Wildflower Spring Wedding in Gerton, North Carolina
Reminiscing on this wedding day as their one year anniversary rolls around! I’ll take any excuse to step back into this sun filled celebration. It was the kind of day film was made for, and I captured it entirely this way. Wildflowers popping up from the ground, trees in green greeting the season, and a bright blue sky with not a cloud in sight! Seriously could not have imagined a more lush day.
Vanessa and Austin came to me as two high school sweethearts, young and in love, eager to get married. With an antique film-inspired vision in mind, we naturally gravitated toward each other. The rest was just history. We first met for their engagement session at High Shoals Falls, climbing towering boulders and splashing through waterfalls. When they showed up in vintage 1920s clothing and hiking boots, I knew this was something special.
In the quiet town of Gerton, North Carolina, just 30 minutes outside of Asheville, sits the beautiful venue Laughing Waters. Tucked away in the woods with a private river and old cabins, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature and unplug with your people.
What I love most about this space is its heart. There’s an emphasis on keeping the land wild and free, letting nature exist as it is.
Originally planned for November, everything shifted when Hurricane Helene tragically made its way through Western North Carolina just mere months before. It destroyed beloved towns, wiped out power for weeks, and flooding loved ones’ homes, businesses, and shelters. Laughing Waters was one of the places deeply affected.
There was a period of uncertainty. Postponing the wedding, navigating grief, and feeling the weight of it all, even in moments that were meant to be joyful. It was a tender time for everyone.
But then.. we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Roads were being rebuilt (slowly but surely), water and power became reliable again, and a new date was set for April 5th.
Pulling up onto the gravel road, I could feel the excitement and relief. After everything, this day had finally arrived for them.
Getting ready felt slow and relaxed, surrounded by the warmth of the wood cabin and the hum of friends and family downstairs. Vanessa, upstairs preparing for the day, donned a vintage Gunne Sax dress, she had searched and searched for, until the exact one appeared on Facebook Marketplace. If you’re an avid vintage/second hand shopper, you know that feeling. It’s unparalleled adrenaline! She looked absolutely radiant, as if that dress was hand stitched just for her.
Outside, guests trickled in one by one, admiring the grounds and snapping keepsake polaroids for the guest book. Austin and his friends were laughing and setting up tables, completely in their own world. It never felt like a production with them, it simply was about being together.
The ceremony was beautiful in every way. Vanessa walked herself down the aisle, the sun glowing especially for her. During the ceremony, they honored tradition with a Celtic hand fasting ritual to symbolize their unity, commitment, and the merging of their lives. Tiny charms were added to the ends as expressions of love, and their close family friend had the honor of blessing them. Their vows, spoken with so much love and certainty, said everything they needed to.
Vanessa’s brother played the trumpet on their send off and I thought it was the sweetest thing.
Bridal portraits followed the ceremony, so they could fully enjoy the reception and dinner without interruption. Selfishly, this is one of my favorite parts of the day, when we can step away for a moment, tucked into nature, take a deep breath, and let everything settle. Couples are always a little extra giggly, a little more intimate.
We started along this little rock pathway, then made our way to the standing stone chimneys for something more antique and heirloom-like, before ending by the river and boulders. It felt full circle from their engagement session, returning to the same kind of moments.
There were so many meaningful touches woven throughout the day. I adore when couples tell a story with their decor. It’s such an intentional way to reflect your love in the little details. Their favorite books were stacked along the tables, wooden candle holders to symbolize their love for nature, and soft greens for a sense of grounding.
Speeches are another favorite part of the day. Hearing what the closest people in your life have to say about you, and the vulnerability it takes to share something so personal in front of a room full of people, always tugs at my heart strings.
One moment everyone is in tears, and the next they’re laughing, reminiscing on memories when you were young, dumb and broke. Or your mom sharing a story that probably should’ve stayed locked in the vault, ha!
Dinner was absolutely wonderful; vibrant and fresh, with seasonal produce, yum!
I love when there are wild children running about at weddings. It’s so fun to just sit back and watch them be kids. With their carefree nature and imaginative play, they bring a kind of lightness to the day. They don’t care about the camera. They’re not posing or thinking about angles, they’re just letting things be. It always inspires me to loosen up too. Maybe I get low to their level, maybe I laugh and dance with them. Guests almost always loosen up too, and I get to catch those glimpses of their silly side along the way.
When planning guest portraits, Vanessa and Austin came up with such a thoughtful idea: to gift their guests a portrait from the day, as a keepsake. So often at weddings, you’re having so much fun you forget to snap a picture together!
As a photographer, I always keep that in mind. I love making space to capture your guests too, since they’re such an important part of your day and story. During the reception, I wandered around, finding each pair or group and capturing them just as they were.
To end the night, Austin and his friends got a fire going. We all cozied up, sharing stories and laughter as the night settled in. It’s the kind of ending that felt so natural and peaceful.
I left that night with a smiling heart, immense gratitude for the lovers who invite me into their world and trust me to capture their significant day. Congratulations Vanessa & Austin. May your love always feel like this, rooted in laughter, the outdoors, and deep unwavering care for one another.
I’ll be thinking about this one for a while. You can reach out here whenever it feels right.
