We are so honored to be recognized by Giggster as a top 8 commercial photographer in Asheville, NC! While our main focus is weddings, we love meeting new people in our community who are doing amazing things- it is such an inspiration! Thank you to those that we shoot with regularly and everyone who recommends us- it means so much!
Maura + Taylor exchanged their vows on a gorgeous fall afternoon in Western North Carolina. The views at The Ridge are literally some of the best in the Asheville area and the leaves were just starting to peak, making for a beautiful background for their portraits.
The minute you walk into a room with Maura + Taylor, you know that you have met some of the most warm and welcoming people. They are so kind and have such a loving circle of friends and family that were so excited to celebrate. Taylor literally couldn’t keep his feet on the ground! The day was full of fun, laughter, and lots of love.
Nicole with The Planning helped to design a beautiful day with understated gorgeous fall florals by Petal + Fern. Guests were able to wrap up in soft white blankets during the ceremony and then were invited into the reception with lots of neutrals and subtle pops of pink that accentuated the bridesmaid’s dresses. Maura + Taylor invited Skip Rohde, a live painter, to paint their first dance.
As the sun started to set, the sky was ablaze with purples, pinks, and oranges- it was one of the best sunsets we have seen in a while! After some heartfelt speeches and the sweetest dances, Maura slipped into her reception dress and then the party really started! Everyone was out of their seats all night and it was such a blast!
While I didn’t have a second shooter with me, I was in the best of company with Ian Davidson Films. This husband/wife team are such gems and truly admire not only their work, but their professionalism and genuine personalities. Scroll to the end to see the video!
Congratulations again to such an incredible couple! Wishing you all the best in NYC!
Wedding Planner: The Planning | Venue: The Ridge | Florals: Petal + Fern | Hair + MUA: Powder Me Pretty | Catering: Verbena Events | Ceremony Music: Brandon Crocke | Live Painter: Skip Rohde | Reception Music: DJ Daniel Jordan | Transportation: Peak Limo + Accents on Asheville | Videography: Ian Davidson Films | Film Lab: Photovision
I’ll never forget the celebrations and weddings of 2021.
The emotional rollercoasters of event planning during a pandemic brought new and different challenges, however the moments we experienced and captured felt sweeter and larger than life. After all the postponements from the previous year, relationships seemed stronger, details more thoughtful and the receptions more electric than ever before.
Lots more to celebrate and share but here’s a quick ‘snap-shot’ of our weddings in 2021. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did creating them.
{See full list of vendors we love and worked with at the bottom of the post}
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Venues:
Biltmore Estate | The Ridge | Omni Grove Park Inn | Laurel Falls | Mount Airy Farm | Albemarle Inn | Honeysuckle Hill | Highland Brewing | Biltmore Forest Country Club | The Farm at Old Edwards Inn | JuneBug Asheville | Chestnut Ridge | Lonesome Valley
Planners:
Belle Soiree | Two Sweet Sparrows | Smash Events | Quill Creative Event Design | Weddings with Tara | Plain with Sprinkles | Mingle Events | Party Envy | Verge Events | CR Planning | Asheville Event Co. | Events with Kiersa | The Planning
Floral:
Bloom Room | Floressence Flowers | Inspired Design | Petal + Fern | Flora | Urban Farm Girl | Cricket Newman Designs | Blossoms Creative
Makeup + Hair:
Pop of Color | Polished and Powdered | Flawless | Fab Flawless Hair + Makeup | Cotton Rouge Makeup + Hair | Blush Asheville | Lola Salon | Hughes Hair Design | Jessie D’Angelo Makeup | Della Terra Beauty | Asheville Hair Design | Powder Me Pretty
Rentals:
East West Vintage Rentals | Vintage Indigo | Classic Event Rental | Professional Party Rental |
Calligraphy:
Joy Unscripted | Freckles + Ink
Catering:
Verbena | Chef Michael’s Catering | 67 Biltmore | Luella’s | Catering by Corey
Desserts:
Sunshine Sammies | Layered by Lex | Mrs. Sugar Booger | Sweet Elegance | Nettie’s Bakery | Short Street Cakes
Music:
Carolina Music Planner | Cafe Strings Quartet | Emerald Empire City Band | The Royal Strings | The Maxx | Queen Bee | Mar | The Royal Suits | The Finns | Dean’s Duets | Brandon Crocker
DJs:
Split Second Sound | Remix | Spintastic Sounds | DJ P-LO
Videographers:
Sweet Horizon | Magic Hour Creative | J. Mitchell Productions | Crown Alley Films | Pretty Films | Naisang Films | Fiasco Pictures | First Look Photo + Video | Ian Davidson Films | Grand Jour
Transportation:
Elite Limo | Grayline Trolley | Young Transportation | Eastside Transportation | Peak Limo | Coats Classic
Other Vendors:
Tim Lolley | Overflow Studios Live Painter | Skip Rhode Live Painter | After the Tone | Shutterbooth | Zim Zoom Photobooth
Despite what has been a really wild year, we are so grateful for every bit of it! It’s our community here in Asheville and our amazing clients who have cheered us on and kept us going. We can’t thank you enough!
Happy Thanksgiving!! Thank you for all your love and support!
Styled shoot at Douglas Ellington House with Verbena Events
While fall is our most popular time for family photo requests, there is something about the winter that can be just as beautiful! We are so lucky that the leaves stick around a little longer into November and we even have some warmer days throughout December and January. Our biggest piece of advice- embrace the cold and get cozy with it!
Layers photograph really well so to have a sweater under a blazer or boots peaking out from a skirt adds some dimension. Since there isn’t much color out this time of year, a little pop of color can add to the scene- maybe a dark red or emerald green. Blankets to wrap up in or a cozy scarf, maybe a hot chocolate picnic would be a fun idea. It is also a great time to maybe get a little dressier, have a little fun with it!
Here is our take on some outfit ideas for all styles- dressy to casual to somewhere in between!
And some of our families over the years, making it look easy! How lucky are we to photograph such amazing people?!
Jori reached out to us in mid-January to schedule a surprise proposal for his future Mrs. at the end of the month at the Biltmore Estate. As with all of our proposals, we like to hop on a call to talk through some details and get a plan together- this helps us to be sneaky on the day but also eases some nerves leading up to popping the big question! Jori knew what he was looking to do and was also so gracious in trusting us to lead the way. We had a great call and had the perfect plan in place.
After several weeks where the weather was so cold and dreary, we couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon for their proposal- the light was absolutely dreamy! It was so sweet to watch as Jori got down on one knee and Liz was overcome with emotion. We were able to spend some time walking around the house and grounds to capture some just engaged images where they were both all smiles and total rock stars. We had such a great time getting to capture this moment for them.
Congratulations to you both!! Thank you for letting us be a part of this!
We had such a great time working with Jordan of Ignite Your Soul Brand to create some images for her new website! Jordan is a true master of her craft, putting into practice all that she does for her clients on a regular basis- helping small business to build a beautiful, cohesive brand through curated brand shoots and creative direction . From a detailed shot list to a mood board with beautiful color to building a stellar team to make it all happen, Jordan knew exactly what she was looking for and had the vision to make it all come together.
We shot at Engaged Asheville with an amazing team- Marisol Colette of Sol Reflection and Michele Gentille as stylists and Jessica Hensley with Pop of Color for hair and make-up.
This is just a handful of the images we created for Jordan:
We are kicking it back to fall 2019 and still drooling over how gorgeous Erika + Ryan’s wedding day was!
Being a wedding photographer in Asheville, we are so fortunate to shoot at some gorgeous venues and Taylor Ranch is definitely one of them! Nestled between beautiful rolling hills with a little lake, Taylor Ranch provided the perfect backdrop for their wedding day.
Luxe Wedding Designs did an amazing job transforming the Lake House into a floral dream with beautiful pops of pink. And to say that Erika + Ryan’s reception was a blast is a totally understatement! Sound Extreme Entertainment brought the fun and this crew definitely knew how to have a good time!
Looking back on this day has us ready for all the weddings to come this year- bring it on spring wedding season!
Wedding Planner and Floral: Luxe Wedding Designs | Venue: Taylor Ranch | Hair + MUA: AE Studios | Rentals: Classic Event Rental | Cake: Cakes by Gray | Entertainment: Sound Extreme Entertainment | Film Lab: PhotoVision | Second Photographer: Bren Photography
We have been spending some time talking about what makes a beautiful wedding photograph- the framer! As a photographer, this might be the one with the beautiful light, perfect composition, gorgeous details, the one we know we nailed. This got us talking about our one favorite photograph from our own weddings. Rachael’s favorite is an image of their hands and Gabe looking up at them- it's the one image that really shows them becoming a family as well as the ceremony of marriage and how much Gabe felt loved. Lindsay’s favorite is of their first dance, both with big grins and lots of movement- the light wasn’t great and there’s lots of blur. Neither of these really captures anything technically beautiful yet out of 1000+ photos, it was the one that stood out- why?
So we wanted to see what others said was their favorite and why, how long they have been married and to see if maybe its changed over the years.
It has been interesting to see what some favorites were and why- they may not be the most editorial, have the best light, or posed just so but they are the ones that bring back the best feelings, where the memory of the moment ALWAYS trumps the final shot. It was an important reminder to us that providing an experience where couples can be relaxed, and therefore truly themselves, will create the images that clients will look back on for years to come and remember just being in that moment, totally comfortable and full of joy for what lies ahead!
Photo Credit:
Rachael’s Photographer: Corey McNabb; Lindsay’s Photographer: Ryan Bumgarner
Photo 1: unknown; 2: En Route Photography; 3: Rose Kaz; 4: Rachael McIntosh Photography; 5: unknown; 6: Paola Nazati; 7: Rachael McIntosh Photography; 8: Christopher Smith; 9: unknown; 10: unknown; 11: Rachael McIntosh Photography; 12-14: unknown; 15 (in the rain): Rachael McIntosh Photography
One of the questions we get asked a lot- when are you doing a mini session?! We love doing them and finding ways to make them fun and easy for families!
So what’s a mini session? A few times a year, we set aside a day to capture photos for couples, families, really anyone interested in updating their photographs. We pick a location, set aside 20 minutes per family, and have a great time shooting! The dates are announced to our email list first and then on social media (typically one in the fall and one closer to the holidays and we are trying to sneak in a spring one this year!) and we schedule on a first come basis. The sessions are $250 and include an online gallery of all the edited images for you to download, order prints, use for holiday cards, update frames, whatever you choose!
We love to document our clients year after year as well as meet new ones! It is an honor to watch these families grow and change year after year.
Here are some images from our last Fall mini session.
We are so fortunate to be a part of an amazing community of wedding vendors in Asheville, NC and this has really shown during the last 10 months since the COVID pandemic started. The wedding industry has been hit hard in the last year; its also brought on a lot of stress for couples who aren’t really sure how to start planning or what the next best steps are. There are so many things we have had to do and implement to make sure we can keep shooting weddings while staying healthy.
Since we know that we work with some of the best in the biz, we asked them to share their thoughts about what they have done to pivot during the pandemic. They have some great advice for couples trying to plan their wedding, and told stories of the benefits they have seen during this crazy time too. Here’s what a few of them had to say:
AnaRie (Asheville Wedding Make-up Artist)
It has been an amazing experience to see how gracious our brides and clients have been. Many people have had to change plans, slow down, and have faith that so much would work out. With every difficult decision, so many of our brides are remembering that a wedding day is about a sacred commitment to their partner and it's been so beautiful to be a part of that. My team and I absolutely love what we do and it's been such a gift to continue to connect with our brides and their loved ones as we provide hair and makeup services to them. Our clients are realizing how much we add to a wedding day and are so excited to have us there. It's been great!
Thankfully, sanitation and very high hygiene standards have been a part of AnaRie since the very beginning. We understand that the healthy and safety of our clients, the artists and stylists, as well as everyone around us, is the most important. We have processes that involve mask wearing from arrival to departure, using disposables, sanitizing products, hand washing between clients, disinfecting our work spaces and more. We want to make sure we show up in the best way possible for our brides and their loved ones!
2021 has been all about the romance and brides wanting to look like an enhanced version of themselves. We love that kind of beauty! It is absolutely our specialty along with providing personal, luxurious experiences. We want to make sure each person sees themselves and their vision in the mirror before walking down the aisle. We are also seeing that brides want to make sure their looks are timeless, classic, and captured in a way they'll enjoy it for many years to come. Individual lash applications have become more popular. They're lighter, more feathery looking, and feel better than a heavier strip lash. For hair, we're seeing our brides want to make sure they're comfortable and everything will look flawless all day and night. We're seeing more gorgeous hair pieces with crystals and pearls. We love that touch of glam it can add!
Asheville Event Co. (Asheville Wedding Planner)
In regards to pivoting, we are actually using the same planning model but just adaptive to the times. Many of our events have been postponed, reduced their guest count or are having intimate ceremonies now with plans for larger celebrations in 2021. We are using the same approach by being adaptable and creative with the multiple changes that our clients have had to process in the face of a pandemic. We feel lucky to have trusted partners like you and other venues and vendors that have been so helpful in rescheduling events and hosting events with state restrictions we have been experiencing. It has brought our industry closer than ever.
When planning a wedding during COVID, we would recommend being open to a possible change in your plans as well as consider what is most important to you now so if changes need to be made, you are mentally prepared and have talked this through with your family so you can best make a decision. For example, if your guest count must be lowered due to state mandates, would you rather proceed with your wedding or wait until you can have a larger affair? As we’ve realized this virus is unpredictable and coming in waves. It has definitely changed our industry standards when it comes to keeping guests as safe as possible.
I think the benefits really come down to humanity and the human spirit. We have seen our industry come together and work harder than ever to make sure our clients that have been impacted by the pandemic have the events of their dreams. Many times we have reworked and redesigned layouts, changed venues, etc. We are seeing a thankfulness and appreciativeness in regards to our services but more importantly how this pandemic has changed perspectives on the value of relationships and interaction with close family and friends.
Biltmore (Asheville Wedding Venue)
We have had to shift our market to cater to many more small weddings than we normally have. A few months back, we created our exclusive, limited time Petite Packages, which offer reduced facility fees and food/beverage minimums to couples who have smaller guest counts and are interested in slightly larger venues. These packages are being offered for events from August 2020 through March 2021.
Benefits: Our team has had the opportunity to learn and grow! While things are always changing, this has challenged us to get out of our comfort zone, learn new things, and execute our roles in new ways. Even during this crazy time, we still have been able to fulfill the most important part of our jobs, which is helping happy couples share their commitment to love!
Biltmore Forest Country Club (Asheville Wedding Venue)
We’ve had to be ready for changes at the last minute. I would say we are fairly used to having all ducks in a row way ahead of time and this year we have had to adjust and roll with the punches on a short timeline. Unfortunately, the hardest part is saying “no”. Being a Country Club, we always say we are in the “yes business”. This year has been drastically different. Saying no to all the brides and their families this year has been heart breaking. We pride ourselves on making it happen, no matter what…it’s been a different world this year. Even if we are unable to go with the original vision, we will make it the best alternative plan and most memorable we can.
Advice: I know many of you [couples] might be feeling like you’ve been cheated. That this is supposed to be the happiest time of your life. But it still can be. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Push forward through everything, no matter how many dead ends you feel you’ve landed at. There will be light at the end of the tunnel and it will be worth the wait and at the end of the day you will still be spending the rest of your life with the one you love.
Benefits: No fees for cancellations!! Surprisingly, there have been a lot of amazing vendors that are super understandable and willing to bend that policy! Also, there have been some great deals on items for weddings and events.
Highland Brewing (Asheville Wedding Venue)
We’ve been able to witness some truly beautiful love stories this year! The weddings have looked a little different and have certainly been more intimate, but intimate is special in a very unique and memorable way. At the end of the day, the couples who didn’t let COVID stop them and still got married… those are the ones who have really gotten us through all of this!
Be FLEXIBLE! If you’re getting married in early 2021, there will likely be some sort of restrictions in place. Get creative, lean into it, and remember that these restrictions are in place for the safety of everyone.
Inspired Design (Asheville Floral Designer)
Big piece of this year for me was to adjust my minimum and take on smaller gatherings and elopements. This opening in my schedule allowed me time to work on my floral artistry skills and fine tune my bouquet work. Though I truly try to customize every bridal bouquet and make them one of a kind, having a slower pace allowed me to create in a more relaxed manner and the end result has been that I have gotten faster!
My biggest advice is hold things loosely and go into the planning with an open mind, holding tight and clear focused on why you are doing this in the first place! Marrying the one you love. Main benefit for me, I was able to be available for my mom thru her final months and days of cancer. Time to be with her was priceless! She passed away in August of metastasized breast cancer. I also have invested in and added to my garden- I put in a rose garden in the spring and was able to use special blooms all summer for elopement bouquets and on cakes! We also added to my shrubs in the back and an article I wrote about using shrubs in floral design was featured on Team Flower website/blog.
Magic Hour Creative (Asheville Wedding Videographer)
One quirky benefit to these crazy times is to be able to spend more time with my 8 year old daughter as she's learning remotely for school. I'm fortunate to work from home and I really treasure some precious moments in between some chaotic Zoom classes.
2020 was projected to be one of our best years yet, then we were blindsided just like everyone else in the wedding industry. Our spring/summer weddings all but vanished or were pushed back to 2021. We fortunately finished with a strong fall season, albeit with weddings that didn't traditionally resemble previous years. If anything, it gave me a perspective to be thankful for my own health and also to appreciate the fact that couples were brave enough to push forward with their plans in the name of love.
I think a lot of our inquiries may have been from couples who probably would not initially think to book a videographer. Couples have been looking for a way to share their wedding day with so many family members or friends who couldn't be there due to the pandemic, and a film is a great way to experience a wedding day.
Mary Bell Events (Asheville Wedding Planner)
We have done everything possible to remain at the best service possible to our clients. The majority of our clients have rescheduled into the 2021 season. Of course, we have also seen some cancellations… as well as couples keep their dates and have a smaller guest count. We are happy to adjust anything and everything needed to ensure a perfect wedding experience, regardless of their date or parameters!
Advice: Best advice would be to decide you want to marry the love of your life… and MARRY them! What other people do or do not do… travel or do not… attend or not… should not be the reason you do or do not not marry. As with all things in life, you are not in control of other peoples’ decisions or behaviors so do not let other peoples’ opinions decide YOUR wedding. If you want to marry, marry. Yes, it may be a smaller guest count. Yes, the tables may be a few feet apart. Yes, we may need to have a plated meal rather than a buffet. These are not deal breakers. Just make the decision with a happy heart and then let your planner and vendors take care of the rest.
You will have guests not attend due to COVID. You will also have guests not attend because it is the wrong month or too cold or too close to their cousin’s’ wedding. You have never been able to control other people’s decision so do not let their decisions control YOURS! No one should have the power to decide your future but you. In the immortal words of Billy Crystal, “When you finally figure out how you want to spend the rest of your life, you want the rest of your life to begin as soon as possible”. Also… be kind to your vendors. This industry has been among the hardest hit. We know that you are compromising, but we are here for you and to help you. You must believe that no one is more vested in your experience than we are. Please do not forget that we are people just trying to take care of our families too.
Meadowbrooke Bridal (Asheville Bridal Boutique)
We have loved having an even more intimate experience with our brides! Even though it has been so tough to limit group sizes of guests that can enter the boutique, it just makes each guest we get the chance to meet that much more special.
Give yourself grace and time! Many aspects of wedding planning take quite some time, so we'd suggest planning for that as best as possible. We always do our absolute best to make every bride's wedding dress dreams come true, but the shorter the timeline a bride has, the more limited options become.
We are absolutely LOVING the 2021 bridal trend of versatility. Designers have gotten incredibly creative with detachable options, whether it be sleeves, capes, skirts, or belts. We are always so excited to get more than one look out of a bride's gown!
Mingle Events (Asheville Wedding Planner)
COVID has been extremely difficult on the wedding industry as a whole with government mandates and regulations. We have sat in on meetings where bride's break down crying when they realize the wedding they have always dreamed of might not be possible right now. Seeing our clients have to make such difficult decisions to postpone, downsize or cancel all together has broken our hearts time and time again.
However, we have been a part of much smaller, more intimate events than ever. At first, we felt a little awkward with this! We are used to being behind the scenes and being able to fly under the radar of 150+ guest count events. With COVID, we have shifted to being part of elopements and micro weddings ranging from 12-50 people. Every wedding is special to us and forever holds a place in our hearts but these COVID era weddings tug on our heart strings a little bit more. It's amazing to see these couples scale back on the excess and focus on what really matters- their love for each other and starting a life together. Don't get us wrong- we adore an over the top floral install, large live bands, and all the bells and whistles but in COVID times more than ever people grasp on to what a wedding and marriage really is all about. One of our fondest memories is an elopement at The Ridge this October. There were ONLY 12 people total including the bride and groom. We can't put into words how special it felt to be a part of that intimate and family centered moment overlooking our beautiful WNC mountains. We get chills just thinking about it. If anything, COVID has taught us to cherish and hold onto the ones we love just a little bit tighter! No matter how much you plan, nothing in this life is promised but one thing is for sure... love is not cancelled!
The Hunt is Over (Asheville Wedding + Elopement Coordinator)
The Hunt is Over (THIO) is unique in that we actually launched our business in February of this year. Rather than rearrange previously booked weddings, we instead found ourselves jumping head first into aiding other small businesses such as planners or venues in supplementing their schedules by taking over the overflow from double booked wedding weekends or offering small elopement/micro wedding packages for wedding couples wanting to get married without the constraints associated with COVID. We are blessed to say that we did not have to "pivot" per se, but instead we immediately just adapted into the current wedding community needs. When it comes to promotion we just want other businesses and couples to know WE ARE HERE if anyone needs anything. We just want to continue to plug in and help how we can. We offer officiation, 30 day wedding coordination, and all-inclusive adventure elopement packages.
Advice: Continue to advocate for yourselves as the couple! Ask questions, brainstorm with your vendors, approach hardships with kindness, but also with confidence. You are your best advocate. If you want a big wedding, but state laws prohibit it at the time, then weigh your pros and cons and ultimately do what makes you as a couple feel the most joy, comfort, and peace! Small weddings can be awesome, but if your dream is a large wedding then trust your vendors professional advice and work together with them to make your dream come true at a future time.
Benefits: Zach (my hubby/officiant) and I have greatly enjoyed helping couples get married despite all of the obstacles and hardships in the form of adventure intimate elopements. It's in those moments that all the bells and whistles, the expectations, the "show" of a large wedding is stripped away and the couple just gets to relax and truly enjoy one another in one of the most precious moments of their life without the distraction of all the other things that can take place during a big wedding event. The cost associated with a smaller wedding is also significantly less than a large wedding event, which can be seen as a benefit to the couple as well.
Wrap Up of Tips and Advice
Marrying the one you love is what it is all about! Maybe its this year and smaller or maybe its next year and more in line with your vision. However it works out, you get to say I do to the next chapter of your lives together and that is pretty amazing!
Asheville wedding vendors are focused on doing what is best to still provide an amazing experience for couples while still following guidelines to ensure everyone stays healthy.
Your vendors are here for you! Your wedding day is just as special to us and we want to do everything we can to make it the best day possible.
A little silver lining has been more time spent at home with our families. And while it hasn’t always been easy (hello virtual school!), it is also time that we won’t ever get back, and for that we are grateful.
What can I say about Poppy’s Handcrafted Popcorn?! We absolutely LOVE them!
I have been the principal photographer for over five years, working together to shoot products and images for their brand. The photographs have been used on their website, online marketing, material for trade shows, catalogues, social media and more. We recently saw my images on the big screen earlier this year for a feature on NBC!
The imagery we create with their marketing team covers a wide scope of needs. We shoot the standard ‘product shots’ on a white background that is used for online shopping, lifestyle shoots with models, headshots of their team, community events they’re involved in, and fun quick shoots for social media.
Product example for the website.
Their popcorn is also a go-to favorite gift for friends and clients too. We especially love the Asheville Mix for those visiting from out of town, Chocolate Peanut Butter for teacher gifts, and the amazing Poppy Mix makes great party favors.
We love the whole team at Poppy and can’t say enough about their products, the work they do for our community, and well, everything they stand for. We are so grateful to work with them, to know them as people, and especially thankful for their support and trusting us and our work year after year!
Fall in Love with Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
Clients often ask what are some of my favorite things to in Asheville and so I thought I’d share some of them below …
RESTAURANTS (nice)
Rhubarb
Curáte
Limones
Bull & Beggar
Chestnut
Copper Crown
Rendevous
Eddison’s at Grove Park
EATS (casual)
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack
Wayside: Biltmore Village
Farm Burger
828 Pizzeria
Luella’s Bar-B-Que
Buxton Hall
The Rhu
Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
BREWERIES + DRINKS
Highland Brewing
Sierra Nevada
Hi-Wire: Big Top
New Belgium
Cocktails at Grove Park Inn (go at sunset!)
Kimpton Hotel Arras
Antidote
Sovereign Remedies
5 Walnut (wine bar and live music)
BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY + HIKES
Craggy Gardens
Black Balsam
Waterfalls in Pisgah Forest
GALLERIES + MUSEUMS
Asheville Art Museum
New Morning Gallery
Momentum Gallery
River Arts District
Lexington Glass
NEIGHBORHOODS TO VISIT
West Asheville
Black Mountain
Biltmore Village
Biltmore Park (South AVL)
Weaverville
DAY TRIPS
Biltmore Estate
Highlands/Cashiers
Brevard + Pisgah Forest
SHOPPING
Downtown AVL
Antique Tobacco Barn
Biltmore Village
East Fork Pottery
Flora
Minx
Duncan & York
NEST boutique + DIY
OTHER
Tick Tock Concierge - a great resource to help plan and prepare your trip!
Navitat
Tubing/rafting on the French Broad
Riveter (climbing walls)
Grove Park Spa
Places to Stay - Airbnb Friends
Farm House Studio
Near Downtown Asheville House
Curated Boutique Flat
A summer engagement session on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We had so much fun celebrating with Rachel + Mike- how has it already been a year?! Happy 1st Anniversary!!
Wedding Planner: Firefly Event Co. | Venue: The Omni Grove Park Inn | Hair + MUA: L’eau De Vie | Floral + Rentals: East West Vintage Rentals | DJ: Carolina DJ Professionals | Film Lab: PhotoVision
Rachel + Bryan’s wedding at Aurora Farms in Greenville, South Carolina was such a sweet celebration. It was our first time at this gorgeous little venue tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and we hope to get invited back. A lovely modern farmhouse setting and the perfect canvas for a “woodland themed” event which photographed really well. Rachel and Bryan were staying at Hotel Domestique (an equally gorgeous wedding venue) so we did their first look and some portraits there before heading over to the Farm.
Congratulations to Rachel and Bryan and thank you for including us in your big day :)
Wedding Planner: Events with Shelley | Venue: Aurora Farms | Floral: Laurel Creek Florals | Hair + MUA: Latia Curtis | Catering: Greenbrier Farms | Bartending Services: Barkeeps + Butlers | Cake: Couture Cakes | Rentals: Industry Event Rentals + Professional Party Rentals | DJ: Collective Music Solutions | Officiant: Kendall de Lorenzi | Film Lab: PhotoVision
Hurricane Florence wasn’t invited to Jenna and Mike’s wedding but when she showed up, they were determined not to let a little rain ruin their big day! They brought clear umbrellas and rain boots for everyone and just embraced the elements.
Lioncrest was beautifully decorated and Two Sweet Sparrows and The Bloom Room did an incredible job pulling Jenna and Mike’s vision together. There were so many thoughtful details, including their pup on the koozies :)
Rainy days can be some of the most romantic of wedding days and this was hands down one of our favorite weddings of 2018 despite that hurricane!
Event Planner: Two Sweet Sparrows | Venue: Biltmore Estate, Lioncrest | Floral: The Bloom Room | Hair: Lola Salon | MUA: Heather Smith | Wedding Dress: Sachini & Babi | Bridal Boutique: Alexia’s Bridal | Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo | Bridesmaid Boutique: Bella Bridesmaid | Men’s Attire: Jos A. Bank | Invitations: Sage Paper Co. | Calligraphy: Design by Laney | Signage + Logo Design: The Paint Grind | Cinematography: Light Cannon Films | Band: The Royal Suits | Film Lab: PhotoVision | Second Photographer: AMW Studios
Happy 1st Anniversary (a little late)!! We are so grateful to have been a part of your day- hope you had an amazing time celebrating!
Venue: Grand Bohemian | Floral: Belladonna Blooms | Hair + MUA: Suraj Spa Salon | Film Lab: PhotoVision
A little feature about me and my work on TSG Asheville this morning!
Thanks Meagan! And big shout out to Bren Photography for the mug shot below! xo
Hello again from self-isolation!
Lindsay and I are still working remotely and answering emails but I wanted to send you a little business update to be transparent on how we’re spending this time!
When the coronavirus hit the US, travel restrictions were put in place and events were advised to postpone; we feel extremely fortunate that all of our March, April and May weddings postponed immediately and worked with us to find other dates that we were also available. I’m excited to read in recent wedding polls that 96% of couples are postponing their weddings and not just canceling and that people still want to host big events and share this big day with their friends and families.
We found some great resources quickly and got advice from companies like Harper’s Bazaar that helped us navigate through this time. We always want to make sure our customer service is top notch and though we have had to worry about our own business, we want to first and foremost assist our clients and be kind human beings.
I don’t know if the industry will ever be the same! One thing is for sure- hiring a wedding planner and having wedding insurance seems more important than ever before!
We are still booking new weddings and portraits for 2021; however, we are not, for the time being, booking any new weddings for 2020 in case we need to shift our current client’s events to one of those dates. We are also not taking any new appointments for family portraits or branding sessions in the studio due to the current restrictions. We have offered our studio and Airbnb to any medical professionals in the area that might need a place to self-isolate for whatever reason.
I think that we’re still in this unknown period and are waiting for updates from our clients and the CDC on what will happen with our June/July/August dates. Fingers crossed, this will all blow over sooner rather than later with no more events for this year being affected!
Our retainers are non-refundable but can be applied to future events. For our couples with new postponed dates, we created new contracts changing not only the actual date but also the due date for final payments (30 days out from their new wedding date).
For other photographers that might be reading, we quickly looked at our business expenses and tried to find ways to save money immediately. For example, our phone bills, Adobe and other subscriptions. I’m also lucky to be surrounded by really great photographer friends that found some great resources to apply for grants and loans like the Paycheck Protection Program.
We’ve been staying busy fine tuning our business processes but from a personal standpoint, I’ve also been taking this time for self-care and quality time with my family, working on our garden, building a tree house and spring cleaning our home. The kids have taken on homeschool like champs and I’m about to drag out my painting supplies from hiding. I hope that you all have been able to treat this time like a ‘life sabbatical’ and make use of all of this downtime we find ourselves with. We’ve been eating better, exercising more, and doing travel research so that when the time comes, we’re ready and more informed to book some awesome family vacations. I know we’re going to come out of this experience stronger as people and small business owners.
If you missed my last blog post, I created an awesome little photography project with the community and hope to start working on that again soon when the “Stay in Place” lifts in our county. Also check out the Asheville Scout Guide who has been working diligently to keep us informed on ways we can support our local community here in Asheville.
Stay Healthy! Stay Home and Stay Safe! xo
