Jen and Justin's Spring Wedding at Overlook Barn

“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience”

— E. Roosevelt

I didn’t have a chance to meet Jen and Justin before the big day, but it didn’t matter, from the moment we started chatting, we knew we’d be a perfect fit. They LOVE the mountains just as much as I do but also live in Raleigh, my second love. They love all things outdoors and aren’t afraid to bust a move on the dance floor. As they always vacation in Banner Elk, it was very special for them to get married here and Overlook Barn never disappoints.

Justin proposed on the same day they closed on their first home together and they both reminisced about it during the private vows. Sweet Justin was nearly bursting at the seams before this moment, but after they had time to share their love and a few stories from the morning, everything shifted and only excitement filled the air. Jen kept repeating she was ready to get started. So off we went!

The winds were picking up just as everyone lined up for the ceremony and it took a whole team of friends, family and Elegant Events Staff to hold the Arbor in place. It only served to add to the adventure of it all though. We got them down the aisle and all the guests secured in the barn before the rains came.

The fog was rolling in hard the night before but we weren’t concerned. I’ve managed mountain top fog many times. When it shifted to black clouds right before the Mr. and Mrs. portraits I looked at Jen and said we can see if it passes and risk it never stopping…or make a run for it.

Obviously we ran.

Rain turned to hail and hail turned to a rainbow. We were all soaked from head to toe but filled with great big belly laughs. Her dress must have gained an extra 15 pounds with the water weight but she took it like a champ then skipped off to the dance floor!

Fortunately the rain stopped, and as the fog rolled back in, it brought with it the Northern Lights!! We couldn’t see them in their entirety, but very much appreciated the pop of color! We ran back and forth between Jen’s favorite songs and a new color in the sky!

What an incredible adventure this weekend turned out to be! All four seasons in one day! 10/10 would do it again next weekend!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: @cynthiajviola with Michael Freas

Venue: @overlookbarn

Planner: @eleganteventweddings 

Dress: @essenseofaustralia from @carolinabridalworld

Suits: @black_tie

Rings: @kayjewelers

Florals: @bouquet_florist_boone

HMU: @bella_bridalartistry

Catering: @gadabouts_catering

Cake: @choicecakes1

Video: @HoneyDewFilms

Rentals: @thesummitwoodworks

Rehearsal @stonewallsrestaurantnc

Officiant: Bruce King

DJ: @djdaybreak

Delina and Mike's Wedding at Overlook Barn

Oh my goodness, I had so much fun learning how Delina and Mike fell in love on a motorcycle trip across England, France, and Belgium. Their love of adventure made them an absolute dream couple for me! For their engagement session they brought their bike and we cruised around the parkway stopping at favorite hiking spots and making sure to capture their love of both each other and the type of adventure that brought them together in the first place.

For their honeymoon they’re taking an epic road trip across the US then hopping over to Hawaii to hike to waterfalls and get scuba certified. I must say, I’m super jealous and totally tempted to stalk behind them the whole way so I can capture every moment I love it so much!

We had a major threat of rain all day but we were all so happy it held off allowing everyone to see the beautiful mountain backdrop at Overlook Barn.

Delina chose to do a first look with her grandmother as well as Mike…and let’s just say the whole room was in tears. Just look how precious they are together.

Mike and Delina have fostered 8 dogs and over 20 kittens too young, injured or sick to stay in the shelter and that too, helped bond them early in their relationship. They're happy to report that all are living happily in their forever homes now. And they made sure to include their pups at the wedding for 15 min for a super important photo op.

Delina of course wore a gorgeous gown for most of the day, but wanted to be sure to honor her grandmother by also wearing her wedding dress for part of the reception. It was restored by Dorian at Poinsett Bride and fit her perfectly.

Between the dancing, s’mores, late night popcorn, sparklers and perfect weather, the evening was a huge success and our happy couple left feeling loved and adored.

Thank you guys for inviting us to be a part of your day!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Jesse Roberts

Coordinator: Johna O'Leary, Maready & Co. Events

Venue : Overlook Barn

Dress: Poinsett Bride

Suit: Hugo Boss

Rings: llyn Strong

Hair and Make Up: Bella Bridal Artistry

Florist: Thistle and Twig

Officiant: Seth Bickley

Ceremony Music: Summit Strings

DJ: Split Second Sound

Video: Honeydew Films

Photobooth: CLT Shutter Booth

Catering: Earthworks

Bartending: Black Moth Bars

Cake: Stick Boy

Rentals: Professional Party Rentals

Allison and Karen's Wedding at Overlook Barn

Oh my goodness. I feel like I know these two almost as much as they know each other!

I met them when Allison wanted to propose to Karen at a Treehouse AirBnb in Asheville… I was only TOO excited to drive down there first to see the space and make sure everything was perfect before their arrival. Karen’s mom and best friend were there too, to set up all the fun extras.

When I realized there was no place for me to hide in the bushes, I called Allison, on the road with Karen, and pretended to be the AirBnB host and told her “I would be there to greet them and show them the house.” She rolled with it and when they arrived, of course Karen started asking me questions about when we built the space and I made up all kinds of nonsense. Until of course we reached the bridge, when Allison knew she’d pop the question and I snagged my camera out of the bushes! Never a dull moment in the surprise wedding proposal world!

Fast forward a few months and Karen contacted me to capture HER surprise proposal to Allison at the Linville Falls Winery Christmas Tree Farm! I was so happy there were actually trees to hide behind and could not wait to pop out and show Allison I was there to capture her moment too! Her mom had set up the cutest Christmas tree in the middle of the farm with ornaments and presents, hot chocolate, and of course the ring!

The build up for this weekend made everything flow seamlessly. It didn’t matter that it rained literally 100% of the day without so much as a 5 minute break for photos. They were surrounded by their loved ones and more importantly these two love each other more than I can possibly describe.

Inside or out, their heartfelt vows had everyone (including me!) in tears so no one even noticed the weather. They had every guest fill out well wishes and place a pebble in the bag while they etched their names in their own pebbles. All piled together, every stone brought them to where they are today on their journey and will help blaze the path ahead.

There was never a moment where it wasn’t raining as least a little, so we played with umbrellas for a bit and they just decided to let the rain fall for some as well. Never without a smile on their face, and always filled with love.

That said, we still decided to meet up again over the weekend when the weather broke so they could get the mountain backdrop they were hoping for from Overlook Barn. It was no less special a couple days later, and in fact, more so because there was no wedding day pressure or timeline, just love. While I will always be sure to capture your day no matter what happens with the weather, if you have the option to meet up again the next day with better weather… it never hurts ;)

I have been so honored to be a part of your journey you guys and cannot wait to see what the future holds!

The Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola Photography

Coordinator: Miranda with Simply Bliss Weddings

Venue : Overlook Barn

Florist: Thistle and Twig

Officiant: Amanda Kerr

Hair: Myan Littleton

Band: Courtney Lynn and Quinn

Catering: Sage and Spice

Bartending: Happy Trailers Beer Truck

Dessert Truck: Blue Deer Cookies

Cake: Sunflower Baking Company