Cheekwood Estate & Gardens

The Beauty of Cheekwood

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is one of Nashville's true cultural treasures. Originally the private residence of the Cheek family, whose Maxwell House coffee fortune built the 30,000-square-foot Georgian mansion in the 1930s, the property was later gifted to the public and transformed into a botanical garden and art museum. Today, it is a place where manicured formal gardens flow into wildflower meadows, where stone pathways wind through towering boxwood hedges, and where the mansion itself stands as a monument to a certain kind of timeless Southern elegance.

What makes Cheekwood exceptional for wedding photography is the sheer variety of environments within a single property. You can shoot formal portraits on the mansion's limestone terrace, then walk thirty seconds to a whimsical garden room surrounded by blooming hydrangeas, then continue down a wooded path to an open meadow with rolling views of the Nashville hills. That diversity means your wedding gallery will have incredible visual range without any long drives between locations. The property does the work for you, and all I need to do is guide you through it and capture what unfolds naturally.

Botanical Garden Photo Locations

Cheekwood's gardens are organized into distinct garden rooms, each with its own character and seasonal personality. The Wills Perennial Garden bursts with color from spring through fall and provides a lush, layered backdrop that feels almost tropical in midsummer. The Shomu-en Japanese Garden offers a serene, contemplative atmosphere with clean lines, a reflecting pool, and carefully placed stones that create a sense of quiet beauty. The Robertson Color Garden is a favorite for spring weddings, when thousands of tulips create carpets of color that make every image pop.

For couple portraits, I particularly love the long allees and formal pathways that connect different sections of the garden. These symmetrical corridors, often lined with neatly clipped hedges or overarching tree branches, create natural leading lines that draw the viewer's eye directly to the couple. The effect is both elegant and organic, and it works beautifully whether you are in a full ballgown or a simple slip dress. The mansion's rear terrace is another favorite, where the stone balustrade and sweeping lawn provide a stately backdrop that feels lifted from the pages of a European travel magazine.

• The Wills Perennial Garden for vibrant, color-rich couple portraits
• Shomu-en Japanese Garden for serene, reflective ceremony or portrait settings
• The Robertson Color Garden in spring for breathtaking tulip-framed images
• Mansion rear terrace with stone balustrade and panoramic lawn views
• Formal garden allees and boxwood pathways for editorial-style portraits
• Woodland trails for intimate, nature-immersed couple moments

Seasonal Wedding Considerations

Cheekwood's gardens are alive year-round, but each season brings a dramatically different experience, and understanding those differences is essential for planning both your wedding and your photography. Spring is peak season at Cheekwood, and for good reason. From late March through May, the gardens explode with color as tulips, daffodils, cherry blossoms, and dogwoods bloom in succession. The light during spring afternoons is soft and warm, and the fresh green of new growth creates a backdrop that photographs with extraordinary vibrancy. If you have your heart set on a spring Cheekwood wedding, I recommend booking both the venue and your photographer as early as possible, because these dates go quickly.

Summer at Cheekwood is lush and full, with perennials in full bloom and the tree canopy providing welcome shade for outdoor ceremonies and portraits. The light can be intense during midday, so I recommend late afternoon ceremonies to take advantage of the softer golden hour light that filters through the gardens. Fall brings its own magic as the property's extensive tree collection turns to amber, crimson, and gold. The contrast between the warm foliage and the cool stone of the mansion is stunning in photographs. Even winter has its appeal at Cheekwood, with the architectural bones of the gardens visible in stark, beautiful relief and the mansion serving as a warm, elegant backdrop.

Whatever season you choose, I always recommend a pre-wedding visit to the property together. We will walk the grounds at the same time of day as your ceremony, observe where the light falls, and identify the strongest locations for portraits based on what is in bloom. This preparation ensures that on your wedding day, we can move efficiently and confidently from one garden room to the next, maximizing our time and capturing the full beauty of the property.

Planning Your Cheekwood Wedding

Cheekwood Estate weddings require a bit more logistical planning than some venues, simply because the property is so expansive. The good news is that the estate's event team is experienced and organized, and they will help you navigate the options for ceremony sites, reception areas, and guest flow. From a photography perspective, I coordinate closely with the venue team to ensure we have access to the garden rooms we want during the specific windows when the light is best.

One practical tip for Cheekwood weddings: build buffer time into your portrait schedule. The gardens are so beautiful that it is tempting to try to visit every corner of the property, but rushing through them defeats the purpose. I recommend choosing three or four key locations and spending quality time at each one rather than racing through ten spots in the same amount of time. This approach produces stronger, more varied images because it allows for genuine moments to unfold rather than constant repositioning.

Cheekwood Estate is a venue that rewards couples who appreciate beauty, craftsmanship, and the natural world. If the idea of exchanging vows surrounded by decades-old gardens and architectural grandeur speaks to you, I would love to be part of your day. Take a look at my wedding photography packages or send me a note to begin planning your Cheekwood wedding. Whether you are dreaming of a spring garden ceremony or an autumn celebration on the mansion terrace, this property will deliver a Nashville wedding experience that is truly one of a kind.