s mischievous joy is contagious!)

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings

Venue: Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

Florals: Ollie Marie’s Floral Design

Dress: David’s Bridal

Band: 90lb Wrench

Caterer: Sous Chef

Bar: Koon’s Saloon

Suits: The Black Tux

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Wedding at Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer (Fayetteville proposal photographer). Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Every year some of the best Northwest Arkansas vendors come together to create the Osage House Wedding Open House (just outside of Bentonville, Arkansas) and create something magical and fun. This year we had glittery dresses and disco balls, champagne walls and champagne doorbells and SO MUCH MORE. A runway show, free bouquets of flowers, all the prettiest sitting areas and funnest (is that a word?) photo booths, most delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks and the most divine tablescapes. The open house is always in the wintertime and the cold grey weather heightens the impact of of the rainbow of colors, the smells of flowers and food and the whole environment buzzing with excitement in this great big show of all the ways your event dreams can come true in the coming year. We have so many amazing people! Here’s a list of everyone that was there (make sure you contact them soon, most of these vendors’ schedules stay full!):

AMANDA REED WEDDINGS
Planning + Design: Amanda Reed Weddings
Photography: Corrie Childers
Video: Dave and a Camera
Florals + Wall: Samantha’s Garden
Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
Rentals: Eventology, Alchemy Event Rentals, Stay Gold Event Rentals, BBJ La Tavola
Paper Goods + Signage: Dayflower Designs
Photo Booth: Social Photo Booth Co
Venue: Osage House

BAR
Bar: Mint & Mix
Floral: Darling Blooms
Signage: Dayflower Designs

JLK WEDDINGS
Design: JLK Weddings
Floral: PIGMINT
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Place cards, menus, color wall: Dayflower Designs
Food: Event Group Catering
Rentals: Eventology
Venue: Osage House

WED BY MEG
Design: Wed by Meg
Video: Wild Bloom Films
Floral: Fleurish
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Venue: Osage House

FLEAK EVENTS
Design: Fleak Events
Floral: Arloh Floral Design
Video: Highley Films
Photo Booth: NWA Photo Booth
Rentals: Stay Gold Event Rentals, Party Pro Rentals, HOST
Cakes: The Cake Occasion
Venue: Osage House

RUNWAY SHOW
Lighting, Drapes: Lightworks Events
Bridal Gowns: She Said Yes Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Blossom Beauty
DJ: Mega DJ Company
Florist: Zuzu’s Petals

OTHER HALL VENDORS
Marquee Letters: Alpha Lit NWA
Cotton Candy: Lemon & Puff
Champagne Wall: Stellar Party Co.
Gift Bags: Rose Creek Curated Gifts Co.

GROOM’S QUARTERS:
Lighting: Lightworks Events

RESERVE VENDORS
Catering: Carmelita Catering Co
Planning: Emily G Events
Floral: Stems by Em, Thistle Florals
DJ: Ozark Mix
Bar: Koon’s Saloon
Dance Floor: Dance Enhance
Rentals: Alchemy Rentals, HOST
Paper: Shindig Paperie
Photobooth: Stellar Party Co.
Disco Balls: Lightworks Events
Cake: The Cake Occasion

PATIO VENDORS
DJ: Brock Entertainment
Rentals: Alchemy Rentals
Floral: Ollie Marie’s

CHAPEL VENDORS
Floral: Ollie Marie’s
Cello: Austin Hinrichs
Classic Cars: NWA Classic Car Rental
Painter: Nicole Renee Fine Art

An Incredibly Fun Osage House Wedding Open House

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

An Incredibly Fun Osage House Wedding Open House

Sara and Connor’s Sunset Lodge Vineyard wedding was nothing short of incredible. This was my last wedding of the season and boy was it the perfect way to end the year! The vineyard and the last light of sunset were the backdrops for their ceremony spot and even with some serious chill in the air, it was the most heartwarming thing to stand and witness. But really the whole day was beautiful and meaningful and FUN, from listening to their Rabbi read the Hebrew written on their Ketubah all the way to the best kind of uplifting chaos during their Hava Nagila dance! It’s the greatest thing in the world to see families come together to support and love on their own, embrace traditions and make memories together. Oh, and I laughed so much at this wedding. Sara looked stunning of course, and the cherry on top was the cream satin dancing dress that she changed into before their formal exit — is it just me or does she look like a 1950’s Hollywood starlet climbing into her motorcar after a red carpet event?!

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Venue: Rusty Tractor Vineyards
Planner: Arkansas Destinations
Bridal Gown: Lows Bridal
Bridesmaid Dresses: BHLDN
Cake: Mickey’s Cakes and Sweets / Kate Herrold
Paper Products: RiverCity Print & Imaging
Catering: Vibrant Occasions Catering
Guitar/Vocalist: Victoria Wells
Band: Memphis Soul Revue / RAM Entertainment
Makeup: Belle & Blush
Hair: BT&Co – Tim McHughes
Rings: Brilliant Earth
Suits: Men’s Warehouse

Sunset Lodge Vineyard Wedding

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sunset Lodge Vineyard Wedding

I am for sure obsessed with Caylee & Jacob’s gorgeous museum wedding at Crystal Bridges. Like, for SURE. There was no part of their day that wasn’t the picture of elegance; from the incredible florals by Stems by Em to the sophisticated green cake adorned with orchids by Cake Occasion. Caylee’s vintage Christian Louboutins coordinated perfectly with her dress from Tesori Bridal, and the beautiful reception design by Wed by Meg was just right for the grand hall at Crystal Bridges.

Fall is the busiest season of the year for most wedding photographers in this part of the world, and there’s a point each October where I sit back, look at the bottomless stack of weddings and sessions that I still need to edit and deliver, and question if a truly sane person would do this to themselves year after year when they know how draining it is.

It might be appropriate to question my sanity, but not only do I do it to myself every year, I also still genuinely love it even in the midst of my tiredness and I’m energized to start again in the spring (ya know, when I’ve had a chance to recoup with hot chocolate by the fire all winter).

I think when you turn your passion into your career and get to live in that amazing place where your work actually fulfills you, it makes sense that a temporary busy season is only too much if you lose sight of what’s important. And I don’t. 🙂

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Planner: Wed by Meg
Venue: Crystal Bridges
Rentals: Eventology
Florals: Stems by Em
Hair & Makeup: Mood Beauty
Cake: Cake Occasion
Photobooth: Ozark Mix DJ
Invitations: Zola
Bridal gown: Tesori Bridal
Videographer: McManus Media
Bridesmaids & House Party: Shop Revelry
Suits: The Black Tux
Rings: BC Clark / Creative Jewelry

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Gorgeous Museum Wedding at Crystal Bridges

Ryan and Tessa: two people who are so obviously meant to be together, it’s difficult to imagine either one of them without the other.

Some of y’all may not know this, but a lot of couples share vows with each other before the ceremony happens and with nobody else listening. I love it, mostly because I know the meaning that those moments have for them in their relationship. These vows are intimate, private and incredibly special in much the same way that their public vows are, but yet they are different. I also love it because these are some of the moments that I feel the most privileged to be witness to, and that struck me as I photographed Tessa and Ryan’s first look this weekend and took in the deeply personal meaning of their words. It’s incredibly humbling to be permitted in that space, and I swear for as long as I’m allowed to be that person for my clients I will never take it for granted.

Their sun-drenched ceremony on the lawn at the historic Crescent Hotel was so classically beautiful. The colors in their gorgeous florals perfectly complimented the greens of the grass and trees, the smart blue suits and rusty velvet dresses that the bridesmaids wore. Amy with VS Events did the most amazing job on their floral arrangements and bouquets (as always) and turned the Crystal Ballroom into a magical space with floating candles, splashes of crescent moon and stars, and velvet and gold accents.

And the party? It was a nonstop show of excitement on the dance floor and I had the hardest time narrowing it down to these photos to share with you guys!

VS Events – Event Coordinator
Crescent Hotel – Ceremony & Reception
Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe – Cake
Corrie Childers – Photographer
VS Events – Florist
Brock Entertainment – DJ
Bright Booths – Photo Booth
Blossom Beauty – Hair and Makeup

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Sun-drenched Northwest Arkansas Wedding

A JOPLIN MISSOURI WEDDING: I met Leah when she was 2. She’s my cousin-in-law and truly one of the sweetest, most good-hearted people you’ll ever meet. At 35 years old I’m only now getting to the age where I can remember meeting someone when they were tiny and then see them grow up into a beautiful and responsible young adult, which is such a weird milestone for me (especially as someone who constantly feels like I’ve never aged past my 20th birthday, haha). And then to see her find the love of her life, get engaged, and be asked to photograph the wedding?! It’s hard to put into words what a meaningful celebration their sweet day was!

First looks always make me a little teary-eyed, but for this one I was positively weepy. I can’t even tell you the number of times I had big tears in my eyes watching all of Leah and Mark’s big and small moments surrounded by friends and family who all obviously love them so dearly. One of my favorite things about weddings is how the couple’s support system absolutely showers them with love and encouragement for their new marriage in a way that usually doesn’t happen at other times in life (let’s change that though and normalize boundless encouragement for every season of marriage)! And when the celebration at the church was over, we ran over to a gorgeous little park in Neosho with a tall waterfall and beautiful evening light to take their portraits in. I could have kept photographing them all night!

I’m so thankful to know you and get to be a part of your family Leah. And Mark, I’m so impressed with the good man you are (it’s easy to see) and I know that you two have so much happiness ahead of you. I can’t wait to see where your journey together takes you (and I promise we’ll stop in when we take our East coast road trip)!

Joplin Missouri Wedding

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Joplin Missouri Wedding

Cannon Beach Couples Session

We spent the end of July and beginning of August road tripping for almost 3 weeks around the western USA as a family. We went 5500 miles and spent roughly 88 hours on the road (not counting potty and meal stops) to see Kansas, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and then home again to Arkansas. Somewhere in there was our 17th anniversary (insert mind-blown emoji here) and since my wildest dream is a glowy west-coast-golden-hour couples session at Cannon Beach, I talked our 15 year old son into doing a little session for us while we were there. As you can see, he killed it and I am so proud of him.

I’ll treasure these forever. ❤️

(P.S. I know he’ll start getting inquiries now, but he’s not for hire. Yet 😂)

Cannon Beach Couples Session

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

When Meryll contacted me about doing a sweet glowy double bridal session in Fayetteville with one of her bridesmaids that got married right after she and Josh did, I was thrilled. After all, if one bride is amazing, two brides are even better!! We ended up on the campus University of Arkansas, which is one of my very favorite architectural places to shoot bridals and engagement sessions. The light is always absolutely bananas (as you can see) and we were blessed with perfect weather. Meryll’s close friend (and one of the best hair/makeup artists in NWA) Boun Vang did their hair and makeup, which was flawless as usual. Here are some of my favorite shots from their session!

Glowy Double Bridal Session in Fayetteville

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Glowy Double Bridal Session in Fayetteville

I’m so excited to share Abby & Otis’ beautiful Osage House Reserve Wedding with you today! Abby and Otis were sent to me by one of my past clients and y’all, it’s really hard to overstate how incredibly meaningful it is to know that someone enjoyed working with me enough to recommend me to the people that they love.

These incredibly cute lovebirds added their own personal touches to their decor, with some of their favorite special things that have played a role in their relationship, and I love that. The best designs happen when the beautiful things are are also significant.

It was a scorcher of a day out there but if there’s one thing I know about summer weddings, it’s this: braving the heat to watch two people commit their lives to each other is always, always worth doing.

Photography | Corrie Childers
Planning | Lillie Lantz with Amanda Reed Weddings
Venue | Reserve at Osage House
Hair | Whiteney Mabie
Rentals / Linens | Eventology
Florist | Rose of Sharon
Bar/Catering | Catering Concepts
Cake | Rick’s Bakery
Macarons | Cake Occasions
Cellist | Jayne Jostad
Invitations | Shindig Paperie

A Novel Osage House Reserve Wedding

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

A Novel Osage House Reserve Wedding

Sunny Little Rock Capitol Engagement Session

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sunny Little Rock Capitol Engagement Session

Reserve at Osage House Wedding: I recently had a friend ask me if this ever gets old, and it made me pause. Does it ever get old to be there when a dad sees his dad sees his daughter for the first time in her wedding dress? Does it get old to hear the cheers of all my clients’ friends and family as they share their first kiss as a married couple? Does it get old to round a corner and gasp at the gorgeous linens, candles, and florals adorning the brick-paved courtyard?

Being someone who goes to a lot of weddings is interesting because the framework for each one is very similar, but somehow the individual moments don’t lose their magic. We have flatlay details, then photos of the couple getting ready for the day with their best friends and closest family members. We go from there to the first look if they’re doing one, or to some wedding party photos if they’re not. Each group of groomsmen tell the same hilarious jokes, and each ceremony includes promises that share the same deep meaning of commitment to each other. Each reception has the same characters on the dance floor: a guest couple who is so into each other that they don’t even notice anyone else is there, an extra fun (read: drunk) guy with his tie tied around his head, an uncle who insists on dancing with every female in the room, a girl with bare feet and her long dress tied up in a knot so she can dance…should I go on?

But each of my beautiful couples are such delightfully unique individuals with delightfully unique stories, and monotony is nowhere to be found. Each event that I attend might follow these wedding norms by a lot or a little, but they bring their own magic to every part of the day. One first look or cake cutting is nothing like the next, and each wedding day has it’s own joys and challenges for me as a wedding photographer. How could it ever get old to witness the tears of a mother dancing with her son or the breathless “wow” from a groom when he sees his bride for the first time?

Hailey & Brad‘s Reserve at Osage House wedding was full of those magic moments. The sweetest champagne pop with the bridesmaids, tons of shenanigans with the groom’s triplet brothers (see if you can spot the guys with the same face!), Hailey’s absolutely adorable reaction to seeing her new name on her plate at the reception, some incredible glowy sunset light, and the absolute best dance floor moments with Juke Boxx at the helm.

I’m 8 years into shooting weddings full time and I don’t see how it could ever get old. It really just keeps getting better. ❤️

Photography: Corrie Childers Weddings
Planning & design: Elizabeth at Kate & Co.
Florals: Jules Design
Band: Juke Boxx from Smoothman Music
Catering: The Event Group
Cake & desserts: Sips & Sweets
Hair & makeup: Artistry by Veronica
Rentals & decor: Eventology
Video: Wedding Stories by Korey Klein

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Reserve at Osage House Wedding

Sunny Spring Wedding at Barn at the Springs: Katherine & Parker got married on the sunniest day in May at the prettiest barn in Northwest Arkansas. From the moment I walked in and felt saw the gorgeous decor (that Katherine designed herself!) and immediately felt the fun & happy vibes, I knew this day was going to hold some of my favorite wedding day memories ever. And with the instant tears that sprang into Katherine’s eyes when her bridesmaids handed to her the scrapbook they made, the sweetest emotional moments with her dad during their first look, the flower girl’s floral crown falling over her eyes as she walked up the aisle, and the surprise fireworks show during their sparkler exit…I was right. We had some of the most gorgeous sunlight for their portraits (Barn at the Springs never lets me down on light 🤩) that probably had me repeating “oh my gosh this LIGHT” over and over until someone whispered to the person next to them, “will someone please shove some cake in the photographers’ mouth?”

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Venue: The Barn at the Springs
Rentals: Somthin Borrowed
Hair stylist: Jillian Genz
Makeup artist: Emily McClish
Florist: Ollie Marie’s Floral
DJ: Banks Entertainment
Bar: Tie 1 On
Catering: Penguin Ed’s
Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
Bridal attire: Tesori Bridal
Groom attire: Beau’s Tuxedos
Rings: Perry’s Jewelry

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sunny Spring Wedding at Barn at the Springs

Ya’ll, I’ve been looking forward to Meryll & Josh’s wedding at the Ravington in Centerton for MONTHS. I knew from the moment I met them for their engagement session last summer that this was going to be a fun one!! And it WAS. I’m not sure if I’ve ever laughed as much during toasts and speeches or cried as much during first dances (did you guys see the one where Meryll’s crying while Josh dances with their daughter? I literally cry every time I get to that point in their gallery), but here’s one thing that I do know for sure: this guy loves this girl.

I can’t even find the words to explain the pure love and joy that their families and friends absolutely filled every room with. I won’t be getting over it anytime soon (and I bet they won’t either). ❤️

Photographer: Corrie Childers
Hair & Makeup: Boun Vang
Planner: Anaphora Designs
Venue: The Ravington
DJ: Brock Entertainment

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Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Wedding at the Ravington in Centerton

Morgan & Joseph’s Incredible Crystal Bridges Wedding

Colorful Osage House Bridals

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Colorful Osage House Bridals

Thorncrown & Basin Park Wedding: I was so excited when Shelby described her wedding style to me as “classically romantic with a touch of vintage flair”. Thorncrown Chapel and the historic Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs were the most perfect backdrops for such a style, with the soaring beams and classic materials in the chapel and the intricate vintage details of the Barefoot Ballroom (decorated to perfection by Amy at the Vintage Soul).

There was something else that felt right about their theme too, and I’m not sure that I quite put my finger on it until a few days after their wedding. Have you ever met an older couple stops you in your tracks just by the loving and attentive way they interact with each other? Their love has been protected and cherished for the decades that they’ve spent together and in a world where relationships so easily grow bitter and distant, they’re more deeply in love in all the most meaningful ways than ever before.

I’m probably giving this way more depth than I should (I am a chronic over-analyzer), but that’s what I think about when I think about classically romantic and vintage. Brad and Shelby, while clearly not a silver-haired couple with 50 years of marriage under their belt, have that kind of love. The kind of love that people notice, admire, and know will endure. Their tender interactions in the quiet moments, the way they look at each other, him like she’s the only person he sees in a crowded room and her like she can’t imagine spending her life with anyone else…their wedding was an incredible day but it’s easy to see that really, it was just a beautiful and meaningful moment in an abiding love story that is already well-underway.

Ceremony Venue | Thorncrown Chapel
Reception Venue | Basin Park Hotel
Photographer | Corrie Childers Weddings
Planner, Florals & Rentals | Vintage Soul Events
Hair & Makeup | Blossom Beauty
DJ | DJ JRed
Cake | Rick’s Bakery
Dress | The Blushing Bride Boutique
Tux | The Black Tux company
Invitations | Shine Wedding Invitations
Getting Ready Venue | Can-U-Canoe Cabins
Rings | Ascot Diamonds & Blue Nile

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Thorncrown & Basin Park Wedding

Wedding flatlay checklists: So you’ve been looking around at all your favorite photographers’ portfolios, and one thing you noticed is the gorgeous photos of all the bride and groom’s details – jewelry, invitation suites, and heirloom items. I truly love all parts of the wedding day, but designing and photographing the flatlay is one of my favorites. I always do them right away when I arrive for your wedding, and ideally I take an hour to style & shoot everything.

But what’s the process of getting these items gathered? Is it stuff you bring? Is it stuff your photographer brings? Well, it’s both. I bring a styling kit with several colors of ribbon and some linen mats for a clean background if I need them. I have tiny scissors and some antique stamps, and a couple neutral ring boxes. But those things are meant to just be an accent to the more personal items that you want to remember about your day! These images will probably end up in your album, and you may not want a bunch of photos of my stuff around your invitation.

I share a wedding flatlay checklist with my clients during the planning process so they are sure to think about it in time to gather a few more items if they want to, and usually put a reminder right on the timeline too. And today, I’m going to share that checklist with you too!

Wedding Flatlay Checklists

BRIDE

• Extra florals*
• Dress
• Dress Hanger
• Rings (cleaned – engagement ring & wedding bands)
• Shoes
• Veil
• Bouquet
• Ring
• Hair pieces
• Jewelry
• Invitation Suite (2 full sets with envelopes)
• Any other paper stationary you may have, like program cards or menus
• Vows Book
• Gift/letter for the groom
• Special gifts she is giving or has received (i.e. matching hand mirrors for all the girls or the new bracelet that her mom gave her)
• Any other sentimental keepsakes/family heirlooms you would like to include

A really sweet way to incorporate something very personal is to have your calligrapher write your first dance song’s lyrics or part of your personal vows to each other on a pretty card that matches your invitation suite.

*IMPORTANT: I would love to have some of the florals you’ll be using throughout your wedding day. If your florist will supply me a small bucket or box of extra pieces so I can incorporate those in your detail shots, that would be so marvelous!

GROOM

• His shoes
• Socks (if they’re special)
• Cufflinks
• Tie or Bow Tie
• Pocket Square
• Boutonnière
• Vows Book
• Ring
• Watch
• Gift/letter for the bride
• Special gifts he is giving or has received (i.e. matching flasks for all the guys or the new cufflinks that his dad gave him)
• Any other sentimental keepsakes/family heirlooms you would like to include

BONUS ITEMS

Outside of the basic lists above, try to think about some other small things that would coordinate with your decor. There are SO many great inspo photos for flatlays on Pinterest. Don’t feel like you need to have it ALL, but some looking around might give you some great ideas for things your photographer could incorporate. I’ll bring the things I have in my flatlay kit, but some other accent pieces you could have available are:

• medium-to-large confetti in your wedding colors
• wax seals and the seal stamp you used
• silk or velvet ribbon on a coordinating wooden spool
• fancy pen or letter opener
• a stock of the special stamps you used on your invitations
• velvet ring boxes in your colors (try to get ones that have removable lids)
• matte silver, matte gold, or wooden trays/ring dishes (whatever you think will go best with the vibe of your decor)
• tiny bottles of champagne that coordinate with your wedding colors
• a yard of luxurious fabric like silk or velvet in your wedding colors
• a pretty book that is meaningful to your relationship and coordinates with your wedding colors
• cigar(s) and/or cigar box, if smoking cigars is a part of your life or part of your wedding day
• extras of whatever smaller objects you are using in your wedding (Ex: if you are using pomegranate halves and blueberries in your deep red & navy centerpieces, save some for me for the flatlay! Or if your wedding favors are tiny jars of local honey with a little honey dipper, throw a few of them in the bag with your other detail items)
• calligraphy card with part of your first dance’s song lyrics or part of your personal vows (ask your calligrapher to do this in a way that compliments/coordinates with your invitation suite)

Visit CorrieChilders.com
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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Wedding Flatlay Photography

Downtown Bentonville Engagement Session

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Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Downtown Bentonville Engagement Session

So it’s been several weeks since your wedding, and you have been absolutely on the edge of your seat. You’ve probably seen a few previews from your photographer (if it’s me, you’ve definitely seen some previews) and you can’t wait to see the rest. You see that email drop into your inbox and trust me, I know you want to click it and look through the photos right away!

But let me tell you something: there is a right way to view your gallery for the first time! Let’s talk about it:

Trust me, don’t open the gallery right when you get it!

Take a few minutes to think about who you want to view your photos with, and on what screen. Don’t look at them on your phone for the first time if you can help it! Put them on the biggest screen you have so that you can really immerse yourself in reliving the day.

You’ve gotta make it a date.

Viewing your wedding gallery is actually a really special occasion for you and your new spouse! It’s basically the last step of your wedding experience together, and the you only get to view them for the first time once. So wait until they’re free and not distracted, and view the photos then. Get cozy with a bottle of wine and some snacks (my follow-up advice would be to avoid garlic and onion goodies since you may feel like squealing in each others’ faces with excitement) and find a comfy spot in front of the screen.

Don’t wait to pick your favorites.

Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – skip this step. Your first impression of your photographs is going to be so valuable as you go back in later and choose photos to print and frame or include in your wedding album. There will be a lot of photos in your gallery, and going back to try to find that one photo that you thought was so perfect could feel overwhelming! This time you’ve created for yourself to take your time looking is your chance to choose the ones you love and make it easier on your future-self. Use the little heart icon (or whatever your photographers’ gallery service offers for selecting favorites) as you move through your photographs!

Lastly, get into the right frame of mind.

The discussion about the way we see ourselves in real life vs. the way we look in photographs can often be a little bit of an elephant in the room. But this is something that I feel is so incredibly important to think about before viewing your gallery, so I’m gonna go there.

I’ve never seen a bride who wasn’t beautiful or a groom who wasn’t dapper as hell on their wedding day. Even though this point is last on my list, in some ways your most important job while looking at your wedding gallery is to remember to set aside any of negative things that you know you tend to focus on. Instead, focus on the absolute mountain of things about you that make you beautiful and made your wedding day perfect. Try to see yourself through your spouse’s eyes. Be kind to yourself, and remind yourself that anything that went wrong on your wedding day didn’t stop you from getting married (and it certainly will make your stories more interesting when you’re re-telling them to your grandkids someday)!

Gosh, I am freaking crazy about Northwest Arkansas’ wedding vendors. Every year when the Osage House open house rolls around I get so excited, not just to talk to sweet brides and grooms about their wedding days, but to visit with all of the best of the best that NWA has to offer. It’s so fun to catch up with friends, watch them work their magic and stand in awe of the talent and creativity this area has to offer.

If you didn’t make it to the open house, man, you really missed out. But luckily for you, I put together this list of all the vendors who were there so that you can peruse their Instagram feeds at your leisure. If you’re planning a wedding, this is the list you should start with!

VENDOR GROUPS

Photography: @corriechilders
Venue: @osagehouse

Amanda Reed (Red Balloons & Roses)

@amandareedweddings
@stephanie.amandareedweddings
@katie.amandareedweddings
@taylor.amandareedweddings
@eventology_us
@shelbylynnscake
@lightworks.events
@socialphotoboothco
@samanthas_garden
@confettinwa

Wed by Meg (Bright Citrus & Pinks)

@wedbymeg
@meganscrape.wedbymeg
@reilly.wedbymeg
@fleurish___
@thecakeoccasion
@eventology_us
@mint2mix
@eventgroupcatering

JLK Weddings (Cascading Florals on Staircase)

@jlkweddings
@anna.jlkweddings
@thecakeoccasion
@hostrentals
@eventology_us
@pigmintdotcom
@bbjlinen
@withloveandletters

INDEPENDENT VENDORS

Hall & Chapel

@dayflowerdesigns
@partyprorents
@djxavierriley
@lemonandpuff
@alphalitnwa
@makeupwith_madz
@florenceandflintcookieco
@sipofsouthern
@joonbridal
@koonssaloon
@zuzuspetalsandgifts
@designsbynicoleh
@cellobyaustin
@brockentertainment
@dancenhance
@toastsintow

Reserve

@kombikegnwa
@staygoldeventrentals
@cateringconceptsnwa
@hostrentals
@olliemaries
@intents_party_rentals
@hellohoneycoffee
@callie_g_
@argown_preservation
@sipsandsweets.nwa
@lucilesstudio
@moonlightandrust

It’s one of the biggest decisions that you’re going to make for your wedding day: do you sidestep tradition and do a first look, or do you go with the customary reveal at the end of the aisle? And anyway, why does it matter so much?

I know it seems like just a preference thing, but doing a first look or sticking with tradition actually means big things for your timeline, your stress level and in some cases, your photographs.

Every wedding is different, but I love it when my couples do a first look. Especially when your ceremony will end close to or after dark!  To help you make your decision, here are some of the things I’ve learned about first looks from my perspective as your wedding photographer.

If you are just starting to understand what a first look is, let’s define it:

A first look is a special time set aside, usually 10ish minutes, once you’re done getting ready. It’s the time when the bride and groom will first see each other in their wedding clothes, just like the moment the bride enters the church except much more private and intimate than it would be in front of all the guests.

Sounds sweet, right? It is! First looks are my very favorite part of the day and a lot of times my very favorite photos of the day. Here are some of the reasons I love first looks so much:

1. A First Look means MORE photos for you! When we can do your portraits before the ceremony, most of the time it means I have more time to do more (and more creative!) photos of you as a couple and you with your wedding party, friends and families. If you decide to do a first look but also want some sunset pictures or just some more portraits after you’re officially husband and wife, don’t worry – I nearly always plan to pull you guys back out at sunset!
2. First looks usually help stress levels immensely! It’s definitely one of the sweetest, most precious days of your relationship, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be free of stress and nerves. But I’ve watched even my most nerve-addled brides and grooms relax and enjoy the day so much more after they’ve had a chance to see each other.
3. Doing a first look streamlines your formal photos and! Your wedding party photos and family photos make up a pretty important part of your wedding photo gallery, and wrangling all the people who are supposed to be in them can be a bit of a task. When we do the first look, generally we go straight into doing some of your couples portraits and then the family and bridal party and are able to get every single formal photo out of the way before your ceremony even happens. We aren’t rushed to get you guys to the reception and your guests won’t have to wait on you!
4. When you do a first look and most/all of your family & wedding party photos before the ceremony, that means that you can get to the reception much faster than if we need to do all those photos while cocktail hour is happening. Family, wedding party & couples portraits can take 1-1.5 hours, and most couples feel that if they can shorten that time that their guests are waiting, it’s better for the flow into the reception.
5. The time spent at the first look is often the only time the bride and groom are alone all day! All day long you’ll be surrounded by your planner, wedding party, friends, and family. Being surrounded by the ones you love is a wonderful way to spend your wedding day for sure, but the first look is like a little respite in the middle of a day that can be a little bit overwhelming. Most of the time I will take you away from everyone else and the only people there will be you guys and me, and I always try to give you a little time alone if there’s time.

Think you want to stick with a Traditional timeline? Going Traditional and not seeing each other until you’re walking down the aisle is also a beautiful and meaningful way to do things. It can be done well and things can still flow smoothly! Here are some pro’s to aisle reveals:

1. Tradition! Seriously, this is a totally legitimate reason if it’s important to you. If you know that moment at the back of the aisle on your wedding day is something you’ll cherish for the rest of your life, do it. It’s actually really special to share it with family and friends, and we can plan a great timeline that allows for your photos to be taken afterwards.
2. Sticking with an aisle reveal instead of a first look means that there’s a lot fewer things for you to accomplish between the time your hair & makeup is done and the time that all eyes are on you for the ceremony. Simply put, you’ll feel fresher! If you do a First Look, you may also want to plan in a little time for hair/makeup touchups before the ceremony.

Since traditional timelines can have some logistical challenges, here are some ways to make sure this type of timeline goes as smoothly as it can:

1. Decide if you want to do any of your photos before the ceremony or all of them after. To keep the photo time after the ceremony to a minimum, we can do as many groupings as possible before the ceremony while still keeping you guys separate (i.e. we wouldn’t do any family photos without you both together, but we could do bride + bridesmaids photos and groom + groomsmen). If there’s no time to do those groupings before the ceremony, that’s okay too. It does save us some time during cocktail hour, but since everyone will already be together during that time for the big group wedding party photos, it’s not a huge deal to do them all then.
2. Plan a cocktail hour for your guests to enjoy while we’re taking photos. We can take up to 1.5 hours to get all the photos done before you and your party and family make it to the reception, and sometimes this can risk losing guests’ interest to the slow down of events. To combat this, plan a cocktail hour with music, drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and even think about including yard games or a slideshow to entertain them while they wait!
3. Send everybody the information about portrait time via email before the wedding. To make sure everybody knows when they need to be there for photos, gather everyone’s email addresses and send the schedule and any instructions (i.e. “Uncle Jerry, you are responsible for making sure Great Grandma Smith gets to the right place at the right time” or “Aunt Peggy, please be sure to not wear your Transitions lens glasses!”). You can have the officiant announce where to go right after the ceremony. Or if you’re a planner, start a group text before your wedding day even arrives, so it’s as simple as going to that message and shooting out a “Meet on the East side of the chapel immediately following the ceremony” text.
4. Get help with wrangling people! Appoint someone who knows names and faces (and has a pretty substantial voice) to be in charge of the groupings shot list and wrangling people. This will make the photos go so much faster than if I’m trying to remember who’s who and make sure we have everybody.

Your wedding day slipped by in the blink of an eye, and now you’re just waiting for your photos (and video, I hope!) to be delivered. It’s time to think about all the post-wedding tasks on your to-do list! Between the thank-you cards and taking your gown to be preserved, there is another activity that means so much to the special people who got to help make your wedding celebration amazing: writing your vendors some reviews!

HOW IT FEELS TO GET A REVIEW

You know that feeling of bliss you get when someone surprises you with something you really hoped for? Or that feeling of fulfillment when a project that you put your whole heart into comes to a close, and you know that all the work you did was totally worth it? I get a really epic combination of those feelings every single time a new review pops up in my inbox. It’s my favorite thing, second only to the feeling of actually creating all your photos on your wedding day.

Private texts and emails about how thrilled you are make me feel spectacular too, but there’s something about it when my clients leave a public review that makes my heart swell right up with love!

WHY YOUR VENDORS LOVE REVIEWS

As a service provider who is based completely online, reviews by my current and past clients are an absolutely crucial part of what helps my business grow! Just think of all the sweet, doe-eyed future brides and grooms out there trying to find great vendors who will make their day amazing. As someone who’s had a wedding, now you are a wedding veteran! You have the knowledge and experience to tell couples who are in the thick of wedding planning who will do a great job.

And not only does your review help future brides and grooms wade through the confusing waters of choosing wedding vendors, it also lets me know what I got right (and if you have any constructive criticism) and helps me know the absolute best ways I can serve my clients in the future. And that’s something that’s immensely important to me!

I love to get reviews from others’ perspectives too, like your maid of honor or the mother of the groom. It’s so cool to know the overall impression I gave to your friends and family too!

HOW TO LEAVE REVIEWS

First, look your vendor up on Google. Almost every business has a Google listing that accepts reviews, and it’s an incredibly important platform to collect reviews on! Then decide what you’re going to say. Try to think of specific examples of what you loved and share them, like if you gave your DJ free rein to pick your final dance song and he couldn’t have picked a more perfect one. If you’re feeling stuck, here are some useful prompt questions to get you thinking:

1. When you guys were looking for a wedding ________, what were you hoping for specifically? How did your first impression of this vendor fit into that criteria?

2. When you communicated via email, text, phone or face-to-face, how did this vendor compare to your expectations? Were they easy to communicate with?

3. How did you feel about their level of preparedness on your wedding day? If they weren’t a vendor who was expected to be present on your wedding day (like a stationer), did they meet their deadlines?

4. When you received their brochures, pricing guides, etc did that information/education have a positive impact on your wedding planning experience or a negative one? Was everything clear and concise?

5. When you interacted with this vendor in person, how did they make you feel in that moment? Was the experience better or worse than what you were hoping for?

6. What was your initial reaction to the product or service this vendor provided? Did your friends and family have a reaction?

7. Overall, do you feel like you made a good choice by hiring this vendor or the wrong choice?

Once you’ve written something you’re happy with, look them up on the other major platforms for wedding vendors. Mine are Google, Facebook, The Knot, WeddingWire, and Yelp. You can just copy & paste your review to each platform, or if you have a little extra time, tweak each one to be a little different.

If you don’t have an account on one of these platforms yet, might I be so bold as to suggest that you make one for this purpose? I know for sure that literally all of your wedding vendors absolutely covet your reviews on these sites. You can always unsubscribe from any emails they might send you and pretend the accounts don’t even exist when you’re done!

My last wedding of the year was a cold one, y’all. It was a little bit funny because there rest of December 2021 was incredibly mild (warm, even)! But on December 18th, we played a go-outside-until-your-hands-and-nose-are-numb, go-inside-and-let-yourself-thaw game for most of the day. We were all freezing, but Brandon and Jordan were such troopers and we had a blast anyway!

Their sophisticated black and white theme with greenery was such a sophisticated backdrop for all the sweet and fun moments and everyone wished it could go on and on!

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Video: Dave and a Camera
Venue: Ballroom at I Street
Rentals: Somthin’ Borrowed & AAA Tents
Hair: Boun Vang & Makayla Haingaertner
Makeup: Christi Musail, Boun Vang & Madison Domenick
Florals: Shannon Koning & Bloom Flowers
DJ: Ty Walker
Bar: Tie 1 On
Catering: Purple Banana
Cake: Bizzy B’s
Charcuterie Boards: Larsen McKnight
Photobooth: Picture Perfect NWA
Bridal gown: Lows Bridal

Imagine a day where happiness wasn’t reserved for just the smiling moments, but also for the moments of of proud & happy tears. Jessie & Patrick’s Angelo’s Garden wedding was all things happy. All the usual time delays and small hiccups were there of course (PSA: if you’re engaged, you should know that there are hiccups at every wedding), but these lovebirds weren’t bothered. It’s obvious that they knew exactly what this day is supposed to be about, and that a little change of timeline plans or a broken vase right as they were repeating “for better or for worse” was worth nothing more than a smile or a laugh and honestly, those are the things that make the little stories of your unique wedding experience. The things you’ll giggle about when you tell your kids about mom & dad’s wedding someday.

I often have tears in my eyes at weddings, that I’m trying to blink out of the way behind my camera so I can see well enough to capture the moments that are unfolding in front of me. I really can’t tell you how often I have to tell myself to try and pull it together and do the job without being up in my feels, but you know what? I think that being an empath actually helps me be a better wedding photographer. I can feel what my clients are feeling, and there’s such incredible value in that instead of being merely an observer.

Venue & Coordinator: Angelo’s Garden
Hair & Makeup: Red Beauty Lounge
Florals: AG Flower & Design
DJ: Central Arkansas Entertainment
Bar: Special Events Bartending
Catering: Marketplace Grill
Cakes: Patticakes Bakery
Video: Anointed Media
Minister: God Squad Wedding Ministers
Invitations: Simply Schu
Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Menguin
Bride’s Gown: Anne Barge / The White Room
Bridesmaid’s Attire: Kennedy Blue
Rings: Diamond Brokers of Memphis

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Angelo’s Garden Wedding

Have you ever met a couple that just makes you feel thankful that they found each other, because it would have been such a tragedy if their relationship never existed? I think that’s the best way I can describe Hunter & Megan.

Honestly I’ve been sitting here writing and re-writing the start to this blog post for a while, simply because I don’t even know where to start with how special this couple is. Megan is one of the most exceptional women I’ve met in my life, and the really cool thing is that I didn’t even have to spend much time with her at all to understand that completely. And Hunter? As soon as you meet him, you can immediately sense his kind-hearted and uplifting nature. He’s the kind of guy that always makes you feel like he’s glad to see you, and that you’re important.

Their love for each other is so evident. It’s inspiring. They have so much joy, both independently and with each other.

We’ll be ringing in the new year in just a few weeks, and I’ll be ringing out (is that a thing?) the 7th year that I’ve been photographing weddings full-time. The longer I walk the path of this incredibly beautiful career, the more and more experiences I have that give me confirmation that this is what I was meant to do and where I am meant to be. Thanksgiving might be over, but it’s super easy to rest and remain in this place of thankfulness for everything when I sit and scroll through the story of Megan and Hunter’s beautiful, elegant (and windy) wedding day at Hunt Chapel and Thaden Field.

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Florals: Cathy’s Flowers
Ceremony Location: Hunt Chapel
Reception Location: Thaden Fieldhouse
Rentals: Moonlight & Rust
Lighting: DJ Derrick
Hair: Adrienne Prochaszka
Makeup: Glo Beauty
Video: Whorton Films
Gown: Tesori Bridal

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Hunt Chapel & Thaden Field Elegance

It’s been 3 weeks since Betsy & Cameron‘s perfect Fall Wedding at Grandeur House, but it still has me like 😍😍😍 . The colors, the lines, the textures, and the MOMENTS.

When I got there, Betsy was tucked away in the bridal suite with her bridesmaids while her coordinator buzzed around setting up pretty things everywhere I looked. I love basically every part of a wedding day, but there is something really cool about being there for the setup before an event, watching it all come together to prepare for the impending celebration. I remember feeling the same way every time I got to act or sing in a musical as a kid. I was always so excited about practice runs, dress rehearsals, and then the anticipation (and some nerves) on performance night as we waited for showtime. Weddings are the best kind of show, because the characters are real, the laughter, tears, and love are genuine and the audience are their best friends and closest family members!

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Venue: Grandeur House
DJ: Central Arkansas Entertainment
Florals: Tanarah Luxe Floral
Hair & makeup: Ashley Viney
Day-of coordinator: Lauren Dickey
Rentals: Eventology
Cake: Dempsey Bakery
Paper products: Minted
Bridal gown: Unveiled
Bridesmaids attire: Jos A Bank
Rings: Brilliant Earth & Jared’s

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Perfect Fall Wedding at Grandeur House

Y’all. I’m still not fully recovered from Morgan & Joseph’s incredible vibrant Crystal Bridges wedding, even though it was a couple of weekends ago. Stephanie with Amanda Reed Weddings pulled out all the stops for this incredible design; it was so rich and elegant and the first time I walked in, I literally couldn’t help but just stop and stare. There was so much to see, my eyes didn’t even know where to go! And when Morgan walked in herself, she was so overwhelmed by how incredible it was that she started to cry. And because I’m a sympathy crier, I cried too. Oh, and Stephanie cried too. We all just stood there bawling and exclaiming how beautiful it was, and I’m sure that was quite a sight.

But besides the obvious beauty of Crystal Bridges, the breathtaking florals by Silks-A-Bloom, the incredible cake by Shelby Lynn’s and lighting by Lightworks Events (full vendor list below), another thing that absolutely made me stand in awe was the sweetness of Morgan and Joseph together, and the support of their families and friends. It’s really something when a whole wedding day goes by and I don’t hear a word of negativity or bickering!

Now go take a scroll through some of my favorite parts of the sweetest day. 🙂

Photographer: Corrie Childers Weddings
Planner: Stephanie Benton with Amanda Reed Weddings
Venue: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Video: Dave and a Camera
Florals: Silks a Bloom
Rentals: Eventology
Lighting: Lightworks Events
Cake: Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe
Linens: BBJ Linen / Nuage Linens
Stationary: Shindig Paperie
Officiant: NWA Weddings
Hair: Kyler Richard
Makeup: Ashley Gregory
Dance floor: Dance Floor Man
Band: Lost Wax
Photo Booth: NWA Photobooth

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Vibrant Crystal Bridges Wedding

Oscar & Juanita’s beautiful blue backyard wedding in Arkansas a couple of weeks ago was full of sweet moments and pretty details. As with all my other Fall weddings this year, the day started out incredibly rainy (what’s up with that, anyway?) and we weren’t sure if their glowy sunset ceremony would have any glow or sunset! But shortly after I got there, there was a stark shift in the weather and the sun came peeking through the clouds. Within a couple of hours, the skies were bright and blue and they did indeed get their glowy sunset ceremony. This wedding took place on the property where they’ll be building their home together, which definitely makes it all the more special of a memory.

I was blown away by how much thought and detail that Juanita put into this celebration with their closest family and friends, and I had a heyday buzzing around photographing everything! The tablescapes were perfect in every way, and the pretty blue details sprinkled throughout the rest of the decor (she even wore the most beautiful blue dress to their engagement session). I am so happy that I got to be there for this gorgeous couple on such an important day and witness such an intimate celebration.

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Beautiful Blue Backyard Wedding in Arkansas

6 Tips for planning a positive wedding day

I got married on a hot & rainy Texas day in 2005, and that feels like a lifetime ago. I didn’t have a wedding photographer (ironic, I know), but the photos my grandpa took of me in the little office area in the little white Cumberland church remind me how calm and unbothered I was about that or anything else. I don’t remember caring about the weather (besides thinking that rain on your wedding day is good luck), the food, the decorations, the cake, or any family drama at all. To be fair, our wedding was a very small and modest occasion – I mean, we were 18 and had nothing but love – but my lack of nerves wasn’t because there wasn’t anything to worry about, it was a part of my habitual & intentional prioritizing of positivity & peace.

As a wedding photographer now, I’ve been told that I actually bring positivity and peace to my clients’ wedding days! What a compliment! There are so many things about wedding planning & the wedding day that can be stressful and hard and believe me, I’ve witnessed my share of breakdowns and freak-outs. It’s really no wonder though; most people are not at all accustomed to the feeling of being responsible for all the moving parts of a large event (which is why you should hire a planner, but we’ll talk about that more in a sec) and it’s really easy to get overwhelmed with anxiety about everything going perfectly. I get it; you spend a lot of time, energy, and money on your wedding, and you want to enjoy it! You want to walk away that night with a full heart from all the sweet and fun memories you just made, so let’s talk about how to achieve that.

1. Before the Planning Begins

Planning a positive wedding day starts before you even start planning. It’s so easy to jump right into planning once your partner proposes, but try to take a few breaths before you jump into wedding colors and reception playlists. Spend a few weeks catching yourself staring at the sparkles in your ring & getting butterflies when you say the words “my fiancé”. Use that time to set yourself up into the right mindset for planning! Weddings are a celebration, and you’ll enjoy the process of planning it if you’ve already decided to not sweat the small stuff. Mindset is so powerful, it can totally make or break anything you do (and that’s a fact). Talk with your partner about this too! Figure out each others’ expectations (do you want to prioritize romance and mood and your partner wants to prioritize fun and partying?) and set boundaries (like if you already know your great aunt “Meddling Melba” will be a problem).

When you feel settled, start pulling together your wedding plan. And if you’re following my advice to the letter, that means your next step is finding an awesome wedding planner!

2. Hire a Wedding Planner

I know what some of you are thinking: “I’m a great designer, I can make it beautiful myself!” or “My sister is so organized, we can totally handle an event with 100 people!”

Let me stop you right there. Yes, I have had plenty of gorgeous weddings and weddings that run smoothly without a planner. Some people are truly gifted enough to design and execute a large event with no (or little) past experience, and if that’s you, that’s wonderful! But if you’re not sure that’s you, you’ll save yourself (and your sister, mom, or whoever is responsible for coordinating on the wedding day) so much stress and you’ll enjoy the event so much more if you go ahead and include an amazing planner in your budget right from the start.

Great planners are so much more than good designers that are organized. They are event experts that know exactly who the good vendors are in your area (and who to avoid), they are well connected, they’re invested in helping you have the wedding of your dreams, and they know exactly what it will take to achieve it (or they can smartly suggest alternatives if something is out of reach because of budget or other constraints). On the wedding day, planners know how to wrangle all the moving parts and put everything in order so all your planning wasn’t in vain. They know when each vendor will arrive and exactly where they should go, they have tons of experience with improvising if something goes wrong, and they’ll even load your car at the end of the night while you’re celebrating your last few dances with your friends.

3. Find Vendors You Can Trust

With or without a planner, having vendors that you trust is a major part of making it easy to have a positive & stress-free wedding. If you hire a DJ that had some bad reviews but he was the cheapest, I guarantee the stress of wondering if he’ll show up or do a good job will be in the back (or front) of your mind all the way up until your wedding day. If your great uncle has a nice camera and says he can probably make a killer wedding video for you, and you’d rather hire a pro videographer but don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, I promise that will be something that will bring negativity to your wedding. It will be the same for any vendor: DJ, florist, band, bartender, caterer, cake artist, videographer or photographer. Find professional vendors who are experts in their fields, have excellent reputations, and make it obvious online how much they care about their clients. Read reviews like it’s your job!

(If you’re looking for a photographer you can trust, I’m your girl! I also send my clients a list of other types of vendors that I know & trust, to make it easier to plan!)

4. Intentionally Surround Yourself With Positive People

In our hearts, we all know which people in our life bring us up and which ones bring us down. On your wedding day, plan to be surrounded by positive, encouraging, and pleasant people as much as possible. If you know your mom or sister tends to be a Negative Nelly, talk privately with a couple of your most positive bridesmaids or groomsmen about how you’d love to have extra support and encouragement on your wedding day (enough to drown out any negativity that may creep in). It’s amazing how purposeful smiles and silver linings from people you love can counteract the funk that negative people might bring to the atmosphere!

5. Accept that Something Might Go Wrong

This is a big one. Even with all the planning in the world and the best vendors with the most experience, something still may go wrong at your wedding. The officiants’ mic may randomly stop working during your vows, it may start pouring during your outdoor ceremony (never trust Spring in the south), or a guest may bump into your champagne tower and send it all crashing to the ground moments before toasts are supposed to begin. Any of these things would be a bummer, but remembering that the ultimate goal of the day is to get married & have a good time with your family and friends will help you brush off any big or small disasters and get your smile back quickly. And as the hosts, you and your partner set the mood and dictate how much merriment people feel at your wedding, so do your best to have a great attitude (I don’t want you to have any regrets)!

6. Have a Plan B

Lastly, having a backup plan for any parts of your day that could go sideways will give you so much peace and make it so much easier to stay positive if you have to go off course from your original plans. If you’re working with a planner, they’ll be your #1 person to go to and make a plan B with. But while you’re planning, don’t forget to include your vendors by making sure the backup ideas will work with their services too! Once you’ve ironed out a solid plan, tell your bridal party and immediate family and prep them for what might happen if it’s raining or if there’s, you know, a global pandemic or something.

I love my clients so much, and I consider it to be a part of my job to make sure their wedding experience is the best and most stress-free that it can possibly be. I know that the things I’ve explained here will help anyone that implements them, and you can read that in my best teacher or mom voice (whichever makes it feel more convincing to you). Happy planning!

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City and beyond!

Planning a Positive Wedding Day!

Talk about a dream session, y’all. This equestrian golden hour bridal session I did with Steph was the *chef’s kiss* after their amazing wedding at Barn at the Springs earlier this summer. It was an exceptionally humid and hot evening so we were all drenched in sweat by the time we were done, but also SO HAPPY. I freaking love horses and I freaking adore Stephanie, so this session was 100% what I wanted to be doing that day, regardless of bugs or mud or sweat (so. much. sweat), and Stephanie (and her husband and BFF) were such troopers. And boy it was WORTH IT — I came right home and started sorting and editing and quickly realized that it was going to be nearly impossible to choose my favorites. But…somehow I managed, and today I’d love to share those with you guys.

So scroll yourself on down and join me in endlessly admiring some of my favorite images from Stephanie’s sweet equestrian golden hour bridal session!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Equestrian Golden Hour Bridal Session

It rained on me all the way to Delaney & Andrew’s Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm wedding. Rain does tend to put a little kink in wedding plans, but it also has a beautiful way of adding uniqueness to your memories, so I never mind a rainy day. I have 19 clear bubble umbrellas (at last count), weather-resistant cameras, and a raincoat. I dragged all my gear into the venue just a few minutes before the sky opened up again while I shot their beautiful flatlay details. It was dark and might have felt dreary, except that there’s absolutely no way to feel dreary when you’re surrounded by gorgeous tablescapes, some of the best vendors in the business, and most importantly: all the incredible excitement for this precious couple to get married!

And by the time I made my way over to where Delaney and the bridesmaids were getting ready, the rain had stopped. By the time Delaney and Andrew had read each others’ personalized vows and given each other their gifts, the SUN was out!

We got to take the most gorgeous, sunny photos with the wedding party (this crew is a BLAST) and some of the sweetest glowy golden hour bride & groom portraits that I’ll be obsessing over for years to come. It was the most perfect day! Delaney & Andrew’s love for each other is so palpable. The kindness in the way they treat each other is rare. The way he looks at her melts your heart!

Planner: JLK Weddings
Venue: Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm
Rentals: Eventures
DJ: Brock Entertainment
Bar: Koon’s Saloon
Wedding Cake: Jesse Siharath
Groom’s Cake: Rick’s Bakery
Catering: Event Group Catering
Florals: L. Designs
Makeup: Kay Chanthavong
Hair: Yolanda Hand

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Magnificent Stone Chapel at Matt Lane Farm Wedding

THIS SESSION, Y’ALL. I am so in love with Megan & Hunter’s exquisite University of Arkansas engagement session. Not only are these lovebirds absolutely gorgeous together (obviously), but they’re a couple of the kindest people I’ve ever met. The days leading up to this session were full of threats of rain, but Megan is so positive and uplifting. “I’m praying and believing the rain will clear!” she said. And it did!

We spent an hour wandering around the University of Arkansas, finding all the prettiest spots and laughing (and laughing and laughing), and these images are literally everything I was envisioning. I can’t wait for their beautiful wedding at Hunt Chapel this Fall!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Exquisite University of Arkansas Engagement Session

We met on a beautiful Thursday evening for Hailey & Brad’s sunny Bentonville engagement session. Their sweet doggies Maisel & Grey even joined us for a little while (and I can tell you from firsthand experience, they’re just as soft as they look 🥺)!

I can’t wait for their beautiful wedding at Osage House next summer!!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sunny Bentonville Engagement Session

See Katie & Tommy’s gorgeous Osage House wedding!

Sweetest Osage House Bridals

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sweetest Osage House Bridals

I had so much fun at Rebecca & Zach’s sweet Cooper Chapel wedding, y’all! These lovebirds and their families are so kind and thoughtful, and every moment of their day happened just the way it should. When we met for their engagement session several months ago, it didn’t take me long to realize how contagious Becca’s beautiful smile is (you’ll see when you scroll through this blog post 😍) and how much she and Zach are light-hearted and love to have a good time!

Ceremony venue: Cooper Chapel

Reception venue: Embassy Suites

Hair & makeup: Boun Vang

Florist: Somthin’ Borrowed

DJ: Elevate Entertainment

Cake: The Cake Occasion

Videography: Travis Sherman

Invitations: Minted

Bridal gown: Stella York, Raffine Bridal

Rings: John Yourk Jewelry Designs (hers), Riddle’s Jewelry (his)

Party bus: Pinnacle Car Services

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sweet Cooper Chapel Wedding

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Vibrant Osage House Wedding Celebration

Last weekend’s elegant Indian wedding reception in Northwest Arkansas was amazing, y’all. Saranya absolutely radiated beauty and happiness, and I can’t even tell you how many times I noticed Naranjan looking at her with such love and kindness in his eyes. It was incredible to experience some of Saranya & Niranjan’s beautiful culture with their friends and family showering them with adoration and dancing (so much amazing dancing!!), delicious Indian food, and a meaningful prayer sung by the priest that married them in India earlier this year.

And what a party!! DJ JRed absolutely kept the dance floor popping (am I allowed to say popping if I’m 34 years old?) and I’m pretty sure my heart was still synched up with the bass beat from their music several days later.

Scroll down and see how all these amazing vendors came together to make it happen!

Planning + Design: @jlkweddings
Photography: @corriechilders
Videography: @jessicarwhalenfilms
Floral: @pigmintdotcom
Catering: Curry Point
Staffing: @we.r.the.bomb.tnt
Bartending: @mint2mix
Rentals: @partyprorents + @bbjlinen
Cake: @ricksbakeryweddings
Venue: @heroncrest_event
DJ: @jredbeats + @megaDJcompany
Makeup: @makeupby.Boun (bride + 2 bridesmaids) + @_jennreyess (other 3 bridesmaids)

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Elegant Indian Wedding Reception in Northwest Arkansas

Joy contacted me a few months ago about doing some bride and groom portraits of her and her beau Kevin, and I was absolutely giddy! I already know I love working with this gorgeous girl, and I knew that she’d be the most beautiful bride. We decided to meet in downtown Bentonville and man, I am absolutely in love with their sunny downtown Bentonville elopement!

These lovebirds have the sweetest connection with each other, and getting to see them on the day they said their vows was really special. It’s so obvious how in love they are! And when they walked up with that amazing and colorful bouquet from Meus Floral, I almost died of happiness. For reals.

Joy & Kevin, thank you so much for letting me be a small part of the start of your life together! Now scroll down and look at some of my favorites from their beautiful and fun gallery!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Sunny Downtown Bentonville Elopement

Okay guys, listen. The day of Suzi and Forest’s dreamy Arkansas wedding at Cabin Creek Lookout was a SCORCHER. We’ve had such incredible humidity happening in Arkansas this summer, pushing our heat indexes easily into the 100’s (the heat index this day was 103°) and boy, we felt it. I can’t tell you how many bottles of water we drank and how much we wished the mini-fans I brought were actually those big loud air-mover fans, but I can tell you that it was the most beautiful day despite the heat.

Suzi and Forest have the most beautiful, genuinely sweet relationship. The way they look at each other just melts my heart!

Venue: Cabin Creek Lookout

Florals: Vase & Vine

Cake: Tammy White

Rentals: Intents Party Rentals

DJ & lighting: Eastside Soundworks

HMUA: Lauren Worth

Planner: Shelby Cabello Events

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Dreamy Arkansas Wedding at Cabin Creek Lookout

When I saw Juanita and Oscar walking up for their elegant Arkansas engagement session, my heart skipped a beat. Juanita was literally flawless in her gorgeous blue dress, and Oscar’s smart navy suit was perfection. I had 30 minutes in a beautiful location with beautiful light and a beautiful couple, and man we sure did make the most of it. I absolutely loved the time we got to spend together laughing (laughing a LOT) and finding pretty little pockets of light. I can’t wait for their wedding this Fall! Scroll down to see more!

Oh my goshhhhh, y’all. Parker & Katherine’s romantic Arkansas engagement session has my heart SINGING. The colors, the light, and their sweet connection is literally everything I dream of. There was a minute where we wondered if we’d have to reschedule due to rain (this has been the wettest summer ever I swear), but the sun was out and shining. That last couple hours before sunset are so dreamy and glowy and magical, and it absolutely was a magical session. I can’t wait for these cuties’ wedding at Barn at the Springs next Spring 😍

Now scroll down and check out this gorgeous Arkansas engagement session!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Romantic Arkansas Engagement Session

And now for something totally different. A vibrant aquarium couples session!

Allison and Nathan were one of my 2020 wedding couples. They were so excited to get married…and then the panini struck! (Yes, panini. At some point I saw someone call the pandemic a panini online and now that’s all I can call it. I’m just hoping it’s not some dirty slang word that I am too old to understand. Fingers crossed.)

They, like so many of my clients, were faced with a choice. Should they have a tiny wedding? Reschedule all together? Elope?

They chose to have the cutest, sweetest, most precious intimate wedding under a white tent on the lawn of a library in Illinois with the most perfect little touches like a succulent cake and their favorite novels. (Someday I promise I’ll get caught up on blogging and share those photos with you guys!)

And as if their wedding wasn’t adorable enough, Allison asked about my favorite dessert beforehand and brought an entire cheesecake all for me, which I gladly took back to my hotel room and ate all by myself in one evening. Listen, I’m not proud of that fact but I do adore her for the very thoughtful role she played in my gluttony. 😂

When their original wedding date rolled around, Allison told me about their (INCREDIBLY FUN) idea to do a photoshoot in an aquarium. I was stoked. I am still stoked. We had SO much fun in the aquarium and around the outside of the beautiful Union Station in St. Louis, I think I could have photographed their cuteness all day. But we went to lunch instead, where I ate my weight in the best eggplant parmesan this side of the Mississip.

So scroll through these fun and pretty photos of the time we spent together wandering and laughing and gazing at sea creatures!

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Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Vibrant Aquarium Couples Session

Megan and Anthony’s intimate Crystal Bridges wedding was so pretty and perfect. They are such an awesome couple and both have the coolest style (and they were working with the beautiful and talented Maddie of Sonnet Weddings) so I knew it would be a fantastic day, and I was right! The Great Hall at Crystal Bridges was an elegant backdrop for these precious moments in their relationship, and all the personal touches they included just pushed the whole event to such a sweet level.

Meghan and Anthony are so adorable together, and I loved watching them enjoy their day!

Photographer: Corrie Childers

Coordinator: Sonnet Weddings

Hair & makeup: Copper & Oak Salon

Rentals: Eventology

Live painting: Designs by Nicole

Florals: NWA Florist

Cake: Bizzy B’s

String quartet: St. Mark’s2 Quartet

Favors: Alchemy Macarons

Venue: Crystal Bridges

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Intimate Crystal Bridges Wedding

GUYS. This gorgeous summer wedding at Ballroom at I Street was SO MUCH FUN. I got to spend a little time getting to know their sweet personalities before the wedding so I knew there would be plenty of touching moments throughout the day, and Amy & Damon are both dancers so I knew there would be a really fun party at the end! Boy was I right — I can’t even tell you how many moments my eyes filled with tears watching these two together and with their family & friends. And the dance party!? It was E P I C and I left that night thinking I should find somewhere to start taking ballroom dancing lessons. Ha!

The Ballroom at I Street is one of my favorite venues in the area because every part of it is so beautiful, and I love seeing beautiful things happening in those spaces. At the end of the night when everyone went outside to get ready for their sparkler exit, Amy & Damon spent a few minutes dancing together in the big empty space of the ballroom and it was so heartfelt and passionate that it literally brought tears to my eyes.

Now go ahead and scroll down so you can see a small sample of the photos from their incredible day!

Venue | Ballroom at I Street

Hair | Blossom Beauty

Makeup | Jessica Humerick

Florals | Shirley’s Flowers

DJ | Brock Entertainment

Catering & Bar | Event Group Catering

Cake | Shelby Lynn’s

Video | SS Pictures

Rings | Helzberg Diamonds

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Summer Wedding at Ballroom at I Street

Pretty much every time I’ve left a wedding for the last 7 years, I’ve climbed into my car, let out a sigh, and thought to myself, “that was my favorite wedding ever.” And Matt & Stephanie’s elegant Barn at the Springs wedding was no exception. Literally everything was perfect! It is always the most fun time when friends, family and vendors come together and work tirelessly to support a couple’s dream day, and that’s exactly what happened at this wedding. Megan Scrape with Wed By Meg was the bomb (as always) and the Barn at the Springs was the perfect backdrop. Here’s are the rest of the vendors that helped make everything amazing!

Venue | Barn at the Springs

Rentals | Somthin’ Borrowed

Lighting | Lightworks

Planning & Coordinating | Wed by Meg

Hair | Kristen Holden & Natalie Atkinson

Makeup | Meghan Duncan

Florals | Samantha’s Garden

DJ | Brock Entertainment

Bar | Tie1On

Catering | Catering Concepts

Cake | Shelby Lynn’s

Video | Whorton Films

Officiant | Jet Patterson

Favors | Etched in Time

Invitations | Shindig Paperie

Suits | Men’s Warehouse

Bridal Gown | Emily Hart Bridal

Bridesmaids | Kennedy Blue

Bride’s Rings | Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry

Groom’s Ring | Manly Bands

Choreography | Dance by Eliese

Visit CorrieChilders.com
Like Corrie Childers Weddings on Facebook | Follow Corrie Childers Weddings on Instagram

Corrie Childers is a sought-after Northwest Arkansas wedding photographer, Arkansas engagement photographer, Arkansas bridal photographer and Arkansas proposal photographer. Corrie has a natural passion for classic, timeless wedding photography in an elegant and relaxed style. Corrie is currently booking Arkansas weddings in Bella Vista, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs and all of Northwest Arkansas, as well as Little Rock, El Dorado, Dallas, St. Louis, Kansas City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and beyond!

Elegant Barn at the Springs Wedding