THE RURAL SOUTHERN
BELLE TEAM INFO
THE RURAL SOUTHERN BELLES
CLASS OF 2028
I seriously cannot believe it’s already time to start looking for my Class of 2028 Rural Southern Belles!! 💗
Whether you’ve been following the Belles for years waiting for your turn to apply, you know one of my current or past Belles, or you literally just found out about the team this year, I’m SO happy you’re here.
The Rural Southern Belles started as my senior model team, but over the years it has turned into one of my absolute favorite parts of Rural Southern Photography. Of course we take a ridiculous amount of pictures 😂 but there is so much more to it than that. We have themed shoots, events, random extra shoots whenever I come up with another idea I just have to do, group chats, trips and destination opportunities, and an entire year of getting to know girls from schools all over East Tennessee.
One of my favorite things is watching girls show up at the beginning of the year not knowing anyone and then seeing the friendships that come from it. Some girls join with their best friend, some don't know a single person, and both are completely okay. You don't have to be a certain “type” of girl to be a Belle. I want a team full of different personalities, interests, schools, styles, and girls who are genuinely excited to be here.
And while the Belles are a huge part of my business, I also take choosing each class really seriously. These are girls I’m going to spend a LOT of time with over the next year, photograph throughout their senior year, cheer on, probably send way too many messages to 😂 and have representing Rural Southern Photography.
So before you apply, I want you AND your parents to look through this entire page together. I’m going to tell you what being a Belle actually looks like, what’s included, what I expect from you, what you can expect from me, the investment, and basically everything else you need to know.
Then, if you get to the bottom and you’re still thinking “okay yep, I want to do this”...
I cannot wait to read your application. 💗
xo, Kasey
HI...I'M KASEY!
Now that we've gotten to know each other, let's dive into the good stuff!
I’m the photographer behind Rural Southern Photography and the person behind all of the Rural Southern Belles chaos. 😂 If you become a Belle, you’re going to be seeing a LOT of me over the next year, so we might as well get to know each other a little first!
A few things about me: I’m a dog mom, Disney lover, hockey fan, concert addict, Swiftie, Jonas Brothers girl forever, Dr Pepper enthusiast, and I will pretty much always say yes to a trip. I live on my family farm here in East Tennessee with dogs, cows, chickens, and turkeys, so when I’m not photographing seniors or sitting at my computer editing, there’s a very good chance I’m hanging out with one of them or doing something around the farm.
Photography has been part of my life since I was in high school, and I actually have a bachelor’s degree in photography from Carson Newman University. I’ve photographed all kinds of things over the years, but seniors are where I found the thing I genuinely LOVE doing.
Getting to know each senior, figuring out what makes them *them*, planning a session around their personality, and then watching them see their photos for the first time will never get old to me. The Belles just take that a step further because instead of getting to spend one session with you, I get to be part of your entire senior year.
So yes, I’m your photographer... but I’ll probably also be the person telling you your outfit is cute, fixing your hair, sending something random in the group chat, convincing everyone we need to do yet another photo shoot, and cheering you on all year long. 🤍
in case we haven't met...
What to expect
Okay, so you’ve read about the Belles, you’re on the VIP list, and you’re thinking this might be for you… now let’s talk about what actually happens next. 💗
01
Applications officially open October 1st!
You’ll receive the application link directly through the Belle VIP list. Take your time filling it out and, most importantly, just be yourself. I’m not looking for perfect answers or trying to find one specific “type” of girl. I genuinely want to get to know YOU and why you want to be part of the Rural Southern Belles.
There will also be a spot to submit a short video telling me a little more about yourself and why you want to be a Belle. It does not need to be edited, fancy, or perfectly planned out. Grab your phone, talk to me like you would if we were sitting together, and let your personality come through. 💗
Your parent or guardian will have a portion to complete as well, so make sure you go through the application together before submitting!
***APPS DUE BY OCT 15TH***
The application
02
THEN I START CHOOSING MY 2028 BELLES 👀
Once applications close, I sit down and go through every single one. And I mean REALLY go through them. I read your answers, watch your videos, look through everything you send me, and start putting together the next Belle class.
Choosing a team is never as simple as picking the girls with the longest list of activities or the biggest Instagram following. I’m looking at the whole person, the personalities that could make up the group, and girls who genuinely seem excited about being involved.
Then comes one of my FAVORITE parts…
03
BELLE BOXES 💌
If you are selected for the Class of 2028, your parent or guardian will actually find out first!
I’ll reach out to them privately with the acceptance information, contract, payment options, and the deadline to secure your spot. Before you can officially become a Belle, your contract must be signed and the required first payment must be completed by that deadline.
Once everything is taken care of, THEN comes one of my favorite parts... your parent has to keep a pretty big secret while I get your official Rural Southern Belle box ready. 🤫💗
That box is how YOU get to find out that you officially made the Class of 2028!
So if your parents suddenly start acting a little suspicious around Belle announcement time... maybe don’t ask too many questions. 😂
04
AND THEN WE GET STARTED
Once the team is official, you’ll be added to our Belle groups so you can start getting to know everyone, and then we’ll have our official Meet & Greet before we kick off the year together.
From there, the shoots, events, random ideas I come up with 😂 and everything else officially begins.
This is where the fun part really starts.
Being a Rural Southern Belle means you’re part of Rural Southern Photography for your entire senior year. You’ll be featured on my website, social media, marketing, and all kinds of things throughout the year, so yes, you are representing my business, but I’ve never wanted the Belles to feel like girls I chose just to advertise for me. I want girls who are genuinely excited to be here.
I want you to show up, have fun, support the other girls, share the photos you love, give me your ideas, and actually be involved in the experience. Some of my favorite Belle shoots and events have come from random ideas, things the girls wanted to try, or conversations that started in our group chats. 😂
One of the coolest parts of the team is that you’re going to meet girls from schools all over East Tennessee that you probably never would have met otherwise. Some girls apply with friends, some come in knowing absolutely nobody, and I’ve watched so many unexpected friendships happen because of this team.
I’m also really big on making sure the Belles is a place where everyone feels welcome. I don’t expect everyone to instantly become best friends, because let’s be real, putting a group of teenage girls together and promising that would be ridiculous. 😂 But I DO expect my Belles to be kind, supportive, respectful, and willing to cheer each other on.
WHAT BEING A BELLE ACTUALLY MEANS
At the end of the day, I want this to be a group you’re excited to be part of, not just something you joined because you wanted more pictures.
And trust me... there will still be PLENTY of pictures. 💗
let's talk investment
I know this is one of the biggest questions for parents, so let’s get right into it!
But this isn’t an additional fee just to be part of the team. Your Belle investment includes your individual senior session with Rural Southern Photography PLUS everything you’ll get to be part of throughout your year as a Belle.
$1495
for the full Belle experience
including your individual senior session
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Your Individual Senior Session
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Official Belle Meet and Greet
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Our Big Styled Group Shoot
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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At Least Four Additional Belle Shoots
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Digital Images From Your Belle Shoots
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Extra + Pop Up Shoot Opportunities
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Belle Events + Activities
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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Basically, you’re getting the full Rural Southern senior experience plus an entire year of Belle shoots, events, photos, and opportunities along with it.
LET's talk payment plans...
I offer three different payment options for the Rural Southern Belle experience so you can choose what works best for your family.
You’re always welcome to pay the full investment upfront, or you can split it into a few payments instead. Either way, the goal is to keep everything simple and easy to plan for!
OPTION ONE: PAY IN FULL
You will make a 1 time payment of $1495 and not have to worry about anything else for the rest of the year!
ALL FIRST PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE WITHIN 72 HOURS OF SIGNING CONTRACT.
OPTION TWO: SPLIT INTO 2 PAYMENTS
You will make two equal payments of $747.50.
ALL FIRST PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE WITHIN 72 HOURS OF SIGNING CONTRACT.
OPTION THREE: SPLIT INTO 4 PAYMENTS
You will make four equal payments of $373.75.
ALL FIRST PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE WITHIN 72 HOURS OF SIGNING CONTRACT.
Your first payment and signed contract are required to officially secure your spot on the Class of 2028 team. Once those are taken care of, you’re officially a Belle! 💗
After that, we can get to the fun stuff.
REQUIREMENTS
01. SHOW UP FOR THE REQUIRED EVENTS
I know senior year is BUSY. Between school, sports, work, family, vacations, and everything else you have going on, I do not expect you to make every single thing we do.
There will only be two required Belle events/shoots throughout the year, and those dates will be shared with you ahead of time. Everything else is optional, but of course, the more you’re able to come to, the more you’ll get out of your Belle experience!
02. BE INVOLVED
You don’t have to attend every shoot or event, but I do want girls who genuinely WANT to be part of the team. Answer messages, RSVP when I need a headcount, participate when you can, talk in the group chats, throw out ideas, and have fun with us!
The Belles are so much better when everyone actually wants to be there. 💗
03. SHARE YOUR BELLE PHOTOS
You’re going to get a LOT of photos throughout the year, and I want you to actually enjoy and share them!
I don’t need your Instagram to turn into a Rural Southern Photography fan page 😂 but part of being a Belle does mean supporting RSP, sharing your Belle photos throughout the year, tagging me when you post, and being proud to represent the team.
04. BE KIND
This one is pretty simple. You do not have to be best friends with every girl on the team, but you DO have to be kind, respectful, supportive, and inclusive.I want the Belles to be a group where girls from different schools, friend groups, sports, activities, and personalities can all show up and feel comfortable being there. Drama, bullying, intentionally excluding other Belles, or disrespect toward me or another member of the team will not be tolerated.
05. RSP IS YOUR SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
While you are a Rural Southern Belle, Rural Southern Photography will be your exclusive senior photographer.
That means you cannot book, post, or promote senior style portraits taken by another photographer during your time on the team.
This does NOT include normal school related photography. Yearbook photos, school team photos, sports photos, dance photos, action photography, prom photos taken through your school, or anything your school requires are completely fine!
The exclusivity requirement is specifically about choosing another photographer for the same type of senior portrait experience you are already receiving as a Belle.
06. PARENTS HAVE ONE VERY IMPORTANT JOB 💗
If your daughter is selected for the Class of 2028, parents will actually find out before she does!
I will contact the parent or guardian privately with the acceptance information, contract, payment options, and deadline for securing her spot. This is all done BEFORE Belle boxes are sent because I want the girls getting those boxes to truly be official members of the team.
In order for your daughter to officially become a Rural Southern Belle, her contract must be signed and the required first payment must be made by the deadline provided.
This part is really important. Receiving an acceptance message does not automatically secure her place on the team. If the contract and payment are not completed by the deadline, I cannot hold the spot and she will not move forward as a member of the Class of 2028.
Once everything is completed, all I need from you is to keep the secret. 🤫💗 Then I get to send her Belle box and let HER find out the fun way!
Being a Belle is supposed to be FUN, but there are a few things I ask from every girl who joins the team. I want everyone to know these upfront before applying so there are no surprises later!
SO... WHAT DO BELLES ACTUALLY GET TO DO?
This is the fun part...
STYLED + THEMED SHOOTS
FUN GROUP EVENTS + HANGOUTS
POP UP SHOOT OPPORTUNITIES
INDIVIDUAL SENIOR SESSION
DESTINATION OPPORTUNITES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Applications for the Class of 2028 open October 1st and close October 15th!
The application link is only sent to girls on the Rural Southern Belles VIP list, so if you’re reading this, you’re already in the right place. 💗 When applications open, you’ll receive the link directly through email.
You’ll fill out your portion of the application, have your parent or guardian complete their section, submit your video, and send everything back to me!
After applications close, I’ll go through every single one and begin choosing the Class of 2028 Belles.
DO I HAVE TO ATTEND EVERY SHOOT + EVENT?
HOW + WHEN DO I APPLY?
No! I know how busy senior year can get, and I do not expect you to be available for everything we do.
There will be two required Belle events or shoots during the year, and you’ll know those dates ahead of time. Everything else is optional!
Of course, the more you’re able to participate, the more shoots, photos, events, and time with the team you’ll get to experience, so I definitely encourage you to come whenever you can. 💗
CAN I STILL HAVE SENIOR PICTURES TAKEN BY ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPHER?
While you’re a Rural Southern Belle, Rural Southern Photography is your exclusive senior photographer. That means NO you cannot book, post, or promote senior style portraits taken by another photographer during your time on the team.
This does NOT include normal school related photography like yearbook photos, team photos, sports or dance photos, action photography, or photography required or organized through your school. Those are completely fine!
The rule is specifically about booking another photographer for the same type of senior portrait experience you are already receiving as a Belle.
WHAT DOES THE $1,495 BELLE INVESTMENT INCLUDE?
A LOT. 😂
Your Belle investment includes your individual senior session with Rural Southern Photography, the official Belle Meet & Greet, our big styled group shoot, at least four additional Belle shoots throughout the year, edited digital images from every Belle shoot you participate in, group events and activities, and access to extra or pop up opportunities throughout your Belle year.
And knowing me, there will probably be a few extra ideas added along the way too. 💗
Absolutely!! 💗 If you already have a best friend you think would love being a Belle with you, make sure she gets on the VIP list so she has access to the application too.
You can absolutely both apply, but each application is looked at individually, so make sure you each fill it out as yourselves! I want to get to know both of you separately, not just as a package deal. 😂
WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW ANYONE ELSE APPLYING?
CAN MY BEST FRIEND APPLY TOO?
That is completely okay too!
You do NOT need to come into the Belles already knowing someone. Every year we have girls from different schools, towns, sports, friend groups, and backgrounds, and plenty of them start out not knowing anyone else on the team.
Honestly, that’s part of what makes it so fun. You might come in by yourself and end up meeting girls you never would have crossed paths with otherwise. 💗
WHAT HAPPENS IF I’M CHOSEN?
Here’s the fun part: your parent or guardian will know before you do. 👀
If you’re selected, I’ll contact them privately with everything they need to secure your place on the team. Your contract must be signed and the required first payment must be completed by the deadline before your spot becomes official.
Once that’s taken care of, they have one very important job...
Keeping it a secret while I send out your Belle box. 🤫💗
That’s how YOU get to find out you officially made the Class of 2028!
DO I HAVE TO BE A “MODEL” TO APPLY?
Absolutely not.
You do not need modeling experience, a certain number of Instagram followers, a specific style, or any idea what to do in front of a camera. That part is literally my job. 😂
I’m looking for girls who are excited about the experience, want to be involved, will be kind and supportive of the other Belles, and are ready to have a really fun senior year with us.
Just apply as yourself. That’s who I want to meet.
