Planning a wedding in Asheville?

Explore real weddings photographed at venues like The Biltmore Estate, Omni Grove Park Inn, Castle Ladyhawke, Hawkesdene, Homewood, The Vineyards at Betty's Creek, and more.

Voted “Asheville’s Best Wedding Photographer” by Mountain Xpress Newspaper three years in a row, Nathan Rivers Chesky is an Asheville wedding photographer and videographer serving weddings across Asheville, Highlands, Charlotte, and Western North Carolina. His work has been featured in Garden & Gun Weddings, Junebug Weddings, Zola, and Forbes, and he has been commissioned directly by brands including Garden & Gun, Explore Asheville, and WeddingPro.

Blending modern digital photography with timeless 35mm and medium format film, Nathan creates imagery that feels both natural and editorial. His wedding packages include drone photography and videography, capturing the landscape and atmosphere of the Blue Ridge Mountains while preserving the full story of each wedding day.

Recognized for his editorial eye, creative direction, and documentary approach, Nathan serves couples planning full wedding weekends, multicultural celebrations, and destination weddings across Asheville, Western North Carolina, and the East Coast.

Nathan Rivers Chesky — Asheville Wedding Photographer

Nathan Rivers Chesky, Asheville wedding photographer and filmmaker based in Western North Carolina holding a camera beside a stone staircase at Castle Ladyhawke

3 Do’s for your Do it Yourself Elopement – Asheville, NC

A bride in a lace wedding dress and a groom in a black tuxedo look at each other during an Asheville, NC elopement in a vineyard.
A bride in a lace wedding dress and a groom in a black tuxedo look at each other during an Asheville, NC elopement in a vineyard.

Greenville SC Elopement Photographer

Amanda and Morgan celebrated with a Zoom Elopement just north of Greenville, South Carolina at The Hotel Domestique in Traveler’s Rest. As avid Bicyclers this location was a dream! The Vineyard post wedding ceremony photos are some of my favorite!

Let’s hear about 3 Do’s for your Elopement Wedding Day when you’re keeping things small, but are still celebrating big!
A bride in a lace wedding dress and a groom in a tuxedo stand close together in an Asheville, NC vineyard, looking at each other during their elopement.
A bride in a lace wedding dress and a groom in a black suit walk hand-in-hand through an Asheville, NC vineyard during their elopement.

1) Def get dressed up.

Let’s do it up! This is still a huge day, no matter how small the guest list is. You are still making a lifelong commitment and voicing your promises. When I say dress up, I don’t mean you must go unzip the tux bag in the back of the closet. But dress up your way. Take this day as an opportunity to get that pair of shoes you’ve always wanted but are perhaps a bit impractical, or a tie that screams look at this flippin’ guy!

A bride rests her hand on the groom’s tuxedo jacket to highlight her diamond engagement ring, a romantic detail captured in this Asheville, NC elopement photography.
A bride reads her vows to her groom during an Asheville, NC elopement ceremony as an officiant stands between them.

2) Hire a photographer that understands elopements.

Elopements mean I am a bigger part of your day, as I will be spending most of the time with you!  Make sure you find someone you are a good match with not only aesthetically but socially. A small elopement is a vastly different energy from having 200 dancing family members and friends around.  Find someone who can walk beside you on your elopement day, and lead when necessary.
A bride and groom in wedding attire laugh while holding champagne glasses during an Asheville NC elopement photography video call on a tablet.
A bride and groom holding champagne glasses toast toward a tablet displaying a video call with guests, capturing an intimate moment in this elopement photography from Asheville, NC.

3) Big Reception to come?

Save some of those special moments for that day. If you wish to have the ceremony experience at a later date, prepare your vows to be shared in front of friends and family. These things are important to hold for those you love to witness.

A couple stands at an outdoor altar in front of a violinist during an Asheville, NC elopement, with a long water feature in the foreground and mountains in the distance.

Let’s see some of those details and cute moments around Hotel Domestique!

A bride in a white wedding dress sits in an armchair by a window, holding a glass of wine during an Asheville, NC elopement.
A man in a white dress shirt and suspenders adjusts his bow tie in a mirror while a woman smiles in the background, a moment captured during elopement photography in Asheville, NC.
A smiling bride in a white lace wedding dress holds a large, colorful floral bouquet during an elopement photography session in Asheville, NC.
A bride and groom in silhouette stand facing each other within an arched doorway, captured in this Asheville, NC elopement photography.
Royal blue pointed-toe heels with pearl embellishments rest on grass next to a white lace wedding veil, captured in Asheville, NC elopement photography.
A bride in a gown and a groom in a tuxedo walk down a stone staircase holding hands during an Asheville, NC elopement.
A bride and groom stand on the balcony of a stucco building with a tiled roof during an Asheville, NC elopement.
A close-up of a person with a diamond engagement ring resting their hand over another’s plain wedding band, captured during elopement photography in Asheville, NC.
A couple sits at a table outside a large villa during twilight, capturing the atmosphere of an elopement photography session in Asheville, NC.
A bride in a lace wedding dress and a groom in a tuxedo holding champagne flutes and talking outdoors with mountains in the background, captured in Asheville NC elopement photography.
A bride and groom in silhouette stand face-to-face in a doorway, captured in Asheville, NC elopement photography.
A bride and groom in formal wedding attire look at each other while standing on a staircase next to a window in this Asheville, NC elopement photography portrait.
A bride in a white wedding gown and a groom in a tuxedo stand on a gravel patio for their elopement photography in Asheville, NC, holding champagne glasses and facing each other in front of a villa.
A bride and groom stand in front of a rustic building with dark shutters and wooden barrels, perfect for elopement photography in Asheville, NC.
A bride with a colorful bouquet and a groom in a tuxedo hold hands and look at each other by a water fountain with mountains in the background, captured in professional elopement photography in Asheville, NC.
A bride and groom drink champagne at a small table on a stone patio during an Asheville, NC elopement.
A bride and groom in wedding attire embrace among rows of grapevines in this Asheville, NC elopement photography.
A bride and groom walk hand-in-hand across a grassy field toward a mountain landscape under a cloudy sky, captured in Asheville, NC elopement photography.

Reach out here to inquire about your date for your own Photography with Nathan Rivers Chesky Photography and Film.

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Voted “Asheville’s Best Wedding Photographer” by Mountain Xpress Newspaper three years in a row, Nathan Rivers Chesky is an Asheville wedding photographer and videographer serving weddings across Asheville, Highlands, Charlotte, and Western North Carolina. His work has been featured in Garden & Gun Weddings, Junebug Weddings, Zola, and Forbes, and he has been commissioned directly by brands including Garden & Gun, Explore Asheville, and WeddingPro.

Blending modern digital photography with timeless 35mm and medium format film, Nathan creates imagery that feels both natural and editorial. His wedding packages include drone photography and videography, capturing the landscape and atmosphere of the Blue Ridge Mountains while preserving the full story of each wedding day.

Recognized for his editorial eye, creative direction, and documentary approach, Nathan serves couples planning full wedding weekends, multicultural celebrations, and destination weddings across Asheville, Western North Carolina, and the East Coast.

Planning a wedding in Asheville? Explore real weddings photographed at venues like The Biltmore Estate, Omni Grove Park Inn, Castle Ladyhawke, Hawkesdene, Homewood, The Vineyards at Betty's Creek, and more.

Nathan Rivers Chesky — Asheville Wedding Photographer

Nathan Rivers Chesky, Asheville wedding photographer and filmmaker based in Western North Carolina holding a camera beside a stone staircase at Castle Ladyhawke