Lake Lure Engagement | Andrew and Lindsey

Lindsey and Andrew had been friends since FIRST GRADE and have been together for the last 3 years. Andrew decided he wanted to propose while they were in the Asheville area. He saw my blog post from Leah and Jacob’s proposal at Chimney Rock State Park and reached out to me about taking photos of him proposing to Lindsey in the same spot.

We talked on the phone and planned it all out. I sent him a map with different spots marked and sent him some photos from Leah and Jacob’s proposal to tell him where to stand without being blocked by the fence. We aimed to get there right when it opens so we could have the best lighting and the place to ourselves. We planned everything perfectly!

Except it didn’t work out.

When I got to the park, the staff told me that the park was closed until further notice. Some trees had fallen into the road and taken some power lines down with them. Andrew and Lindsey went into a nearby coffee shop while I parked near the park entrance and watched the cars continue to be turned away. I wasn’t sure how long it would take to reopen, so I sent Andrew a video I had taken at the only other scenic place I knew around there: the Flowering Bridge at Lake Lure. He took a minute to think and decided we should go for it!

The Flowering Bridge is a small botanical garden on the side of the road, just a few minutes away from the entrance to Chimney Rock State Park. It covers a bridge that starts to go over Lake Lure and comes back to the road. Parts of the garden are themed, and you can see Chimney Rock from there.

Andrew decided to propose on part of the bridge that overlooks the water. Lindsey said that it was a perfect spot because she loves flowers. With all the flowers and herbs, it just smelled so good! To top it off, there were tons of butterflies and bees flying around, which Lindsey loves. Andrew remembered Lindsey chasing butterflies back in first grade, when they first met. Lindsey asked me to take a photo of them on her Polaroid that she brings everywhere with her, so they immediately had one photo to take home.

Even though this wasn’t at all what we planned, we’re all happy with how the day went! Check out some of my favorites of Lindsey and Andrew’s engagement at the Flowering Bridge at Lake Lure!

Read more about Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, and if you’re looking for a photographer, read about my elopement services and my engagement services!

Ready for the best day ever?

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!

Elopement Info
Engagement Info

Planning Resources



,

Greenville, SC Proposal | Destiny and Pat

,

Destiny thought the family dinner and portrait session were to celebrate her birthday a day early. What she didn’t know was that I’d met with her mom, her sister, and her boyfriend a few weeks earlier to plan a proposal.

It started storming right when I got to Larkin’s, where Destiny was having her birthday dinner. I stayed in the Wyche Pavilion, waiting for the rain to pass, but it never did. I texted Destiny’s mom and said that I would walk Destiny to the pavilion with my umbrellas. Destiny and I chatted a few minutes as I took some photos of her. I moved her into better lighting and sent her mom a quick text saying, “Ready.”

The next few portraits have someone in the background, who I didn’t edit out. Pat got closer and closer until he was right behind Destiny, and he got down on one knee. I told Destiny to stay where she was while I changed angles. I moved about 90 degrees and several steps backwards, took a few photos, and told her to face the other direction, where she finally saw Pat! After he shared a few words with her, he asked her to marry him, and she said yes as their families watched through the window from under the awning at Larkin’s. Natasia, who Destiny thought was just a random person taking shelter from the rain, played a few songs on violin that were special to Destiny and Pat, and they shared a slow dance in the pavilion.

The rain didn’t stop for more than a few minutes at a time, so we mostly stayed in the pavilion, but took some other portraits outside of it with my umbrellas. After six years together, Destiny and Pat were both so relieved that the day had finally come.

Check out some of my favorites from Destiny and Pat’s proposal in downtown Greenville!


Ready for the 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 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!

Elopement Info
Engagement Info

Planning Resources

North Carolina Mountain Engagement | Amy and Brock

Amy and Brock first met at CrossFit when they lived in Louisiana. They moved to South Carolina a few years ago when Brock started grad school, and they’ve have hiked some beautiful places together. They were engaged on a snowy day at Max Patch. Brock proposed with a ring made from his grandmother’s diamond!

Amy and Brock knew their engagement photos HAD to be at this one summit in Linville Gorge Wilderness. When we got to the summit, it was so easy to see why! There were 360 views that were just beautiful in every direction, and to top it off, there were pink flowers in bloom EVERYWHERE. We felt a few raindrops, but never for more than a few seconds. We saw in the distance where it was raining though. Right before the sun went down, it came through the clouds just enough for us to have some beautiful light. Someone at the summit said it looked like Amy and Brock were in a Disney movie. When we lost the sun, another group reminded us that the Blood Moon was happening that night, so we got to see a little of that before the clouds covered it up.

This trail was a bit steep, but Amy and Brock were well prepared. Amy wore the shorter dress to go uphill; the other one would probably make her trip and get muddy before we started taking photos. They dressed in layers so they could change in the trees at the top. Amy brought a cordless curling iron to touch up at the summit—that humidity was intense! They both decided to wear Chacos instead of boots because they could change into nicer shoes more quickly. After the sun went down, they changed into more comfortable hiking clothes, and we hiked back to our cars with headlamps. All the little details came together perfectly!

Amy and Brock will be married later this year in Louisiana with a few of their close friends and family members. Check out some of my favorites from their engagement photos in Pisgah National Forest!

Do you want an engagement session that looks like this? Click here to get in touch, or check out some of my other posts below!

,

Proposal at Caesars Head | Melanie and Karl

,

I was so excited when Karl told me he wanted to propose to Melanie at one of my favorite places in all of South Carolina: the overlook at Caesars Head State Park!

Melanie and Karl live on the coast and planned to come up to the upstate for a weekend to hike in the mountains. They had heard Caesars Head was beautiful, so they wanted to check it out. Karl and I talked on the phone a few weeks before and came up with a plan for the proposal. I helped him choose a pretty trail near the Caesars Head visitor center that wouldn’t wear them out too much or take too much time. Since it’s hard to get phone signal in that area, we had to make sure we were on the same page beforehand, so I sent him a photo with what I had in mind for where he should get down on one knee:

Note that this was from the first attempt at my very first engagement session. We got all the way up there and the clouds/fog covered EVERYTHING, so we decided to come back a different day. I just sent him this one because it was the widest shot I had of the overlook.

After Melanie and Karl hiked to the Raven Cliff Falls observation deck, they came to the overlook at Caesars Head. Since it was right before Thanksgiving, there were a ton of people on the overlook, so I just stood right there taking pictures like everyone else was. Melanie waited for some people to clear away from the railing so she could take a picture on her phone. When she turned around, Karl was on one knee! The amount of happiness radiating from them in these photos is contagious, and I was smiling so much while I was editing these.  

Karl remembered that Melanie had shown him her Pinterest at one point, and that there were rings on there. He looked her profile up and chose a ring that was similar to the ones she had pinned. I thought that was a pretty good idea! I also like the red box that it was in. 

I had so much fun with these two and I hope you love their photos!  If you’re looking for a photographer, click to read about the engagement experience and the elopement experience!


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!

Engagement Info
Elopement Info

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.

Spring engagement photos at Clemson University.png

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.

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.

Clemson university engagement photos | Christine Scott Photography

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.

Engagement photos at South Carolina Botanical Gardens

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.

Proposal at Clemson University | Christine Scott Photography

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!

Engagement Information
Elopement Information

Planning Resources

,

Station Cove Falls | Lauren and Christian

,

Lauren and I connected through a local hiking group, where she saw pictures I took of a couple at Carrick Creek Falls. She said that she and her husband didn’t have photos taken on their wedding day and would love to have some done together. I asked her if she had anywhere in mind, and she told me the place that was at the top of my bucket list: Station Cove Falls! 

Lauren and Christian were married in front of the waterfall six months ago, with a few of their family members as witnesses. In the middle of an October with otherwise perfect fall weather, it poured the whole day.  A lot of the trail had flooded, and they had to choose a different rock to stand on for the ceremony itself.

A few days after their wedding, I took the trail for the first time and it went on my bucket list for places to take pictures. There are a few reasons why I like this trail:

  1. You can safely take a lot of different pictures with the main attraction.

  2. It’s an easy trail, so it’s less likely that the couple would be sweaty or exhausted in their photos—or worse, you have to turn around before you get to the good part.

  3. It’s a short trail, so we could plan to be at the falls when the lighting is optimal and still be off the trail by dark.

  4. It’s not too crowded, especially on weekdays.

  5. There’s enough of a variety of pictures we could take here—it’s not just three hours of hiking with one spot that’s pretty.

Eventually, we decided to move their session from the evening to the morning because there was a high chance of thunderstorms in the evening. It was so quiet, aside from some running water and birds singing. A dog ran up to us at the waterfall, shook water all over us, and dropped a giant piece of wood at our feet and waited for us to throw it. 

One thing I love about sessions with waterfalls is how loud the water is once we’re right up in front of it. We end up shouting to each other and making gestures, and it always makes us all laugh. We found the spot where Lauren and Christian stood where they said their vows, but we also made sure to get pictures at the spot they wanted to say their vows before they knew how much water would cover it. 

Enjoy the photos from Lauren and Christian’s session!

Ready for the best day ever?

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. We love being outside, but we also love being at home and watching Pixar movies on the couch.

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!

Elopement Details
Engagement Details

Planning Resources

,

Lake Keowee Proposal | Connor and Jess

,

Dan and I had hiked the Raven Rock Trail at Keowee Toxaway State Park back in February.  We were looking for a lesser known trail with a pretty view.  When we got to the overlook, I immediately asked why more people don’t post pictures from there.  Well, you can imagine how happy I was when Connor told me that’s where he planned to propose to Jess!

Jess and Connor had been friends since high school, eventually becoming a couple.  They share a love for the outdoors and have hiked some really cool places together.  Eventually, Jess gave Connor a ring she had fallen in love with years before, holding onto it until she knew she found the person she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.  When Connor and Jess were spending the week at Lake Keowee, Connor suggested hiking the Raven Rock Trail, a place he loved to visit growing up.

As Connor and Jess made their way through the trail, there were bags hanging from the trees.  Each bag had a gold bow, a rose, and a scrapbook page with pictures of them together.  Once they reached the overlook, there was a picnic set up with wine, cheese, and pepper jelly.  There was a scrapbook on the picnic blanket for all the pages to go into.  Around the wine bottle was a necklace chain with the stone from the ring Jess had given Connor.  After Connor put it around Jess’s neck, he proposed to her with the ring with a new stone in it.  She says she was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t even remember whether she said yes, so Connor popped the question again a minute later so she could answer.  Not only was this a beautiful view of the lake at golden hour, there was literally nobody else on the trail the entire time, making this such an intimate proposal.  Their first “congratulations” came from a boat horn down below! 

Shoutout to Connor’s brother and brother’s fiancée for setting up everything beforehand and for hiking the first half of the trail with me!

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

You May Also Like…

 

Cart (0)