Christie and Alex's Wedding at Twickenham House and Hall

“I’m not good at making specific plans. Just meet me under the sky somewhere and be alive with me”

— Victoria Erickson

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who’s loves snow as much as Christie and Alex. We went back and forth on engagement dates waiting for the PERFECT snow day, and all the effort paid off! Banner Elk was finally forecasted to receive several inches and we started planning. What started as fun snow ball fights and hikes around the The Banner Elk Mill Pond, ended in a romantic sunset on top of Beech Mountain. It set the perfect tone for their wedding day to come!

Fast forward to the big day. They reallllly wanted snow on their wedding day as well, so they chose December in the mountains. Twickenham House and Hall provided the most beautiful backdrop and while it didn’t snow the day of, it did one step better and snowed a couple days prior, ensuring the roads were accessible by the wedding day AND they still had snow on the ground for photos! Wins all around!

And those wins could not have arrived at a better time. The High Country endured the trauma of Hurricane Helene just a few weeks prior to the wedding washing out the road to their venue as well as countless others nearby. With many discussions about changing locations, we kept our fingers crossed and the road workers pulled through just in time! It was a grand celebration indeed!

Christie chose to have a first look with her father (complete with custom gift to her pops) as well as her excited bridesmaids. We had to take a couple quick warm ups inside the house in between of course ;)

Then Alex and Christie shared their first look together on the front lawn where we still had some snow followed by their sweet private vows and a sip of a special bottle of bourbon they had been saving for this day.

While the scenery was breathtaking, the temperature and winds were a little harsh the morning of the wedding so they made a quick switch from a cliffside ceremony to a backyard ceremony which was absolutely lovely. We took the happy couple up to the cliffs afterward for a few portraits and the rest of the evening was spent laughing, crying and dancing the night away. Wouldn’t change one thing, we had an absolute, blast you guys! Thank you for trusting us with your big day!

The Instagram Handles for the Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: @cynthiajviola with assistance from @jlrobertsphotography

Venue: @twickenhamhouse

Planning: @heatherlyeventdesign and @kelseystricklandevents

HMU: @justwingitartistry

DJ: @ultimatesounddjco

Catering: @morchellaprovisions 

Cake: @sassy_cat_bakery

Transportation: @wilcoxtravel

Emma and Christian's Wedding at The Barn on New River

I met Emma and Christian last year at the Married in the Mountains showcase at The Barn on New River and we hit it off right away. I could tell by they way they teased each other and were relaxed about the wedding details we’d be a great fit. They were excited about how they met through a common love of White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and couldn’t wait to gift honey jars to their guests becase they met on Bumble.

They chose not to have a first look with each other, but Emma did have a sweet first look with her dad and her bridesmaids before the ceremony while Christian poured bourbon for his fellas and helped wrangle the littles.

The Barn has a magnificent flower garden for portraits and we were so excited to utilize it before the reception started. Not to mention the ice cream cookie sandwiches from Blue Deer. ;)

The four by four ride to the top of the mountain for sunset photos is a highlight for every couple .Not just for the beauty of the photos, but for the chance to savor the day together. As much as you love each and every guest, no one compares to the one the day was created for to begin with. It was so sweet watching them play around together and talk about how the day had played out. When the Mustang arrived to pick them up, we had to create a few fun memories! Let’s do it again soon you guys!

The Wedding Vendors who made the day possible:

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Aja White

Venue : The Barn on New River

Coordinator: Caroline with The Barn on New River

Dress: Justin Alexander Signature

Suit Designer: Kenneth Cole at Men’s Warehouse

Rings: Diamond’s Direct

Hair: Jill at Shine Hair Lounge

Florist: New River Escape

Officiant: Richard Tidyman

Live Music: Mountain Peak Sound

DJ: Mountain Peak Sound

Catering: The Scarlet Hen

Bartending : Vintage Pours

Dessert: Blue Deer

Rentals: A&J Rentals

Amy and David's Wedding at The Lodge at Brier Creek

It’s not often I get to shoot a couple’s engagement session at the same location as their wedding, but The Lodge at Brier Creek is so beautiful, we all agreed it would be the perfect choice. I knew right away these two were going to be perfect to work with, they’re super fun and quirky and we literally already had everything we needed in first five minutes of shooting because they’re so natural. They came with their own ideas of what they wanted, different outfits and were willing to walk every square inch of the grounds.

Fast forward to their wedding weekend! Amy and David’s crew showed up ready to party and from the rehearsal to portraits to running away from giant lightening strikes to dance party entrances and dance party final exits, they provided just the right amount of hype and helped these two celebrate in style.

Fun fact about Amy and David. They are both entomologists and had met in an entomology class in college in Southern California. So it’s only fitting he proposed during a cicada explosion (I’m sure that’s the wrong term for it). He literally timed his wedding proposal around the cicada’s schedule and I think that is just the most adorable gesture to the field they both love. In addition she chose a dress to highlight her beautiful tattoos, wore insect earrings and had cicada fondant on their wedding cake.

She also held her Great-grandmother's handkerchief in her bouquet, which had been passed down through several family weddings.

Just before the ceremony started, the storm clouds rolled in and we were so glad we got the beautiful glowy engagement photos on the grounds previously (as well as their first look). However, the Lodge has a beautiful front porch overlooking the same mountains as their ceremony field and it worked perfectly as our covered option.

After the reception had started and everyone was having dinner, I noticed from the back room that the clouds parted and there was a perfect sunset. I knew we’d only have a couple minutes to capture it before the following cloud rolled back over so I ran from the back with cameras in hand, pointed at our happy couple- in the middle of dinner- they knew right away what they needed to do and they jumped up and followed me. The sun was out for just a couple minutes but it’s all we needed to capture that beautiful glow!

After tons of dancing with their friends and family we were about to close out the night and right on cue, we had a little visitor. ONLY an entomologist couple would notice a cricket on their dance floor, stop the show to pick it up and free it into the field nearby. It was the most adorable ending to their insect-friendly day.

You guys I cannot thank you enough for including me in your special day! I had the very best time and cannot wait to hear about all the cool bugs you discover in the future!

Photographer: Cynthia Viola with Sydney Gail

Coordinator: Sincerely Chic

Venue : The Lodge on Brier Creek

Dress: Maggie Soterro from New York Bride and Groom of Raleigh

Suit: Suit Shop

Rings: Brilliant Earth and Emblem

Hair and Make Up: The Beauty Tribe

Florist: Brookside Flowers

Officiant: Sara Vesta/ Vestal Ceremonies

DJ: Tu-can Jamz Mobile Productions

Catering/Bar/Rentals: Catering by Tracy

Cake: Dewey's Bakery

Get Away Car: Elkin Vine Line