I knew I would hit it off with Lauren and Gene from our first conversation. They wanted a non-traditional event. No wedding party. No formal group photos. No wedding venue. They wanted their NoDA wedding photos to encapsulate the real moments, and they wanted to be in them. They chose one of their favorite restaurants, The Goodyear House, to host their wedding. The Charlotte restaurant doesn’t host events regularly, but they were open to the concept (and did a fabulous job, might I add). I adored Lauren’s vintage, yet modern wedding dress and Gene’s custom green suit. It truly was the perfect ..read more

April in 2021 was a moment of hope after a long stretch of the pandemic. My couples were allowed to gather again with loved ones, vaccines were available, and numbers were trending down. Nicole and Ryan’s photos from their spring wedding at The Vineyards at Betty’s Creek remind me of this season of hope and celebration. Nicole and Ryan have such a special relationship with their families. It’s evident in the moments captured how much they all truly care about one another. Nicole’s first look with her dad was incredibly sweet, and I loved watching his expression during their first dance as well ..read more

Carol and Benny’s tented Biltmore Estate Conservatory wedding was held on the most beautiful spring day. The Biltmore sparkled in the sunshine with the gardens full of vibrant seasonal flowers. Carol surprised Benny with a vintage car that complemented the backdrop of the historic estate. Their ceremony was light-hearted and perfectly written to match their personalities. They had a friend be a “flower man,” which their guests found incredibly entertaining. Carol’s children walked her to the aisle and then ceremoniously left her to finish the walk on her own. Their vows were hilarious but also ..read more

On the drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway, it was completely ensconced in fog. I was worried that their mountaintop engagement photos in Asheville were going to be hidden by the fog. I prayed that we’d have some views as I was driving, and as soon as I reached our destination, the clouds parted to the most glorious sunrise. These types of mornings are my favorite in Appalachia. We don’t get them often, but occasionally fortuitously the sun and fog mixes together to make some of the most stunning backdrops for engagement photos. After we wrapped up our hike, we spent a little extra time searching ..read more

Caitlin and Nicholas’ NC camp wedding fell on the most delightful summer evening. They chose to wed where they first met: at summer camp! They helped each other get dressed in an airbnb in downtown Greenville. After we snuck in some light-drenched portraits in their minimalist condo, we drove to Asbury Hills for their ceremony. They chose to keep their elopement simple with no guests in attendance. After a simple ceremony in front of mountaintop views, we hiked around the campus. The mountain laurel was in full bloom, and we took in the majestic beauty of the natural landscape around camp. T ..read more

Jennifer + Dan’s blue ridge parkway elopement included everything wonderful about summer in the mountains. They lucked out with the rain holding off, and the fog rolled in to make for some beautiful moody photos. We caught the pink rhododendrons blooming! They’re an incredibly beautiful summer treat, but it’s hard to catch them in full bloom because they don’t last long on the bushes. After exchanging vows on the parkway, we explored Craggy Gardens for a bit, and we had the trail almost to ourselves because of the weather. We never saw the sun, but the cloud we were in made for incredibly stu ..read more

Tracy and Markus planned an all-day elopement in Linville late in the fall. We started our ascent in the cold, dark mountain air, but we were warmed quickly by the stunning pink sunrise. After they had a first look moment in their wedding clothes, they snuggled under a warm wool blanket and took in the rising sun. Next, they exchanged vows on a cliff overlooking the rolling hills of Appalachia. We hiked a little bit more and took photos along the way. As the wind picked up, we descended the pinnacle and found ourselves in a grove of bright orange and yellow trees. The best part of a longer elo ..read more

This Asheville boudoir session was one of my favorites from 2021. She wanted it to be not only a wedding present for her soon-to-be husband, but she also wanted the boudoir session to be an empowering experience for herself. We were successful on both fronts! She chose The Grand Bohemian, which is a great moody space for boudoir photos. There are many great airbnbs in town as well, but this hotel is a great plan B when we’re in peak tourist season. The post ASHEVILLE BOUDOIR<br> GRAND BOHEMIAN // ASHEVILLE, NC appeared first on MORNINGWILD Photography ..read more

It was one of those rainy southern fall days. The clouds would open and release glass-shattering rain fall, only to dissipate minutes later. The sun would appear along with the humidity, and then the cycle would start again. Thankfully, Maggie and Slaton embraced the weather and planned ahead. Like all 2020 wedding couples, Maggie and Slaton had to adjust their plans. They had originally envisioned a black tie formal affair at a boutique hotel in downtown Atlanta. As the pandemic became more variable, they reevaluated and decided to downsize their guest list and host their ceremony at Slaton’s ..read more

I try to read as often as I can, but it’s challenging to find time, especially as a parent. Brendan and I set boundaries a few years back that we would put our phones down when we get into bed, and it’s created a really nice space for us to find time to wind down and read (another bonus is that I fall asleep faster!). Here is a list of all of the books I read in 2021. A few of these were quick binge reads that were free with my Amazon prime membership (if you’re a Prime member, don’t miss out!) Some were better than others…. ***** These are my ultimate favorites from 2021 Miracle Creek // An ..read more