Blue Ridge Mountain Engagement Photo Adventure on Tanawha Trail

The majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains captivate a lot of people and these two are no exception. Jess and Mike are both transplants that found their way to the High Country—and haven't wanted to leave—like so many other folks in this region that permanently relocate. This is where they've been building their lives together and it's where they plan to remain for many more years.

It made perfect sense to select an engagement photo location that highlights what they love about living here. Jess and Mike don't have as much time to go on adventures as often as they would like because their home and work lives are so full, which is why we revisited one of their favorite hiking spots to photograph their engagement pictures while also enjoying the second day of summer.

The location for the engagement session that they chose was a section of the Tanawha Trail that's in Foscoe, about a 30 minute drive from the Boone, NC area. After making my way up a windy gravel road, I reached the parking area at the trail head. You used to park on the side of the road but now there's a whole area available that can accommodate a handful of vehicles, it's a great improvement!

As I waited for Jess and Mike to arrive, I chatted up sweat-drenched, red-faced hikers catching their breath in the parking lot. It happened to be one of the hottest days we've had so far here in the mountains, but it still beats being in Florida! A hot summer day in the Blue Ridge Mountains is far different from the sweltering heat experienced further south. They're deal with triple digits down there while we're protesting temperatures that climb to the high 80's! (Mountain folk are spoiled.)

These two enjoy the simple things in life and they share a deep passion for food. Whether they're growing it, cooking it, or eating it, it's an important of Jess and Mike's relationship. When they aren't working at Artisnal—a beautiful, upscale restaurant with five-star food in Banner, Elk—getting their hands dirty in their home garden and greenhouse with their three dogs running around the yard is how they like to spend their downtime.

For the first part of our session, I took them through the hardwood forest so we would have some shade until the sun went down a little more. After hiking for a bit we broke out of the woods into a sun-soaked pasture where the couple cuddled with a blanket of delicate wild daisies surrounding them.

We navigated all of natures wonders with a deep sense of gratitude. I really appreciated the fact that these two didn't mind the bugs swirling around them or the brambles we trekked through or the cow pattie landmines waiting to be squashed under our footsteps. Jess + Mike are a daring pair and they're always up for having an adventure! Definitely my kind of peeps!

It was a lot of fun observing and capturing the playful dynamic they have with one another. The joy they emanate was evident a mile away. I'm so glad we were finally able to get their engagement pictures done because the weather wasn't cooperating with us at first. It was a blast getting to know these two kindred spirits and I am so looking forward to photographing their wedding this August at Camp Sky Ranch.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jess + Mike on your engagement and upcoming marriage! I know you two will have epic adventures, and I hope that your relationship and connection will grow stronger as you continue this journey together! Thank you so much for choosing me to capture your adventurous engagement photos on the Tanawha Trail. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek while I finish up your full gallery.

Are you newly engaged or in the process of planning a wedding? Download a FREE copy of the 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist to jump start your planning!

It's a free gift when you sign up for weekly emails from me (your adventurous ally). If you are already part of the tribe and subscribed to the Weekly Wander, you should have already received a download link in a previous newsletter. Let me know if you didn't receive it!

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 LINKS }

» Date Night Idea Jar DIY + FREE Printable
» Katelyn + Seth's Blowing Rock Engagement Pictures
» Kim + Dennis' Linville Falls Engagement Adventure
» Abby + Cameron's Boone Engagement Photos

Gideon Ridge Inn Engagement Pictures in Blowing Rock, NC

After having to reschedule several times due to the unpredictable mountain weather, we finally managed to squeeze in Katelyn & Seth's engagement shoot last week. Initially, they were hoping to do a snowy engagement session but Mother Nature didn't cooperate with us this winter, so we waited.

I checked the forecast, as usual, and it wasn't looking so favorable for later that afternoon so we bumped up the time in hopes of avoiding the storms. And because these two are getting married in just 2 days we had to get their engagement photos done, RAIN or SHINE, this time around!

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.

The Gideon Ridge Inn had a porch, thankfully, that no one was interested in using because of the showers. We didn't mind having the place to ourselves!

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'm pretty thankful that we did get to spend some time doing their engagement pictures out in the open with the mountain view because those are my favorite photos from their shoot. After all, the amazing views are the main reason why Katelyn and Seth chose Gideon Ridge for their engagement photo location.

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.

The couple decided to have engagement photos taken because they don't have very many "nice" photos of them together as a couple where they're not making goofy faces or flipping off the camera. ;-)

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.



Are you newly engaged or in the process of planning a wedding? Download a FREE copy of the 12-Month Wedding Planning Checklist to jump start your planning!

It's a free gift when you sign up for weekly emails from me (your adventurous ally). If you are already part of the tribe and subscribed to the Weekly Wander, you should have already received a download link in a previous newsletter. Let me know if you don't receive it!

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

Katie + Dom's Winter Engagement Photo Adventure by Boone Photographer Wayfaring Wanderer

Braving bitter winter temperatures isn’t something that every couple is willing to do for the sake of a beautiful backdrop for their engagement photos, but I am so very thankful for flexible folks like Katie and Dom because going on adventures is what it’s all about!

It’s no secret that I love photographing outdoor engagement photos no matter how unpredictable the Boone weather might be. There’s just something special about shooting outside that will always excite me whether I’m discovering some beautiful backlight during golden hour or combating a blizzard that’s creating a wicked case of windblown hair and frozen fingers, it’s all part of the story. Your story.

Dom’s a pilot in the Air Force and is currently stationed in Oklahoma while Katie lives here in Boone, NC working as a freelance videographer where she grew up . The couple is planning their destination wedding for this October and it’s happening at an amazing wedding venue called Leatherwood Mountain that I can’t wait to photograph at.

The couple’s long-distance love story started back in 2012 when they met through a mutual friend at an Atlanta Braves game. After doe-si-doe-ing during a dance break, Dom decided to get Katie's digits so they could stay in touch. It took about 6-months before they made it exclusive.

Since then, their long-distance-love-connection has continued to grow over the years. In Nov. 2014 Dom whisked Katie away to Charleston, SC for yet another one of their adventures. After spending some time enjoying the city, they ended their day at Sullivan’s Island to watch the sunset while sitting on a blanket and sipping Spanish wine, something they did together when they first started dating.

Katie whispered to Dom that this was a perfect moment, and he responded by telling her that it was about to get more perfect as he pulled out the sparkliest engagement ring she’s ever seen.

Without hesitation, she said YES!

When Katie and I started planning their engagement session, she wasn’t sure about a location, but it wasn’t long before she came up with the perfect idea. We just had to keep our fingers crossed that the weather would cooperate.

She was a little worried about the forecast during the week leading up to the engagement shoot because we only had one day to do their pictures while Dom was in town for their wedding planning, but we stayed optimistic.

One thing I do with my couples to help them choose a location for their engagement session is have them fill out a questionnaire. It asks all sorts of seemingly random questions that will help me come up with engagement photo location ideas just in case you don’t already have one in mind.

It’s also another way for me to learn more about you and your fiance! I enjoy finding out about your personalities and how you like to spend your free time. For instance, what shows you watch can tell me a lot and what words you might use to describe yourself as a couple are some things I ask to get to know you. The answers you provide help me prepare so that your session is uniquely you!

The location idea that Katie wanted to explore was photographing their engagement pictures at the Greenway Trail here in Boone, NC. She’s been going there since childhood, it's a beautiful wooded area not too far from Boone's city center with trails for jogging, biking, hiking, etc. It's a super popular spot all year long that's close to town. I've used this outdoor location to photograph people before so I am pretty familiar with the area—it also happens to be a stone's throw from our home.

In fact, it’s also where I shot my very first engagement session back in 2011! While I’ve photographed families and individuals here on the Greenway Trail since then this is the first couple I’ve had the pleasure of shooting there in a number of years. It's just as gorgeous in the wintertime as it is in the spring, summer, and fall if you ask me!

It was a frosty 23 degrees when I met Katie and Dom for the first time on the Greenway Trail. This definitely wasn’t ideal weather to shoot in but the sun was shining and the wind was gently blowing, so I wasn’t complaining. I brought along a set of vintage hand-warmers and gave one to each of them in hopes that it would help keep them from freezing. They also had disposable hand and foot warmers tucked away that helped some, too! Surprisingly, I was unaffected by the cold because I was running so hot.

Initially, we were entertaining the idea of shooting their engagement session at the Turchin Center (a museum of sorts) because of the not-so-favorable forecast but when I got word back that they wanted $75 an hour to shoot there—not to mention the fact that they needed to see all of the images I would capture to make sure none of the artwork was photographed—we decided to take our chances and hope for the best with the outdoor photo shoot instead! And I'm so glad we did because it was beautiful.

While being an outdoor photographer is what I truly love, I was more than willing to be flexible for the sake of Katie and Dom's comfort. However, I’ve grown accustomed to photographing folks in unpredictable weather, so I’ve seen and shot in all sorts of crazy conditions. Blizzard? No problem! Somehow, I’m still able to make it work and turn it into an adventure that will be memorable. The weather can't stop me! ;-)

Katie and Dom kept each other nice and cozy as I captured their engagement photos on this frigid day while I did my best to keep things moving. We almost walked the Greenway Trail from end-to-end which helped keep our blood pumping and our body heat kicking. As you can see, it also got a little hot and steamy, too! ;-) hehehe

I got carried away while shooting and our 1-hour session almost turned into 2-hours. Time flies when you’re on an adventure!

The special spark that these two share helped me to see what keeps them so close even though the distance between them is vast, for now. Katie and Dom are one-of-a-kind and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to be their engagement photographer! I'm really looking forward to photographing their wedding.

CONGRATULATIONS to Katie + Dom on your engagement and upcoming marriage! I wish you two epic adventures in life and love, and I hope that your relationship and connection will grow stronger as you continue this journey together! Thank you so much for choosing me to capture your adventurous engagement photos at the Greenway Trail. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek while I finish up your full gallery!

Ready to book your exclusive Engagement Adventure Session?

Send me an email at wayfaringwanderer@gmail.com or message me through my website contact form because I'd love to find out how I can best help you! Now BOOKING 2015 + 2016 engagements + weddings!

I'm currently offering UNPLUGGED PHOTO ADVENTURES in October & November to couples & families that are looking for an alternative to formal family photos! Click here for details!

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 LINKS }

» Leslie + Wes' Grandfather Mountain Engagement Adventure
» Date Night Idea Jar DIY + FREE Printable
» BIG LIST of Boone Wedding Vendors + FREE Printable
» Kim + Dennis' Linville Falls Engagement Adventure
» Casey + Sarah's Valle Crucis Anniversary Adventure

Leslie + Wes' Grandfather Mountain Engagement Photo Adventure by Boone Photographer Wayfaring Wanderer

When you find that special someone that you want to spend forever with being apart from one another can be grueling. You chat on the phone, send messages, facetime, or Skype but what you really want to do is hug their neck and plant a wet one on those hot lips, am I right?! If Cody and I spend more than a few days apart I get antsy, so I can't imagine if we lived in different states like Leslie and Wes.

Currently, Wes is stationed in Virginia and Leslie resides in Raleigh, NC where she teaches Spanish. These two are planning a wedding this summer on Sugar Mountain so their long-distance love won't stay that way for too much longer once they are married.

While they are used to having distance between them since they dated on and off for four years after they first met up here in Boone, NC. After that, they both went their separate ways. Wes left to pursue a career in the Navy and Leslie traveled around the world to expand her horizons.

They lost touch over the years, but Wes found Leslie again and he decided that it was time to make sure she sticks around, so he made it official and asked her to be his wife last November!

They came up to the Boone area to visit their wedding venue and thought that it would be a good time to squeeze in their engagement photos so they can use them for save-the-dates.

Leslie had her heart set on a snowy photo session, but the forecast didn't cooperate, so I came up with some other creative engagement photo ideas.

One of the engagement photo location ideas I threw out that Leslie liked from the get-go was Grandfather Mountain. Apparently, they tried to visit the tourist attraction a little while ago when they were in town but it was too cold so the bridge was closed. It's not as much fun if you can't go up to the Mile High Swinging Bridge to see the views!

Normally, the admission charge to get into Grandfather Mountain is $20 per person for adults. For that reason, this usually wouldn't be a viable location to do an engagement session due to the high cost but every year in December they offer Dollar Days to local residents, so I was able to get us in for $3 per person. A few years ago Dollar Days used to be $1 per person but I suppose they've had to go up.

Once we were past the gate, the three of us slowly made our way up the windy road in Wes' bright orange jeep. We stopped at various overlooks along the way so that we could get some variations in our backdrops, and so that we could avoid the colder weather up top for as long as we could. From my experience, I know that it's always a lot colder and windier up there because you're at such a high elevation.

Little did we know, though, how fiercely the wind would be blowing once we reached the Mile High Swinging Bridge. It was absolutely insane! The gusts of wind were blasting so hard from all sides that it kept knocking me off balance. I had to wedge my foot in between two rocks while I was shooting because I, literally, thought I was going to blow away. Seriously.

It was hard to think straight with the freezing cold and wind pounding, although there was a tiny little pocket I found between boulders and trees where we could stand and not feel the fury. I wanted to keep them in that spot forever!

Despite the bitter temperatures Leslie and Wes took it all in stride. They laughed and enjoyed the adventure as crazy as it was. I love working with laid-back couples that like to have fun and can be silly together no matter what gets thrown their way! I really wish that I wasn't already booked for Leslie and Wes' wedding day because I had a blast hanging out with these two.

Once we were done up around the Mile High Swinging Bridge, we practically ran back to the gift shop because the wind picked up and began blowing even harder! After getting inside where it was warm and cozy, we saw that the wind was registering at 39 mph. I could have sworn that it was at least 100 mph! HA!

CONGRATULATIONS to Leslie + Wes on your engagement and upcoming marriage! I wish you two epic adventures in life and love, and I hope that your relationship and connection will grow stronger as you continue this journey together! Thank you so much for choosing me to capture your adventurous engagement photos at Grandfather Mountain. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek while I finish up your full gallery.

Ready to book your exclusive Choose Your Adventure Session?

Simply send me an email at wayfaringwanderer@gmail.com or message me through my website contact form because I'd love to find out how I can best help you! Now BOOKING 2015 engagements + weddings!

I will be making some announcements in the next few weeks that will be shared in the Weekly Wander if you want to know the inside scoop. Weekly Wander subscribers will get the details first, so I recommend that you sign up to GET NOTIFICATIONS if you don't want to miss it!

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 LINKS }

» WIN FREE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!
» Focusing on the Marriage and Not the Wedding
» BIG LIST of Boone Wedding Vendors + FREE Printable
» Kim + Dennis' Linville Falls Engagement Adventure
» Casey + Sarah's Valle Crucis Anniversary Adventure