Spence Cabin Wedding

These two traveled to Tennessee for their destination wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Kelsey and Brandon drove nearly 400 miles from Columbus, Ohio, to Gatlinburg, Tenn., and their fall wedding was worth every bit of the drive!

The fall colors in the Smokies usually begin turning shades of yellow and orange in early October with the peak of fall colors in mid-October. With Kelsey and Brandon’s wedding on October 5, they got the best of both worlds! There was still a beautiful green canopy in the forest with spots of orange and brown leaves trickling down around them.

Kelsey said, “Brandon proposed to me at Grotto Falls, and we decided that we want to have an intimate wedding in the Smoky Mountains where we got engaged. We want to forgo the big, expected wedding in our hometown and go the more intimate, destination route.”

Kelsey is a graphic designer and illustrator, and she owns Offbeat Paper Co. So naturally, she designed her own wedding invitations! The directions card was amazing, with illustrations of Spence Cabin, Grotto Falls where they got engaged, Calhoun’s where their welcome dinner was held, and the hotel.

After the wedding, Kelsey said, “I wish I could relive this day over and over again. It was hands down the best day of my life (well, so far anyways)!” We took a photo of Brandon picking her up and spinning her around (you’ll see it below!), and Kelsey said, “I think this one is my absolute favorite. It perfectly captures the pure joy and bliss that I felt that day, and especially in that moment. The man that was finally my husband, scooped me up and spun me around in the forest as fast as he could. My dress caught the breeze, my arms were around his neck, and I had the biggest smile plastered on my face. I couldn’t stop laughing and it was honestly one of my most cherished moments of that beautiful, special day. It’s crazy to think that it’s all over and that after all these years, he’s finally mine forever! I’m thankful for so many things this season, but this man and this day are at the top of my list.”

• Venue – Spence Cabin, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Hair & Makeup – Southern Belle Beauty

Spence Cabin Wedding Photographer

Located in the Elkmont Historic District of the national park, Spence Cabin was built in 1928. Today, in it’s restored state, it’s a pink cabin with green shutters tucked away in the forest of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. One of our favorite venues in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Spence Cabin in Elkmont. It’s perfect for intimate weddings and elopements, and it’s on the bank of the Little River. The Appalachian Clubhouse is great for receptions too, and it’s located in Elkmont as well. With a quick 2-minute drive between the cabin and the clubhouse, many couples choose to reserve both venues for their wedding day. You can reserve them online at the following links: Spence Cabin, and Appalachian Clubhouse.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Wedding Photographer

Are you looking to have your wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? The national park is a popular location for destination mountain weddings and elopements. With the mountains, rivers, and forests of East Tennessee, it’s easy to fall in love with the Smokies. A few of the most popular locations for weddings and elopements in the national park include Spence Cabin, Cades Cove, Greenbrier, and the Appalachian Clubhouse.

The National Park Service requires photographers to have an authorized permit to photograph in the park, and JoPhoto has the required permit to photograph your wedding, elopement, and engagement photos. We have been a Great Smoky Mountains National Park wedding photographers for more than 6 years. Contact us for more information about our national park wedding packages.