Jess + John
This intimate September wedding brought all of their closest friends and family to the adorable mountain town of Lake Lure, North Carolina. The ceremony took place at a lush lakeside park and The 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa was host to their quaint reception to follow.
The day started with Jess getting ready with her best friend by her side. As the final touches were being put on her hair and makeup done, we all chatted and laughed and the atmosphere had a delightful calm to it. Jess was ready to marry her best friend and she was just so incredibly relieved for the day to finally be here.
Once the couple was ready (silent pause for Jess' amazing hair!!) we met in the courtyard for an emotional first look and some portraits. Jess and John wanted to do a reveal with their family so we tucked them away and brought in their closest family for a private look before family portraits. There was so much love for the two of them and the unwavering support of their marriage was tangible.
Family and friends hopped the trolley over to the ceremony location at Morse park with Chimney Rock State Park as the alter backdrop (so magical!). One of the most sentimental and unique additions to their day was incorporating their late dog (who was the impetus for their first date) into their day. A beautiful wooden box containing his ashes was placed alter-side and he had an undeniable presence over the ceremony and it was a wonderful tribute. The couple exchanged their own extremely heartfelt and emotional vows. This day had been a long time coming for both of them and this was indeed a grande celebration of the journey they both experienced to get to this altar.
Following the ceremony (and some incredibly mosquito filled portraits), the wedding coordinator invited everyone to the grande staircase in the foyer of the Inn under the guise of a group portrait. It was there that Jess surprised John by serenading him in a tear-filled musical performance. The couple then joined their friends and family dancing into the cocktail hour in aviators and some serious pep in their step!
As the sun was about to dip behind the mountains, we raced across the street to the beach (thank you to the bartender for hooking us up with the keys to the locked gate!!). We snuck in and Jess and John enjoyed 15 mins to connect and frolick as the sunset turned into blue hour over the lake. The reception was so intimate and space was cozy and inviting, like a large family dinner. Dancing and shenanigans followed and the couple continued to celebrate with their closest acquaintances.
