Welcome to Camilla Calnan Photography's client galleries!
Mountaintop destination wedding – Aubrey and Mark’s Grand Highlands at Bearwallow wedding
Aubrey and Mark are such a sweet young couple we loved getting to capture during such a special time in their lives. I had the pleasure of capturing their awesome engagement photos as well as Aubrey’s stunning bridal photos. They had the most gorgeous wedding day in one of the most beautiful locations we have gotten to shoot. The Grand Highlands at Bearwallow was the awesome backdrop and ideal venue for their big day, and we were excited to work our first wedding there with Occasions by Emily coordinating and as the florist. The bride’s dress was a stunning complement to Aubrey’s beauty and her glittery gold shoes were a gift from one of her bridesmaids as was the dahlia she wore in her hair. The ladies were dressed in striking dark purple dresses and silver shoes, and the men were in classic-ly handsome light brown suits. Unique but timeless in every way!
The Bearwallow clubhouse offers amazing views all around, with a great room inside, dining/event room, several gaming rooms, lots of really nice restrooms, and it is broken up over two levels of rooms that serve well as ‘getting ready’ areas for the men as well as the women. It was great being able to have everyone so close but not chancing the couple seeing each other before the ceremony (unless they want to!). They wrote sweet notes and sent them with their pre-wedding gifts that made for lots of tears of joy and laughter before the ceremony. Aubrey and Mark chose to have a ‘not seeing each other’ moment before the wedding that gave us an opportunity to capture them together and they could hold hands and pray around a wall. It was a sweet, quiet moment of the two of them alone – other than Chris and I capturing it from a distance. They were so excited to get married!! We really love moments like that!!
The ceremony on the mountaintop vista with a huge wide view was breathtaking. The bride and her father’s entrance, walking across the field, in between lanterns as a winding path to their waiting friends and family as music played had tears and smiles on so many faces! The sweet moment of her father’s giving her away and her mother reading a letter Aubrey wrote to her future husband when she was a girl at summer camp kept the emotions and loving humor flowing. The couple tied knots symbolically on a cross, shared bread and wine, had a friend sing a beautiful dedication of a song, family members read scripture passages, and they read each other the most heart-felt vows. The minister was absolutely overjoyed to pronounce them as man and wife - especially since he had known the bride since she was a little girl. The lighting for family and wedding party photos before and after the ceremony was stunning, dramatic and constantly changing giving us so many gorgeous images. The chill in the air could not dampen the energy as the wedding party and couple were announced to the reception and dance floor. The bride and grooms first dance had everyone dancing side to side and the whole deck was engaged for that moment. Her father requested a dance before dinner was served and he made the sweetest speech for his only daughter. Dinner was so good (typical Colorful Palate!) that I did not get many photos of the food this time…but between the BBQ and salads and the FRENCH FRY bar you’ll have to take my work for it – those Colorful Palate chefs make everything quite delectable and beautiful!! YUM! The Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream bar was a special request from the bride who is a master ice cream mixer – living the dream smashing cookies and candies into her mega scoop of ice cream to have with her cupcakes!! Cake and ice cream – no better combination!
The couple were toasted by so many close friends and siblings – reinforcing the love and deep connection this couple has with their friends and family. There was a lovely slideshow played after the toasts, then they cut their cake, thanked their guests and headed outside to dance with their friends! The bride had to kick off her shoes to get down with the wedding party and guests rocking the dance floor. After a few songs, the couple was ready for their exit. Their friends and family made a tunnel of sparklers for them to run through then they drove off into the night… I hope you love the photos as much as I do! So many more I want to share, but here are my favorites:
Chris is my husband and owner of WNC Video Productions, and we adore getting to work together, capturing and hearing so much talk of love and vows most weekends (and a few weekdays!) during the year. I am proud to share the link to the video sample from their perfect wedding day. You can see the awe inspiring video sample HERE. We are truly blessed and lucky to get to work together, doing something we both love, and get to capture such special times for our clients. Get in touch if you have a special event, moment to capture with everyone together, or just to have photos or video of your favorite people. We would love to help capture what will soon just be a memory. :)
Emily and her team with Occasions by Emily coordinated, decorated and prepared the most gorgeous floral for the big day. Nathan and his assistant with Parkway DJ did a wonderful job making sure the ceremony on the mountaintop vista could be heard and the music, speeches and evening’s events rolling. Catering by the Colorful Palate. Ice cream bar by Cold Stone Creamery. Truly a great day made better by awesome vendors!
Huge congrats to Mark and Aubrey! Thank you for having us there to capture your big day! Best wishes on all your adventures!!
