South Carolina Mountain Elopement | Heather and Scott

Heather and Scott were married in an intimate ceremony on a perfect fall day in front of the South Carolina mountains!

These days, there’s a lot of chaos and uncertainty that comes with planning a wedding with a large group of people, so Heather and Scott decided to embrace the idea of an intimate ceremony with just each other. Their ceremony took place on the veranda of the Red Horse Inn in Landrum—right off of Scenic Highway 11. I had seen photos of the inn on Instagram, but when I walked up to the ceremony site, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the view from the mountains was.  Their voices were the only sound breaking the silence around us. 

After they signed the marriage license, we got to meet Phinney, the venue’s mini pig. We were given Cheerios to feed him and his tail wagged just like a dog’s! After we took some photos around the venue, we went to their cabin, where they cut their beautiful cake. One of their cake flavors was almond, which is one of my favorites, and a flavor I never see anyone else have at their wedding. We had to take a few photos with their dogs, Brie and Beamer, who were waiting for them at the cabin. 

To finish, we drove about 5 minutes down the road to take some more of their wedding photos at Campbell’s Covered Bridge. This beautiful red bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in the state, and there’s some beautiful tall grass nearby. After we said goodbye, Heather and Scott had dinner together and enjoyed the rest of the perfect fall weather with each other and their dogs. 

Check out some of my favorite photos from this beautiful South Carolina mountain elopement! 

Vendors:

Venue and florals: Red Horse Inn

Officiant: Raya Jackson

Hair and Makeup: Kapelli Salon

Cake: All Good Things

Photo: Christine Scott Photography

Ready for your best day ever?

Photo by Shehzad Ziaee

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 47 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about Greenville is that it’s everything you DON’T think about when you picture South Carolina, but it’s still picturesque. Whether you’re into mountains, waterfalls, lakes, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Elopement Planning Resources

Planning Your Proposal

So you two are ready to start planning the rest of your lives together! Going from “dating” to “engaged” is a big step. How do you want to pop the question?

First of all, there’s no right way for everyone to propose. The only thing that matters is that it’s what you and your partner want. It can be as simple or complex of a plan as you want. These are just some steps to make it less stressful.

1. Pick a special place. Maybe it’s a place with a pretty view, and maybe it’s a place where you two share memories together. Think about how many people will be there and how easy it’ll be to access the spot you want.

Karl and Melanie had never been here before, but they heard how beautiful it was and made a weekend trip there. See More

2. Pick a time. The hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise are what we call “golden hour.” This gives us that pretty glow and is the most flattering on your faces. The exact time of golden hour will vary depending on where you are and what time of year it is, but I’m happy to coordinate that with you. Getting the sun behind you will be prettiest, but if that doesn’t work with your plan, we can find a spot in better light.

This proposal was midday because Tracy and Lawrence would be heading home later that day. I got there early and picked a place for Lawrence to stop that was in good lighting. I put a piece of tape on the ground and sent him a picture of my view. See More

3. Decide when your partner will know what’s going on. If you want it to be a total surprise the second you pop the question, then you’ll need to be in a place where I can easily hide. That could either mean finding a hiding place or blending in with a crowd.

For this proposal, there was not a safe place for me to be out of sight. Connor said that was okay because his plan involved Jess knowing earlier in the hike what would happen at the overlook. See More

4. Pick a spot you know you can easily get to. Let’s use the Table Rock summit as an example, because I’ve gotten this request before. And I get it—getting on one knee in front of that overlook would be so beautiful. Physically, it takes a lot for you, your partner, and your photographer (if you have one) to get there, especially in the warmer months, even if you’re experienced hikers. To quote another photographer who has been to this summit, “You will not be cute by the time you get to the top.” If one of us needs to turn around, or if the parking lot is full, we may not be able to communicate that to each other because cell service is so spotty there. It’s way easier if we simplify the plan, especially if your partner isn’t supposed to know I’ll be there.

For places in the upstate that are beautiful, easy to navigate to, and won’t wear you out before it’s time to take pictures, click here. If you were actually thinking about proposing at the Table Rock summit, that post will tell you about similar views and other pretty parts of the park.

The South Carolina Botanical Gardens have a variety of scenery that will change at different times of year. The trails are paved, there aren’t really steep parts, and you don’t have to go far to find beautiful places.

See More

5. Think about what to wear. If getting dressed up will tip off your partner, it’s up to you how to proceed, but keep in mind that they may want to wear something nicer for these photos. If you do choose to wear something nicer, make sure it won’t get messed up as you’re getting to the spot.

I helped Joe pick a restaurant in the area so that he could get Bree to the spot he wanted to propose. He told Bree she should wear something nice that day because they had a reservation at a nice restaurant. See More

6. Protect the ring. How you hide the ring depends on the situation, but some people have found that a ring box doesn’t sit well in their pockets. You could find a smaller box, a different container to protect it, or put the box deep in a bag you’re carrying so it doesn’t get moved.

Believe it or not, you can get desert scenery in the upstate! Click here to see!

7. Leave time to tell everyone. You might not know until after the proposal whether you’ll want to tell your family and friends ASAP or take some pictures first, so leave a little bit of time in case you decide to make a few phone calls.

AC wanted to call her family right away, but she didn’t know until later that Ben had planned to go by her parents’ house, and her whole extended family would be there. Read more

8. Consider the crowds. Are you and your partner okay with having onlookers as you get engaged? If not, consider proposing in a time and place where you might not encounter as many people. People tend to not be awake around sunrise on the weekends. There tends to be fewer people going downtown or to hiking trails on weekdays. Overall, not as many people go outside during the winter.

For this proposal, we got to the park right when it opened. Not only were we getting that just-after-sunrise light and those low morning clouds, we were also the only three people at the overlook when the actual engagement happened! See More

I hope this helps give you some peace of mind as you take the next step in your relationship! Read more about my engagement photo services, and check out some of the blog posts below to get some ideas!

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Planning Resources

South Carolina Botanical Gardens Engagement Photos | Courtney and David

My cousin Courtney came to visit with her fiancé, David!  They live in Maryland and stopped in South Carolina on their way to Universal Studios.  We set a date for spring engagement photos in the South Carolina Botanical Gardens and crossed our fingers that it wouldn’t rain in the short time that they were here.   

Courtney and David met while David was studying abroad at a university near where Courtney lives.  They kept a long-distance relationship while David finished school in the Netherlands.  David came back to Maryland for graduate school and Courtney has visited the Netherlands with him twice now.  They plan to be married next summer in Maryland, then have another reception with David’s family and friends in the Netherlands.

I had told Courtney that we’d find at least something in bloom by their engagement photos, since there’s such a variety of plants in the Botanical Gardens that bloom at different times.  I like to think everything bloomed early here just for them.  We were so excited when we left my neighborhood and saw a long row of white trees, which doesn’t normally happen this early in the spring.  That meant that the gardens had to be full of color, and they were!  There was so much pink to go with Courtney’s pink hair, lipstick, and dresses.  It was cloudy most of the time we were there, but the temperature was perfect.

A few of my favorite things about this session include the design on Courtney’s nails (which you can see in some of the closeups), her Harry Potter dress in front of the caboose, and how amazing her hair and makeup looked—shoutout to Leigh and Meagan at Cotton Rouge for doing such an amazing job with that! 

Check out all the pretty colors and laughter from Courtney and David’s engagement session!

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Planning Resources

The Ridge Asheville Styled Shoot

A styled shoot is an event where wedding vendors come together to showcase their work.  I was excited to be part of it because it’s 2020 and most wedding vendors don’t have a lot of recent photos, since so many weddings are being cancelled and postponed.  Not to mention that the pictures I’d seen from The Ridge were beautiful and I love taking pictures in the mountains!  Since I had traveled two hours to Asheville, I had never met any of these vendors before.  I got to meet photographers who had traveled from the other side of North Carolina and eastern Tennessee!  We took turns posing and we all got to show our own styles with the same subjects.  The best part?  There was a MASSIVE double rainbow towards the end, making the view even more incredible.

There were two themes to this styled shoot.  One was “English Countryside” and featured a blue color scheme with blueberry décor—I’m a blueberry lover and this was something I never knew I needed in my life.  The other theme was “Whimsical and Vibrant,” which was exciting because I love bold colors, but more subtle and neutral colors are more common at weddings right now. 

Check out some of the vendors behind this beautiful work!

Venue: The Ridge

Planning/Coordination/Co-Host: The Hunt is Over

Main photographer/Co-Host: Erin Allenczy

Florals: Stargazers Designs

Cake/Desserts: 828 Sweet Events

Rentals: East West Vintage Rentals

Linens: Classic Event Rentals Inc

HMUA: Della Terra Beauty

Groom's Suits: Mitchell’s Tuxedo Asheville

Bridal Attire: Wedding Inspirations Bridal; Justin Alexander

Earrings: Jim Ball Designs

Caterer: Santiago Vargas at Carrasco Catering

Invitations:  CJ Candee Graphics

Vow Calligraphy: Help Meet Letters

Signs: Abby Bruce

English Countryside Vendors

Shoes: Jessica Simpson

Bridal veil: Bel Aire Bridal

Models: Hannah and Tyler

Tyler's suit: Kenneth Cole

Whimsical and Vibrant Vendors

Models: Karis and Jacob

Shoes: Coach

Do these belong on your Pinterest board? Because I’m in love with all of it! Click here to get in touch, or look at some of my other blog posts below.

Where to Take Engagement Photos in Upstate SC

Elope in South Carolina

Digital Files, Prints, and Albums

Your Wedding Cake Questions

Table Rock Engagement Photos | Jillian and Vincenzo

Vincenzo left Italy to come work at his uncle’s restaurant in Greenville.  That’s where he first met Jillian!  After they’d been dating a while, they visited Pretty Place Chapel, where Vincenzo proposed.  Even though he was so nervous that he opened the ring box upside down, Jillian said yes! 

Jillian saw my photos in a South Carolina hiking group on Facebook and reached out to me about her engagement photos. I saw she was also a Clemson alumna, so that’s always exciting! She told me she wanted her engagement photos to be in the mountains. I was so excited that someone around here was as excited about pictures in the mountains as I am! We discussed possible places, but we had to hold off on choosing a location and setting a date since a lot of places were closed with the stay-at-home order. We talked about going to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but it would be hard to know what was open until we got there.  When the state parks opened back up, we decided to go to Table Rock on a Thursday to avoid the park reaching capacity.

I think there were more geese than people on the day we had our session!  We also found some ducks, a large snake, and the biggest snail I’ve ever seen.  Even though we couldn’t do the session in the spring, we still got cool weather for June!  The three of us took a trail where we found a few pretty waterfalls. We had so much fun talking about Italy, South Carolina, the mountains, and their wedding plans!  As the sun started to go down, we went towards the lodge, where there was a beautiful view of Table Rock right next to Pinnacle Lake.  The water even glowed orange from the colors in the sky!

Check out my photos of this awesome couple in one of my favorite places in the whole state! 

Looking for a wedding photographer who supports your non-traditional ideas? Click here to read more about me and what I do, and click here to get in touch!

You May Also Like…

Where to Take Engagement Photos in Upstate SC

Taking Photos on Cloudy Days

What to Know about Eloping

Digital Files, Prints, and Albums

Photos with your Dog

The idea for this blog post may or may not have come from wanting to blog the first photos I took of Athena. Although I worked in a kennel in college and I’ve had plenty of people bring dogs to their sessions, I don’t have any experience in actual pet photography, so taking pictures of Athena was a new challenge for me. If you want to include your dog in your photos, here are a few tips!

Have realistic expectations. Most of the pictures will either have your dog sitting, standing, or walking. The pictures you saw on Pinterest where the dog is posing with your or holding a sign might not be feasible for a puppy or for an easily excited dog.

These photos were taken when Athena was 8 weeks old and we’d only had her for a few days. She was really excited to be out in an open area, and I was lucky to even have a few pictures of her sitting still.

Bring a helper. There will be photos that don’t include your dog, and there aren’t always places in sight to tie a leash. Your dog might not want to stick around the entire time either, so your helper can take the dog home. 

Keep the dog on the leash. This might even be a rule for certain locations. Having your dog on a leash minimizes the chance of running into a dangerous situation or an unpleasant encounter with another human or animal in the area. I know Athena isn’t on a leash in some of these photos—there was absolutely nobody around and we were far away from the woods or the road, so she couldn’t run anywhere unsafe before we could catch her.

Choose a time and place where you would be unlikely to encounter other people or animals. For example, a session at Clemson on a weekday in June would be safer than the Friday before the homecoming game. This ties back into #3: the dog is less likely to be distracted or have an unpleasant interaction with someone. Even if your dog is friendly, whoever your dog approaches might not be. 

Bring doggy bags. Nothing ruins the moment like realizing what you just stepped in. It’s something Athena likes to eat right now, which means I have to get it out of her mouth with my hands, and it drives me crazy! As new puppy owners, we’re also learning about how not picking up after your dog can spread all kinds of awful things to other animals. Keep the ground clean for us and for whoever comes through afterward. 

Bring water. Athena is really good about drinking water, but if she can’t get to her bowl, she gets squirmy and whiny. Keep your dog comfortable! 

Check yourselves and your dog for ticks afterwards. A tip I learned from the kennel is to keep a Dixie cup of rubbing alcohol next to you and drop the ticks into it as you pull them off. Otherwise, they could run away and you risk having them come back to you. 

Dogs, as well as any animal who’s close to your heart, are always welcome as long as they’re supervised and they won’t harm anyone or anything. I’ve had one session with a chicken and one with a snake, and I’m up for pretty much anything else! Click here to contact me about setting up a session!

You May Also Like…

What to Know About Eloping

Where to Take Engagement Photos in Upstate SC

Planning Your Proposal

Upstate SC Engagement Photos

First Look or No First Look: What to Consider

The decision of whether or not to have a first look can have an impact on how you feel throughout your wedding day.  Almost every wedding vendor I know or follow insists that everyone should have a first look, but I think a lot needs to go into making that decision.

What is a first look?

A first look is when you and your almost-spouse have your pictures taken together before the wedding instead of not seeing each other until ceremony.  Traditionally, couples have their wedding pictures taken after the ceremony, which is often attributed to the idea that seeing each other beforehand is bad luck.  Here are a few things to consider when deciding whether this is a good fit for you and your wedding day.

What’s the timing for the day?

If your ceremony is close to when it gets dark, you might want to consider a first look so you can have natural light for your pictures.  If your ceremony and reception are at different venues, there may be a big gap between when you finish the ceremony and when the reception starts, so you might as well make use of that time!  If your ceremony is early in the day, having a first look means you’ll have to have your hair and makeup done earlier (and therefore wake up earlier).

Where do you want to go?

If you really want your pictures to be somewhere that’s not close to the venue, having a first look will give you more time to get there and back without missing your reception and time with your guests.  If you want to stick around the venue for your photos, your guests will still be nearby.

Are you already seeing each other that day?

Some couples see each other the day of the wedding, but they don’t want to see each other dressed up until the ceremony.  If you know you’ll wake up next to each other that day, is it worth it to be apart for so much of the day?  You decide!

How will you feel?

The moment you see each other across the aisle is one that you’ve probably waited for your whole life.  Many married couples say that having a first look did not change that moment for them.  If you think you might cry, think about whether you want that moment to be while everyone’s watching or while you two are alone.  A lot of people who think they’ll be nervous on their wedding day choose to do a first look so they can find comfort in each other and be more relaxed before the ceremony.  If you don’t do a first look, you’ll take your wedding pictures in those exciting and relieving first few minutes of finally being married!

What could happen before the ceremony?

Are you worried about getting your dress dirty before you walk down the aisle? Do you want to stay hidden from all your guests until they see you at the ceremony? Would you rather not risk being late to your own ceremony? It’s all up to you!

I hope this helps you make the decision that’s right for your wedding day! As always, I’m happy to help you decide—send me an email to tell me your thoughts so far!

Camp Pinnacle Wedding | Lindsay and Tim

After doing Lindsay and Tim’s engagement photos at Clemson this past spring, I was so excited for their wedding! They held the wedding at Camp Pinnacle, where Lindsay’s dad used to spend his summers when he was in school. With a quiet lake and willow trees, it was a beautiful place to celebrate love. The reception was held in the camp gym, which I never would have guessed was mostly used as a gym because it looked so elegant.  Since it was late September, we had the lush green of the summer without as much of the heat. The deep red color scheme was perfect for this time of year and looked gorgeous with the rest of the venue. 

The ceremony took place in the camp amphitheater with a floral arbor in front of the lake.  Their mothers read from Colossians and Bob Marley.  Lindsay and Tim followed a Celtic tradition of tying their hands together to symbolize their eternal commitment to each other.  Lindsay walked down the aisle to Here Comes the Sun and she and Tim left the ceremony to All You Need is Love—I’m always happy to see Beatles songs included in weddings!  Their family and friends--more than just the father of the bride, maid of honor, and best man—all had wonderful things to say about how much they love Lindsay and Tim.

You can feel how happy Lindsay and Tim are in these photos—they’re so smiley and Tim was fist-pumping so much throughout the day.  Check out some of these sweet moments and the vendor team behind this gorgeous day!

Venue: Camp Pinnacle

Photographer: Christine Scott Photography

Assistant Photographer: Simply Marie Photography​
Dress:  The Savvy Bride Boutique​
Officiant: BeLoved Ceremony
Florals: Flowers by Larry​
Hair and makeup: BLOW Salon Studio​
DJ: Carolina DJ Professionals
Event rentals: Event Rentals, Inc

Bartending: The Perfect Mix

Clemson Proposal and Engagement | Tracy and Lawrence

Every once in a while, my friend Tracy will ask me about doing a session with her.  She was Miss Clemson University, then she graduated from Clemson twice, and we’ve done a few just for fun.  This time, it was Lawrence reaching out, telling me he was planning to propose to Tracy and he wanted me to be there.

Tracy and Lawrence had come back to South Carolina for a wedding.  Lawrence caught the garter.  They headed to Clemson for Sunday brunch and took a walk around campus.  They walked through President’s Park, where the superstition says you’ll be together forever if you walk through there holding hands.  The two of them walked hand-in-hand down the path until Lawrence stopped and got down on one knee.  I wasn’t actually close enough to hear him pop the question, but I saw a long hug and a kiss.  After Lawrence told Tracy to turn around to see me in the bushes (not being sketchy at all), I pointed out the tape I had put on the ground for Lawrence to stop.  We went inside so they could be in the air conditioning and share the news with their parents.

Lawrence had perfectly coordinated his outfit to complement the dress Tracy had packed, knowing there would be an engagement session that day.  Since it’s summer, we had the campus almost to ourselves.  We went back to President’s Park so I could take pictures of them actually walking through it, since I was behind a bush until the end of the first walk.  We came back through all the places where I’d done Tracy’s pictures for Miss Clemson University and her graduation years before.  The fountains were on at the reflection pond, which always makes the pictures there look cooler. 

These two made a 95-degree session at 11 AM so worth it!  Check out some of my favorites!

All About Wedding Cakes

Today’s blog topic is CAKE! There’s no denying that my love of cake comes from my mom, who spent years making wedding cakes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Am I biased about her making the best cakes? Maybe, but there’s no denying how good they are and how much she knows about them. My mom, Maureen, is answering some of the questions you might have about looking for a wedding cake.

My mom made my perfect 7th birthday cake from strawberry cake mix and a cake pan shaped like Ariel. Since my birthday is close to Christmas, there was one year when she made little gingerbread houses for my friends and me to decorate at my birthday party. As the years went by, she began to pursue baking professionally, working for people who trained at some of the best culinary programs in the world and making cakes completely from scratch with the best quality ingredients. Many years after making my Ariel cake, she made a Little Mermaid-inspired wedding cake with a cascade of handmade fondant seashells. She went from working all day on gingerbread houses for my birthday party to spending weeks helping make a huge, award-winning gingerbread house. She is a certified chocolatier and her work was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings. We hope this helps you with your cake decisions for your wedding day!

Little Mermaid cake, 2000

Little Mermaid cake, 2014

What’s your favorite thing about cakes?

My favorite thing about cakes is unlimited flavor combinations and design ideas! It's a privilege to be a part of one of the most exciting days of their life. It's a thrill to work alongside other talented vendors. Delivering a cake is exciting because when I arrive, other exciting things are always happening too. The florist is working their magic, the tables are getting set, the DJ or band is setting up, the smell of the food is in the air...it's just a fun and happy time! You can feel the excitement.

How did you get into doing cakes?

Since I was a little girl, I've always had a love of sweets and baking. 

What’s one thing you think everyone should know when they start thinking about their wedding cake?

I believe a wedding cake should be about the couple's taste and personality. I always suggest they not copy a cake they've seen somewhere else. Use it as an inspiration to come up with something personal to them.

What are some ways a couple can save money on a wedding cake?

The more handmade decorations that are put on a cake, the more the cake will cost. Handmade flowers are very time consuming. A cake frosted with buttercream is less expensive than fondant. A cake done with buttercream can have an smooth finish and fresh flowers and still be quite elegant and more budget friendly. 

Can having different cake and filling flavors add to the cost?

Yes. First, it adds to the cost of the ingredients. Second, it takes more time to scale out three different cake flavors than it does to scale out one flavor in a much larger  quantity. An entire wedding cake of a single flavor can be baked at one time at the same temperature. Different kinds of cake or different flavors may bake at different temperatures or have a different method. This can add quite a bit of time to bake all of the cakes.  Making separate fillings such as curds, ganache, jams, and flavored buttercreams are all delicious, but add to the cost as well.

What should couples consider if they’re having an outdoor wedding?

The type of cake, filling, buttercream, and decorations would have to be taken into consideration for a summer wedding. I would want to make a buttercream cake that is refrigerated as long as possible and delivered to the venue as late as possible. Naked cakes may be a better choice on a hot day and decorated with fresh berries or flowers. Sometimes an option other than a cake is more practical, like pies, cookies, or a dessert bar. Wedding cakes can be kept indoors until it’s time to cut the cake, but it’s always best if the cake stays in one place.

What are some alternatives to wedding cakes? 

I've seen couples who actually do not like cake at all. They've chosen to have pies or a dessert bar.

What’s the biggest misconception about wedding cakes? 

The biggest misconception about wedding cakes is that they have to be a white cake with vanilla buttercream. While that is traditional, most people pick creative flavors and have multiple tiers with different flavors.

What are some unique cake flavors you’ve made?

Cake flavors can be inspired from everywhere! Ice cream flavors, cocktails, childhood desserts that grandma used to make...I’ve done red velvet with strawberry and lavender, an Earl Grey tea chocolate cake, and bananas foster with bananas, vanilla, rum, and caramel. Kathryn (Christine’s sister/Maureen’s daughter) had a whole bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon in her 21st birthday cake.

What makes cake artists different from each other?

Our couples make us different from each other! When trying to make a cake unique to each couple, we discover new techniques and flavors inspired by them. Some bakers are known for their use of color, painting or airbrushing. Some bakers are known by their creative flavor combinations or sculpted cakes.

What are some trends you see with cakes and what's more classic?

A three tiered round cake is classic although it can be personalized with color, flavors and decorations. Wedding cupcakes have become very popular but still not as popular as the single wedding cake. Naked cakes and tall cakes are the newer trends I've seen.

Where can people learn more about wedding cakes?

I encourage couples to look at as many pictures of cakes as they can from Instagram or Facebook or just by Google. They will start to see a trend in the style that they like that will inspire their own cake unique to them. 

You may also like:

Charlottesville, VA Wedding | Katherine and Anthony

After their freezing cold engagement session more than a year earlier, I was so happy to see warm weather and clear skies for Katherine and Anthony’s wedding day!  Their wedding ceremony and reception were held at University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, the church Katherine grew up in, right around the corner from the University of Virginia.  Katherine’s sister and brother-in-law officiated the ceremony, which included some of their favorite hymns and readings.  There were so many thoughtful and homemade items that came together wonderfully for the day, like their floral arrangements and the bracelets Katherine made for her bridesmaids, mother, and sisters.  Katherine’s mom made the scarves that Katherine and Anthony wore for their engagement session, then she made the veil that Katherine wore on her wedding day!  Katherine’s “something blue” was her shoes, which were such a cool pop of color when her dress moved.  I was so excited when Katherine told me that their color scheme would be navy and light green—it’s a color combination that I love and don’t see a lot, which is part of the reason why I use it on my website. 

This wedding was unique for me because I've known Katherine since kindergarten. Our first of many marching band performances was in 7th grade in the Dogwood Parade, an annual parade in late April, named for the state tree of Virginia. Coincidentally, as all these alumni from our middle and high school marching band came together for the wedding, the Dogwood Parade was happening a few blocks away.  It was the perfect excuse to take advantage of the dogwoods blooming next to the church for some portraits and detail shots!

Check out some of my favorite photos from their wedding day!  Also, shoutout to Melissa for being my awesome second shooter for the day!

Revel Wedding | Tori and Michael

Just like their engagement session in July, Tori and Michael’s wedding day was the perfect temperature with no clouds in the sky.  Their families and friends gathered at Revel on a Monday afternoon in April to see them become husband and wife. 

I knew when I first met with Tori and Michael that some of the details of their wedding would be a little different from what I’ve seen before, and all the details were so unique and well-coordinated when I saw them in person. They had a yellow and gray color scheme; the bridesmaids wore gray maxi skirts and the groomsmen wore yellow suspenders and bow ties, all with black Converses.  Tori’s long-sleeved lace and tulle gown was straight out of a fairy tale wedding, with a cotton crown she made herself and yellow Converses to match Michael’s—the same ones they wore with their black and white outfits at their engagement session. Instead of bouquets, Tori and her bridesmaids carried lanterns with cotton and string lights inside.  The tables had cotton centerpieces and their favorite yellow candies.  For the reception, they picked out breakfast food, because “who doesn’t love breakfast food?”  As a couple who met during Governor’s School and graduated from Clemson, they had all of their rings present for their detail shots.  Their “guest log” was cut from an actual log where all their guests could sign.

You could see that Tori and Michael were so happy for this day to finally be here.  They were so smiley for their portraits, which makes it easy for me!  It’s been so much fun to be part of their engagement and their wedding day over the past year or so. 

Venue: Revel

Photographer: Christine Scott Photography

Dress: Carolina Bride and Groom (sleeves added by The Perfect Fit)

Caterer: Chef 360

Everything else was made possible by family and friends.

Bleckley Inn Wedding | Katrina and McKenzie

The one snow day we had in Greenville all winter just so happened to land on the day McKenzie wanted to propose to Katrina.  The exciting night out he’d planned for the proposal quickly turned into a night in, so he had to think of a new plan quickly.  He put on “Millionaire” by Chris Stapleton and asked Katrina for a slow dance in the living room.  When the song finished, he told her that it was a good time to celebrate.  When Katrina asked what they were celebrating, McKenzie said, “our engagement,” and got down on one knee with this gorgeous vintage-looking engagement ring. 

Katrina and McKenzie’s intimate wedding was on a perfect April day at the Bleckley Inn in Anderson.  They made each other laugh during the ceremony and they had me laughing so much during their bride and groom portraits!  We took some photos out in the courtyard and some others in this little alleyway with flowers and string lights.  Katrina wore a gown with lace sleeves and an off-the-shoulder V-neckline, like a gown out of a 50s movie.  She also had these princess-looking shoes and the garter her mother wore on her own wedding day.  Many of the items they used were handmade, including their engraved tree-like ring box, McKenzie’s feather bow tie, and the succulent décor at the reception.  Katrina and her mom made and designed the decor themselves and set it up with the help of some of their family and friends. All three of their rings are so unique—McKenzie’s wedding band is made from meteorite! 

Thank you Katrina and McKenzie for letting me be part of this beautiful day!

Venue: The Bleckley Inn

Dress, Veil, and Shoes: David’s Bridal

Florals: Wedding Flowers for Rent

Catering: The Bleckley Inn

Officiant: Upstate Wedding Officiant

Decor: designed and created by Katrina and her mother

Invitations: Shutterfly

Cake: Publix Bakery

Arbor and Curtains: Event Rentals

Topper: Adore Your Door Decor

Wedding Favors: Classic Cactus

Succulents: Succulent Cuttings 4 U

Acrylic signs: Sweet NC Collective

Welcome sign: Timeless Accessory Inc

Suspenders: Dochriste

Bowties: Glamour Wedding Shop

Event Rentals: Arbor & Arbor Curtains

Ring Box: Trees 2 Art

Choosing Your Married Name

It’s actually a pretty big decision and I don’t know why I’ve never read a blog post on it. I never heard anyone talk about this, and I never thought to talk with anyone about it, maybe because everyone has such different views on marriage in general and what different name change options would say about you.  Even when you Google “name change after marriage,” the whole first page is about the process of changing your name and not what to change it to. I’m sure I’m not the only one who would have benefitted from reading something like this.

I initially didn’t like the idea of changing my name. This is what I had been called my whole life. I didn’t want to be called something else just because I made the decision to get married. Changing my name would mean having to update everything from my driver’s license to my Amazon shipping information to my paperwork at my job. I really didn’t want to go through all those processes, in addition to having to update pretty much everyone I knew.  The reason I did change my name was because I wanted our eventual family to all be under one name. “The Gows” wouldn’t include me if my last name was Scott or Scott-Gow. People wouldn’t know to associate me with Dan or our future children.  So I eventually decided that I wanted to be a Gow, but what would come between Christine and Gow? 

For other people, there are several factors to consider. I know professors who didn’t change their names so they can still be tied to different works they’ve published. Other professors might marry another professor in the same department and not want to be confused with each other. Some use a hyphenated name. One of my professors made her husband’s last name her middle name instead of the other way around. Some people change their name, but still choose to be known professionally as the name everyone knows. Carrie Underwood, for example, is not known to the public as Carrie Fisher, partially because so many people know her as Carrie Underwood, and partially because she could be confused with Princess Leia.

After deciding what your last name will be, you have to decide what you want your middle name to be. For some people, it’s an easy choice if they don’t like their middle or last name, or if it’s a name that they don’t want to be associated with anymore. I like my middle name and I didn’t like the idea of completely replacing my family name.  Plus, I had Christine Scott Photography going for me, but it would be weird if Scott wasn’t part of my name anymore.  I don’t think I really knew what I wanted my middle name to be until over a month after I was married.

This brings me to the legal process of name changes, which can vary by state.  In South Carolina, you can change your middle and last name to reflect your spouse’s name after becoming legally married.  Based on those rules, my options were Christine Laureana Scott, Christine Scott Gow, or Christine Laureana Gow (side note: Laureana is pronounced Laurie-Anna and it was my great-grandma’s name).   Somehow, I got away with making “Laureana Scott” my legal middle name without anyone questioning me. I don’t know what my plan would have been if I’d been told that wasn’t allowed or if I didn’t have enough space on the form. Another side note: that’s a very long name and kind of a pain when you have to write your full name on stuff.

Here’s where it gets complicated: if you don’t go by your first name, you will need a court order to legally change your name to the one everyone calls you.  This applies to people who go by their middle names, their last names, a nickname, or just another name they’ve chosen for themselves.  According to the South Carolina Legislature’s website, “A person who desires to change his name may petition, in writing, a family court judge in the appropriate circuit, setting forth the reason for the change, his age, his place of residence and birth, and the name by which he desires to be known,” as well as a series of background checks and an affidavit.

If monograms or initials are important to you, that’s something you’ll want to think about before making a legal name change. Remember the Big Bang Theory episode where they name their teams “Perpetual Motion Squad” and “Army Ants,” not realizing what the acronyms would be on their shirts?  Or what if your initials don’t spell anything, but your monogram does?  As for initials, I always thought “Christine S” sounded weird, maybe because it was rare for me to need to be distinguished from another Christine, so “Christine S Gow” sounded weird to me too. The only times I see “Christine L Gow” are in places like my bank account.  My signature is “Christine L Gow” because that’s what my credit card says and my signature is on the back.  On a side note, Dan and I recently realized that the “G” looks different in our signatures. His G looks like the one on the General Mills logo and mine looks like the one on the Goody hair accessories logo.

There are online services that will automate the process for you. I considered this since the DMV here wasn’t open when I wasn’t at work, but I read some negative reviews about the online services and decided I didn’t want to risk my legal name getting messed up.  I read that you’re supposed to go to the social security office before the DMV, so that’s what I did once I had a day off work.  I believe I was required to bring my marriage license and two forms of ID, which can include your driver’s license, your passport, your social security card, and your birth certificate.  I got there right when it opened and there was already a huge line across the front of the building.  I had some photography work to do, so I brought that with me in anticipation of a long wait.  The wait at the social security office was actually longer than the wait at the DMV, but I was able to sit down right away at the social security office.

I hope this has provided some insight to you as you get ready for this big change! Check out some other wedding inspiration below:

Caesars Head Engagement Session | Sierra and Remington

I have a lot of pictures to take in the wonderful month of October, and the first were for Sierra and Remington’s engagement session in the mountains!

When I first met Sierra and Remington in July for Sierra’s graduation photos at Clemson, they told me they were about to celebrate their 4th anniversary as a couple.  Right before that day came up, Remington told Sierra to make sure her trunk was shut because he got something out of it earlier and he wasn’t sure if it had closed all the way.  Thinking he was at work, Sierra opened the trunk to find three boxes with letters and pictures of them together.  Remington came from behind the house and proposed!  How pretty is the ring he picked out? And yes, I looked all around for red and yellow leaves before Sierra and Remington got there so I could do a fall-looking ring shot, even though it was still a few days before the fall temperature kicked in.

Sierra and Remington told me that they really wanted their pictures to have a pretty view, so I suggested a few places I’d been to in the upstate.  They chose Caesar’s Head, which became one of my favorite places in the whole state of South Carolina after I did an engagement session there last fall. Sierra and Remington drove up from Newberry and the sunset did NOT disappoint!  There was a small group of people who had come to the overlook to see the sunset, and I heard one kid say, “They look like they’re getting married!”    

I’ve found that people in other states tend to forget that there’s more to South Carolina than Charleston, but Charleston doesn’t have a view like this!   Check out some of my favorites from this session with an awesome couple in a beautiful place.

Digital Files, Prints, and Albums

Seeing your images for the first time is always such a fun experience, but deciding on what to do with the images can be difficult.  You probably value being able to share them on social media or hanging your favorites in your home, but what else is there to consider?  Here are some of the benefits of having digital files, prints, and albums.

Digital Files

When I was in middle or high school, a friend mentioned not having any baby pictures.  I couldn’t understand why since my family had so many pictures of me from when I was little.  His parents did take pictures of him when he was little, but his house had burned down when he was in elementary school, and any pictures that were in that house were gone.  This was before digital photography became the norm, so any pictures they had that were taken before the fire were either copied from photos given to friends and family, or from the school’s database of school pictures.  

This is the biggest reason why I never think twice about offering digital files.  Yes, I would be able to print them off again if you asked, but by that point, you’ve probably gone through the pain of telling so many people about this horrible thing you went through, and it would probably be easier if you didn’t have to go through that again with me. Another reason is that it’s always nice to be able to share your photos with so many friends and family members at once and to have them on your phone whenever you want to show someone, and you can get more prints if you need to years after I’ve given you the files.  But only having digital files isn't ideal for every situation.

Prints

When I got engaged, my grandma, who was losing her memory, asked me every time we talked on the phone what my ring looked like.  My grandma didn’t have access to a cell phone or a computer, so she couldn't see a digital file unless someone came and showed it to her. My ring was kind of hard to describe, so I texted a picture to my aunt, who I knew visited her often.  Still, my grandma would ask me during every conversation what it looked like, insisting that my aunt had never shown her the photo, even though I knew she had several times.  I printed off a photo and mailed it to her, along with some photos from our engagement session.  That way, they could hang on the fridge she passed every day, and she wouldn’t forget what my ring looked like or whose ring it was. 

So why would you want to order prints if you can just print the digital files yourself?

The short answer I give in my portrait guide is that I give you the option to order prints from a professional lab so that they’ll last longer over time and look closer to what you see on your screen.  Plus, it’s easier than downloading the photos and re-uploading them to wherever you’re printing them.

As for lasting over time, I always think back to the section of the athletic hallway at my high school with all the photos of teams that won state titles.  The color and clarity on some of these photos was pretty typical for the years printed on them—large, pixelated photos with overexposed faces from the 80s and 90s, and then smaller black and white photos from the 70s.  Then there was an ivory-colored piece of paper in a frame, where you could see outlines of something if you got really close to it in good lighting.  It was on a wall that faced away from the windows, presumably moved away from the sun a few years too late, but it was still there as a reminder that some team had won a state title sometime.  I'm not sure that any teachers could tell us what the picture was, but I was sure that the team members would be upset if they came back to visit and the important picture of their winning team was all but gone from the wall.

As someone who took lots of photos of the Clemson football team, color accuracy in photos is important to me.  I’ve seen so many pictures where the purple in their uniforms looks blue—I remember watching a “Purple Out” game against Duke on TV and it was so hard to tell whether the fans were wearing blue or purple.  I’ve seen lots of photos where the orange in the football uniforms would look like Tennessee orange, Texas orange, or even red.  I worked hard in my editing to make sure the colors in my photos looked like what I saw in person.  Still, I soon realized that this didn’t always matter if I was printing from the least expensive print source I could get to, because the print could be more yellow or blurry than the file I sent.  In college, I'd either pick up smaller prints from a pharmacy in a flimsy envelope, or the larger ones would be mailed to me in a cardboard tube.  Not even millimeters separated my prints from whatever could be happening outside.  What if a bigger package fell on it?  What if I spilled something on the envelope on the drive home?  Well, I can assure you that the prints that come from my galleries come from the same lab as the photos that hang on my walls.  They came in thick boxes with tons of layers, and you can see that our wedding colors are CLEARLY purple and orange.

Albums

Let’s go back to my grandma:  my dad made my grandma an album of family photos he had scanned, dating back to before my grandparents were married.  He said that when he showed her the photos, she was suddenly able to recall specific details about the photos.  Around that time, I made my sister's wedding album as her wedding gift, and my dad asked me to make another copy for my grandma.  I sometimes had to describe my cousins' weddings to her, even though she was at all of them, and we wanted her to remember how happy she was at my sister's wedding.  The album had pictures of the extended family, my sister’s accessories, and the sign they got with their names and wedding date on it.  She could pick it up from her coffee table and remember what my sister’s new last name was, the date of the wedding, who was there, and what everything looked like.  And someday, my sister and her husband won’t remember that day so well, and they’ll have the album to show their kids.

I decided to make my own wedding album because it’s something I like to do.  And I did make it…a year after my wedding.  It wouldn’t surprise me if other couples planned to make their own and just never did.  Unless you’re like me and you’re obsessed with detail shots, you probably won’t have prints of your shoes and rings hanging on your wall, but you would want to have some photos in your album that highlighted some of the important items from your wedding day, like any heirlooms or the lace on your veil that you love so much.  You wouldn’t hang pictures that included every guest, but you’d put some of them in an album so you can remember who was there.  Plus, looking through my grandparents’ wedding album is so much fun because everything was so different back then, and it’s only when I look at those photos that my family and I see how much I look like my grandma.

My approach to delivering photos has always been to serve you the best I can without making things too complicated for you.  Everyone has different photography needs, so hopefully this has helped you get a better idea of what your needs are.  Thanks for reading!

Want to talk about your vision for your wedding photos? Let’s set up a time!

The Pines at Sheltowee Wedding: Samantha and Tim

Samantha and Tim's wedding was one of those days that you'd picture if you imagined a peaceful summer wedding in the south.  They were married at the Pines at Sheltowee, under the shade of the trees with the Appalachian mountains of eastern Kentucky right behind them.  

The barn was elegantly rustic on the inside with big windows everywhere to let in plenty of natural light for Samantha's bridal portraits.  Her gown had a beautiful lacy train and she carried a bouquet in a pastel pink and blue palette, while her bridesmaids carried baby's breath.  The reception hall, where Samantha's family served food they made themselves, was decorated with hints of blush.  The clouds rolled in during the wedding ceremony, keeping the sun off of everyone on this 90-degree day.  The rain held off until after the ceremony and it only began sprinkling towards the very end of the bridal party photos.  Luckily, the sun was back out during the golden hour, and you know how I love the way golden hour sun lights up hair like Samantha’s.

Their dog, Tux, walked down the aisle with Tim’s parents and sat quietly for the ceremony and some pictures.  Since Tim is a herpetologist (someone who studies reptiles), his brother and best man mentioned during his speech that he was only allowed to have one room in the new house for critters.  It only made sense for their getaway car to have drawings of some of the many animals he’s worked with. 

I had always imagined that Kentucky would kind of look like West Virginia, where I first started to be conscious of taking “good” pictures of the mountains that would show people who weren’t there exactly how beautiful something could be.  After many years of learning to take better pictures, combining a backdrop like that with the joy of a wedding makes me so happy.  Samantha and Tim’s wedding perfectly combined those two and more.  Here are some of my favorites from this gorgeous Kentucky day!

Venue:  The Pines at Sheltowee

Photographer:  Christine Scott Photography

Dress:  Bridal and Formal, Inc.

Florist:  The Master’s Bouquet

Cake: Root-A-Bakers

Music: Jessika Brust

Tuxes (not including the dog): Men’s Wearhouse