Bachelorette Party

I’m going to be trying to catch up on events I didn’t get to share last year. This was an unusual one for me! The Maid of Honor arranged a witchy vibe Bachelorette party in the mountains. Everything lined up, the clouds lifted, the sun absolutely graced us, and the girls had fun! We basically had to trip back down the mountain in the dark with about 50 other people.

There were a ton more pictures, to include individuals and small group images but these are my favorite. I also try to do portraits but also some more realistic images of people being fun and funny and themselves and I think we did that here. What do you think?

Hunter and Kirstin | My son eloped!! | Asheville NC

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!