Smoky Mountain Adventure Wedding

Samantha and Garrett – August 11, 2026

There’s something pretty magical about getting to have the best of both worlds on your wedding day—a sweet, intimate ceremony surrounded by the people you love, followed by an afternoon disappearing into the mountains with your brand-new spouse.

That’s exactly what Samantha and Garrett did for their Smoky Mountain adventure wedding, and honestly, it was such a fun way to celebrate.

They chose Chapel in the Hollow for their ceremony, tucked into the forest of East Tennessee, and then planned extra time afterward to head into the mountains for wedding photos along the Foothills Parkway. It gave them plenty of time for the traditional parts of a wedding day—family, wedding party, walking down the aisle, and even a four-legged ring bearer—while still getting that adventurous elopement feeling once the ceremony was over.

And the Smoky Mountains definitely understood the assignment.

An Earthy Summer Wedding in the Forest

For their ceremony, Samantha and Garrett dressed the chapel in sand fabric paired with our succulent florals and lantern package. The soft neutral colors looked gorgeous surrounded by all of the deep summer greens in the forest. It felt earthy and romantic without being overly formal, which was perfect for a wedding day that was going to transition from a woodland ceremony into exploring the mountains.

Samantha’s mom joined her while she got ready, helping with those last little wedding-day details before it was time to head to the chapel. Samantha looked absolutely gorgeous in a spaghetti-strap wedding dress with a long train edged in lace. She wore her hair down and finished everything off with possibly my favorite practical wedding-day choice: embroidered tennis shoes. Because, listen. If your wedding itinerary involves wandering around the Smoky Mountains, cute AND comfortable shoes are a power move.

Garrett went in the opposite direction color-wise, wearing all black for a classic look with just a little bit of moodiness. The contrast between his black attire, Samantha’s lace gown, and the greenery surrounding the chapel photographed beautifully.

The Little Details That Tell the Story

Samantha also brought along some of their personal wedding details for me to photograph, including their perfume and cologne, invitation, pieces of lace, and her embroidered shoes. I LOVE when couples bring little things like this. Years from now, the big moments will obviously matter—the first look down the aisle, the vows, the kiss, the portraits in the mountains—but the tiny pieces of the day help tell the rest of the story. The perfume you wore. The invitation your family received in the mail. The lace from your dress. The shoes that carried you through the day. Those details might seem small while you’re planning, but they become these perfect little time capsules once the wedding is over.

And the Ring Bearer Was a Very Good Boy

Their wedding party fit perfectly with the relaxed, earthy look they had created. Samantha’s bridesmaids wore black dresses, while Garrett’s groomsmen paired tan pants with crisp white dress shirts. But there was another VERY important member of the wedding party. Ruger. Their dog. And official ring bearer. Ruger made his trip down the aisle accompanied by one of the bridesmaids, which is clearly an excellent use of wedding-party authority. If your dog can reasonably handle wedding responsibilities, I am firmly in favor of giving them a job title.

Samantha’s dad then walked her down the aisle toward Garrett, surrounded by their closest people and the summer forest. After they exchanged vows and officially became husband and wife, we gathered everyone together on the chapel steps for family and wedding-party photos. And then? It was adventure time.

Heading Into the Smoky Mountains

We started Samantha and Garrett’s couple portraits around the chapel, including photos beneath the mossy tree, before heading off property toward the Foothills Parkway. This is one of my favorite things about a Smoky Mountain adventure wedding.

You don’t necessarily have to choose between having your family at your ceremony and having that romantic, run-away-into-the-mountains elopement experience. You can do both. Once the family photos are finished and everyone else heads off to celebrate, the pace completely changes. For Samantha and Garrett, the next part of the day was just about them.

We drove into the mountains, stopping at a couple of different locations along the Foothills Parkway for photos. They got to dance, play, laugh, cuddle up together, and take in those giant mountain views without worrying about a room full of guests waiting for them. And the mountains absolutely showed off.

The Foothills Parkway is incredible for wedding portraits because every stop can feel a little different. Instead of having every photo from your wedding day taken within a few hundred feet of your ceremony location, adding adventure photography gives you a completely different backdrop—and a completely different experience.

One minute Samantha and Garrett were surrounded by the intimate greenery of a little forest chapel, and later they were standing together with layers of hazy blue mountains stretching out behind them. That variety is one of the things that makes a Smoky Mountain adventure wedding so much fun to photograph.

Summer Adventure Wedding Photos

Of course, this was summer in East Tennessee. Which means it was hot. And humid. Because apparently the Smokies occasionally like to remind us that we are, in fact, in the South. 😂

Samantha and Garrett were absolute troopers through all of it. They were willing to wander, dance, explore, and have fun together, and that willingness to roll with the day is exactly what makes adventure wedding photos feel so natural.

You don’t need to be an experienced hiker or spend six hours climbing to the top of a mountain to have an adventure wedding, either.

Sometimes “adventure” simply means giving yourselves enough time to leave the ceremony location, explore somewhere beautiful together, and turn your wedding portraits into part of the experience instead of something you’re checking off a list.

Comfortable shoes definitely help.

Just saying.

One Last Mountain View

After exploring the Foothills Parkway, we headed back toward the chapel—but we weren’t quite finished yet. We made one last stop at our field with its mountain backdrop to finish out Samantha and Garrett’s wedding photos. It was the perfect ending to their afternoon.

They started the day surrounded by family and friends in the quiet of the forest, brought their pup along for one of the biggest moments of their lives, and then spent the rest of their wedding experience exploring some of the prettiest scenery East Tennessee has to offer. No giant reception timeline. No spending the entire day rushing from one obligation to another.

Just a beautiful ceremony, their favorite people, their dog, and a little adventure together afterward.

For couples who love the idea of an intimate wedding but still want those epic mountain views, this kind of day really does offer the best of both worlds. A Smoky Mountain adventure wedding can include all of the meaningful traditions you care about while still leaving room to wander off together, breathe for a minute, and actually enjoy the fact that YOU JUST GOT MARRIED.

And Samantha and Garrett did exactly that.

Congratulations, you two!! We loved getting to be part of your adventure. ❤️

From the Bride:

We actually dated in high school for almost 2 years, prom date and everything. We did the normal teenager break up – went our separate ways with college and new relationships. I (the Bride) moved back home, and we found each other again through mutual friends. 

Dating the second time around, we can’t remember our first date because we agreed it would just be better to be friends. We always went out to eat, went to sports events and concerts, but then those feelings started to roll back. We were lying to each other on how we really felt for the longest time. 

We bought our first house in 2025. I took a half day of work because my fiancé and I were going to a concert in Pittsburgh. He was waiting for me to return from work on our back porch, and I was so much in a hurry that I didn’t realize he was trying to say hello, give me a kiss and all that stuff. Well, finally he hugged me… like hugged me long enough that I thought something was wrong. I told him, “I need to get ready please let go.” Once he let go, he was down on one knee so fast. I think I blacked out because I was so speechless. I loved every minute of it.

One thing people say about us is we are always on the move and wanted to get married anywhere but PA. We decided on the smoky mountains. We are both looking forward to being married… that has been our answer since the day we got engaged.

For fun, we enjoy golf, walking our dog, going to concerts, baking, and watching our nerdy movies/shows.

Smoky Mountain Adventure Wedding Vendors

Event Management: Bekah and Aubrey with Custom Love Gifts & Events
Venue: Chapel in the Hollow
Photography: Star Noir Studio
Chapel Florals: Chapel in the Hollow
Bouquets: Goetz Flowers
Wedding Dress: Jacqueline Bridal
Hair & Makeup: Kristi Abby Beauty
Menswear: Wrangler and American Eagle
Shoes: Vans and Tecovas
Rings: Kay Jewelers