Claudia & Zach | Elopement in Blue Ridge Mountains

July 3, 2020

I used to live with Claudia in college, and we both went to the same high school, so when she asked me to photograph her wedding I was ecstatic! She also met Zach through me while we were in college, so I always joke that I’m taking full credit for their relationship. Our friend Joy and I road-tripped as safely as we could (wore masks and sanitized everywhere, only stopping for gas and drive-thru food) and stayed in these super cute cabins on an Airbnb property with a few others. They were originally supposed to have a full wedding in June, but chose to do this elopement for the safety of everyone. (And because it’s really frickin cute)

There was a BEAUTIFUL giant hill on the property, dubbed “The Knob”, where we would watch the sunset each night and where the ceremony would be. There were GORGEOUS mountains all around us and we all knew it would be the perfect spot for their ceremony. The close relatives that came helped set up the arch and prepare food for the brunch ceremony.

There were about 8 of us there, not including the friends and family watching on the livestream. After the ceremony, we took pictures, made a couple of speeches, and headed out to Asheville (about an hour drive) to have a late lunch and walk around the city. This was my first time in Asheville and I LOVED it. There were also plenty of empty restaurant patios to sit on and enjoy our meals safely. I really appreciated how much precaution everyone was taking to ensure everyone felt comfortable. After lunch we went back to their Airbnb to cut cake, try their home-brewed beer (they make a lot of really great batches), and share stories about their love.

This was my first wedding of the year because of the pandemic, and I couldn’t have asked for a more fun time. And you all know how much I LOVE road trips, so that was icing on the cake. Thank you for letting me capture your day, friends!