This wedding is not only beautiful when you see it in prints, the day itself was magical. Elaine and Ryan are well-traveled movers and shakers who moved to Chicago from California, but wanted a special spot for their wedding day after 11 years together. They chose the Crest Pavilion in Asheville, NC, but also planned some special moments at the famous Biltmore Estate, the location of their rehearsal dinner, first look and private vows. It goes to show that when you visit a place you love, it sticks with you. Destination weddings don’t always take place on beaches in the Caribbean.

What made this day particularly amazing for Ryan and me was our ability to dodge every curve ball thrown at this special day. Two such moments were a sudden downpour while heading to Biltmore for a private portion of the ceremony, and the wedding officiant getting caught in bumper to bumper traffic making him nearly an hour late . Both caused various shuttling and last minute decision making. We thrived and so did this killer couple!

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Elaine is a planner, but no one can control everything and this bride trusted us, our readiness and our judgment. I cannot tell you how much that means to us. When it was time to zig instead of zag, we all pivoted as a team and with great results.

While the weather was not ideal for the “first look” and other planned shots at the Biltmore Estate, this couple powered through and decided that they not only wanted to do a first look, but that they wanted to continue their plan to read their vows in private with just their wedding party. The rain that came, thankfully went, and while it was a bit foggy at first, the fog too lifted.

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Elaine: “One of my favorite moments was when Ryan turned around to see me for our first look. It had been pouring and during our vows, we both cried.”

One thing that Elaine shared with us is how pleased they were to incorporate their sweet dog in the ceremony and how detailed their personally written private vows were. Over their 11 years together they had revisited their relationship, so over a decade later, their vows were indicative of a long relationship, a deep knowledge of each other and a true and lasting connection.

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At the Crest Pavilion, the sun was out and surrounded by their families and friends from all over the country and world, they said I Do.

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There is no denying the commitment these two have to each other, their pup Elle, their friends and family. Dolly, Ryan’s mom, wept while Elaine was putting on her wedding gown. They are all such a tight-knit and loving crew.

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Elaine and Ryan’s gorgeous reception was the fulfillment of Elaine’s plans and dreams of bohemian chic and it was a PARTY! So many friends who had met through this couple over the years or felt as though they knew each other, would clump together to dance, laugh and swap stories or shared memories. Elaine and Ryan’s faces betrayed just exactly how loved they felt and how much fun they were having. As photographers, this is the best, because smiles and laughter are in every corner.

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One hilarious comment from Elaine about their sendoff which included sparklers, a kiss and Ryan popping the top on a bottle of bubbly: “you don’t need to pop a bottle of champagne during the sparklers… just walk through; just kiss and dip!” Spoken like a happily married woman.

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Congratulations to this absolutely amazing and BEAUTIFUL couple! We got home from your wedding, fell into bed and felt so completely happy for you both and so grateful that we could be a part of your day. You two nailed it and we loved every second!

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We love family portraits whether they are set in the studio, the great outdoors, a specific location like the mountains or high country, or on our property in our outdoor portrait garden. Pixels on Paper photographs, engagements and weddings, brides, and special events and portraits  of all kinds in our Wilkesboro, NC studio. We would be honored to meet with you, learn about you and your family and be a part of taking special portraits that will become, we hope, family heirlooms.

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