There are a couple things that come to mind when I consider what it takes to have a truly wonderful wedding venue. #1, photography opportunities, of course. #2, simple classy style that can be used for any wedding day aesthetic. #3, flexible space for any number of guests. At Thomas Jefferson Tower, they have all of the bases covered! From the immaculate huge windows, to the creamy white stone building, to the huge event space, you truly cannot go wrong with hosting your wedding day here.
A few short weeks ago, I had the honor to capture Abby and Kip’s wedding day, starting at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church and ending the night at Thomas Jefferson Tower for the reception. Their wedding took place on a perfectly beautiful autumn day, and it was a privilege to work with all the wonderful vendors to make Abby’s wedding day dreams come to life. I wanted to share some highlights from this day, while also giving huge credits to Thomas Jefferson Tower for the wonderful reception venue. If you don’t want to see these lovely and timeless photos of the whole wedding and are just here to see details about Thomas Jefferson Tower, skip to the bottom (although I really hope you will stick around!)!
We started the day at the beautiful Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, AL, where I styled her details and took some quick photos of her getting into her dress. Abby is such a stunning bride, and you can tell from these photos how emotional this day was for everyone as she and her mom shared a tender moment.
After these photos, we went outside to get some bridal portraits of Abby. I find it so important and key to a wedding day for the bride to have these few moments along to be able to take everything in and reflect
Once the bridal portraits were done, her girl gang joined her to get photos with all of the bridesmaids. It was so fun to see and capture their relationships and to see everyone’s personalities come out during this time!
Next, we took photos of the groom and his groomsmen, so the ladies hid away during this time. It is always so fun to see the guys support the groom and goof off with him!
Finally, it was time for the first look. Abby and Kip shared a quiet moment alone as I took photos from a distance to give them some space. After a couple of minutes, we walked around and took portraits in a couple spots around the church. I love how the fall colors are really showing through on this day!
After we had about 30-40 minutes with just the two of them, we called out the bridal party for photos with everyone. Abby and Kip sure did have a huge crowd of loving family and friends to support them on their wedding day!
Next we took photos with groups of family, and I won’t share those here except for these two photos with both of their parents. It is so important to get good photos with your parents on your wedding day!
At this point in the day, we had a couple minutes to rest before the ceremony. I love how this black and white film turned out for the wedding ceremony!
Annnddd, they are husband and wife! I loved capturing these candids of the new Mr. and Mrs. Clark as they exited the ceremony and headed to the vintage trolley, which would take them to the reception.
And now we have come to the main event of the day…the reception at Thomas Jefferson Tower!
Of course, before they were announced, I had to grab some photos of the newlyweds in front of this beautiful building to really capture the essence of the day. Look how happy they are!!
During the reception, I used a toy camera (called the Holga) to capture some black and white images of the main events during the reception. I love how photojournalistic and intimate these photos turned out!!
Here are the links to all of the vendors we worked with on this wedding day!
Photographer: Shelby Willoughby | Wedding Planner/Coordinator: Threefold Events | Florals: Branch and Bloom | Catering: The Happy Catering Co | Hair and Makeup: Make Up Mel | Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church | Reception venue: Thomas Jefferson Tower Events | Dress Designer: Jenny Yoo | Cakes: Magnificent Cakes | Band: Blanton Reed Band | Alcohol: TJ Tower Events | Draping: Decor2Adore | Transportation: Prideline Transportation
While you are here, I would absolutely love to be your wedding photographer. So reach out via the inquire button above and I can’t wait to chat with you soon!
I'm Shelby, your Alabama Wedding Photographer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for checking out this blog post. I hope you find it helpful in your journey of wedding planning.
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