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

Falls Park Engagement Photos | Lindsey and Dan

When Lindsey and Dan were visiting family in western Michigan, they went for a boat ride on the lake. While they were in the boat, Lindsey saw some of their family members holding up signs with one word on each of them, so when they all stood together, it said “Will you marry me?” Next summer, they’ll be saying “I do” at the same place where Lindsey said “yes!”

Lindsey and Dan are about to move back to the Midwest, so they wanted their engagement photos to show the iconic parts of the place that’s become a significant part of their story, so we went to downtown Greenville. Falls Park had a lot to offer, from the iconic Liberty Bridge overlooking the Reedy River Falls to places that look more like a little garden. There’s the “root tree” and the Wyche Pavilion, which we didn’t know until later used to be the original Duke’s Mayonnaise factory! And of course, the “water wall” behind the Peace Center had that gorgeous glow on it as the sun went down. We also gushed over all the cute dogs that were walking around the park that day.  We were so lucky to have a perfect sunny day with temperatures in the 60s! A few trees had started to turn yellow, and the golden hour light shined through them so beautifully. I loved how Lindsey’s pretty green dress looked in front of them!  Towards the end of the session, we were standing at the top of the stairs with a view of the river and the buildings as the sun went down, putting a perfect glow on them as they put their arms around each other.

Check out a few of my favorites from Lindsey and Dan’s session!

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Ready for a super fun engagement session like this one?  Check out some of my other sessions below, click here to read more about me and what I do, or click here to get in touch about scheduling your own engagement session!

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The Venue Asheville Wedding Styled Shoot

I got to spend an evening in downtown Asheville with some other photographers showing off what some other local vendors can do! 

One of the rooms had ANOTHER French theme!  While the one I did two days earlier was French lavender themed, this one was French countryside themed.  The ceremony space had a hand-painted backdrop that complemented the pastel pink and blue in the bouquet, macarons, and cake.  The delicate colors make me think of Cinderella!  I loved the off-the-shoulder dress and the pattern at the end of the cathedral veil!  Sarah and I took turns tossing the veil for each other and running out of the frame so we could get some pretty pictures of it floating.

The other theme was a woodland theme, with greenery and wood and a color scheme of mostly deep green and burgundy.  For this setup, we had two grooms, a bride, and a sweetheart table.  I loved the way the grooms’ suits, ties, and boutonnieres complemented each other! 

Organizer: Ashley Ricci

Venue: The Venue Asheville

French Countryside

Floral: Elena- Luxe Wedding Designs

Cake:  Emma - Verbena Cakes

Macarons: Beeswax and Butter

Mobile Bar: Bryce -Jack’s 47 Mobile Bar

Hair: Jenna- Atlas Beauty

Makeup:  Powder Me Pretty

Invitations:  Erin -Pretty Words By Erin

Rentals: Nikki -East West Vintage Rentals

Dress:  Amy -Maggi Bridal

Designer: Sincerity Bridal

Suit:  Asos

Custom ceremony Backdrop:  Abby- Abby Lynne Art

Models:  Lucy + James

Woodland

Floral: Lissa- Flora

Cake:  Cakin’ It Up

Hair: Jenna- Atlas Beauty

Makeup:  Powder Me Pretty

Invitations:  Pretty Words By Erin

Rentals: Nikki- East West Vintage Rentals

Dress:  Amy- Maggi Bridal

Designer: Lillian West

Suit:  Mitchell’s Tuxedo

Models: Shane + Mike (couple), Corey (bride)

Ready for wedding photos like this?  Check out some of my other work below or click here to get in touch!

Elope in SC

Upstate SC Engagement Photo Ideas

Planning Your Proposal

Sunny vs. Cloudy Days

Lavender Wedding Styled Shoot | The French Cottage

This styled shoot (a collaboration between wedding vendors to show the world what they can do) was French themed, so as someone who took French for 7-ish years, what’s not to love?  We met at The French Cottage, an elegant little Airbnb hidden in rural Pickens County.  It was set up to look like a ceremony for a micro-wedding, so hopefully this will help you picture how your wedding day might look!  Not only was there lavender everywhere (including some of the models’ hairpieces), the whole color scheme revolved around it, so there was so much purple!  The flatlays were SO much fun to put together, and since I was by myself when I did those, I had the American in Paris soundtrack playing on my phone as I set them up. 

We had two couples and three brides.  One of those brides, Kristy, happened to be there to help with the models’ hair and ended up modeling herself when another model couldn’t make it!  Each bride modeled multiple gowns and I love how different they all were.

This was such a fun day and I’m so happy to have met all these other creatives!  Here are the vendors who made these pictures possible:

Host: Hills Photography Studios

Venue: The French Cottage, Pickens, SC

Floral design and rentals: A Touch of Essence

Hair and Makeup: Katey Atkins, Kristy Hyde

Lavender: Twin Creeks Lavender

Hairpieces: Blushing Gold Brides

Catering: Kyla Woodard

Stationery: Tiger Lily Invitations

Soaps: Christine Wagner McBride

S’Mores: Cavity Kitchen

Illustrations: Cirque 91 Co

Gowns: Aletta Bridal, Belle & Kai

Models: Erica and Brian, Kaylan and Willie, Kalyn, Brittanie, and Kristy

Cake: Batterific Bakery

Macarons and Cookies: SoBella Sweets

Chocolates: My Favorite Sweets

Does your Pinterest board look like this? Check out some of my other work below or click here so we can start planning for your own photos!

How to Elope in SC

Planning Your Proposal

Ridge Asheville Wedding Styled Shoot

Upstate SC Engagement Photo Ideas

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!

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Downtown Greenville Star Wars Engagement | Madison and Clay

Madison and Clay met when they were art students at Shawnee State University in Ohio. After graduation, they moved down to Columbia, South Carolina, near Clay’s family. One night, Clay and Madison were sitting on the couch, and Clay asked Madison if one of the couch cushions felt weird.  Madison felt it and pulled out a ring box.

Clay has been a lifelong Star Wars fan. He builds and sells custom replicas of different characters’ light sabers, complete with different colors and sound effects when they hit things. I was so excited when Madison told me they wanted to include them in their engagement photos! Clay explained to me how each Jedi builds their own, so the hilt of every light saber is different. He plans to build a special one just for Madison to have for their wedding day.

Setting up a ring shot with a light saber had the COOLEST sound effects of any ring shot! Madison and Clay coordinated their outfits so Clay would wear a Millennium Falcon shirt and Madison would have Millennium Falcon earrings. They didn’t plan for the light sabers to coordinate with their outfits, but they did anyway. Clay asked if we could go over to the spot in Falls Park with the smaller waterfall, where he could stand on “the higher ground” like the standoff at the end of Revenge of the Sith. He also wanted a pose similar to the one Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher did for a promo poster.

We initially planned to have the session in Falls Park when the trees were in full bloom, but the spring of 2020 had other plans for us. When I heard Falls Park was closed, I started thinking of similar locations, and it dawned on me that the pavilion at Cancer Survivors Park could look really cool with the light sabers. Even though we had to postpone the session anyway as things got crazier, we still spent a few minutes at Cancer Survivors Park once it got dark, and it looked just as cool as we thought it would!

Check out some of my favorites from Madison and Clay’s session! You can see more of Clay’s light sabers here.

Update:

Click below for Madison and Clay’s Star Wars wedding photos!

Are you looking for a wedding photographer who loves your unique ideas? Click here to read more about me and what I do, or click here to get in touch!

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Clemson Proposal | AC and Ben

This proposal has been in the works for 2 months now. Ben originally wanted to propose to AC on the day of the Clemson spring game. The pandemic came, the game was cancelled, and we heard people were being escorted off campus. We reconvened a few weeks later and set a new date. Ben organized a weekend trip to the mountains and would pass through Clemson on the way back.

Ben always knew he wanted to propose at the spot where they first met—outside of Core Campus, near the stadium. It was a quiet day on campus with only a few people passing through. He pulled up to their special spot and they walked down the steps. After they talked briefly about how that was where they met, Ben pulled something out of his backpack and got down on one knee. AC said she was completely caught off guard, but in the next few minutes, she found out that there was a lot more to this plan than she realized. Ben had gotten coordinating face masks off of Etsy just for these photos. He brought his Clemson ring in his backpack because she knew he didn’t normally wear it and he wanted to have it for the photos. AC’s family would be waiting for her at their lake house. Her friends had even suggested getting their nails done together a few days earlier!

We took some pictures around campus, and even though we got tired and sweaty, there was so much joy. As I walked behind them and took pictures, I kept overhearing AC:

“WE’RE ENGAGED!”
“They knew?”
“She did?”
“WE’RE GETTING MARRIED!”

Check out some of my favorite photos from this special day!

Does this proposal look like what you had in mind? Check out some of my other posts below for more ideas, or click here to contact me about your own photos!

Planning Your Proposal

Where to Take Engagement Photos at Clemson

Clemson Bridal Portraits

Clemson Elopement

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!

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Tips for Wedding Gifts

So much planning goes into the wedding day, but what about all the gifts you’ll end up taking home? What should you put on the registry and how do you keep it under control?  Here are some of the things we found helpful and some issues we can help you avoid!

Ask for frames or gift cards to somewhere you know you can buy them.

You’ll want prints from your wedding day to hang up, but you need frames in order to make that happen.  Either find a set that you like or ask for a gift card so you can pick them out based on the pictures you like best.

Think about what you currently use and what you don’t.

It’s no secret that I use a ton of lemons, so I put a lemon juicer on our registry.  Two, actually; a small handheld one and a larger electrical one for juicing a whole bag of lemons at a time.  My former roommate saw them on the registry and knew right away what to get us!  If you’re not as into lemons as I am, or if you don’t cook much, this might just take up space in your kitchen for a while. In that case, it might be better to leave it off the registry and focus on things that better fit your needs.

Don’t forget the bare necessities.

We spent a few days moving to a new apartment.  After the first day, we were exhausted, but realized several things we needed that day were either still at the old apartment or were provided by my former roommate.  We had to make a trip to get things like toilet paper, paper towels, soap, a kitchen trash can, trash bags, and paper plates.  Those little things added up and I did NOT feel like making that trip.  I had later gotten some of those things as gifts for my bridal shower—sure, it’s not as elegant as the gifts on our registry, but we went several months without having to buy those things.

If you’re making a big move right after the wedding, you might want to consider leaving stuff like that off your registry so they don’t take up space in the moving van.  Instead, you can make a list of things to buy right when you get to the new home.

Have a range of prices on your registry.

People will have different budgets when buying your gifts. There will be things you absolutely need that are under $5, like some of the bridal shower gifts I just mentioned.  One of our friends asked us if there was anything we really wanted that wasn’t on our registry, and I showed her this $7 Clemson ring dish that we love!  It’s also a really useful gift for the kitchen and bathroom.  On the other hand, you might have guests who come team up to buy a higher priced gift that they know you really want.

Make the registry together.

Dan and I were living in different states for most of our engagement. He made the registry and put a lot on it before I took a look at it.  Let’s just say I’m glad we replaced the bedspread he put on the registry before anyone bought it!

Update your registry periodically.

This is especially important after a bridal shower.  Sometimes people don’t mark that they’ve purchased something and you end up with duplicates.  If you return something, delete it from the registry so it doesn’t get marked as something you don’t have.  I think this is how we ended up with 7 of an item when we asked for 3.

Consolidate your gift cards.

On some sites, like Amazon and Target, you can load all your gift cards into your account at once.  If you plan to use a lot of them in person, have a designated box for the ones that haven’t been used yet.

Think outside the box.

My friend had her soon-to-be husband opened gifts with her at the bridal shower.  As they opened more and more kitchen items, he joked about how he was waiting for there to be a Lowe’s gift card in there.  We ended up giving them one at the wedding, and they said in their thank-you note that they ended up using it pretty quickly.  When it was our turn, we found the same—we used up the Lowe’s cards within the first few weeks of living together.

Ask for Visa gift cards if you’re travelling internationally for the honeymoon.

This is especially helpful if you have a layover in a country that doesn’t accept currency from your destination or your home country. 

Think about a Honeyfund.

This is where people can give money for you to spend on your honeymoon!  Check it out here.

Make sure you have a plan for how your gifts will get home.

This is especially important if you’re going straight to your honeymoon from the sendoff.  Dan and I left for our honeymoon two days after our wedding instead of the next day, so we had time the day after the wedding to get our gifts from our friend’s car.  If you have a roommate or a friend who has a key to your house, they can bring everything inside for you, and you can treat them when you get back from the honeymoon.

Write a list of gifts as you open them.

Writing everything down as soon as you open each gift helps keep track of who to thank for what. We took the list with us on the honeymoon so we could write thank-you notes at the airport.  It helped keep us busy when our layover was extended by 5 hours!

Ask for stamps.

Between invitations, save-the-dates, thank-you notes for the wedding and bridal showers, and Christmas cards, you’ll need a lot of stamps in a year.  Bonus tip: take your address list for wedding invitations and add to it every time you send out Christmas cards.

Order stationery and return address labels in bulk.

We made our return-address labels through Shutterfly and just reprinted the order on Black Friday so we could use them for Christmas cards.  I already had stationery, but if you don’t, be sure to either ask for it on your registry or get some yourself before your first bridal shower.

I hope this is helpful as you start planning for your new life together!  Check out some of my other posts below:

Sunny vs. Cloudy Days

Where to Take Engagement Photos in Upstate SC

Eloping in South Carolina

Planning Your Proposal

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!

Sawyer Family Farmstead Christmas Session | Noel and Graham

Two years ago, I did engagement photos in Falls Park for my friends Noel and Graham. It was the first weekend of December, so we got to have fall leaves and all the joy of downtown Greenville being ready for Christmas: two things Noel absolutely loves. Long story short, they had to change their wedding date, and I already had a wedding on the one day they could get the venue they wanted. We had talked for about a year and a half after that about doing another session—we talked about Charleston, Lake Lure, a vineyard in the mountains—but life happens and this session just wasn’t panning out. 

In September, I shot a wedding with FamZing at Sawyer Family Farmstead. Not only is it a gorgeous Christmas tree farm, it has an incredible view of the mountains of western North Carolina and the lake. I was in love and needed a reason to shoot there again! I texted Noel the next day and told her I found THE place to do their photos—I knew how much she loves the mountains, water, and Christmas, so I knew she had to see this place. I sent her some pictures and we set a date. 

The day finally came for us to go to Sawyer. It was sunny and the temperature was cool enough to know it was fall without being too cold. The farm was getting ready for everyone to start coming in to find their trees, so there were Christmas decorations everywhere! The cats supervised us through the session, but didn’t like looking at my camera. I got the most beautiful light coming from behind them when we were in the middle of the Christmas trees.

I like to start my sessions where there’s more shade and end it where I’ll get the most light as the sun goes down. In this case, we would start in the area more surrounded by trees and end at the pergola on the hill, which overlooks the mountains and the water. Noel kept gushing about how gorgeous the place was and I kept telling her, “We haven’t even been to the best part yet!” Not only was the view from the hill breathtaking when we got there, we were in the perfect place to see the sunset. I felt like we kept doing the same poses because the sunset kept getting cooler with each picture I took! 

On a side note, how perfect are these outfits for this location? I love a good red and green color scheme! I’m so happy we finally got to have another session together and that we were able to make it work at such a beautiful place. Check out some of my favorites from this wonderful day! 

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

Black Balsam Knob Adventure Elopement Styled Shoot

Mark and Carolyn from Story Bright Films invited me to join them and their dog, Rocket, an adventure elopement styled shoot at Black Balsam Knob in western North Carolina, about two hours from the Greenville area.  Six months earlier, Mark and Carolyn did the wedding video for Clarin and Bobby, the couple who got dressed up and came with us to the mountains.  Clarin and Bobby had considered eloping for a long time.  They loved the idea of their marriage being just the two of them coming together before God in the middle of natural beauty, with hardly anyone else around for miles.  They ultimately decided to go the more traditional route and share the experience with their families and friends, but they said that being part of this shoot made them feel like they also got to have the fun and intimacy of eloping.

Elopements are such an interesting subject because there are so many differing viewpoints of what they are.  We often picture people going on a vacation and making hasty, life-changing decisions without telling their families.  We also might picture people spontaneously gong to a courthouse and “making it legal” without any sort of celebration.  While these do happen, an elopement is often like a typical wedding, just without guests.  A couple who elopes may tell their families years in advance that this is their plan.  The bride may still have a bouquet designed for her, a professional hair and makeup artist, and her dream wedding dress.  The ceremony may follow the same outline as a church ceremony.  While saving money is a factor in some couples’ decisions to elope, others might pay for plane tickets and lodging for themselves, their favorite photographer and videographer, and someone special to officiate the ceremony in a picturesque destination.  Some couples even have a reception when they come home so they can still celebrate with their families and friends.

Our first stop was Dill Falls, which involved being on a gravel road in the woods for a while before finding the trail.  Clarin was standing in the water in some of these photos with the current pushing her dress around—sometimes adventure involves getting wet and dirty, although I’m pretty proud of myself for not getting my socks wet as I climbed up to the waterfall. Even though parts of the day were scheduled to have an 80% chance of storms, it only sprinkled twice for a few minutes while we were shooting.  In one of the photos, you can see Clarin and Bobby looking up, realizing they were feeling rain and not just the waterfall behind them. 

Our next stop was the balsam forest.  We concluded that it would look like a setting for a fairy tale if it was sunny, or Narnia if it was snowing.  That day, it looked a little like Halloween as the rain clouds set in.  I actually got cold there, even though it was August.  Mark and Carolyn set up a picnic for Clarin and Bobby and they told us about their story as a couple, what they loved about their wedding, and why they were so excited to be part of this elopement shoot.  We didn’t see a single person the whole time we were in there!  We then hiked up to the mountain right as the sun rays came through the clouds, which weren’t too high above us.  I wanted to take all the photos in one spot because it was such an amazing view! After getting some photos of a massive spray of champagne and slow dancing as the sun went down behind the clouds, we headed out to Brevard for an amazing dinner at Square Root (which is also dog-friendly) before heading home.

Your wedding is your special day.  It’s up to the two of you whether to celebrate with 300 people you love, or just by yourselves.  But remember that it’s possible to have both experiences, just like Bobby and Clarin did.

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. 

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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!