wedding planning — Adrian Etheridge Photography

Posts tagged wedding planning

Golden Hour Wedding Ceremony in October Overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains || Asheville, NC

Golden Hour Wedding Ceremony in October Overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains || Asheville, NC

I think we and the wedding party collectively spent hours watching last Friday’s radar, optimistically discussing our fair-weather photo plan but realistically planning for the rain. Julie & Cormick’s wedding day dawned gray and rainy, but just as it was time for their first look, the skies cleared and the sun brilliantly shone through.

However, when it really came down to it, these newlyweds were just as giddy to dance together in the rain that came down moments after they said “I do!” Thank you so much for trusting me with documenting your beautiful day, and thank you to everyone who worked their wedding magic! 💙

Sunlit & Nature-Inspired October Wedding at Fields of Blackberry Cove ||Asheville, NC

Sunlit & Nature-Inspired October Wedding at Fields of Blackberry Cove ||Asheville, NC

October 14, 2023: beautiful day with the very sweetest family. The meticulously hand-stitched wedding gown designed by the bride’s sister, the ceremony officiated by her parents, the pages worth of tear-inducing vows from both partners, the first dance set against the just-changing leaves, the exceptional toasts, and the happy couple even taking the time out of their special day to congratulate all of the recently married and engaged couples. We had the most perfect October day in the mountains possible - first cozy under a blanket of fog and then brilliantly colorful once the festivities began - and it was such an honor to get to document a day full of love like this one.

Elegant Summer Sunset Wedding at The Crest Center & Pavilion || Asheville, NC

Elegant Summer Sunset Wedding at The Crest Center & Pavilion || Asheville, NC

If we gave out superlatives for wedding couples rather than vendors,Laura and Gabe would definitely get “most welcoming.” Certainly from their loved ones - it seemed like everywhere they turned they threw their arms up excited to hug another guest, almost all of whom traveled quite a distance to attend. In every single photo, I caught both Laura and Gabe with huge grins on their faces, making sure each person knew just how much their attendance meant to them.

Picturesque Spring Wedding Surrounded by Blue Ridge Mountain Vistas || Asheville, NC

Picturesque Spring Wedding Surrounded by Blue Ridge Mountain Vistas || Asheville, NC

Bringing together large groups of people can be daunting, particularly when planning a wedding in the middle of Covid not knowing what everyone’s exact circumstances might be. But when Amanda and Harrison’s families and friends came together for their wedding last month, I was struck by just how amiable every single guest and vendor was. Amanda’s bridal attendants especially were completely devoted to ensuring that the happy couple have the best (and smoothest) day ever. So I have to give a shoutout to that exceptional group of ladies for helping me to round up people for photos, for being conscious of time so that we remained on time to the minute all day long, and for putting together a really sweet getting ready playlist!

Lakeside October Wedding with Hand-Made Decor || Rochester, NY

Lakeside October Wedding with Hand-Made Decor || Rochester, NY

In true Jenna and John fashion, their ceremony featured a clinking of their wedding rings. This was one of many personal touches, as they also spent countless hours creating and painting every floral bouquet, designed dice with their wedding date specifically for the occasion, and were serenading by many of their extremely talented musical friends during the cocktail hour and reception. These two also smartly took care of the legalities of their marriage the morning of so that their good friend could preside over the ceremony, which resulted in a ceremony equally full of giggles and happy tears.

Intimate Outdoor Wedding in Lake Lure, NC || Carolina + Almon

Intimate Outdoor Wedding in Lake Lure, NC || Carolina + Almon

Carolina called me only three weeks before their proposed wedding date - after multiple wedding reschedulings she and Almon were finally just going to elope! They’d picked a beautiful mountain spot, planned to have a few family members attend, and wanted their ceremony beautifully photographed.

Only a few days later we were able to meet up to photograph their engagement session in one of my favorite overlooks off the Parkway, right at sunset. Though they were initially unsure how they felt about having their photo taken, they were absolute naturals! The moment they looked at each other, everything else simply melted away and they giggled and cuddled up during the whole evening session.

Sunset Inspired Family Wedding at Butler Farm || Lenoir City, TN

Sunset Inspired Family Wedding at Butler Farm || Lenoir City, TN

Intimate Sunset Ceremony at Grove Park Inn on October 8, 2020 || Asheville, NC

Intimate Sunset Ceremony at Grove Park Inn on October 8, 2020 || Asheville, NC

When Cassie and Charles cancelled their wedding back in the spring, concerned that COVID-19 wouldn’t allow for a safe and enjoyable wedding, Emmaleigh and I knew we wanted to do everything we could to ensure they still had a beautiful day together, even if it wasn’t what they originally planned. And boy were we rewarded; this was such a reminder that everything happens for a reason. As I write this on October 10th, the day they had originally planned to wed, it has been pouring nonstop all day long. But on Thursday, two days ago, Cassie and Charles got to read their vows to each other on a quiet hill under a vibrant sunset. And then the four of us shared an incredible cake and a bottle of champagne (purchased by sweet strangers!) by the fireplace after dark.

January 3, 2020 Traditional Wedding in Charlotte, NC

January 3, 2020 Traditional Wedding in Charlotte, NC

Bethany and Raul, their friends and family, and my photography team got to start the new decade in the best way possible: with an outpouring of love and faith. The love part is obvious, but seeing Bethany and Raul’s faith manifest in more subtle ways was equally beautiful.

What’s more, as it was a rainy, chilly January day, they had to have a lot of faith in us to make sure that their photos were beautiful, while still enjoying the experience! Not always can you convince a bride to get her train wet (post-ceremony, of course!) so that she can have a few romantic outdoor photos in the rain, but Bethany was game for anything, trusting that we knew what we were doing and that we’d take good care of her gown. Luckily, she had her new husband to keep her warm, and then the two of them danced the night away within the excellent architecture of Waterfront Hall.

September 28, 2019 Mountain Wedding in Downtown Asheville, NC

September 28, 2019 Mountain Wedding in Downtown Asheville, NC

For the very last photos of their Charlotte engagement session, Laura and Chris (per Chris’s half joking idea) ran through a fountain. We finished our photoshoot all laughing; them completely drenched, Emmaleigh’s shoes and pants soaked through from holding a flash, me nicely dry but nonetheless ecstatic about our photos.

A few weeks later, Emmaleigh and I stood on the balcony of the penthouse suite of the Indigo Hotel watching an enormous rain cloud roll over West Asheville towards us, this time quite a bit less excited about the impending drenching.

August 3, 2019 Magical Garden Wedding at Haiku I Do || Asheville, NC

August 3, 2019 Magical Garden Wedding at Haiku I Do || Asheville, NC

Fal and Richard had quite the week leading up to their wedding: medical boards on Tuesday, moving on Wednesday and driving to Asheville on Thursday. So, come Saturday, it seemed almost surreal that they’d been able to pull everything off. As they were sitting on the floral sofa under the twinkle lights taking their couple’s photos, in the middle of gazing lovingly at each other Richard suddenly gasped and threw up his hands, “We really did it!”

June 22, 2019 Fairytale Garden Wedding at Homewood || Asheville, NC

June 22, 2019 Fairytale Garden Wedding at Homewood || Asheville, NC

Not often do I get to say this, but I actually knew the groom before the bride did! Q and I both came to Asheville in 2011 as student athletes, and since my freshman roommates were all on the women’s soccer team, I befriended many on the men’s side as well. I photographed both Q’s soccer matches and his graduation photos, so when I got a text from an unknown number while I was working in NYC saying “Hey! Are you free June 22, 2019? Tara and I would love for you to shoot our wedding.” I was understandably thrilled! Well, first I had to figure out whose number it was, then I was thrilled.

June 8, 2019 Wedding at The Laurel Room at High Vista || Asheville, NC

June 8, 2019 Wedding at The Laurel Room at High Vista || Asheville, NC

My absolute favorite thing about being a wedding photographer is getting to see families work together to make their bride and groom’s day the most special possible. For Lauren and Alex, while the weather wasn’t what we’d hoped and several plans had to change, we got to see just how loved and appreciated these two are by all their family and friends. Even better, the rain stopped just enough for us to run outside for photos against the perfectly misty mountains. It was such an honor getting to spend the day capturing the new Mr. and Mrs. Wall’s love for each other.

May 11, 2019 Garden Wedding at Ijams Nature Center | Knoxville, TN

May 11, 2019 Garden Wedding at Ijams Nature Center | Knoxville, TN

Getting to go home, photograph a wedding for someone I’ve known through running for a decade, sing every verse of “Rocky Top” and capture the pure joy of two people and their families coming together to celebrate love, was everything I needed. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who came together amidst stressful circumstances to pull off an absolutely gorgeous wedding last weekend!

Parent Photo Albums || Nicole + Chris's Highland Brewing Company Wedding in Asheville, NC

Parent Photo Albums || Nicole + Chris's Highland Brewing Company Wedding in Asheville, NC

I loved giving people gifts. I love even more getting to make said gifts. From age 5 onward, whenever I could, I handmade all family Christmas gifts, starting as early as June to ensure that everyone’s was completed on time.

So, to be able to incorporate gift giving into my business has been a real pleasure. My favorite product that I started offering last year was a parent album, a smaller version of each couple’s photo album showcasing almost exclusively the images that the couple, the parents and siblings are in. This way, each parent gets their own commemorative album tailored to them, highlighting the moments that they were a part of.

Photo Album || Keya + Eric's Engagement + Elopement Weekend

Photo Album || Keya + Eric's Engagement + Elopement Weekend

My goal was to make the two separate photoshoots blend together into one cohesive story about their lovely weekend, although we only spend about 5 hours total with them. As we ended our engagement shoot (see the full post here) with the most beautiful summer sunset leaving our couple in awe, I decided to set the scene with this opening photo of our Blue Ridge Mountains bathed in color. Photos-wise, from there I moved forward chronologically, ending our first day’s image showing Keya and Eric walking into the distance, alluding to their walk towards their future as husband and wife.

Couples Photography, Destination Engagement, Destination Wedding, Elopement Photography, Engagement Photography, Landscape Photography, love, Photo Albums, Stylist, Travel Photography, Wedding Photography, Wedding VendorsAdrian EtheridgeMarch 6, 2019Pisgah Innelopement, elopement photography, mountains, blue ridge mountains, mountain view, mountain elopement, pisgah inn, devil's courthouse, just bloom together, photography, photo album, photo products, engagement, engagement photography, destination weddings, destination wedding, destination engagement, destination photography, destination photoshoot, asheville nc, asheville photographer, blue ridge parkway, north carolina, north carolina elopement, elopement vendors, wedding vendor, wedding vendors, wedding coach, wedding planning, wedding photography, wedding photo album, elopement photographer, elopement planningComment

Wedding Photo Album || Katie + Mario's Raspberry Plain Manor Wedding

Wedding Photo Album || Katie + Mario's Raspberry Plain Manor Wedding

I love Katie and Mario’s approach to their album: while we had over 1,000 photos to choose from they managed to narrow it all the way down to 100 (an impressive feat!) so that they could have as many large full-spread images as possible. They wanted to keep it simple, to let the emotional photos to speak for themselves, so we kept the text to a minimum as well, only including one Bible verse layered perfectly over a silhouette I made during their ceremony. I certainly keep the album in mind while photographing each wedding (in fact, I specifically shoot with the flower & layout of each album in my head) but sometimes things work out even better than I’d planned. Being able to pair the quotation “this is a profound mystery” with a silhouette is one of those moments!

Boho Chic Styled Elopement at Ridgeview Venue || Asheville, NC

Boho Chic Styled Elopement at Ridgeview Venue || Asheville, NC

One of the reasons I love participating in styled shoots is getting to see the amazing creativity that comes out of vendors directly working together to create a concept. For instance, not only did Emmaleigh help me to style the provided attire for detail shots, but she even brought in her own crystals and antiques to add character and depth to the photos!