Morgan & David’s Chetola wedding located near downtown Blowing Rock, NC last weekend was a wonderful example of fall in the mountains. It was a fun day filled with family & friends that were eager to celebrate the couple’s union. “We’ve always thought Chetola was an absolutely beautiful location and we loved the idea that we could return to this exact spot on anniversaries,” Morgan shared before their wedding day. Morgan’s parents recently celebrated their wedding anniversary at Chetola. What a great tradition to begin because fall in the High Country is pretty amazing!

Their love story began while they were both attending college at Campbell University. Morgan broke the ice and introduced herself because David was too nervous to make the 1st move. After running into each other at an “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party” they ended up spending the entire night hanging out and talking. The rest is history as they’ve been adventuring together for almost 5 years now and they can’t wait to be married!

FALL CHETOLA WEDDING

To celebrate David’s graduation, his parents planned a trip to Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley the following spring. Since Morgan would also be accompanying the family on this trip, David got the bright idea to propose while they were there since it seemed like the perfect place to do it. David said he spent the next few months saving what he could when/where he could to save up for a ring that he thought Morgan would LOVE!

He envisioned them taking a horseback ride through the mountains to an overlook where he would pop the question. It was a solid plan although there were some hurdles David had to face along the way. According to Morgan, David was “acting weird” but he was really just a nervous nelly and wanted everything to go smoothly. After getting some help from the group guide, it was time. David said he struggled to make words form but he gave it his best shot and showed her the ring as he told her how much he loved her! “Thankfully she said yes and I could finally breathe,” David said. “My hands and legs were shaking so much that I could barely stand!”

I was bawling like a baby when I was reading his side of the proposal story. David was such a sweet and caring guy. You could see how much he just adored Morgan. Couples that are as in love as these two are why I do what I do. I’m such a sucker for a heartwarming love story!

I had no idea how laid back of a bride Morgan would be. We didn’t get the chance to do an engagement session prior to their wedding day. But I was pleasantly surprised because both of them seemed so relaxed and at ease leading up to their ceremony. It’s so wonderful to see a couple have fun and fully experience the day with family and friends without a bit of stress. Meris with The Whole Shebang and her crew were a big part of that, too. The staff at Chetola was equally amazing. Morgan & David didn’t have to worry about much of anything except for enjoying their special day thanks to the awesome team they had.

The wedding day started with the girls and guys getting ready in separate condos on the Chetola property. Morgan was surrounded with love and support from her beloved family and friends. Her Mom and bridesmaids helped the bride get into her whimsical ball gown dress. They had the brilliant idea of using a crochet needle to hook the buttons of her dress that are notoriously difficult to manage as I’ve witnessed before. She looked like a princess but kept the country vibe kicking with her teal cowboy boots.

The ceremony took place under a big willow tree with a view of the lake. It was so moving to watch David getting emotional as his bride walked towards him down the aisle. They wrote letters to one another with the vows that they read and then placed into their “love box” that David and Morgan’s Dad made together. It’s a wooden box that they put a bottle of wine and their love letters in on the wedding day, and then they’ll open it and put in new letters/wine every year on their anniversary. How special is that?! Such a lovely idea!

I loved working with these two because of their playful nature and laid-back vibe. We had such a blast with them and their families on the wedding day. Everything ran so smoothly from the beginning to the end.

The reception started with a warm welcome from Morgan’s Dad followed by dinner and toasts. David’s brother had the whole crowd laughing with his speech. That flowed into the cake cutting which was as adorable as you can imagine.

The newlyweds first dance as a married couple was to the song “Give It All We Got Tonight” by George Strait. Mike, the DJ from Split Second Sound, joked that they must have shared 300+ kisses during their first dance. It was pretty cute! 

After the family dances, the couple called all the guests to the dance floor to do 1 slow dance with them. It was a good trick because then they went right into an upbeat jam that kept folks on the dance floor all night long. A country classic closed out the night with a sing-a-long to “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks. Everyone was having a ball until the very end!

CONGRATULATIONS, Morgan + David! You’re MARRIED! YAYAYAYAYAYAY! I wish you two newlyweds a lifetime of epic adventures and I hope that your marriage will only grow stronger as you continue this journey together! Thank you for being so awesome to work with. Wishing you both the best of luck as you begin this new adventure. Hope you’re having a blast on your honeymoon in Colorado!

Thank you so much for choosing me to be your wedding photographer. It was an honor and a pleasure to be a part of your special day! I hope you enjoy these sneak peeks from your Chetola wedding while I finish working on your full gallery!

 

[WEDDING VENDOR LIST]

Wedding Venue: Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock

Wedding Planner: The Whole Shebang

Wedding Flowers: Fuschia Moss Floral Design

Wedding Cake: Ugga Mugga Bakery

Catering: Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock

DJ: Split Second Sound

Hair & Makeup: Canvas Beauty Bar

Dress Shop: Maggi Bridal in Raleigh, NC

Bridesmaids Dresses: Alfred Angelo

Groom & Groomsmen Attire: Jos A Banks

Wedding Photography by Wayfaring Wanderer