Tennesee-based couple Carlsey Bibb and Caden Mills got engaged and were planning for engagement portraits. They knew they wanted something different than the typical photo locations in their town. So, they asked friend and photographer Shea Cravens of Hunter Lashea Photography if she had any ideas. A photographer’s vision sees beyond what's in front of them and what could be, so Cravens suggested a shoot at Olive Garden—yes, the Italian chain restaurant—and the couple trusted her imagination.
The resulting engagement photos don’t look like they’re at Olive Garden at all; it seems like Bibb and Mills are at a winery far away from Tennessee. Surrounded by stone architecture, rustic wood beams, and blossoming flowers, Cravens cropped the compositions so that there’s no mention of Olive Garden—just beautiful scenery and a sweet couple in love.
Cravens and the couple planned a sunrise photoshoot in order to work around the restaurant hours and not disrupt any diners. This also gave them an ample pick of settings that allowed Cravens to execute her vision. “When we started planning to do Carlsey and Caden's engagement photos,” she says, “Carlsey had full trust in my idea, and I’m so grateful.”
Cravens shared the final photos in a video on TikTok. “When you want Italy vibes for your engagement photos,” she writes, “but you live in Tennessee… so you take your photos at Olive Garden.” The ingenuity of the shoot caused the post to quickly go viral with commenters fawning over never-ending love celebrated at the site of never-ending breadsticks.
Olive Garden turned out to be the perfect location for Tennesee-based couple Carlsey Bibb and Caden Mills’ engagement photos.
Photographed by Shea Cravens of Hunter Lashea Photography, you would've never known they were at Olive Garden.
With stone architecture and picturesque landscaping, the rustic setting looks like it's far away from Tennesee.
Cravens shared the photos on TikTok, where the video went viral. Watch it below:
@hunterlasheaphotography tennessee but with Italy Vibes✨ #engagementphotos #engagementphotoshoot #engagementpictures #bride #weddingtiktok ♬ original sound – Shea Cravens
