If you’ve ever dreamed of saying“I do” surrounded by glowing light, towering trees, and a little touch of rustic romance, Brianna and Joey’s September golden hour forest wedding at Chapel in the Hollow is the inspiration you’ve been waiting for.
Warm + Earthy Chapel Styling
To set the mood, Brianna and Joey chose rust and cream fabrics to drape the chapel, accented with our signature succulent florals. The combination created a dreamy balance of texture and warmth — perfect for an early autumn celebration. Adding to the magic, they lined the aisle with wooden lanterns glowing with candlelight, bathing the space in a soft, romantic ambiance.
If you’re planning a fall micro wedding, this design is a gorgeous example of how just a few thoughtful décor choices can completely transform the atmosphere.(You can explore more of our included chapel accessories here.)
The Bride + Groom’s Style
Brianna stunned in a sleeveless gown paired with a long pearl-studded veil that shimmered in the forest light. Her bouquet was made of sola wood flowers, an eco-friendly and timeless choice that looked incredible in photos. Joey kept it sharp and fresh in a light grey suit with a white shirt and green tie — a perfect match for the forest backdrop.
Heartfelt Ceremony Moments
Before the ceremony began, Brianna and Joey took private time to read their vows — a beautiful way to soak in the emotion of the day before sharing it with their guests. Her father proudly walked her down the aisle, where their personal officiant, Jason Hines, delivered a heartfelt ceremony. As golden light danced through the trees, their vows felt even more magical.
Golden Hour Portraits in the Smokies
After the“I dos,” the celebration continued with family photos at the chapel. Then, we whisked Brianna and Joey away for portraits at the archway, highlands, and along the forest road — some of our favorite Smoky Mountain photo spots. With the sun dipping low, the light was soft, moody, and oh-so-romantic, creating timeless wedding portraits they’ll treasure forever.
If you’re hoping for this same glow, consider booking your ceremony during golden hour. Our team can help you plan the perfect timeline so you don’t miss those magical forest rays.
From the Bride
We were Facebook friends for a long time and never spoke. Joey had moved from NY to East Tennessee after visiting almost three years ago. One day he messaged me asking for an automotive upholstery shop to fix his door panel on his Mustang, and we’ve talked every day since and fell in love. We share our love for the outdoors, cars, animals, and doing everything together as a team. We love doing projects together and are in the process of buying a home! I took him to Waffle House for our first date as he’s from NY and had never been to one, and always told me he wanted to go to a Waffle House. We both loved it and had an amazing date, then we played put-put at a local place up the road and had so much fun!
Joey proposed. It was Saturday December 28th, we woke up early and he took me to breakfast at the Townsend cafe. Then we kept driving and ended up at Cades Cove. We drove through for a little bit until he found the right field to walk into. We walked down a beautiful field together and when we got to the bottom with some privacy, he got down on one knee and professed his love for me, neither of us remember everything he said, but we both cried. It was pretty cold that day but somehow the weather warmed up drastically, we had beautiful clear skies behind us with Mountain View. It was perfect. We decided to get married in the Smoky Mountains because we both live here and love it! On our wedding day I am looking forward to marrying the love of my life. We really wanted to get married in the fall so this was perfect.
We love to go down to the lake and have a lake day, work on our cars together, date night every two weeks! Typical date night consists of him usually picking the place or giving me a few options, because we’re both very indecisive when it comes to picking places to eat.
Wedding Vendor Team
This dreamy day wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing team:
Brianna and Joey’s golden hour forest wedding was a celebration full of warmth, romance, and intentional details. Their day proves that a micro wedding in the Smoky Mountains can feel just as grand and meaningful as a larger celebration — maybe even more so.
If you’re dreaming of your own outdoor woodland wedding with golden light streaming through the trees, we’d love to welcome you to our little corner of East Tennessee. Contact us today to start planning your perfect day.
