Blue Ridge Mountains | Shenandoah National Park | Elopement

This is a safe space and today, I want to be completely honest… I could not be happier with Sam & Nicole’s elopement. Yes, their wedding was affected by Coronavirus but good gosh these two truly hit the nail on the head with a simple ceremony to include their parents and then venture off for alone time in those gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains.

From the beginning of our conversations, I knew Sam & Nicole would easily be one of my favorite and unforgettable couples. Not only because of how their day unfolded but because they chose King Family Vineyard for their ceremony and then journey into Shenandoah National Park for some epic mountain photos. For those who don’t know, I myself chose to get married at King Family Vineyards so coming back a year later put a huge pep in my step to capture this moment for them! The tricky part though… Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway were both closed! Yep, those iconic and normally accessible Blue Ridge Mountain views were untouchable. But with a little help from Google Maps, I found the prettiest of spots comparable for the situation and even had myself in awe over the outcome.

Having grown up near Shenandoah National Park, I’ve learned just how much history lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From visiting the homes of previous presidents to walking the trails my ancestors might have traveled, I try to see not only the new story being created but the stories of the past. For Nicole & Sam’s elopement, it was easy. Surrounded by little family and lots of nature, the love they share was evident through tears of joys and lots of laughter.

I couldn’t help by tear up myself behind the camera during their ceremony. Nicole had tears rolling down her face as she stared into Sam’s eyes through their vows. Vows are one of those moments during an elopement I look forward to. Some couples keep it short and simple while others elaborate and make it super personal. Either way, they always end up being emotional in some way or another! At the end of their ceremony, guests enjoying the winery during the pandemic (safely at a distance) cheered for them as the new Mr & Mrs!

One of my favorite things to do though is flip around get the view of the venue itself! That gorgeous carriage house and the classic detail it provides! But if you haven’t noticed, the Blue Ridge Mountain view at King Family Vineyard is definitely an eye catcher and the perfect backdrop, especially for the infamous champagne spraying photos. Until the champagne doesn’t want to cooperate and ends up foaming instead of spraying. That was a fun experience…. as you can see.

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Once the formalities were over, it was time to scoot off for some more adventurous and in depth couples photos with Shenandoah National Park rolling behind them. Accompanied with the coolest cloudy sky, I was able to capture the true blues in each ridge to show just how deep the Blue Ridge Mountains go. It’s moments like these, in places like this and people like them that make my heart soar for elopements. As if it wasn’t perfect enough, we witnessed a double rainbow before heading home for the evening. It truly was incredible!