Great Smoky Mountain Wedding Photographers
Getting Married in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Just forty-five minutes away from our home, a treasure exists. The place is so special and so unique that people travel from all over the world to East Tennessee just to see the sites. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not only a perfect getaway for nature lovers, but it is also an amazing place to tie the knot. What do you need to know before planning a wedding here? Permits, permits, permits. You need a Special Use Permit in order to hold your ceremony and/or reception here, and there are specific park guidelines to keep in mind. Also, there are approved wedding locations to choose from, and the permit process applies to vendors as well. Photographers must obtain a Commercial Use Authorization in order to capture your day, and we are permitted National Park photographers who know all the ins and outs of making the most of your mountain wedding. Do you want to know more? How about working with an experienced husband and wife team who can offer all the insights on locations, planning, and executing your vision? Feel free to reach out for more info.
Spence Cabin "River Lodge" Wedding at Elkmont - SarahBeth + Josh
An adventurous couple who loves the great outdoors and special DIY details made up Sarah Beth and Josh’s big day at Spence Cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You may remember these two from their amazing foggy sunrise engagement in the sunflowers, but their wedding in such a gorgeous natural setting was just as memorable.
Surrounded by her sisters throughout the day, Sarah donned a gorgeous ivory gown with her grandmother’s pearls, and her adorable flats served as a practical “something blue.” She even added an additional element that embraced the natural setting with her free flowing flower crown. We loved the choice of stone blue accents with the bridesmaids dresses and adored that these were super flowy to evoke an ethereal vibe.
The riverside ceremony was emotional and personal, and joy absolutely radiated from Sarah , Josh, and their families. Sweet touches like a crafted windowpane timeline, old fashioned milk jug glasses, and handmade paper cranes greeted guests, and they even gave a nod to their careers as field researchers through books about wildlife and copies of National Geographic as decor. The reception also included a huge announcement that the two would be relocating to Alaska to start their journey together.
Nature is what brought these two together, and they wanted their day to feel like a culmination of that. The national park setting in Elkmont couldn’t have been more perfect for these lovebirds, and we are excited to share so many memories from this rustic celebration of the natural world. Mr. and Mrs. Monroe are gracing the blog today with their eco-friendly, river lodge wedding. Enjoy!
Venue: Spence Cabin and Appalachian Clubhouse | Place Settings: Unique Settings Rentals- Knoxville | Dress: Justin Alexander from Tradesy | Bridesmaids' Dresses: Lulus | Floral: Melissa Timm Designs | Floral: Kroger Oak Ridge | Dessert: Duck Donuts | Cake: Kroger Oak Ridge
Elkmont & Spence Cabin Smoky Mountain Engagement - Stephanie + Addison
One of the perks of having our permit to shoot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is meeting people from all over the country who travel to Gatlinburg for vacation and ask us to capture some memories with them. Stephanie and Addison made the journey with their pup all the way from Dallas, and since this is still one of our favorite sessions in the Smokies, we wanted to highlight their beautiful engagement today.
This couple perfectly planned their wardrobe and fully embraced one of our tips for our sessions. We always suggest that couples bring two different looks, one that is dressy and another that is more casual. As we've posted photos of these two, everyone has raved over Stephanie's gold Badgley Mischka dress from Rent the Runway. We loved this sparkly floor length gown against the wooded backdrop of Elkmont.
As we embrace fall today, join us in the mountains with Stephanie and Addison who will be married soon in Texas. We wish them a lifetime of love and happiness!
