A couple of weekends ago, Jeremy and I took a little vacation to Asheville for the weekend. It was part of his birthday celebration, but a much-needed getaway. We had been wanting to visit ever since we moved here and after driving through each time we drove home. Jeremy’s sister lived there soon after college and Jeremy had so many fond memories of his visits with her. The first day called for storms, as you can see in some of the photos below, so we didn’t really make too many plans. Hiking was in the forefront of our minds, but we didn’t want to chance getting caught in a storm. His sweet Aunt Sue Sue lives about an hour outside, so we took up the rare chance to see family and met her outside of Asheville for a fun lunch. The afternoon then consisted of a bunch of aimless exploring. We found some rivers, some parks and the blue ridge parkway. It was nice to have no plans for once!

The one plan we did have for the weekend was a trip to the Biltmore House. Jeremy had been as child, but I hadn’t been. As everyone says, words truly can’t express the grandiose presentation of this house. With 250 rooms and a view of rolling mountains, it’s pretty breathtaking. (I mean, Vanderbilt has lights in his pool at a time when hardly anyone had indoor electricity ..) Once we arrived, we explored the house and then headed to the gardens. We walked for hours and didn’t even see it all. We explored to waterfall, the bass pond, the meadows, the trails, and the list goes on. We definitely plan to head back so we can kayak and hike on the grounds. I just can’t imagine the serenity of living and walking on the property before the hustle and bustle. The weather was just perfect and we couldn’t have asked for a better day. And of course, we finished our stay with a visit to the winery. We couldn’t have asked for a more relaxing getaway!

What a full, full weekend. It was a weekend full of incredible music, fresh strawberries shortcakes, hiking and The Great Gatsby. After a weekend including the Biltmore followed by a weekend with The Great Gatsby, I’ve determined I was born in the wrong decade. Ok, ok, not for the glitz and glamour (well, not entirely ;), I just love the dress of the era. Would I like it once I found more about the dress as a whole? Probably not, but I’ve always been a girl who loves a beautiful dress, and boy, were those some beautiful gowns in The Great Gatsby. I’ve been living in the fantasy of it all since we saw the movie, and I just can’t get over it. I loved the novel before the movie, and seeing the romantic tragedy come to life brought out so many emotions. I’m not usually like this, but when it’s a tragic romance + Leo? Oh man, this little heart flutters. I’ve loved Leo since his days on Growing Pains, and I’m pretty sure he was made to play Gatsby.

Well, as you can tell, I could probably go on about Gatsby all morning long. I would go see it again if the tickets weren’t so expensive! After a full weekend, I have an eager start to the morning, but also a bit of slow start. I’m enjoying this morning with Night Beds in the background, so Night Beds is the band for Music Monday! An incredibly talented friend of ours plays on their newest album, “Country Sleep”, and played with them on Jimmy Fallon a few months back. As small-town kids, we thought it was the coolest thing to watch our friend live on late night TV. As for Night Beds, the band’s biggest single right now is “Ramona,” and it is a good one. The album in general is pretty calm, but this single has a little something extra and you can’t help but sing or beat along.

They’ll be playing at The Mercy Lounge this Friday, and for my Virginia friends, they’ll be coming your way in June. Night Beds will be playing at The Southern, an awesome Charlottesville venue, on June 18. You can see the rest of their tour dates here. 

Be sure to check back on Wednesday for photos from our Asheville trip, and until then, enjoy Music Monday!

**Be sure to refresh your page if you don’t see a playlist here.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” - Philippians 4:12

Enough is a full word. It brings joy and peace, yet for those that don’t have it, it brings anxiety and fear. Sometimes people truly don’t have enough, but most often times, people don’t realize they have enough. I’m guilty of it myself.

Enough is defined as “adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose or to satisfy desire.” Personally, that unpacks quite a load. Enough can be described as adequate for want OR need. It’s sufficient for purpose, but also to satisfy desire. I see a huge difference there. Being in need and being in want are almost polar opposities. Most often what I want is rarely what I need. Some days I want more clients, some days I want a better body, some days I want more time, some days I want a bigger house, some days I want nothing more, either way, some days I want.

I may want, but I rarely need. I’m pretty sure there’s only been a few times where I’ve really felt in need, and it usually has to do with being sick. When I traveled to Ethiopia, I saw a great need, but I didn’t see much “want.” And truthfully, I didn’t see much need past physical needs, as the people I met there were unbelievably joyful, hopeful, happy, giving and caring. They lived in a way I hope to live. They loved and lived in community and were joyful in what they had.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t just sit around wanting all the time, but I think it’s just part of our human nature to want bigger and better. Honestly, I don’t think our society helps that. We go through school being beautifully empowered, but I think that empowerment is so often misguided. “You can be anything you want to be” is so often turned into a ladder-climbing job with security, 2 weeks vacation, and 50-60 hours a week of work. Truthfully, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with a typical 9-5 job, because my husband has a 9-5 with an amazing company and LOVES it. I really don’t think having a typical job or an atypical job is what matters, I think the motive matters. Or, the lack thereof. I just wonder how many people out there that have surrendered dreams for the comfort of a high salary. This definitely isn’t a “one size fits all” observation, but I just see so many people fighting to climb the ladder just to have the bigger house, the nicer score, the elite school for their children and the $500 handbag. (I include myself in this, as I do strive, want and obsess at times)

If you’re still with me, I truly appreciate it because I know it seems like I’m rambling. But, bear with me. I guess what I’m trying to say is, our society never glorifies “enough.” We glorify “more.” More money, more house, more cars, more, more, more. I think it’s beautiful to strive to bigger “things” in your life, I just don’t think the “things” that are worth striving for are material “things.”

A sermon I heard once talked about how our generation wants to have it all, and it’s so true. We want the best body, the most beautiful house, the trendiest clothes, the most organic foods, the fastest laptop, the top-notch education, the successful career, and the list goes on. I don’t think that those things individually are innately bad, but when did having it all become the new normal and the new mindset? When is enough, enough?

Jeremy and I live in a cute little duplex in a fun part of town. Many of our friends are buying and building new houses and we get caught up in the house-buying dream at times, but our duplex is enough. I can’t imagine keeping anything bigger clean! We have small cars and we live on a budget. We aren’t big spenders even if we want to splurge. We try to live in our means. By no means are we doing it all right or have it all together. And boy, do we “want” sometimes.

When I truly sit down and think about my life, I have nothing to complain about, yet  I still do.  It’s rather sad that I get caught up in the frenzy so much, but my new goal is to remember that enough is enough. It’s all we need. The Lord has blessed us with a beautifully simple life full of love and laughter rather than things or big-number salaries. I just pray we can see the beauty in that in every season of our lives. Beyond me and my life, I believe that so many of us have enough. I believe we are just missing the beauty and treasure of enough. It’s hard to see, but it’s even harder to miss.

Enough is beautiful. Enough is freedom. Enough is sufficient. Enough is Enough.

What are your thoughts on enough & when is enough, enough?

It’s one of those Mondays that you have a hard time grasping because I had such an amazing weekend.

After a few months of staying in Nashville, it was finally time for a getaway for the hubby and I. Asheville was our destination and we really didn’t have any plans. The weather kept changing on us, so we couldn’t really make any plans. The truth is though, that was so freeing. Now it’s back to work, but at least we are back to work with a fresh mind and fresh hearts. This week is a little crazy, but I’m not worried a bit because I feel so refreshed. I just can’t wait to show you photos from our trip!! There’s a sneak peek below, but stay tuned Wednesday for a special trip post!

Like I said, this week is a little crazy, but also very exciting. I’m doing a styled shoot on Wednesday so today is a huge final prep day for that, and then we get to go see Brandi Carlile on Friday at the Schermerhorn Symphony. Jeremy and I haven’t had the chance to visit the venue yet, and we are just so excited. We’ve heard it is just beautiful! With that, I figured I’d feature the wonderful Brandi today. I am absolutely in love with her latest album, “Bear Creek,” but here’s a mix of her music to give you a bit of variety. She has such a unique voice and I love her mix of music styles. If you haven’t listened to much of Brandi Carlile, please do yourself a favor and give her a listen!

I got up for the first time in a while for a  morning run, and Leonardo DiCaprio was on Good Morning America. Did I mention the golden retriever feature? So many good things to start the day. And, what’s even better, our sweet nephew Cooper turns the big ONE today!

It’s so crazy to think back to a year ago… Jeremy and I were about a month out from our wedding and we were cheering over the photos we were receiving of our new and long-awaited nephew. Even funnier, the first time we met him was the weekend of our wedding. It was such a beautiful week + weekend of celebration.

What a joy he is. Unfortunately, we don’t get as much time with him as we’d like and only get holiday time with family, but the times we have had with him have been just so great. He’s just a ball of joy and all smiles. Not to mention, all the facetime chats with his smiling face are just wonderful! He even has a little namesake from Jeremy, as Cooper’s middle name is Jeremy! Eat your heart out ladies, I can’t wait to take this little man on an auntie date someday. Happy Birthday, Cooper Duper!

Good morning!

I don’t know about you, but I feel like it was just Friday and now the weekend’s gone. The weekends always go by quickly, but especially this one. Maybe it was all the rain and laziness combined that made for a quick weekend.

For music monday today, I just featured a few artists I’ve been listening too recently: The Staves, Matt Pond and The Wailin’ Jennys. And well, there’s one special song on there I am especially obsessed with— “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Ray. Why, you ask? It’s part of The Great Gatsby soundtrack, and the movie is coming out on Friday!! Oh man, I am so excited. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to see it the day it comes out because we’ll be on our way out of town, but hey, if that’s the reason I’m missing, I’m quite alright with that.

We saw The Staves open for The Civil Wars last year and they were just incredible. They filled The Ryman so beautifully and we’ve been listening to them ever since. Matt Pond has a hit on Lightning 100 in Nashville right now (Love to Get Used) that I’m just in love with, and so I’ve been exploring for more of his music recently. As for The Wailin’ Jennys, Jeremy just introduced them to me (I love having a hubby who knows all the good music), but their sound is so beautiful. Looking forward to listening to more of their music!

Well, enjoy :)

Today is the birthday of my very best friend and husband, Jeremy.

I’m not really sure how to write a birthday post, because I’m not really sure words can be sufficient in this case. But here are 10 fun facts about Jeremy:

–Jeremy can make a joke out of anything and loves a good laugh… the worst thing you could do to him is to not laugh at his jokes. Sometimes I wonder if his true calling is to be a stand-up comedian.
–Jeremy drives a white focus and I can’t imagine him in another car.
–He has a heart unlike any other man I’ve ever known. He’s so selfless, so patient and so kind. He’s especially patient with me, and I’m forever grateful for that.
–Jeremy was part of a dance prank on the quad at JMU our freshman year…him and his roomies danced to “call on me”–youtube it!
– Jeremy is an Eagle Scout!
–Jeremy is an amazing friend–he’ll bend over backwards for you and loves everyone he meets.
–Jeremy spent two summers on the river as a white-water rafting guide, pretty BA right?
–Jeremy’s pretty stylish too…can’t you tell? He’s one handsome devil and I love that he’s all mine.
–Jeremy used to play bass in a rock band. Skinny jeans? Yes sir!
–Jeremy is always Jeremy. He never tries to be someone else to impress, He’s just himself and I have a lot to learn from him. He treats every single person he meets the same way, and I find that beautiful.

So there ya have it, my best friend and husband. He’s amazing and I’ll always be thankful for him and for the man he is. We’ll be starting our birthday celebration with a little Cracker Barrel–we’re excited! Send him some birthday love today!

I don’t always have rhyme or reason for who I feature on Music Monday. Sometimes it’s a new artist I’m loving, sometimes it’s a talented friend here in Nashville, and sometimes it’s just what I’m feeling. After an amazing show at The Ryman this weekend, I wanted to redo last week’s playlist for Band of Horses because I have so many favorites now–they were incredible live! They even opened up for themselves. Yep, you heard right. They played an acoustic set to open, had the crew change the set and then came back out to rock it out. They are even better live than recorded. That’s usually a hard feat, but not for them.

Anyways, this morning, Lord Huron is on the dock.

Jeremy introduced me to his music a while back and I fell in love with the song “Time to Run,” it’s such a fun one. I hadn’t listened to him in a while and this morning I was searching for the perfect artist, something I was feeling this morning, and Lord Huron hit the spot. A few beats, a little mellow and a nice sound…perfect for a Monday morning. It even reminds me a little bit of summertime at the beach, and that’s always a good thing.

Well, give him a listen and let me know what you think! Which song of his is your favorite?

**Remember to refresh your page if you don’t see the playlist, sometimes it doesn’t show up for whatever reason!

Happy Monday!

To celebrate this wonderful Friday, I have a beautiful couple to show off. This session actually started out pretty hilarious in my book. We met on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and began our mini hike through the park to find our starting place. Well, leave it to me to have an accident before I even pull out my camera. While taking a little detour, a limb got caught in my sandals and left a mini gash in my foot. I say gash, but it really wasn’t that bad…it was just more than a cut. So, for the remainder of the shoot, Ryan + Caroline had to put up with this limping photographer with a tissue as a band-aid. Guys, thank you so much for putting up with my lack of gracefulness!

Anyways, Ryan + Caroline are another awesome couple and I’m so thankful they chose me to document this special time in their life. I met Ryan + Caroline through a mutual friend, Julie. You may know Julie from her + her husband’s session, and I’m so glad she referred them to me. Ryan + Caroline just recently moved to Alabama, so they wanted to include a very “Nashville” spot, and they chose the pedestrian bridge—I think it was the perfect choice. Their style was so complementary and they were naturals! The love between these two is contagious and though I’ve only known them for a short time, I’m so glad I had the opportunity to tell their story. Congratulations, you two! May your marriage be full of true joy, blessings, laughter and a peace that is overwhelming.

Without further ado, meet Ryan + Caroline!

The rain is back in Nashville, but I do have a cheery face this morning for you. As you know, I specialize in weddings, but every once in a while, I do an occasional family/baby session. Though Jeremy and I don’t plan on having children for a long time (we are on the 5-7 year plan haha), I’ve always had a sweet spot for children. They are just so innocent and don’t take anything too seriously. They have a joy for life and I love that reminder.

With a background in photojournalism, I take a documentary approach to lifestyle sessions. I believe the real moments and personal exchanges between families, couples, etc are where the beauty of life are found. Those are the moments that can transport you to a time or a feeling, and getting to capture that is so rewarding.

This little man is Levi. He’s the son of a friend of mine and he’s a precious little one. This was his first session for 3 months, and I’ll be taking his portraits every 3 months for the first year, it’ll be so fun to watch him grow!

**Also, if you would like to see more lifestyle/photojournalism, I do have a separate portfolio over at www.amynicolecherry.com. It’s a work in progress, but I wanted a place to showcase some more personal and lifestyle work.