It was a drizzly afternoon in Nunnelly, Tennessee when I pulled up to Five Star Retreat to capture Diane and Dave’s wedding day. The Five Star Retreat sprawls across gravel-paved knolls west of Nashville, Tennessee and includes a pond, lodge, chapel, and series of cabins for overnight stays and out of town guests.

Diane and Dave met on a dating app and, not thinking much would come of it, planned a date at a local bar soon after messaging one another. Diane was pretty skeptical about online dating, but Diane’s friend and maid of honor, Tanya, encouraged her to go on the date since it wasn’t like she was going to marry the first guy she went on a date with.

The date, as most things in life, did not go as planned. Diane was three hours late and Dave had started drinking without her. By all logical reasoning, there was no reason for there to be a second date, but both Diane and Dave knew there was something special between them. So to everyone’s surprise, perhaps including the two of them, Diane and Dave went on a second date where they spent hours and hours laughing and getting to know each other.

Fast forward to 2020: Diane and Dave live overseas in Okinawa, Japan where Dave is based for his work in the military. There is a 14 hour time difference between Okinawa and Nunnelly, where Diane was planning her wedding. She often stayed up until 3 or 4 in the morning emailing and coordinating with vendors in Tennessee to make her wedding perfect. Meanwhile, Dave was spending days as a pararescue working on base or jumping out of airplanes. Together, they are a kind, good-humored, thrill-seeking couple who love to bring friends together.

Five Star Retreat was the perfect spot for their intimate wedding. The rain ebbed just in time for a wonderful couple’s session at the chapel and into a hidden cove. These two carry such a natural joy between them, and capturing their dynamic was an easy pleasure. Diane and Dave spent much of the wedding day visiting family and friends they hadn’t seen since going overseas. The warmth among all those in attendance was tangible. I’m so grateful to have been a part of it.

Special Thanks and Love

To Five Star Retreat for hosting Diane, Dave, and their families and friends

To Shelby of Vow Collective for being an amazing friend and photographer

To Kris at Wildwood Event Co. for absolutely crushing the planning and coordinating (that 14 hour time difference!)

To Meg at The Florista for that spectacular spray on the arbor and the whimsical bouquets wow wow wow

To The Pink Lady Catering for making sure we were all fed with amazing meals

To Luxe Redux Bridal in Cincinnati for helping Diane fall in love with her dress

To Olive Branch Bakery for the delicious wedding cake

To Nashville Party Authority for getting the party started and keeping it going

THE TRAILER

THE HIGHLIGHT

Want more real wedding content like this in your eyeballs? Check out Sam and AJ’s Elopement in Key Largo or Anna and Steven’s Wedding at Riverwood Mansion.