When Rachel + Clay reached out to me, they knew they wanted to capture their engagement photos in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park! I am a permitted photographer in the Smokies, as well as many national parks around the country and Cades Cove sounded just like what she was envisioning. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend taking a weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains! Cades Cove is an 11-mile loops with panoramic views of the mountains, wildlife sightseeing, camping sites, and multiple pullouts. It’s the perfect place to relax and take in the moment.
Rachel + Clay met in high school through a mutual friend and they have been high school sweethearts since. Whenever I first had my call with them, my voice went up like 10 octaves whenever I found this out. These two recently got engaged in August on the Royal Arch Trail in Boulder, Colorado while they were on a hike. This is very reflective of their interests because these two love to travel, boulder, snowboard, hike, and more.
Not only are they outdoorsy, but they both have incredibly huge hearts. Rachel is the owner of a company promoting living a “no worries” lifestyle. She was inspired to create this company because of her brother who has special needs. Through the money raised, she donates a portion of funds raised to the special needs community. I mean… big heart, am I right?
Their hearts for others and each other became evident so quickly. We all ended up arriving an hour early to where we were going to begin shooting! So instead of starting early, we chose to stand outside our cars and get to know each other even more. I love to get to know my clients (aka, friends) because it helps to ease your nerves before having a camera in your face, and I truly just love knowing you! Like I say all throughout my site, photography is an investment, and I’m invested in you too.
One of my biggest goals during any session with me is to help you connect with each other and take in the moment. When we’re in a nature-filled, gorgeous location, it’s definitely not hard to do. While these two were in front of my camera, their care for each other and their fun, adventurous nature shines in the entire gallery. Let’s keep scrolling to view highlights from their session and get inspired for your own adventure!
If you’re searching for locations to capture your own smoky mountain engagement photos, contact me and I would love to help you find the most perfect spot that matches your vision!
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