Hunter and Kirstin | My son eloped!! | Asheville NC /  by Lacey R Butler

I have been so busy I forgot to show off my OWN son getting married to the gorgeous entrepreneur, potential future mother of my grandbabies, and all around type A go-getter that our family needs. I’m so happy for them.

I cannot imagine anything more difficult than photographing your own child’s wedding. Talk about wanting everything to go perfectly! Going through these has been rewarding, though. Despite this or that thing I wish I’d done differently (like making sure we’d get to the mountains in time for sunset… I realized that it’s unlikely anyone has these exact same sunset pictures in a field with the very distant mountains behind them. It is unlikely anyone had my vision to even make that last ditch effort for portraits. It is also so rewarding to see the way they look at one another.

They met in grade school, started dating in high school, attending college together, lived together right away, and of course… 5 years later, it was time, they said, to seal it. To tie the knot.

The elopement grew as Kirstin had more offers for homemade this or that, and added touches like her Grandma’s veil (which my son tried to put on her when it fell off during their first look, above. Boys! Haha! So cute). When I was asked to photograph their elopment, my son said, “I know you said you’d never do mine or Miya’s (my other child) wedding photos, but Kirstin says you’re her first choice”. I toyed with not doing it-purely for selfish reasons. I wanted to look good in photos and relax. But then decided to go for it-this was the first thing my new daughter was asking of me, I couldn’t say no. It was very flattering and I was very proud of them.

The number of people present grew to a size that begs the question, what is an elopement, exactly?
Possibly more of a destination micro-wedding.. my daughter/Hunter’s sister surprised us all by driving through at the exact moment of the ceremony, K’s family was all there.. we had cake, we had food, we had family pictures at Looking Glass. It was such a day! My heart is full.

The interior of the court house is all art deco. Stunning, dark but stunning.

Every time I’ve had an elopement at the courthouse, it’s been this same judge. I told him last time, you married my son… and he said I did? and we both laughed because I had worded it just a tad odd. He was kind enough to say he remembered me. :)

My daughter, K, Hunter, and me! This dress was switched out soon after for a pant suit.. I just wanted to look nice for a few pics during the ceremony. I’m just glad I don’t look as… I felt. Which was full of emotion and also anxiety and that ongoing need to keep pushing to the next thing for the sake of time.

In a moment of genius I used the car lights because we were rapidly running out of light. Time goes by too fast.

I personally think they look really really ridiculously good looking (say that like Zoolander, please).

Definitely feel like I am sharing my own memories with you. Welcome to a bit of my own world! I’m so very blessed. Love my family!

Wedding Homewood Asheville /  by Lacey R Butler

I just realized I never showed off this BEAUTIFUL wedding for these two lovely ladies at Homewood in Asheville- I did put together this snazzy reel on IG, which was my first, so please don’t judge. I need more hours in a day to learn all the things.

Anyway, I’m just going to show off some of my favorites! And a big thank you to Sean Szitas for having me out to do this with him. I am excited to say I will be back next spring! That’s why I remembered I hadn’t shared this one. I adore this venue- just in Montford, which is just off downtown in the old part of town with cobble stone sidewalks and such. Lots of Bed and Breakfasts.. as you can see the lighting for sunset ceremonies is superb, and the white ceiling for receptions just lets the light slide around like butter. I love love love it. Also the prettiest flowers I’ve ever seen. <3 Enjoy!

Black Mountain Elopement /  by Lacey R Butler

Bride and groom under a Japanese Maple at Lake Tomahawk

Lake Tomahawk. I’d heard of it, but not been there before. It is a favorite spot for the couple, and has a great view of the mountains on either end. The gazebo is quote affordable for an extended rental and made a cute setting for their ceremony. I dont usually love these structures, but with flowers, benches inside and some of the only shade available, it worked really well for this pre-sunset ceremony.

Blue flowers and white flowers with very shallow depth of field.

I completely adore the brides dress! A boho look, for sure, complete with carefree blue gems. The blue flowers really accentuated the details they thought through, including Dan’s seersucker blue suit.

Life is but a dream.. romantic couple portraits are my favorite!

You can see the gazebo here as the bride and groom walk along the side of Lake Tomahawk.

I love elopements the best, I think, recently. There’s something so romantic about either just the two in love, or them with just a handful of close ones to witness the moment they vow to cherish one another. I notice so much less stress and the pictures we create can be more focused on you two as you needn’t worry about what’s going to happen next. It’s kind of like actually being present in the moment of your bliss.

Thank you so much for being the most beautiful part of my day! I hope to see you both in concert sometime soon, and maybe, just maybe, work together again on some photographs. Much love! L.

The Farm in Candler /  by Lacey R Butler

Downpour or not, the show must go on! The Farm in Canton, thankfully, has loads of back up spots so that no one’s got to get wet if you want to stay out of the rain. I seemed to be the only one pushing to work out in the drizzle, but then… I wear combat boots or Van’s for basically every wedding, not gorgeous heels that might sink into the gown, and definitely not a beautiful formal gown- Brooke’s looks like it was made just for her!

Both were teary- Brooke before the walk and Christian as soon as he saw her walk toward him at the alter. In fact, it seemed to me he could hardly catch his breath and was completely enamored with her. In their personal vows to one another, he shared that he knew as soon as they met that she would be the one.

Someone wants to see exactly what I’m doing while their owner finishes getting ready.

Brooke and Christian’s very sweet good boy stole the show quite often. I LOVE dogs at weddings- as unpredictable as children, but adding licks, jumps, beauty- who does not relax as soon as they pet a dog? If you have a dog at your wedding, expect me to include them EVERY time they step between the camera and you.

I was so wrapped up in the emotions between Christian and Brooke I completely forgot that puppers would be running down the aisle with Dad.

I COULD color correct for the variance in temperature between indoor and outdoor lighting, but it also makes a splashy image for a natural variation. If you did not know, there’s a huge difference where natural daylight is more blue than tungsten lighting (which most of us still use, thankfully- I am not an LED fan). Also a rare cameo of me on the right window. Hi!

Joyful wedding! Photography has brought me so much in life, I cannot begin to express it to you. I have witnessed so many different families and all of their joy and emotion and this image really speaks, doesn’t it?

… love… I knew I had time with the couple after the reception, toward sunset, but just in case the sunset was also rained out, I insisted we spend 15 grabbing a few portraits of just them not far away. The ground wasn’t terribly wet, and the couple was very much about it. Stunning couple and the most romantic Asheville wedding photography, if I do say so myself!

Thankfully, it was NOT raining during the sunset time we saved for portraits, although it was also not a sunset glow. However.. the moody view of the black mountains, clouds kissing the summits, was also quite spectacular and we made good use of the time!

I’ve said it on my Instagram, too, but I’ll say it again.. Shannon, the coordinator and director at The Farm in Canton, went above and beyond by loaning her slip on kicks when the brides boots weren’t nearby at the time for this. I am a firm believer in not making you traipse through fields and weeds in heels- although of course I can’t stop you. For the most part, no one will know what you had on under the gown, and if you do show your feet in a pose, bare feet work great if boots aren’t handy.
The Farm is a popular local venue for brides and grooms that is able to have MUCH larger crowds under their covered cocktail and reception venue. They offer a gazebo spot for outdoor weddings or the indoor by-the-fireplace for weather situations. Onsite cabins, fields and farm animals are also right there. And.. I dont have proof of this because I forgot to take a picture of my food but they presented me an exquisitely plated dish with the best farm veggies I’ve had in a long, long time.

A parting photo with the reception venue behind the glowing wedding couple. I love my job.

Elopement | Pointsett Bridge in South Carolina /  by Lacey R Butler

Soft portrait of elopement couple by bridge

The romance of an elopement! I was so excited to document the elopement for Stephanie and Matthew at Pointsett Bridge. It was my first time there, and I could imagine just sitting around, daydreaming with the trickle of water, dipping into the water, sliding down the rock..

This location is rich with history, which lends an other-worldly charm. The babbling brook, the narrow bridge, the woods.. it was easy to imagine carriage rides and soldiers on foot.. but instead it was this magic moment, a celebration of found love! We wandered around after the extra-brief ceremony provided by the appropriately named “weddings in a flash.”

Otherwise it was just me, the lovebirds, my cameras and the grooms brother <3

The groom and his brother were so silly- and the bride sweet and lovely. Thank you for having me out to document your moment. xoxoxo

The Fields of Blackberry Cove | Asheville Wedding Photography /  by Lacey R Butler

I ADORE this, and if you do, then you found your photographer because I made this image. I was even WALKING and stooping and carrying a ton of things and swooped in and click! I’m fierce.

This is mostly here for the view. If you can’t tell it rained- rain on your wedding day is maybe or maybe not something you want, but I will tell you the truth that it makes a special magic for your day, like it’s really the only thing happening in the whole wide world… which, it sort of is, in your world, isn’t it?

Showing off the rain! Love the pops of pink and blue in the wedding attire!!

I love this venue. If you’re looking for a solid, beautiful venue I’d definitely check it out. If you’re looking for a photographer who watches for moments more than she fakes them, wants you to have original imagery and uses the environment to create dreamy and architecturally balanced imagery, hello! I’m an Asheville photographer available for travel anywhere!

Junebug Treehouse Wedding /  by Lacey R Butler

I was so excited for such a refreshing take on an intimate, casual wedding! This venue had rain the night before but you hardly noticed- the treehouse is well built with paneled flooring and furniture that allows for draininage, as well as plenty of sturdy tarps strung about. The host and hostess are cordial, kind and love using their drone to compliment the photography.

My clients, Amelia and Nik, had a laid back day planned for their family and friends. Actually.. full story is that they were fixin’ to just run off to the court house but loved ones said hold up, we got you, and planned the entire event.

You have two floors of this treehouse- the top floor a nice little “get ready” area and the main floor for the ceremony/reception/pictures, in this case. You also have underneath the treehouse and off to two sides, space for lounging/cocktail/waiting and …maybe grilling in the evening? Catering has their own set up.

Couples that have fun together and act like kids, for sure stay together.

The reception from above.

Taken just off the side of the treehouse, in the natural wooded area.

Thank you for having me out, and thanks to Junebug Resort in Weaverville, NC, just a few minutes north of Asheville.