Intimate Mills River Wedding & Adventure Session in Linville Gorge
This Spring I had the opportunity to photograph an intimate wedding at The Venue at Mills River just south of Asheville, NC.
Day 1: Mills River, NC
The wedding took place on a beautiful day in March, with blue skies and blooming flowers creating the perfect backdrop for the special occasion.
I arrived a little early in order to capture the bride getting ready and the groom hanging out with family and their young dog, Odin. Odin was a central part of the wedding ceremony and later joined us for the adventure session in the mountains. The couple's love for their dog was evident throughout the day, and it was a joy to capture his playful spirit in the photos.
After capturing some getting ready shots, the father of the bride had a first-look in the bridal suite just before walking her out for the ceremony. The bride and groom exchanged vows in front of their closest family and friends on an outdoor patio in front of the house beneath large trees which were bathed in sunlight. The wedding was officiated by Amanda Jones of Happily Ever Asheville. She created a beautiful and heartfelt ceremony that truly reflected the love between the couple.
After the ceremony, we took some family portraits in the late-day, golden light before the newlyweds and I wandered around the property for a short sunset couple's session. The lighting was perfect - making the dogwood trees and fresh spring leaves sparkle and glow in the fading light. We came away with some stunning photos of them dancing against the backdrop of the mountains. I even brought my drone and took a few quick aerial images of them cuddling up on the grass before we all walked back to the house where their guests were mingling. While the couple headed inside to warm up and enjoy the libations, I captured a few detail shots of their wedding rings as the last rays of sunshine disappeared. The temps were getting pretty chilly by the time I finished up and headed inside for a few last candids with family, and some detail shots of food and drink. The 5-course meal being prepped by Braised and Confit, an Asheville-based private chef service looked delicious, while the bride and groom shared a heartfelt toast thanking guests.
Day 2: Linville Gorge
Two days later, we ventured out into the mountains for a half-day adventure session. We started by visiting a massive waterfall for some romantic and fun portraits. The sound of the water and the lush greenery surrounding us created a magical atmosphere, and the sunlit mist coming off the waterfall added a lovely romantic and epic touch, too. (Side note: I was super glad I brought my walkie-talkies during the waterfall portion of the day! Communicating around a waterfall can be impossible without shouting, so having a little walkie-talkie on-hand is super helpful!)
But that was just the beginning of our adventure! Next, we hiked back to the cars and drove one of my favorite trailheads for a mountaintop sunset session. The hike is moderately difficult, but the views from the top are absolutely breathtaking and worth every ounce of effort. The vastness and remoteness you experience at the summit just makes for beautiful photos. Plus, if you hang around for sunset, you almost always have it to yourself! As we reached the summit, the golden hour light teased us through some clouds, and I took out my film camera to capture a few epic shots of the couple together, as well as some stunning portraits and details. The use of film added a timeless quality to the images, and I was stoked to be able to include those shots in their gallery.
Throughout the adventure session, I was struck by the beauty of the mountains and the love between the newlyweds. I always try to include some landscape and nature detail shots to help remind people of the things that sometimes get forgotten long after the day is over: the rocks, flowers, leaves, dirt, etc. We all had fun laughing together and just trying different shots on the rocks and in the forest adjacent to the cliffs.
Overall, it was an incredible experience to capture both the intimate wedding as well as the more adventurous outdoor session with this amazing couple and their pup, Odin. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with them and to have created memories that will last a lifetime.
Check out the gallery below for a short visual recap!
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