Wedding Styled Shoot at McCoy Farm and Gardens

One of the wonderful things about Chattanooga and the surrounding areas are the quiet wedding venues and outdoor spaces that no one knows are there. There are some pretty places that are just outside the city that locals use to enjoy nature. On Signal Mountain, in the small town of Walden, sits McCoy Farms and Gardens. This historical location boasts walking trails, a manor house and arboretum. It also serves as a small wedding venue and was the perfect place for a wedding styled shoot in Chattanooga!

This was my second year attending The Reset Conference, and it was actually held in Chattanooga for 2023. Photographers and creatives who attended the conference were able to sign up for additional workshops and styled shoots. Because I’m local to the area, I wanted to participate in extra learning opportunities such as a styled shoot. I had never visited McCoy Farms and Gardens before, and I was delightfully surprised at the beauty and history with the venue. They have thirty-eight acres of land complete with an apple orchard, an old barn, blacksmith house, and many species of trees.

A Property Rich in History

The Bachman-McCoy property dates back to October 1863 during the time of the Civil War. The Union Army seized it from a local shoemaker to use as a stopover for their provisions that were headed to Chattanooga. Jonathan Waverly Bachman was a chaplain in the war under the Generals Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. He moved to Chattanooga in 1873 and was the pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga for fifty-one years.

He raised his family here and the property and manor house stayed in the family for the next two generations. Martha Bachman McCoy inherited the property from her father Nathan Bachman, a former Tennessee Senator. Upon her death, Martha left the entire property and manor house to the city of Walden in 2004.

Gorgeous Colors and “Celebrity” Models

I loved all of the light pastel colors and textures that were used for this wedding styled shoot in Chattanooga! The main reception table was set up on the front porch of the main house. The table settings included diverse floral arrangements in the center, gray and white floral tablecloths, green glazed china, dark candlesticks, and an embossed menu card outlining the wedding meal.

Our gorgeous models, who are a real life couple, were so natural in front of the camera. Not to mention, they were dead ringers for actors for Ryan Gosling and Rose Byrne! All of us really thought we were photographing a celebrity wedding.

We took pictures on the main property around the manor house and used the shaded area of the side porch to capture the wedding details. I loved the vintage ring box and the large floral arrangement that surrounded the simple frosted four tiered wedding cake. All of the colors complimented the grounds and neutral colors of stone on the manor house. After the shoot was complete, we were encouraged to take home extra flowers. I left with the bouquet as a gift for my mom and made a small arrangement for my kitchen window.

This wedding styled shoot at McCoy Farm and Gardens wasn’t just amazing because of the vendors and models. All of the photographers, wedding vendors and the host were incredibly nice, accommodating, and supportive. We made sure that we weren’t in someone’s shot, another photographer helped with shading in the full sun, and I was inspired by how others were shooting. This wedding styled shoot at McCoy Farm and Gardens was hands down the best one I have ever done! I can’t wait to come back again to take more photos!

If you’re planning on a wedding at this venue or another location in Chattanooga, please reach out via my contact page so we can talk more details!

Styled Shoot Vendors

Host: Tracy Burch Photography 

Design / Planning / Floral Design / Stationary: Giselle Smith 

Venue: McCoy Farm & Gardens

Beauty: Gabriella Bordo 

Gown: Twirl

Shoes: Bella Belle

Linens: Nuage Designs