Crest Center & Pavilion Wedding : D + R

dramatic sunset portrait of a bride and groom at crest center and pavilion

Over the years, Crest Center and Pavilion has become one of our homes away from when it comes to wedding season in Asheville! We’ve shared in so many epic celebrations with so many amazing couples that it’s impossible not to look forward coming back to this special venue again and again! One of our most memorable visits last year was for Dustin and Rachael’s early fall wedding. Like many of our out of town couples we first connected with these lovelys via phone, but we soon found ourselves mountaintop hiking for their beautiful sunset engagement at Craggy Gardens. Naturally these two crushed it! Besides it being a perfect night in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dustin and Rachael have an undeniable chemistry on camera that is equal parts playful and romantic. It made for a fun evening chasing sunsets and left us even more eager to document their big day!

Given the logistics on their wedding day, Dustin and Rachael decided to do their first look off site for proximity and timing. Being a wedding photographer in the Asheville area spoils you a bit as it seems there’s always a plethora of scenic options for these special moments and they chose one of our favorites in The NC Arboretum! Between the mountain views, fall color, multitude of paths and gardens, it’s a hard place to beat for your wedding day portraits. Rachael and Dustin also opted to do a private vow reading which has become one of our favorite trends over the past few years. For the introverts like me, it takes a lot of pressure off not having all of the eyes on you while speaking the words that are on your heart. For us it was hard to pick a favorite part of their day. The first look was sweet and the fall leaves added a nice pop of color. They rocked their sunset portraits in front of the beautiful mountains views that The Crest Center is known for, and the reception had everyone going all night! Looking back over it all was smile inducing to say the least, but I think the thing that stood out the most for us, was Dustin and Rachael’s sweet connection. Between the tender hugs, laugh out loud moments, and every little kiss, it’s impossible not to fall in love with these two as a couple! As always, we hope you all enjoy following and a special thank you to Dustin and Rachael for letting us be a small part of your story!