The Gear and Details

Camera Bodies: 2 Sony A9
Lenses: Sony 24mm G Master, Sigma Art 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 135mm, Sony 28–70mm f/2 GM
Flash: Profoto A10

Film Gear
Camera: Leica MA
Lenses: Voigtländer 21mm, 35mm, 90mm
Flash: Godox Lux Senior Retro Camera Flash

Coverage:
2 photographers over 11 hours

Photographer: Anastasia Shaydakova

Setting the Scene

“The wedding had a very cinematic and dramatic feeling to it. Between the architecture of the Parthenon, the deep red florals, candlelight, and the large draping installation, every part of the celebration felt intentional”

“A lot of the direction behind the wedding came from the groom’s Greek roots and his background in filmmaking. The couple chose the Nashville Parthenon because it is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, which gave the wedding a deeper personal connection beyond the visual impact of the venue itself. They also incorporated decor pieces and objects from their own home into the celebration, making the design feel more personal and reflective of their life and aesthetic together.”

Pre-Wedding

“My second shooter, Jannet, photographed the groom getting ready at the couple’s home. She immediately sent me the text commenting on how absolutely unique the interiors felt. Full of character, layered detail, and a strong sense of personal style. I encouraged her to document not only the preparations, but also the atmosphere of the space itself, allowing the home’s design to become an important visual thread throughout the gallery.”

“Because we had already photographed a substantial amount of bride and groom portraits the day before, we kept their wedding-day portraits brief and intentional. We focused on a few dramatic images near the drapery at the entrance of the Parthenon, which became one of the strongest visual statements of the day. To fully capture the scale and impact of the installation, we had to work with challenging light, although it appeared soft and warm, the sun was quite harsh on their faces and eyes. Rather than spending too much time in direct light, we also used the shaded side of the drapery to create a softer atmosphere while still preserving the architectural presence of the setting.”

“Julia and Stephen did not want to spend a large portion of the day on bridal party portraits, so family photos and bridal party were all taken in the same location to keep the flow of the day relaxed.”

“I chose the shaded side of the Parthenon steps leading toward the ceremony space, where the soft beige tones of the architecture and greenery created a timeless backdrop. The bridesmaids' deep red dresses stood out beautifully on film against the warm and muted surroundings. The stairs also naturally allowed for layered compositions, which helped give the group portraits more depth and structure while still feeling effortless.”

‘A Favourite Frame’
I was drawn to the way the light passed through both the veil and the tulips, softening the entire frame and making her almost dissolve into the scene. The transparency of the lace, veil, and flowers created this layered, weightless and dreamlike feeling.

Ceremony

“The ceremony took place inside a tent draped with fabric installations by the textile artist Mia Sylvia, positioned beside the Parthenon itself. Guests remained comfortable within the space, though from a photography perspective it felt slightly tight to move through during key moments of the processional.”

‘A Dramatic Entrance’
The entrance felt especially dramatic, as the bride and her father-in-law walked down from the Parthenon itself toward the tented ceremony space. Because of that scale and movement, I asked my second shooter to step back and capture a wider perspective from behind while I photographed from the front. The staircase gave me a few extra moments to frame the entrance, allowing the full gates and statue to remain visible within the composition. I also captured a few lower-angle frames and close-up images as they made their way into the tent using my Sony 28-70mm lens.

Portraits

“I photographed a studio session with the couple prior to the wedding.. They envisioned dramatic portraits set against a black backdrop, inspired by vintage fashion imagery and old Vogue editorials. Using both color and black-and-white film, I created a series of refined, vintage-inspired portraits that felt cinematic and atmospheric. The session focused on expressive images of Julia alongside striking couple portraits, adding an editorial layer to the overall wedding story. Since I don’t work in a studio setting, it became a refreshing creative challenge that pushed me to approach portraiture in a different way.”

The After After Party
“After the celebration, the couple headed back to their home in a vintage car, and we followed to capture a few final moments of the evening. One of the moments I was most excited to document was Stephen carrying Julia into the house as newlyweds.

I especially wanted to capture the scene from outside the home, almost as an observer looking in, photographing their first kiss inside the house as husband and wife. We then ended the night with a short portrait session inside the home-a moment I had been looking forward to ever since Jannet photographed Stephen getting ready there earlier in the day and showed me the beautiful interiors of the house.”

Reception

“The reception space was absolutely incredible and photos-spacious, with warm, soft light that allowed us to create moody and dramatic images throughout the evening, both with and without flash.”

“While guests were having dinner inside the Parthenon, I slipped away to photograph the evening dance space before everyone transitioned over. I was in awe of how quickly the planners transformed the tent from the ceremony setting into a completely different atmosphere for the evening celebration. In the blink of an eye, it became warm, intimate, and inviting - the perfect setting for both conversation and dancing. I documented the details using both digital and 800-speed film to preserve the texture, ambient light, and overall mood before guests arrived. As dinner came to an end and everyone transitioned into the tent for the dance portion of the evening, the bride stepped away for an outfit change. During that transition, me and my second shooter focused on capturing candid moments as guests flooded into the space and the energy of the night began to build.”

The Leica + Manual Flash Risk
Shooting on a fully manual film camera, especially during a wedding day, and adding a manual flash is a big risk. I have to constantly think about my distance from the subject, the power of the flash, the film speed I’m using, and the final feeling I want the image to have. I used this setup throughout different parts of the wedding, but I specifically knew I wanted to use my Leica with a 35mm lens and direct flash during the cake cutting. It’s one of my favorite combinations to shoot with, and even though it’s always a bit of a risk during key moments, the images turned out exactly how I hoped.

Closing Thoughts

“What I appreciated most about Julia and Stephen’s wedding was how present they were throughout the entire day. Even with such a large-scale and visually detailed celebration, they never disappeared into the production of it and stayed very connected to each other and to the people around them.”