Session & elopement locations
Mountain ridges, waterfalls, gardens and city streets. With the light, the walk and the rules for each.
Tell me your storyChoosing where to have your photos taken is half the fun, and half the stress. These guides are meant to take the stress out. Each one tells you what the place feels like, when the light is best, how much walking to expect, and what the managing agency says about permits for photographers and ceremonies.
I'm based in Asheville, so the mountain list is long. I also travel to Charlotte, where there are gardens, lakes, murals and a skyline to work with. Rules change, so I always check the official source again before your date.
Start with how you want it to feel. Wide open and windy? A grassy bald or an overlook. Quiet and green? A forest trail or a garden. A little urban and moody? Brick, murals and streetlights.
Then think about effort. Some spots are a few steps from the car, others take a real hike. Every guide says what to expect, so you can choose shoes, and outfits, accordingly.
Sunrise usually means empty trails and soft, low light, sometimes with clouds sitting in the valleys. Sunset is warmer and easier on the alarm clock, but the most famous overlooks get busy.
Seasons change everything here. Spring green and rhododendron, summer meadows, the long run of fall color down the mountains, and in winter, quiet and sometimes snow, with some high roads closed. I plan each session around what the place looks like that week.
Asheville & the Blue Ridge Mountains
Balds, overlooks, waterfalls, gardens and a few city streets.
Asheville
Biltmore Estate
Pisgah National Forest
Black Balsam Knob
Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
Chimney Rock State Park
Chimney Rock and Lake Lure
Blue Ridge Parkway
Craggy Gardens
Asheville
Downtown Asheville and the River Arts District
NC Forest Service
DuPont State Recreational Forest
Linville
Grandfather Mountain
Pisgah National Forest
Graveyard Fields
Pisgah National Forest
Max Patch
NC State Park
Mount Mitchell
Asheville
The North Carolina Arboretum
Charlotte
Skyline, parks, mill districts, gardens and the lake.
Questions
Yes. Your backyard, a family farm or the trail you hike every weekend can be the best place of all. I'll help you figure out the light and any rules.
Gardens like the NC Arboretum or Daniel Stowe, city spots, and many Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks need little or no hiking. Each guide notes the walking effort where the official source gives it.
Keep exploring
Contact
Tell me who you are, what you love, and the season you're in. I read every word.
Based in Asheville. Coming from Charlotte or further? Tell me where you are, and travel details come with your collections.
Prefer Instagram? Message me at @storiesbyesi.
