Bohemian Mountain Elopement Styled Shoot at Sassafras Mountain
Being a wedding photographer is all about working within constraints. I guess that’s true of most art forms, but it’s especially true on a wedding day.
You’re not always in control of the timeline (even the best laid plans oft go astray, for any number of reasons), the light, the weather, the setting, the details, or any number of things.
And I LOVE that challenge. It forces you to be adaptive, quick, creative, and resourceful, and makes you a better artist.
But - it’s also incredible to have a shoot now and then that lets you take the reins and photograph what makes you feel ALIVE. For me, that’s the mountains. Add in bohemian details, golden hour and blue hour light, incredible fellow wedding vendors, and a stunning real couple who aren’t afraid to brave the cold and wind, and you have this incredible styled shoot (and one happy photographer.)
Haley & Ian are an incredible couple who have known each other since middle school - how sweet is that?! - and graciously agreed to model when I put out a model call in a local photographer group. (Haley is a very talented family photographer as well!)
We settled on a bohemian mountaintop elopement vibe, and chose Sassafras Mountain as our setting. Despite having lived in the Upstate for my whole life, I had never been to Sassafras for a photo session — or even just to check it out! The observation tower at the top of this peak marks the highest point in South Carolina at 3554 feet above sea level, and the state line between North and South Carolina runs right through the tower.
Haley donned a gorgeous BHLDN wrap dress with sequinned details — the Casey gown makes me think of Jenny from Forrest Gump, Stevie Nicks, and maybe just a dash of 1920’s glamour to keep things fresh. Adina at Frilly Bloomers worked her floral magic here, creating a bouquet and horizontal boutonniere inspired by the wild, natural landscape, with colors perfectly bridging the season between fall and winter and adding a dash of color. Those flowers also tied into Haley’s beautiful, romantic bridal braid, expertly executed by Staci Willis of Cotton Rouge Co. Tory Conn, also with Cotton Rouge Co., provided a beautifully dreamy, warm and soft makeup look for our gorgeous model. Ian looked quite dashing in his suit from Men's Wearhouse as well!
Our shoot was a little chilly (mountaintop in November, what can you expect), but Haley and Ian proved that’s just a great excuse to hold one another tight. So, without further ado… the images!
