Summer Beer Garden Wedding in the Blue Ridge Mountain

My first “back-to-normal” full day wedding after the craziness of the 2020 season just so happens to also be one of my favorite weddings ever. I seem to say that frequently, but it’s likely because I get to work with such warmhearted, giving, beautiful people.

Sabrina and James are the epitome of these things. When I first walked into the venue on their sweet day, I was immediately struck by all of the personal touches they decorated the space with, ensuring that each guest as well as those unable to attend could all be welcomed. Particularly touching and creative was their inclusion of James’s late father’s love of collaborative music. Not only did they decorate with his numerous album covers and memorabilia, but they took his concept of incorporating a range of music styles recording with a variety of artists and applied it to the seating chart - seating each guest so that they would meet someone new as well as sit with someone dear.

I’ve been doing things differently this year simply offering coverage of the entire wedding day rather than trying to condense it into one smaller packaged set of hours. And this especially came in handy when we decided to drive separately up to the Blue Ridge Parkway 25 minutes away for their first look! The first look is almost always my favorite part of the day anyways, but getting to coordinate one with the sunlit mountains in the background, no one else in attendance and only the sounds of birds chirping and breeze blowing? Absolutely perfect.

Including each of their siblings as officiants, involving their parents and siblings’ partners in the ceremony as well, and then hearing toasts from their closest friends all showed just how much these two are loved - and how much they love to love on others.

Lovers of dancing, James and Sabrina taught their guests a line dance to kick off the evening festivities once all the sweet bits were done, and I have to say that was one of the most energetic dance parties that I’ve gotten to photograph. As I’m editing, I’m constantly reminded of how all-around enjoyable this day was. Thank you to all who had a hand in making it so beautiful!

Planning: Carolina Love Events
Venue: The Event Space - Hi Wire Brewing
Hair & Makeup: AnaRie
Florals: Millie Tolleson
Officiants: David Poms & Millie Tolleson
Dress: Jenny Yoo
Suit: Indochino
Rentals: Vintage Indigo Rentals
Dessert: Vortex Doughnuts
Videographer: Godin Visual Productions
Second Photographer: Katelyn Whitson