This styled wedding shoot at Fussell Farm in Millers Creek, North Carolina was a beautiful collaboration that I was thankful to be a part of. For wedding photographers and other vendors, it’s like Christmas when a new wedding venue opens its doors in our backyard, especially one as great as Fussell Farm. The owners, Vickie and Dr. Leonard Fussell, have put a lot of love and care into transforming the space that used to be an actual cattle barn. 

When their oldest daughter, Brooke, couldn’t find the right venue to get married at in 2015, they quickly realized that home was the perfect place to say “I Do.” They only had three months left before they needed to complete the transformation of the barn but they made it happen in record time. Fast forward a year later their second daughter, Leah, also had a desire to get married at the farm in 2016. After successfully hosting two beautiful weddings, they decided to open the barn to the public.

What started with a dirt floor now has concrete underneath your feet throughout the venue. A bar area with built-in taps is a super helpful feature to have for your wedding day and they also added bathrooms and a working kitchen nook. I loved the open air barn, one side allowed views of the nearby river, but the covered area was vast enough to protect your wedding guests from the elements. There was so much lovely light filtering in and brightening up the space, it wasn’t dark like some barns I’ve photographed weddings in.

The bridal suite that’s detached from the barn was also a thoughtful addition to the wedding venue. It’s always nice when the bride/groom has a place to get ready at the venue to make things super easy. There’s plenty of space for the wedding party to get ready without being on top of one another. They furnished the getting ready room with 4 lovely vanities so there’s plenty of mirror space when you want to do your makeup or fix your hair. You’ll find a couch and armchair for guests to relax, a bathroom, refrigerator, and lots of window light which is something photographers love to see in a room where the bride/groom are getting ready.

The icing on the cake was the oversized white fabric panels draping across the ceiling. It made the venue feel light and airy and the chandeliers added an elegant flair. This wedding venue is great for an indoor or an outdoor ceremony. There’s plenty of room to spread out and accommodate a large number of guests—they can fit 300 people comfortably. Plenty of parking is also available which is one of the biggest challenges couples face with some wedding venues here in western North Carolina.

The concept for the Fussell Farm styled shoot was created by DeAnna Reid of Edenhouse who handled the event planning and floral designs. She wanted to incorporate mixed metals into the decor so that it would accent the rustic charm of the barn.

The farm tables and bistro chairs were supplied by Bushel and a Peck Vintage Rentals. DeAnna lined the table top with a swag of greenery. My photographer friend Ashley (who was assisting me for the day) and I dressed the table using pieces from Miss Match Rentals collection. A mix of silver and gold flateware flanked the white and gold place settings and clear and green glass goblets completed the layout.

Ugga Mugga Bakery brought the 3-tiered cake that she surrounded with the same greenery used on the table set up. A dessert bar with mini cupcakes, banana pudding shooters, and other sweet treats was also put out for the vendor only open house event later that evening. Bushel and a Peck Vintage Rentals put together a cozy lounge area in a corner of the barn. Midnight Paper Co., a graphic designer in Asheville, created the invitations for us.

The Lillian West 2-piece dress provided by “Did Someone Say Party?” looked so amazing on Makayla. This wedding gown trend has become fairly popular as I see it often in the bridal world. I loved the Sabrina neckline, cropped waistline and layered applique floral design. Let’s not forget how dapper Devon looked in his navy blue tux. The models for our shoot are part of the Fussell Farm family. Devin is Vickie & Leonard’s son and Makayla is his high school sweetheart that he’s been dating for the last 6 years. Who knows, maybe they’ll be getting hitched at Fussell Farm in the future, too!

It was a gorgeous day with blue skies and sunshine. While we were there practically all day from 10:30 AM until 9 PM, it was so fun and rewarding to collaborate with a talented group of vendors that I genuinely enjoy working with. Thank you to Fussell Farm for allowing me to photograph this lovely wedding venue and styled shoot. I can’t wait to see what exciting things happen on this new journey for the Fussell Family.

Interested in seeing the new wedding venue in person? Elevation Bridal is hosting a bridal show at Fussell Farm on May 7th, 2017 from 1:00-5:00 pm and you can view the venue and meet with area vendors for $5! Visit their website for more info.

[WEDDING VENDOR LIST]

Wedding Venue: Fussell Farm

Wedding Planner + Florist: DeAnna Reid w/ Edenhouse

Wedding Rentals: Bushel & A Peck Vintage Rentals

Wedding Cake: Ugga Mugga Bakery

Invitations: Midnight Paper Co.

Dinnerware: Miss Match Rentals

Photographer: Wayfaring Wanderer

Assistant/Second Shooter: Ashley N. Warren Photography

Wedding Dress + Tux: Did Someone Say Party?

Dress Designer: Lillian West