Chatter from family and friends could be heard upstairs as they began to gather in the Westglow Mansion. Allyson, the dazzling bride, stayed behind closed doors with her bridesmaids as she eagerly awaited word that, "
It's time!"
At 3:00 pm the ceremony proceedings had yet to begin, so I elected to go downstairs and find out where we were in the timeline. Jen, the wedding coordinator whispers, "Don't tell Allyson, but the groom hasn't arrived yet!"
After hearing this development, the last thing I wanted to do was go lie to her face, but keeping a calm bride was more important! So...I sucked it up and told the laydehs to hang tight since they were "waiting for more guests to arrive."
I can't remember who spilled the beans, but they nonchalantly shared that Younes wasn't there on site! Surprisingly, she laughed it off and joked that she should have told him to get here at 2:45 so he had a chance of being on time! hahaha
I'm happy to report that starting the ceremony 15-minutes or so later was the only snag this couple hit all day! Truth be told—you're going to be shocked when I tell you this—the majority of weddings DON'T start on time!
Gasp!
Going with the flow on your wedding day is crucial and Allyson was definitely a mellow bride so she wasn't phased at all by the delay! But, I will say, she was ready to get the party started!
It took an extensive amount of planning for this Charlotte, NC couple to put together their destination wedding here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but Allyson fell in love with the panoramic views at the Westglow Resort and Spa so she was willing to put forth the extra effort to make it happen!
Bringing family and friends together from far away to celebrate their marriage in the mountains was most important to them.
Younes' Mom traveled all the way from Morocco to see her son get married and escort him down the aisle! While they wanted to keep their ceremony short and sweet, the couple wrote their own vows that had everyone emotional.
Even though we didn't have the opportunity to meet Allyson and Younes prior to their wedding day, we became fast friends. From the get-go I knew that this bunch was laid back and that they liked to have fun!
They had no qualms about letting loose and treated Cody (my side-kick and second shooter) and I like one of the gang. I felt like family from the instant I met the Holmes tribe because they joked and cut up with us all day!
I will admit, though, that they were a lively and unruly bunch at times but it was all in good fun! It definitely kept me entertained, that's for sure!
At one point, Cody and I were asked, "Is it always this hard to coordinate family pictures?" In unison, we both shouted, "YES! ALWAYS!" hahaha It's actually pretty funny to witness even though I have to be Mrs. Bossy Pants! :P
I loved the vintage-inspired wedding decor that Allyson used. It was super chic and complemented her gold, light rose, and moss color scheme so nicely.
The palette was picked to match the jaw-dropping back details of her Claire Pettibone wedding dress!
Allyson had a couple DIY wedding details that she worked on to add a little natural flair to their reception table decor. I liked how simple but elegant the gold-painted pine wood carved table numbers were.
And how adorable are the succulent party favors in painted gold pots?! She told us to grab one for ourselves on our way out but I totally forgot, and now I'm kicking myself because they were so cute!
This formal affair had a casual vibe that I think was connected to the spirited guests. The dance party photos will attest to the liveliness of this crowd, although you're going to have to wait to see those!
We had a lot of fun photographing Allyson & Younes' wedding at Westglow in Blowing Rock, NC, and I hope that they enjoy this sneak peek of their wedding photos while on honeymoon in Key West, Florida!
CONGRATULATIONS to Allyson & Younes! You're MARRIED! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY! I wish you two newlyweds epic adventures in life and love, and I hope that your marriage will only grow stronger as you continue this journey together!
Thank you so much for choosing us to capture your destination wedding at Westglow, it was a blast being a part of your special day!
Friends & Family: Want to see all of Allyson + Younes' wedding photos when they are ready to be viewed? Please sign-up for the Weekly Wander to be notified » GET NOTIFICATIONS!
Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com
{ Featured VENDORS }
» Ceremony, Reception, & Catering |
Westglow Resort & Spa
» Floral Designer |
Pink Petunia Designs
» Dress Designer |
Claire Pettibone
{ Featured LINKS }
»
Focusing on the Marriage and Not the Wedding
»
Ali + JB's Blue Ridge Mountain Wedding at Grandfather Golf
»
Kari + Chad's Mountaintop Destination Wedding at Kilkelly's
»
DIY Down-Home Backyard Wedding: Emma + Alex
»
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland | Wedding Styled Shoot @ Camp Sky Ranch
While on my way to the shoot it was apparent that the rain wasn't going anywhere, but we were determined to make do with whatever we were given despite the less than desirable weather.
Anytime during the shoot when I noticed that the rain had subsided, we would run out to grab a few quick photos before we had to retreat back to the shelter of the stone porch. We only had about 5-10 minutes each time until the rain started up again, but it was better than nothing!
I loved the location because I had a lot of interesting areas that we could use even though the rain posed some challenges. We gained permission to use this lovely venue for their engagement pictures because Seth was in cahoots with the head chef at Gideon Ridge. It's one of Bistro Roca's sister properties which is where Seth works as a chef.
Katelyn and Seth were super sweet, and they didn't seem to have a problem with all the cheesy things I did and said to get them to laugh. It wasn't so bad dodging the rain with these two either, it was actually fun. They were troopers, though, that's for sure!
CONGRATULATIONS to Katelyn + Seth on your engagement and upcoming marriage! Thank you so much for choosing me to capture your adventurous engagement photos in Blowing Rock, NC. I can't wait to photograph your wedding this weekend! I hope you enjoy this sneak peek while I finish up your full gallery.
