We are authorized Great Smoky Mountains National Park wedding photographers, and the park is a beautiful destination for mountain weddings, elopements, and photo sessions.
If you live in Knoxville, Maryville, East Tennessee, or you are traveling to Gatlinburg, Sevierville, or Pigeon Forge from out of state, then you know how gorgeous East Tennessee and the national park is for photos.
We frequently visit various locations throughout the Smokies for photos.
Spence Cabin
Elkmont
Foothills Parkway
Greenbrier
Some are closer to Gatlinburg, and others are closer to Townsend. Depending on the side of the park where you live or are visiting, we can make recommendations for the best locations.
Spence Cabin is a mountain wedding venue in Elkmont. Nestled in the forest on the banks of the Little River, it provides an outdoor ceremony site, rooms inside the cabin for the bride and groom to get ready, a kitchen for catering, main room for reception seating and serving food, and a patio and screened in porch for indoor/outdoor receptions. Spence Cabin is a short drive from Townsend and Gatlinburg and is a beautiful venue for earthy and intimate weddings.
Elkmont is a historic district in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Spence Cabin and the Appalachian Clubhouse are in the Elkmont District, and the Little River runs through it. Elkmont includes many other things such as camping and hiking trails. The hiking trails in Elkmont are some of our favorite, with freestanding stone fireplaces, a rock bridge, fallen logs, and riverside photo spots. Daisy Town is located in Elkmont, with historic cabins full of history!
Cades Cove is a 1-way driving loop and provides backdrops for all of our favorite things about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: wildlife, forests, fields with mountain views in the background, streams and water, historic structures such as the Primitive Baptist Church, bridges and overlooks for epic photos of the Smoky Mountains. There are 5 pre-approved ceremony locations in Cades Cove to choose from for your wedding.
The Appalachian Clubhouse is a historic event cabin located in Elkmont within a short drive from Spence Cabin. It is primarily used for wedding receptions because it can accommodate up to 100+ people, but you can have wedding ceremonies there too. It includes a kitchen, two gas-powered stone fireplaces, parking lot, and restrooms. The front porch has rocking chairs and a screened in porch too.
The Greenbrier area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is on northern side of the park, and it is near Pittman Center just outside of Gatlinburg. It is generally not very crowded with less traffic. There are three wedding locations in Greebrier: #1, #2, and the picnic pavilion. The approved wedding ceremony locations are on the banks of the Little Pigeon River, and there is an abundance of beautiful backdrops for wedding photos including the river, forest, wooden bridges, and large rocks in the river.
The Foothills Parkway is part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it has some of the most gorgeous scenic drives and locations overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains. With multiple locations between Walland and Wears Valley, there is an abundance of beautiful backdrops for wedding photos including the mountains, waterfall, sunsets, forest, and roads. The "Missing Link" was recently opened in 2018 with the most amazing view of the Appalachian Mountains and romantic sunsets.
Clingman's Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and in the state of Tennessee. It is also a popular location for night photos of the milk way in the summer. Located along the state line ridge between Tennessee and North Carolina, on clear, pollution-free days, views expand over 100 miles and into seven states. The viewing tower at Clingman's Dome provides 360-degree views and an amazing location to view the sunset over layers and layers of mountains in the distance.
When you book us as your photographers, you're also booking our vast knowledge of beautiful, unique places throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Spence Cabin
Appalachian Clubhouse
Elkmont
Greenbrier
Foothills Parkway
Clingman's Dome
Little River
Other popular wedding locations outside the national park (but still in the Smoky Mountains) include The Magnolia, Gatlinburg Mansion, RT Lodge, Dancing Bear Lodge, The Barn at Chestnut Springs, and many more.
If you love watching lightning bugs flicker in the trees, get excited by the smell of a campfire, love jumping in a cool mountain stream, and hopping across river rocks, then get in touch!
Wedding photography and other professional photography within the national park requires a special permit and authorization from the national park.
JoPhoto has the permit and authorization to provide professional photography in the park, and we have had this permit for more than 9 years. We have photographed dozens of weddings and engagement sessions in the smokies!
If you’re interested in getting married in the park, and you’re looking for a wedding photographer who has the required proper permit and authorization, and is also familiar with various locations throughout the smokies contact us.
Great Smoky Mountains wedding photographers for elopements and weddings in Gatlinburg, Cades Cove, Spence Cabin, national park, Smokies, and Knoxville.
Kathleen@JoPhotoOnline.com
Tel: (865) 919-7280
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg
Townsend
Maryville
Knoxville
Southeast
Wedding Photography
Intimate Weddings
Adventure Elopements
Engagement Photos
Licensed Photographers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park